Format floatle is not supported by hardware, trying default.

[ccvs@…]

vlad@vlad:/multimedia/audio$ mplayer casablanca.mp3
MPlayer svn r34540 (Debian), built with gcc-4.7 (C) 2000-2012 MPlayer Team
mplayer: could not connect to socket
mplayer: No such file or directory
Failed to open LIRC support. You will not be able to use your remote control.

Playing casablanca.mp3.
libavformat version 53.21.1 (external)
Mismatching header version 53.19.0
Audio only file format detected.
Load subtitles in ./
==========================================================================
Requested audio codec family [mpg123] (afm=mpg123) not available.
Enable it at compilation.
Opening audio decoder: [ffmpeg] FFmpeg/libavcodec audio decoders
libavcodec version 53.35.0 (external)
Mismatching header version 53.32.2
AUDIO: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, floatle, 160.0 kbit/5.67% (ratio: 20000->352800)
Selected audio codec: [ffmp3float] afm: ffmpeg (FFmpeg MPEG layer-3 audio)
==========================================================================
[AO_ALSA] Format floatle is not supported by hardware, trying default.
[AO_ALSA] Unable to set format: Invalid argument
Failed to initialize audio driver 'alsa'
Could not open/initialize audio device -> no sound.
Audio: no sound
Video: no video

Exiting... (End of file)

.asoundrc

pcm.!default {

type hw
card 2

}

ctl.!default {

type hw
card 2

}

01:06.0 Multimedia audio controller: VIA Technologies Inc. VT1720/24 [Envy24PT/HT] PCI Multi-Channel Audio Controller (rev 01)

I've tried other players, they works fine.

[reimar]

That is a rather old MPlayer version, might be worth trying something newer.
The error sequence is very strange, this should mean that your ALSA refused to accept S16LE input format.
Any ideas what formats that device supports?
You can also make MPlayer pick a specific one, e.g. -af format=s24le will make it use 24 bit sample format.

[reimar]

Can't explain why or how that would happen, never seen the issue, and can't do anything about it without further information, so closing for the moment.