Firewire under Linux, was: Re: [linux-audio-user] Setting up linux computer

[Robert Jonsson]

söndagen den 22 augusti 2004 22.09 skrev Thomas Pickett:
> Hey,
>           thanks for the advice.  I don't care too much on which distro is
> easiest to install.  I care more about how good it works for music
> production.  If you had the choice which one of the suggestions given would
> you use?
>
> About the firewire stuff.   I think it is too bad that linux does not
> support it at this point.  There are lots of decent soundcards that are
> firewire based.  MOTU 828mkII,  Edirol FA-101,  Presonus Firepod.  

Yes, lots of good stuff, though there are reasons why none of this is yet 
supported. 
There's virtually no support from the hardware companies at this time which 
dumps it all in the hands of enthusiasts. And it is a bit much to invest in 
one of the above when it will take you thousands of manhours to get it to 
work. Even aquiring the specifications cost money as I understand it.

> The only 
> decent pci card I can think of that has multiple ins/outs on it is the
> delta 1010.  

Nah, I think there are quite a few capable multi-io cards out there that are 
fully linux compatible. Not as much as in Windows, but still...

First, the Delta cards are based on the ice1712 chip which is very well 
supported under linux. As it happens lots of multi-io cards are based on this 
chip, pretty much all of them work well.

And then there are the RME cards. Very capable cards. Though there has been 
reports here regarding problems with the HDSP line from time to time, not 
sure what the status is.

> Firewire gives the posibility to use the soundcard on 
> different computers and portability is not a problem.  It seems strange
> that the linux community isn't heading in that direction.  

As I said, it's a question of money vs need, there's currently no support so 
we basically need more people that are interested to chip in time and money.

> I understand 
> that it takes alot of work but I think that the firewire soundcards give
> alot more options than the pci cards.  Any comments?

In my book support for firewire gear is inevitable, it's just a question of 
how soon we can have it, right now it does look like it will be a while.

I would be very interested in helping and (in the long run) uppgrading my rig 
with firewire I/O, I don't think however, that I would go by "stuff" before 
there is any glimpse of hope. it's that chicken and egg thing again...

/Robert

-- 
http://spamatica.se/music/