OpenBSD NC4200: Using Plantronics USB Headset.

It's been a while since I last post anything. My OpenBSD box is still running great. Yesterday I got a Plantronics USB Headset and I wanted to see if I can get it to work in my 4.8. When I plugged the headset, here's the dmeg:

uaudio0 at uhub1 port 1 configuration 1 interface 0 "Plantronics Plantronics USB Headset" rev 2.00/1.20 addr 3
uaudio0: audio rev 1.00, 10 mixer controls
audio1 at uaudio0
uhidev1 at uhub1 port 1 configuration 1 interface 3 "Plantronics Plantronics USB Headset" rev 2.00/1.20 addr 3
uhidev1: iclass 3/0
uhid0 at uhidev1: input=1, output=0, feature=0


Seems to be ok. Now to test the headset. For I change the symlinks for these files:

/dev/audio = from /dev/audio0 to /dev/audio1
/dev/sound = from /dev/sound0 to /dev/sound1
/dev/audioctl = from /dev/audioctl0 to /dev/audioctl1
/dev/mixer = from /dev/mixer0 to /dev/mixer1

Normally it can be done manually by using:

$ ln -sf /dev/audio1 /dev/audio

and using the same method for the other 3 devices. I read someone's post on the net and he provided with this simple script which I named chaudio.sh file.

====== chaudio.sh script starts ======
#!/bin/sh

p=$1

ln -sf /dev/audio$p /dev/audio
ln -sf /dev/sound$p /dev/sound
ln -sf /dev/audioctl$p /dev/audioctl
ln -sf /dev/mixer$p /dev/mixer

exit 0
====== chaudio.sh script ends ======

After I created the script, chmod it to executable and then just type:

$ sudo ./chaudio.sh 1

and all 4 symlinks got changed. Doing ./chaudio 0 will change the symlinks back to default sound.

I tried testing the USB headset using:

$ cat /dev/urandon > /dev/audio1

and I can hear sounds on the headset. But, here comes the unsolved (yet) part, using mplayer or mp3blaster will output the sound to the laptop's speaker. Drats. I'm currently trying to figure this out. Got something to do with sndio stuff I guess. Will update on this if I find anything interesting. If you know any tips for this, please share.

Update: I found out that my Plantronics USB Headset is faulty. It's wacko even in XP. Damn. Later then.

OpenBSD NC4200: xterm-color + mp3blaster, no go.

I've been having an issue with mp3blaster recently. Every time I open mp3blaster, I can't use F1 to open folder. In fact, I can't use F1 to F5. F6 (repeat) and F7 (shuffle) works ok. I suspected that my ~/.Xdefaults is the culprit and after testing, it is true. This is my ~/.Xdefaults:

!! Xterm Resources
XTerm*loginShell: true
XTerm*termName: xterm-color
XTerm*faceName: Mono
XTerm*faceSize: 9
XTerm*internalBorder: 10
XTerm*highlightSelection: true
XTerm*cursorBlink: true
XTerm*utf8: 1

The culprit is bolded. So I had to change it to disable it by putting ! in front of it. After saving the file, I closed and open an Xterm, start mp3blaster and it can play my audio files fine now.

As for XTerm*faceName: Mono, you should try it if you haven't. The fonts in xterm is much much prettier and nice with it. Just the way I like it.

Before that, I found that my mp3blaster can't find any mixer device and just put Null0.0 in the mixer's panel. After reading OpenBSD's How do I set up an audio server? section, I edited my /etc/rc.conf.local and put:

aucat_flags=""

Then after next reboot, mp3blaster can happily use a mixer device. Later.