7.1 CH, ALC890 Audio Codec, DTS support

[652]

I need drivers for my audio.

 

I am using Mac OS X 10.7.4 fully updated.

 

I need ALC890

 

Here is my motherboards specs: http://www.asrock.co...20SuperComputer

 

Here is further information about the drivers on the manufacturers website: http://www.asrock.co...mputer&o=Win764

 

Realtek high definition audio driver ver:R2.31

 

Also, if anybody knows where I can find the DSDT file for my motherboard, I will be very grateful.

[eep357]

Since that audio chipset is not used on any other motherboards besides that make and model, support is limited. You can try voodoohda and that's about it. Could you relay the message to the person who posted the same exact question a few seconds before you? You might know him, he has the same screen name

[652]

That's rude, it was in a different section, when I figured out there is this section for audio specific question I posted it here since no one has answer me after a long wait. I think I posted late last night.

 

Oh, and I already got audio working, thanks

[eep357]

I wasn't trying to be rude, just a lighthearted heads up. They were posted 37 min apart, not long, but not back to back either. Just glad you got it working! Can you mark both solved with maybe a quick note as to what worked, incase someone else is searching for same thing in the future? A link to this thread in the other would probably be best to close it out

[652]

Universal

VoodooHDA 0.2.7.3

 

God Damit!, I have to retype it all now, the entire page went back and when I tried to return, all that I have writen is gone.

 

Well anyway...

 

There are a few bugs to note; the problem is hardly resolved. Some media when I play, there is a crackling sound. Sometimes very mild and for other videos, it is unbarable. It crackls for some media and not others, it crackles when playing two forms of media at the same time. Although I did figure out a workaround.

 

Going into System Preferences > VoodooHDA > and checking "Use SSE2" reduces the static from the sound 80- 90%, then in VLC, in audio Effects or just "Effects" > then "Filter" checking "Volume Normalization" reduces the noise another 5%+.

 

Although, in adition, if I reboot the computer or shutdown while VLC is open, both the VoodooHDA settings as well as VLCs settings return to defualt. I have had to do this a few times already but not often and it is not a big burdon.

 

p.s. sorry for the misunderstandings.

also, do you know of a reason OS X forbids me for copying or moving any files to external hard-drives? I've tried to move videos, Acronis recovery volumes for other Windows PCs, DMG files, music. When I drag from anywhere to the desktop, I get a + sign and it allows me, but if I try to drag from OS X to any other drive, external say, it gives me an X. Do you know why or of any workarounds/ fixes?

[eep357]

For voodoo, the most common reason for audio distortion is from the input/mic gain being up too high, turn it down to about half and see if that helps. Once you find the settings that are best, you can keep it from reverting by editing the info.plist inside the voodoo kext. For example to make the input always be half what it is now, there should be a listing in the kext for iGain or similar and a string after it with a number like 90, change it to half, 45, and that should make it default to that setting. If still no love, try the version of Voodoo before that version. Newer not always better. You'll have to copy the kext to another location such as your desk top to save any edits, then can use Kext Wizard to install your edited version

As for writing to external disks, I'm guessing they are windows formatted NTFS drives. By default osx can read NTFS but not write to NTFS volumes and no longer includes any native write support(10.5 and 10.6 had unofficial support that had to be enabled manually). There are paid and free solutions to enable NTFS writing. NTFS-3G is free option, Tuxtera and Paragon NTFS are a couple paid options. All can work, the paid drivers tend to be a bit more reliable, but unless your updating the library of congress, free sounds good.

[652]

Thanks for your response, I'm glad to hear from you.

 

First off, I've already figured out how to copy to htfs disks, it was super annoying since I needed it urgently for a client that was waiting for an important file. From what you just said, it is completely consistent with what I found on my own. I found several reasons for them not copying but now based on what you said, none of them were wrong, they were all circumstantial and all apply. I downloaded "Tuxera NTFS for Mac". It seems to be working fine, let me know if you think this one isn't very good or if there is a problem with it.

 

I'm going to try to ask my question in parts so you don't forget to answer any of them, it happens a lot,

 

 

Audio 1 of 4

 

1. What do you mean by "

input/mic"?

 

2. I don't know what the "

info.plist" is nor do I know how to edit it. I barely understand or know the

Multi App, so you will have to explain how to do that other stuff or send me a link to an informative tutorial with pictures if possible.

3. "

iGain", what is that? I don't even know what that is, do I need to download it? If yes, where please?

