I think I need a sound/ALSA guru.

[William Case]

Hi;

I have posted here a couple of times with sound problems and received no
reply.  I may be wrong but I think my sound problems are basically
installation problems and I also think they are 2 or 3 different
problems intermixed.  I have been working on this problem for over 6
weeks and don't seem to be any closer to a solution than when I started.

My problems are:
1) My event sounds all have scratchy or hissy backgrounds
2) My /dev/*(sound) permissions seem all screwed up
3) All the modules seem to be there (except one for synthesizer?? --
which is required in WindowsXP)
4) Most but not all of my sound programs can't find my sound card.
5) tvtime switches to 'line-in' even though it is set for PCM.
6) system-config-soundcard plays the test sample but has the worst
distortion of all.
7) and more and more .....

I have googled, checked the ALSA site, checked all the Fedora (including
bugzilla) and Linux sites I can find.  I have noticed several posted
ALSA problems similar to mine but seldom any posted solutions.

I have reams of data from lsmode, /dev/*, /proc/, PAM, /boot/config-2.6
etc. that I will share if anyone thinks they can help.

I am using P4 on a Intel 82850 motherboard, Ensoniq 5889 AudioPCI sound
card using the snd_ens1371 driver and an ATI TV Wonder tuner. Also
listed is Brooktree Bt878 video capture and Bt878 audio capture. My
Linux is Fedora Core 4.

I have sound -- sorta -- but my frustration level is climbing daily.

I can't figure out if I am doing something so stupid that no one can
bother replying, or because no one else knows what I am talking about or
because I am asking in the wrong place?  A reply to this last question
alone would be a big help

Regards Bill