[linux-audio-dev] Re: image problem [was Re: [Alsa-devel] hel p for a levelmeter]

STEFFL, ERIK (SBCSI) es6269 at sbc.com
Tue Oct 22 11:22:01 UTC 2002


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joshua Haberman [mailto:joshua at haberman.com]
> 
> "Paul Davis" <paul at linuxaudiosystems.com> wrote:
> > >So why, having studied the docs, am I completely stumped 
> with jack?  It 
> > >refuses to play.  I don't consider any solution based on a 
> piece of software 
> > >_I_ can't operate suitable for general use.
> > 
> > JACK *isn't* intended for general use, and i get tired of 
> suggestions
> > that it should be. there are lots of people working on solutions for
> > "general use". JACK is intended for people who are serious about
> > audio.
> 
> I don't understand this attitude.  I think it hinders 
> acceptance of JACK
> (even for serious audio) and it contributes to further 
> fragmentation of
> the Linux audio world.
> 
> If you would rather everyday applications not use JACK, what 
> should they
> be using instead?  OSS is simple but limited, and spotty
> drivers/implementations make it difficult to write robust 
> code.  It will
> soon be available only through emulation.  It forces use of 
> the blocking
> model.
> 
> ALSA is very powerful and complete, but very complex.  This will make

  <rant>

  it is also pretty much useless for general users. I mean if I can't listen
to mp3 and browse the web at the same time ... (without sound servers which
were discussed recently and as far as I can tell the general consensus is
that they are bad and not to be used). Is there any rationale for the
blocking behaviour? I mean I can't imagine situation where I would want
playback to wait for another playback to finish and play sound then...
either report error (device busy) or just ignore the sound... (or do the
mixing) as far as I know this behaviour is not configurable - am I mistaken?
(rarely I wish to be proven wrong so much:-)

  maybe this is not the best place for a rant but since we are discussing
the acceptance of linux in audio world, here's my own experience.

  except of the blocking of sounds (the problem mentioned above) I am quite
dissapointed by functionality of linux drivers I have tried, I have sb live
platinum and (last time I checked):

  - front panel midi connectors do not work

  - game port midi functionality - sort of works, works OK with one keyboard
but does not work with another midi controller (yamaha drum toy) (both work
fine with front panel midi under windows)

  - front panel RCA connectors do not work

  - infra red sensor probably does not work (at least I wasn't able to make
it work and I got no responses on lasa mailing list)

  </rant>

	erik



More information about the Linux-audio-dev mailing list