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

[hollunder]

Excerpts from Uli Armbruster's message of 2010-02-10 09:28:12 +0100:
> * Ng Oon-Ee <ngoonee at gmail.com> [09.02.2010 23:46]:
> > 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.
> > > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> He should have bought some Macs and run ProTools on it! I really don't like Apple stuff in general, but the combination Mac + ProTools is amazing, it's stable and the features blow your mind. Of course Linux and Ardour are cheaper (what is cheaper than nothing? ;-) ), but reading, that he catched a virus using the Internet Explorer shows me, that he's really not that clever with computers. And I can't believe, that even Windows has to be reinstalled twice a year on a working machine. Does he have internet access with this computer? Does he randomly install stuff on it and uninstall it again? That's not what a studio computer should be used like. I'd say, he should have installed Windows on it, installed his software and that's it, no other crap on the system, no playing around.
> 
> But still it's very nice to see that Ardour can be used in a professional environment. Let's see how well the next big release is gonna work (for those interested, yesterday I uploaded ardour3-svn to the AUR, it seemd quite stable to me at first sight)
> 
> Thanks again for the link, I didn't know this article
> 
> Greetz
> Army

Well, there are also lots of people who have complaints about macs and
pt, but pt sure has good marketing. I doubt a networked setup such as
his would be possible with pt.

I doubt that A3 is anywhere near ready, that's why I don't think it's
wise to provide it before a call for testers was made.

Regards,
Philipp