Re: Tragic State of FreeBSD Audio/Sound
np <[email protected]> Mon, 20 Jul 2026 14:30:51 +0200
| Newsgroups | gmane.os.freebsd.stable |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
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Concerning MIDI, this is not arch-dependent but targeted cards are mostly r=
ather old PCI ones=2E I did not change any USB-audio code, which seems to w=
ork at least on FreeBSD 13=2Ex but is using its own MIDI implementation, be=
cause the official MIDI sub-system was broken=2E You can see these changes =
here (wip): https://github=2Ecom/n-p-soft/freebsd-src/tree/midi-all
Le 20 juillet 2026 14:16:38 GMT+02:00, Mario Marietto <marietto2008@gmail=
=2Ecom> a =C3=A9crit :
>>Hi, afaik there is a huge rework of the sound subsystem in progress,
>sponsored >by the FreeBSD foundation=2E But this should have been merged =
in
>one commit and >not in small steps, because changes seem deep=2E I person=
ally
>fix the MIDI part so >that it is working on FreeBSD 13=2Ex, but I don't k=
now
>what changes will be merged/>have been merged because the rework is now
>massive=2E
>
>Is that code valid also for ARM64 bit ?
>
>On Mon, Jul 20, 2026 at 2:06=E2=80=AFPM np <dev@nicolas-provost=2Efr> wro=
te:
>
>> Hi, afaik there is a hudge rework of the sound subsystem in progress,
>> sponsored by the FreeBSD foundation=2E But this should have been merged=
in
>> one commit and not in small steps, because changes seem deep=2E I perso=
nally
>> fix the MIDI part so that it is working on FreeBSD 13=2Ex, but I don't =
know
>> what changes will be merged/have been merged because the rework is now
>> massive=2E
>>
>> At worst, waiting until this job is achieved, you can take the code und=
er
>> sys/sound from FreeBSD 13=2Ex and use it under 15=2E0, with minor tweak=
s in the
>> source tree=2E
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>>
>> Le 20 juillet 2026 02:04:25 GMT+02:00, vermaden <vermaden@interia=2Epl>=
a
>> =C3=A9crit :
>>
>>> Hi=2E
>>>
>>> For a start lets define some TERMS=2E I use UPPERCASE not to shout - b=
ut to underline a part of the sentence that is needed to be underlined - th=
is is plain email - I do not have Bold/Underscore/Italic options - keep tha=
t in mind - now - to the core of the issue =2E=2E=2E
>>>
>>> I always considered FreeBSD OSS audio/sound subsystem superior to all =
ALSA/PulseAudio/PipeWire and other dramas from the Linux world =2E=2E=2E bu=
t not anymore=2E
>>>
>>> Somewhere between 14=2E3-RELEASE and 14=2E4-RELEASE things begin to ge=
t broken - I thought that upgrade to latest and greatest 15=2E1-RELEASE wou=
ld solve my issues - as there were LOTS of sound/audio related things=2E
>>>
>>> I will not even start about PITA syntax of mixer(1) which went into th=
is:
>>>
>>> % mixer -f ${DEV} vol=2Evolume=3D+0=2E05
>>>
>>> =2E=2E=2E from MUCH MORE friendly syntax=2E
>>>
>>> But these random 'boozing' sounds are just unacceptable =2E=2E=2E and =
I can not even tell where they came from =2E=2E=2E is it OSS problem? Is is=
PulseAudio problem? Something in between? Because there is NOTHING in the =
logs for audio=2E
>>>
>>> Its also possible to get that file from my personal 'mediafire=2Ecom' =
account here:
>>> - https://mediafire=2Ecom/file/jw3cpk8g77rvks2/freebsd-tragic-audio-so=
und=2Emp4/file
>>>
>>> =2E=2E=2E and its not some fancy laptop from yesterday =2E=2E=2E its a=
ThinkPad T480 from 2018 for fuck sake - hardware like that used to run smo=
oth as Carlos Sainz 'smooth operator' in Singapore GP =2E=2E=2E but not any=
more=2E
>>>
>>> I do not even know what to add here =2E=2E=2E its a message send our o=
f despair =2E=2E=2E as newer releases only made these things worse =2E=2E=
=2E I have been repeating this over and over again - but its again probably=
the issue that 'too less' FreeBSD developers use FreeBSD as their daily dr=
iver/desktop/laptop system=2E
>>>
>>> Sorry to disappoint=2E
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> vermaden
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
>--=20
>Mario=2E
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<html><head></head><body><div dir=3D"auto">Concerning MIDI, this is not arc=
h-dependent but targeted cards are mostly rather old PCI ones=2E I did not =
change any USB-audio code, which seems to work at least on FreeBSD 13=2Ex b=
ut is using its own MIDI implementation, because the official MIDI sub-syst=
em was broken=2E You can see these changes here (wip): <a href=3D"https://g=
ithub=2Ecom/n-p-soft/freebsd-src/tree/midi-all">https://github=2Ecom/n-p-so=
ft/freebsd-src/tree/midi-all</a></div><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><d=
