[linux-audio-dev] Is ladspa actually la-dsp-a? Is JACK the ultimate solution?

[Steve Harris]

On Tue, Jun 08, 2004 at 08:03:10 +0100, Chris Cannam wrote:
> On Tuesday 08 Jun 2004 7:16 pm, Frank Barknecht wrote:
> > eviltwin69 at cableone.net hat gesagt: // eviltwin69 at cableone.net 
> wrote:
> > >     Aaaaaarrrrrggghhhh - knobs.  One of my pet peeves.
> >
> > I actually wrote a knob GUI element for Pd, which normally only has
> > sliders. I see one good application for knobs: Visualizing things
> > that must not take up much screen space.
> 
> They also have the advantage of a more obvious centre position than a 
> slider, I believe they can be significantly quicker to read, although 
> not to edit, and they can be placed in meaningful groups more easily.  
> I think they're a much better GUI element than people give them 
> credit for.

Agreed, or can be. The exat implementation can make a great deal of
difference to the usability. One of the nice features is that you can set
controls more accuratly that sliders without using vast ammounts of screen
realestate.
 
> The problem is knowing when to use them.  Rosegarden uses knobs for 
> all LADSPA port controls, and the results are not very satisfactory.  
> Jack-rack uses sliders for all LADSPA port controls, and IMHO the 
> results there are not satisfactory either, although they are 
> generally better.  The ideal would be a mixture but I don't think the 
> host can reliably tell which should be which.  I imagine the real 
> value of a custom GUI is in contextual and organisational details 
> like that.  (Although I do think flashy graphics can be nice too.)

My guess is that, often, knobs are better for LOG scaled things and
sliders btter for linear. Just a rule of thumb though.

- Steve