Ubuntu sound is problematic with my analog tv cards

I thought I'd try ubuntu 16.04 on a system that I'd been using with knoppix and I am getting extremely frustrated.

I launch tvtime or vlc and I just can't get the sound working at all from my brooktree 848 capture cards. I actually have two bt848 installed in this system.

I installed pavucontrol and I can see that there's some audio flickering on the meter but I just can't hear it.

With knoppix, everything just works with regards to the audio, and now I am so totally baffled.

I think I better do something else for awhile...I can see why people use windows.

There's video from /dev/video0 and /dev/video1 but just no sound.