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

STEFFL, ERIK (SBCSI) es6269 at sbc.com
Mon Oct 28 12:27:00 UTC 2002


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Patrick Shirkey [mailto:pshirkey at boosthardware.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 1:49 PM
> To: linux-audio-dev at music.columbia.edu
> Subject: RE: [linux-audio-dev] Re: image problem [was Re: [Alsa-devel]
> hel p for a levelmeter]
> 
> 
>  >  this is what's on the page:
> 
>  >Creative Labs | Soundblaster Live Platinum | EMU10K1 | Install | 
>  >(4)[A][B]
> 
>  >  bottom of the page:
>  >
>  >(4) Hardware mixing supported
>  >
>  >...
>  >
>  >NOTE: Just because an I/O is listed does NOT mean it is 
> guaranteed to 
>  >be supported. Please check the mailing
>  >list archives before making purchase decisions based on 
> requirements 
>  >forIEC958 or ADAT I/O.
> 
>  >[A] IEC958 RCA Input
>  >[B] IEC958 RCA Output
> 
>  >which does not have a lot of informational value (I know 
> what it does 
>  >not mean but what does it mean?) and it definitely does not imply 
> there >is a problem of getting the docs to support certain 
> functionality.
> 
> Hmm. It has a certain informational value although I will 

  yes, but not useful when choosing sound card (as it appropriately says:-)
- which was my point.

> I'll try to think of a way to word it for users who may not have the 
> requisite knowledge.

  that's ok, I don't think everything has to be understandable by a newbie,
it's not the wording of what's there that is a problem, it's the missing
information that's a problem (I just sent an update about what functionality
I have found missing in sb live, I guess more of that should be available
(for other cards) as well).

> Apart from that at the top of the page it's explicitely 
> stated that some 
>   companies have not provided the required docs to enable 
> support for a 
> device. I have always noticed those comments however it may 

  yes, but saying 'some companies' has close to no informational value.
knowing WHICH companies is crucial.

> just be my 
> angle on things. I have made some changes to the matrix to be more 
> obvious that even if we have the docs we may not have all the 
> necessary 
> parts. Although I would've thought that most people already know that 
> about Linux hardware support.

  again, having general knowledge is of no use... what does it help a user
to know that _some_ cards are better supported and _some_ manufacturers
offer better/worse docs? One needs to know the _specifics_ which are close
to impossible to find.

> As you know the known bugs section in the driver notes gives explicit 
> information about things that we know do not work. I'll look making a 
> form for adding specifically to this file.

  IMO it would be much better if the link to details about the card would
not say "Install' but instead indicate that details about the card can be
found there (alsa soundcard matrix), I mean the column is named
appropriately drivers&docs but the item in column is always 'Install'. It
has mostly install info but also module options, known bugs etc.

> I would like to do that and also make it easier for people to 
> post info 
> about supported devices. I have most of the work done but not 
> finished 
> yet. As it is I currently stay up to 6:00 in the morning many 
> nights of 
> the month. I'm lucky though as I only have to work 16 hours a 
> week in my 
> paying job. I could be working many more hours but have made the 
> decision to sacrifice some of my current earnings in order to build 
> Boost Hardware and  DJCJ. Along the way I have also picked up 
> the alsa 
> website :)

  it's very important work and I hope that you'll bring it up so that it's
actually a good resource for information (at this point it's IMO in the
'almost' category (mostly speaking of soundcards I use, not sure how much
information there is for other soundcards)).

  thanks a lot for doing it!

	erik



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