 

 

Note: I am understanding the basics of, well the concept of what your describing, like, ex; I'm sure the #values/ numbers etc, like you described will become obvious to anyone that is doing that, ex; editing the kext, they will see the numbers to be changed

 

4. When you say, newer is not always better, I used "

VoodooHDA 0.2.7.3", it was the largest version number I picked from but I read somewhere, a person said something to the terms of, I used "Voodoo 10", I don't know what to make of that. Maybe if there is a much newer set of such a thing I should try that. Or not, tell me what you know, or think. Where to find this, as it does not come with the version of "

Multi - Lion Edition" I downloaded.

5. Save kexts to desktop, use a "

Kext Wizard"? This is all new to me, like I said before, I don't know where the kexts are, I don't know what a "

Kext Wizard" is, where to get it, or how to use it.

 

 

If I've already installed a kext, do I have to re-install Mac OS X before i try another kext? And what are the details/ specifics about that? Do I need to do something to remove the old kext? or just install over it every time, and when I change one kext, does it affect other kexts, altered or the defaults.

[eep357]

Read this, it should help to answer questions 1-3 VoodooHDA - common problems

 

The version of VoodooHDA you are using is new, they can all be found here http://code.google.c.../downloads/list . anyone who wrote about using version 10, either made a typo or didn't know what they were talking about.

 

Kext Wizard can be found here http://code.google.c.../downloads/list Kext Wizard is an app to assist in the install of kernel extensions also refered to as kexts because of their file extension being ".kext". The Voodoo audio includes it's own installer, but at some point if you are going to own a hackintosh, you will need to install kexts on your own. No need to reinstall OSX to change and kext (think of these just like drivers in windows), technically you do not need to reinstall OSX ever, even if you think it's messed up beyond repair and will not boot, it's probably a quick fix from the command line, regardless, reinstalling should be a last resort.

 

*note, I will explain some things below as it's knowledge that is necessary, but do not do any of these things unless there is a reason to and you are either following a guide or other instruction, or have learned what your doing*

When I mentioned copying a kext to the desktop to be able to edit it, this is only because OSX has built-in write protection on certain files and folders and the extensions folder is one of them. The kexts are located in /System/Library/Extensions. You will see people write s/l/e for short on many forums. To edit one of these kexts, you simply drag it to the desktop using finder. This will make a copy and will not move it from the original location. Once on the desktop you would right click it and choose "show package contents" from the right click menu. You will then see the kext is not much more than a folder, with other folders and files inside of it. The primary folder is called "Contents" and inside that folder will be a file called info.plist which can be opened with text editor. You can think of this file as a list of directions telling the kext how to behave and some default settings it should have. Any changes you make can be saved as any normal text document by the save command in the menu bar or keyboard shortcut of command+S. Now you will have your edited kext still on the desktop, you can then use Kext Wizard to install that kext into the proper location, which again is /System/Library/Extension. It also includes an option to backup any kexts it is replacing which I recommend you have it do. Kext Wizard also includes a Utilities section where you can repair file ownership permission and rebuild the kernel kext cache to ensure the newly installed kext will work properly when you reboot.

[652]

Sorry, I've been busy working, I'm going to work on audio 2nd, my priority is sleep, how do I get sleep to work?

[652]

Voodoo is no good, I keep getting a kernel panic when I boot-up sometimes. Any ideas?

[eep357]

no good for which versions? try version 2.7.2, or 2.7.1 or 2.7.4

 

I would worry about sound before sleep, cause you will probably need to learn to extract and patch your own for that to work, which will take time and patience

[652]

I tried all version of Voodoo, the last version works the best but is not perfect.

I am willing to make some time to figure out DSDT's, Where would I get an Asrock x58 Supercomputer DSDT file to edit? Is it the .inf file in their website or what?

[eep357]

you extract it yourself from the bios. Go here to read more on the subject and to get tools needed to extract, patch and compile

 

http://olarila.com/f...b3d842049c75b2f

 

If you got a version of voodoo audio kinda working, usually pretty easy to fix it up to sound good or great by going to voodoo pref pane in sys prefs and turning the different input levels down, otherwise they cause a feedback loop into the output's giving crackling, poping audio or an echo, reverb effect.

[652]

I gota tell you, using OS X for the last week or more has been the greatest pleasure. It's just a few tiny quirks to iron out. Hopefully, I get them fixed so I don't have to ever go back to SuperSuckieDows Ultimate Edition SP1 Genuine Activated etc.

 

I tried to enable FileVault, is there any particular reason it doesn't work? Can I use TrueCrypt on a Hackintosh? Is that asking too much? Because I really need this, I need to encrypt my Home Folder, (I'm not sure if that's what it's called in OS Ten) sorry if I step on anybody's toes. But I would prefer full disk encryption. I'm not concerned about speed because my computer is a super computer and OS X is super fast, full disk encryption was super fast in Windows but Windows has its own problems that make it hazardous to use by itself.

