[LAD] [LAU] Linux Audio 2012: Is Linux Audio moving forward?

[drew Roberts]

On Wednesday 10 October 2012 19:00:42 Jörn Nettingsmeier wrote:
> the only time it hurts is when i cannot get hardware support for gear
> that i need. but these days, i can get linux drivers for everything from
> 2 to 128 channels of i/o (more if i'm prepared to gang cards), so what's
> the problem?

It is a problem for me in finding workable options. (With a future)

I have been a delta 1010 guy for years. But just the one. I had one, bought 
another but the first died before the second arrived iirc.

But for years I have wanted to get something can can record a full 5 piece  
band to individual tracks in ardour. 4 vocalists, 2 guitars, 1 bass, 3 
keyboards, and a drum kit on stage at once. I want to properly mic the drums, 
not just do a 2 mic / stereo overhead setup.

Let's say I want at least 24 ins.

What do I get? Where can I find a HOWTO on my options?

For the ignorant, this info is hard to find even for non-linux setups.

I have heard focusrite mentioned. Firewire. Fine, but a bit iffy considering 
reports of firewire being "put out to pasture" - is this something to worry 
about?

So, what focusrite firewire setup will get me 24 ins at once and be linux 
compatible?

Go to ffado:

http://www.ffado.org/?q=devicesupport%2Flist&filter0=focusrite&filter1=&op2=OR

Focusrite	Saffire PRO 40		Experimental
Focusrite	Liquid Saffire 56	Reported to work

The models listed with full support don't seem to have the io needed and don't 
seem to be available anymore.

What do I do?

I have seen talk of RME firewire stuff not being well supported. Is that still 
the case if it ever was?

Are there cards that are just in essence adat I/O cards (I am ignorant enough 
here not to know the correct term for what I am asking) that can handle 3(+) 
adat lightpipe connections?

I guess this info may be all simple and second nature to some but I can 
usually find HOWTOs to get me places but not in this area in years.

I taught myself to set up a dial up isp with 10s of modems in cages running to 
a single pci card, wrote the billing system, set up the mail server, dns 
server, ftp server, web server, firewalls, set up greylisting, virtual 
domains for the mail in a database.... etc. etc. etc. But I can't find what I 
need to know to feel comfortable buying some audio hardware to the point 
where I have put off the purchase for years.

Something is odd... (Or I am being extra dense.) I figure it does not help 
that I live on a rock in the middle of the ocean where our ability to walk 
into stores and check things out is severely limited.

I have the buying itch again but am putting it off because of not being able 
to get comfortable that what I buy will actually work.

</rant|weak rant>

all the best,

drew