iv dir=3D"auto">Le 20 juillet 2026 14:16:38 GMT+02:00, Mario Marietto <m=
arietto2008@gmail=2Ecom> a =C3=A9crit :</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_=
quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0=2E8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204=
, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>>Hi, afaik there is a huge rework of the sound su=
bsystem in progress,=20
sponsored >by the FreeBSD foundation=2E But this should have been merge=
d in
one commit and >not in small steps, because changes seem deep=2E I=20
personally fix the MIDI part so >that it is working on FreeBSD 13=2Ex, =
but I
don't know what changes will be merged/>have been merged because the=
=20
rework is now massive=2E</div><div><br></div><div>Is that code valid also =
for ARM64 bit ?</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote gmail_quote_contai=
ner"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Mon, Jul 20, 2026 at 2:06=E2=
=80=AFPM np <<a href=3D"mailto:dev@nicolas-provost=2Efr">dev@nicolas-pro=
vost=2Efr</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=
=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0=2E8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);paddi=
ng-left:1ex"><div><div dir=3D"auto">Hi, afaik there is a hudge rework of th=
e sound subsystem in progress, sponsored by the FreeBSD foundation=2E But t=
his should have been merged in one commit and not in small steps, because c=
hanges seem deep=2E I personally fix the MIDI part so that it is working on=
FreeBSD 13=2Ex, but I don't know what changes will be merged/have been mer=
ged because the rework is now massive=2E<br><br>At worst, waiting until thi=
s job is achieved, you can take the code under sys/sound from FreeBSD 13=2E=
x and use it under 15=2E0, with minor tweaks in the source tree=2E<br><br>R=
egards,</div><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"auto">Le 20 jui=
llet 2026 02:04:25 GMT+02:00, vermaden <<a href=3D"mailto:vermaden@inter=
ia=2Epl" target=3D"_blank">vermaden@interia=2Epl</a>> a =C3=A9crit :</di=
v><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0pt 0pt 0pt 0=2E8ex;bor=
der-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<pre><div dir=3D"auto">Hi=2E<br><br>For a start lets define some TERMS=2E =
I use UPPERCASE not to shout - but to underline a part of the sentence that=
is needed to be underlined - this is plain email - I do not have Bold/Unde=
rscore/Italic options - keep that in mind - now - to the core of the issue =
=2E=2E=2E<br><br>I always considered FreeBSD OSS audio/sound subsystem supe=
rior to all ALSA/PulseAudio/PipeWire and other dramas from the Linux world =
=2E=2E=2E but not anymore=2E<br><br>Somewhere between 14=2E3-RELEASE and 14=
=2E4-RELEASE things begin to get broken - I thought that upgrade to latest =
and greatest 15=2E1-RELEASE would solve my issues - as there were LOTS of s=
ound/audio related things=2E<br><br>I will not even start about PITA syntax=
of mixer(1) which went into this:<br><br>% mixer -f ${DEV} vol=2Evolume=3D=
+0=2E05<br><br>=2E=2E=2E from MUCH MORE friendly syntax=2E<br><br>But these=
random 'boozing' sounds are just unacceptable =2E=2E=2E and I can not even=
tell where they came from =2E=2E=2E is it OSS problem? Is is PulseAudio pr=
oblem? Something in between? Because there is NOTHING in the logs for audio=
=2E<br><br>Its also possible to get that file from my personal '<a href=3D"=
http://mediafire=2Ecom" target=3D"_blank">mediafire=2Ecom</a>' account here=
:<br>- <a href=3D"https://mediafire=2Ecom/file/jw3cpk8g77rvks2/freebsd-trag=
ic-audio-sound=2Emp4/file" target=3D"_blank">https://mediafire=2Ecom/file/j=
w3cpk8g77rvks2/freebsd-tragic-audio-sound=2Emp4/file</a><br><br>=2E=2E=2E a=
nd its not some fancy laptop from yesterday =2E=2E=2E its a ThinkPad T480 f=
rom 2018 for fuck sake - hardware like that used to run smooth as Carlos Sa=
inz 'smooth operator' in Singapore GP =2E=2E=2E but not anymore=2E<br><br>I=
do not even know what to add here =2E=2E=2E its a message send our of desp=
air =2E=2E=2E as newer releases only made these things worse =2E=2E=2E I ha=
ve been repeating this over and over again - but its again probably the iss=
ue that 'too less' FreeBSD developers use FreeBSD as their daily driver/des=
ktop/laptop system=2E<br><br>Sorry to disappoint=2E<br><br>Regards,<br>verm=
aden<br><br><br></div></pre></blockquote></div></div></blockquote></div><di=
v><br clear=3D"all"></div></blockquote></div></body></html>
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