[linux-audio-dev] Audio synchronization, MIDI API

[Dan Hollis]

On Sun, 15 Aug 2004, Steve Harris wrote:
> But if youre going to do that, why use ethernet? You'd need dedicated NICs
> and switches, so you may as well use firewire, which has dedicated
> realtime channels, more bandwidth and doesnt require switching. 400meg
> Firewire cards are down to about 7 or 8 euros in the UK now.

about the same as gigabit ethernet nics :-)

but it's much easier to find a 48 port ethernet switch than a 48 port 
firewire hub :-)

so topology of ethernet is easier + cheaper for large deployments.

for small cluster of 2-3 PCs firewire may be easier, as long as they're 
physically near each other (few meters).

> The only disadvantage is that you can't (right now) cheaply run firewire
> over long distances, but taht will change once firewire over CAT5 cards
> come down in price, and this is rarely an issue with clusters anyway.

can you do broadcast over firewire? its one obvious usage for ethernet :-)
afaik all firewire transfers are ptp.

btw doesn't gibson have an ethernet protocol?

-Dan