Resolving Audio CD problems in Mandrake

This page deals with two of the most common problems when trying to play Audio Cds under Linux with the KDE CD Player kscd.

Access error

Kscd gives an error message "CDROM read or access error (or no audio disc in drive).Please make sure you have access permissions to /dev/cdrom"

Kscd assumes the Cd device is /dev/cdrom, and in the majority of configurations this will be true. However some users will not have a device named /dev/cdrom, or if they do it is not the device they wish to use to play audio Cds.

The solution is simply to configure the correct device name in Kscd settings. If you are using a CD drive configured for scsi emulation, then the device name will be /dev/scd0 or something similar.

KSCD apparently plays but no sound

If you can hear system sounds and play MP3s etc, but hear no sound when playing audio Cds, and if the cdrom drawer opens when you press the eject button in the KDE CD player (kscd) then the problem is very likely due to your CD audio cable.

Since Windows ME, Windows Media Player has been using the digital IDE interface to play audio CDs. Some PC manufacturers desperate to increase margin by 2 cents have taken advantage of this to start building PCs without an audio cable from the CD drive to the sound card of the PC.

Linux however depends on that audio cable to play Cds.

You can easily check if you are affected if you open your case. You should see a slim cable (usually grey) in addition to the wide flat IDE cable, leading from the corner of your CD drive to either your PCI sound card, or else the motherboard if you have onboard sound.

What to do about it

If you are affected, you can either :-

Get on the telephone and give your PC supplier a roasting until they send you a cable. (Make sure you install it the correct way round or left/right channels will be reversed)

Play your CDs with Totem- Totem uses the IDE digital interface to play CDs just like Windows Media Player does.

Play your CDs with Xmms- Xmms can play CDs using the IDE interface once you install the rpm xmms-cdread from your Mandrake discs, and follow this procedure.

Open the xmms media player. Right click in xmms and select Options>Preferences>Audio I/O Plugins

Select 'CD Audio Player' and uncheck the 'Enable plugin' button. Select 'Audio CD Reader' and 'enable' it. Select 'Configure' for audio CD Reader and ensure the correct device is selected you want to play CDs from (/dev/hdx where x is a,b,c, or d, or /dev/scd0 etc if it is a SCI device)

Now save the options and right click on xmms and select 'Play File' a dialogue box will open. Enter the device name in the selection box, for example /dev/hdc and click 'OK'

The CD will now play, and if you are online and cddb was enabled in the plugin options you will see the CD track names appear in the xmms playlist. The next time you put in a CD you will not need to 'Select File' Just press the 'Play' button and it should start playing.

Unfortunately I am not aware of any similar procedure to enable the KDE CD player to play audio CD's without a cable.

Saturday 10th April, 2004