 

Anyway before I continue, I want these questions answered. And I really like that you've stuck with me through all this eep357. I will not forget this soon. You never had to help anyone, especially after my loud outburst after staying awake for two days and putting up with people that are nowhere near your level.

 

So here are the main things that I have left that are not working yet or I am concerned about.

Sleep, kernal panics (caused by Voodoo), video (nVidia GTX 275, I am concerned that this card might not being fully/ whatever the word is for fully usable by my computers new OS) Also I have not tested Wake on LAN as of yet. I will be doing a lot of remote desktop in the near future.

 

My main question seems to be, should I even worry about the specific apps and functions of OS Ten or not? So let me try this again in the form of a question.

 

Will a hackintosh ever run/ or operate as well as a Genuine Mac running on real and Genuine Apple approved hardware? It sure is hard work and not for the faint hearted.

[eep357]

I'll start with the last question, which I would answer as no and maybe. If you build a system with the knowledge ahead of time that you will be running OSX on it, with a little research you can buy parts that are known to be compatible and hopefully require little configuration to get working properly. In these cases there is potential to have it run as good or better than real apple, because even if the real apple had exact same hardware specs (at triple the price), there are some things you can do a real mac can't, like overclock it from the bios. So it's possible.....BUT, many times people are building a hackintosh with whatever hardware they already happen to have, in these cases you can't "expect" everything to work properly. With time, effort and knowledge you can usually continue to improve on some of the problems and make the list of problems shorter, but may have a couple things that never work as desired. Luckily they are usually minor annoyances like sleep/wake or there are ways to work around them like using a cheap USB audio adapter instead of built in audio, or a USB wifi dongle. Even if almost nothing seemed to work, I don't ever see "going back to Windows" or "go back to Linux" because there is no need to "GO" anywhere when you could put 2 or all 3 on your system and boot into which ever one you want, when you want, so only place I could go, is to my computer to choose what OS I want to use at that moment for the task at hand.

 

As for fire vault-no clue, never used it, scared it will ruin my data or something, Sleep may need DSDT with edits and verify bios settings like S3 sleep mode is enabled. Sleeping just display may be an option in the mean time. I almost never sleep my computer and only time I ever actually do, is just to test that it works, then never sleep it again after that. I use VNC/screen sharing all day every day, so understand wanting that to work, all I can say is I know it does if the computer is awake, not sure about WOL though, and may vary from hack to hack. Your down to the things that are always a pain to get working on most systems, and on some may never work right at all. So doing well overall. For gfx card, check for hardware acceleration by seeing if translucent menu bar works or DVD player app will launch with out crashing. There are a few other tests if you search the site

[652]

By "

translucent menu bar

" if you are talking about the bar at the top? After I run Multi for Lion, the bar at the top does indeed become transparent. My concern lies in games, I haven't been able to install Warcraft III yet because my DVD drive is not recognized by OS X. That was one more problem but already solved, I read online that it is because 10.7 no longer support the IDE interface. Solution, buy a SATA CD/ DVD drive from Microcenter for 26$. I haven't done this yet but I plan to in the coming days. I've been more focused on other tasks.

 

Also, I cannot do the DVD test you just described until I replace the drive. Although, one of my friends pointed me towards a little well known juvenile game @Runescape.com. I tried it, the game loads really slowly, I mean really slowly, and if I move to focus another windows over it then go back to the game. it goes blank. But when I try this game using Windows, it is responsive and immediate. My friend said to me, he tried this game at an Apple store "Runescape.com" but this was 2 years ago and it worked well he said. not at all like I described. I'm wondering if this is a result of the graphics driver not running at full potential or something.

[eep357]

there are legacy ide kexts to make make it work and should not NEED a sata IDE drive, though not a bad purchase regardless. As of 2008 brand new MacPro's still came with IDE DVD drives installed, so support is there. Try this kext to see if it will enable it. Or if your mobo uses jmicron ATA IDE controller use the 2nd one

AppleIntelPIIXATA.kext.zip

JMicron36xATA.kext.zip

[652]

Thanks, I don't know how to install them.

 

 

EDIT: plus, i read somewhere that you should not use kexts of IDE drives because they are not as stable as official drivers and could couse data loss, data corruption, etc.

[eep357]

if you figure out how to corrupt a dvd let me know install using Kext Wizard

[652]

Good point, thanks,

I'll give it a go.