The good news: If all you want is stereo analog output to speakers, the box works instantly and well.
The bad news: Almost nothing else works. No headphones, no remote control. Single PCM input only, dmix (or pulseaudion) is your friend, including all the trouble with OSS emulation. PCM capture may work (I haven't tried it). Alsamixer offers exactly two items: PCM and PCM Capture. That's all. From Linux point of view SB Live! USB is a very primitive sound device. Not recommended.
Update: Another good news: The remote control feature is supported now. So if you need an external remote control device with a simple playback facility as a bonus, your old SB Live! USB can serve you well. I could get the remote control run easily following the instructions from Ubuntu forums.
Milan Zamazal
<pdm@zamazal.org>
Last modified: 2008-01-24 18:12 UTC.