Thanks Scott. I've gotten the impression that using audio/MIDI hardware on a Linux machine is sort of the opposite of plug-and-play; and if your experience is typical, then that is an understatement. So is this kind of sleuthing and experimenting typical to get a Linux machine to do music? I'm not a programmer and don't have time to figure all this stuff out - I like the FOSS philosophy, and really hope Linux keeps growing - but it sounds like it may be a bit early for the humble user to try doing music with it. Am I wrong?
Thanks again, ld On Jan 25, 2009, at 4:34 PM, Scott wrote: > Larry David wrote: >> Hi - I'm a Mac user and musician. I'm thinking of switching to Linux >> with my next laptop, and am wondering what people are using for >> audio/ >> MIDI interfaces, and what software - DAW, plugins, softsynths, etc.? > > I have a little Dell XPS 1210 which I recently got working for my > modest little music > studio. All the details were in this post to the FFADO list: > > http://sourceforge.net/mailarchive/forum.php?thread_name=496C1F6E. > 9080701%40troutpocket.org&forum_name=ffado-user > > Here it is in all its posterity: > > Well, I got it all working. I wanted to share my progress with > everyone by editing > the wiki but I don't have access to that. Here's what I did (in a > nutshell): > > My Kit: > Dell XPS M1210 laptop > 1GB RAM > Intel T5600 1.8GHz Core2Duo > Intel 945GM Video controller > Sigmatel 9220 internal audio controller > Internal Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller > http://tinyurl.com/clr43l > > EchoAudio Audiofire12 > http://www.echoaudio.com/Products/FireWire/AudioFire12/index.php > > Ubuntu Studio 8.10 with RT (realtime) kernel > > Steps: > 1. Install UbuntuStudio 8.10. > > 2. Install all updates via update manager > > 3. Install RT kernel > ~$ sudo apt-get install linux-rt > > 4. Install ffado drivers and accompanying libraries > In Synaptic Package Manager choose Settings/Repositories. In the > Software > Sources window choose the Third-Party Software tab. Add the > following: > deb http://www.ffado.org/apt gutsy contrib > Reload your package manager and install the following: > ffado-dbus-server > ffado-mixer-qt4 > ffado-tools > jackd-firewire-driver > libffado2 > libffado2-dev (just in case) > > 5. Configure grub to boot RT kernel by default > ~$ sudo vim /boot/grub/menu.lst > edit the line: > default 0 > to say > default 4 > or whatever number (counting from 0) is your rt entry in the > file. If you > don't do this you have to manually choose it at boot every time. > > 6. Add yourself to the disk and audio groups. If the audio > group doesn't already > exist you can create it with the optional first command. > ~$ sudo groupadd audio (optional step if audio group doesn't exist) > ~$ sudo adduser <username> disk > ~$ sudo adduser <username> audio > > 7. Adjust limits.conf to accommodate your RT kernel. > ~$ sudo su -c 'echo @audio - rtprio 99 >> /etc/security/limits.conf' > ~$ sudo su -c 'echo @audio - nice -19 >> /etc/security/limits.conf' > ~$ sudo su -c 'echo @audio - memlock unlimited >> /etc/security/ > limits.conf' > > 8. Reboot to your RT kernel! > > After you system is up and running you'll have to start jackd. I > recommend using > qjackctl to do this as it has a patchbay manager. Make sure > everything is plugged in > and running then start qjackctl (found in Sound & Video/Audio > Production/JACK Control) > > 9. You must install the raw1394 kernel module. Unfortunately my > ability to get this > to stick hasn't worked. No problem, just run the following > short command after > each boot: > ~$ sudo modprobe raw1394 > > 10. Here are the changes I made to the default jackd config by > clicking Setup: > Driver = firewire > Realtime (checked) > Priority = 70 > Frames/Period = 64 > Sample Rate = 48000 > Periods/Buffer = 3 > Port Maximum = 128 > Interface = hw:0 > Start Delay = 2 > > 11. Click the Patchbay button. Click the New button and let it > discover your > port configurations itself. Mine showed System with 12 > capture ports listed > under Output and it showed System with 12 playback ports > under Input. Select > System in both windows and choose Connect. You may have to > click the Activate > though I don't really know exactly what that does. > > Click the start button and pray for no xruns. Following these > exact steps I've been > able to successfully record in Ardour for 30ish minutes without > xruns or program > errors. It may go longer but I haven't bothered trying yet. > > The big hurdle I encountered was outdated information on many > websites. First of all, > the Ricoh 1394 controller does not work with 8.04.1 RT kernel. It > is working > wonderfully with my 8.10 RT kernel. I hope someone can update the > page at: > > http://subversion.ffado.org/wiki/HostControllers > > to show that success has been had with the Ricoh R5C832 1394 > controller and perhaps > reference this guide. > > Guides from which I shamelessly ripped off information: > https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UbuntuStudioPreparation > http://www.ffado.org/?q=release/apt > > -Scott > > -- > Ubuntu-Studio-users mailing list > [email protected] > Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/ > listinfo/ubuntu-studio-users -- Ubuntu-Studio-users mailing list [email protected] Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-studio-users
