[linux-audio-user] xruns vs. disk activity

[Alex Timmer]

hello Rob, 

 --- rob fell <robin.fell at ntlworld.com> wrote: > Hello all
> 
> I'm trying to get a gentoo based audio box (primarily Ardour) off
> the ground. Despite my best efforts, 
> I can't eliminate xruns to a level I could live with (10ms+ xruns
> every 2 minutes on average seems 
> excessive - esp. with stereo @ 44k1). There's some captured data at
> the very end of this mail.
> 
> My observations are made using;
> jackd -v -R -d... -r 44100 -p 128 2>&1 | tee jacklog (i.e. stereo
> SB16 @44k1)
> and ardour, session open but not actively playing
> 
> I'll present my questions before wandering off into a tedious list
> (apologies for length) of stuff I've 
> already done. Would anyone care to offer an opinion on these
> questions;
> 
> 1. Am I expecting too much? Either from my hardware, or the current
> state of Linux.
> 2. Is there a vital piece of config that I've totally overlooked?
> 3. Is there a better way to measure this to home in on the source
> of the problem?
> 4. Are the xruns incidental to the disk activity - is this all a
> symptom of something else?
> 5. Insert any other question I should be asking here.
> 
> Thanks in advance for any help/advice offered, I've run out of
> ideas.
> 
> Ta
> R
> 
> 
<SNIP> 
> 
> The hardware:
> Duron 1300MHz, Abit KT7A
> 512M PC133
> primary IDE: Seagate ST360021A, QUANTUM FIREBALLP AS40.0 (80 way
> ribbon)
> secondary IDE: CD/CDRW
> AGP graphics card
> SB16/128 PCI (i know - it's junk)
> 3Com PCI 3c905
> 
>   0:     674864          XT-PIC  timer
>   1:       7927          XT-PIC  keyboard
>   2:          0          XT-PIC  cascade
>   8:          2          XT-PIC  rtc
>   9:       1166          XT-PIC  Ensoniq AudioPCI
>  11:      21381          XT-PIC  eth0
>  12:      94912          XT-PIC  PS/2 Mouse
>  14:      13585          XT-PIC  ide0
>  15:          9          XT-PIC  ide1
> NMI:          0 
> LOC:     674826 
> ERR:        114
> MIS:          0
> 
<SNIP>


looking at your IRQ's and the "priority list" at:

http://myweb.cableone.net/eviltwin69/Arcana.html#IRQs

i see that both your mouse (?!) and your network card seem to have
higher priority than your IDE channels (harddisks).
i would advice you to try without the network card and not to move
your mouse  =)

and what Mark Knecht said about period size for the SB soundcards is
also slightly touched here:  http://www.djcj.org/LAU/jack/
your 128 setting might be too small. did you try with 256 or 512?

and ofcourse... good luck.
ALEX


__________________________________________________
Yahoo! Plus
For a better Internet experience
http://www.yahoo.co.uk/btoffer