[arch-general] [Fwd: [LAU] A sound decision]

[Ng Oon-Ee]

Forwarding the below, for those interested. fons, you'd maybe like this?

-------- Forwarded Message --------
> To: linux-audio-user at lists.linuxaudio.org
> Subject: [LAU] A sound decision
> Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 18:26:36 -0200
> 
> http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/36698-from-windows-to-linux-a-sound-decision
> 
> From Windows to Linux: a sound decision
> 
> Some excerpts:
> 
> Five years ago, when Geoff Beasley decided to move his sound studio
> business from a Windows-based one to a Linux-based setup, he had one
> simple bit of logic driving him: things could not be worse under
> Linux.
> ...
> "There's a great difference between working with commercial software
> and Linux," says Beasley. "One is the speed at which things get fixed
> - it is simply amazing. Another thing is that though I am always
> running software which is in a constant state of development, it is
> incredibly stable. It is not possible to get fixes at this speed from
> commercial vendors - the guys I work with are driven by the sheer
> elegance of their software and its flexibility. And I am constantly
> amazed at what I can do with my limited knowledge."
> ...
> Beasley's set-up:
> 
> SYSTEM SOFTWARE
> 
> All 5 of the production machines have the following subsystem:
> 
> Arch Linux system custom 2.6.31,6-rt19 kernel with RT preemption
> (essential for Xrun avoidance - click and pops) Desktop consisting of
> openbox, Adeskbar and pypanel. Display manager is Slim
> AUDIO
> jack2-svn (contains netone; which is netjack1 within jack2)
> Qjackctl-svn
> Rtirq (RT pci priorities for sound cards; also essential for Xrun avoidance)
> 
> LinAS
> LinAS is the audio master machine. It hosts 4 Hoontech C-Ports
> (ice1712-based chipset) in an Alsa multi-array providing 40 channels
> of audio to the other machines via 'netone'. jack is running with 2
> periods @ 48kH and 64 frames giving a 'round-trip' latency (in and
> out) of 2.66 ms . Can be run @ 32 frames (half the latency) but the
> samplers struggle at this low a frame rate.
> 
> Uses Gjacktransport to control the jack transport here and therefore
> the netone slaves via jack transport.
> 
> LinDAW
> The Digital Audio Workstation hosts 'Ardour' as the main DAW software
> and also Mhwaveedit and Audacity for audio editing, Qjadeo for
> synchronous video playback with Ardour, K3b & GDC Master for CD
> mastering.
> 
> LinSeq
> The midi sequencer machine. Runs MusE 1.01-svn and Linuxsampler with
> the Fantasia (java) frontend. Magic. Mscore is the Linux music scoring
> program, started by the creator of MusE, Werner Schweer.
> 
> LinSampler
> Uses the program fst (free software studio) by Torben Hohn to run
> vsti's (virtual studio technology instruments) under wine. The two I
> run are Kontakt 2 and Sampletank 2. Both work 100 percent maybe better
> than under Wine.
> 
> LinVS
> This is the 'Video Server" This one specialises in distributing video
> throughout the complex via webcams using 'Cheese' to mount them.
> Kdenlive and capture cards are used to take interviews of Composers
> and Performers for web-based content enhancement. Qjadeo is used to
> playback vision also piped throughout.
> 
> LinFX
> Essentially hosts the Jc_Gui front end for Fons Adriaensen's
> Jconvolver. Using open source Impulse Responses. Gives reverbs to the
> mixing desk.
>