When I bought my new PC there was only the built-in sound card, an Intel i810 with 6 outputs. For this card, there is a little menu (in the OS parameters) that helps you specifying if you want to work in stereo, quadraphony, 5.1 or with headphones.
I havn't managed to use separate outputs from this card with Pd yet.
Anyway the command line "pd -listdev" (non-implemented in Linux yet) doesn't list the outputs separately (like for professionnal Delta 44 or Hammerfall cards). The i810 is only listed as one input device and one output device (no matter how it is configured)... I don't really know the difference, because "dac~ 1" and "dac~ 2" refer to "left channel" and to "right channel" with the i810 ; maybe it is related to its having only one 3.5mm stereo jack for "two" outputs ?
I should try again this evening for more information.
Maybe it depends on the card ; nonetheless try "dac~ 1 2 3 4" rather than "adc~ ....." if you are interested in 4 outputs :-)
Selon "Kjetil S. Matheussen" k.s.matheussen@notam02.no:
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Anyone have experience having 4 outs (an "adc~ 1 2 3 4" object) on a cheap soundcard (one of those 5.1 cards or something) in pd. Does it work?
Pd is going to run linux.