[linux-audio-user] ecasound help

[Eric Dantan Rzewnicki]

On Wed, Oct 20, 2004 at 07:29:37PM +0000, cv223 at comcast.net wrote:
> Hi,
> I'm trying to record multiple tracks with ecasound and a Delta 1010LT, while monitoring the process.  I tried the following ecasound command without luck (I'm new to ecasound):
> ecasound -r -b:256 -a:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 -f:16,8,48000 -i alsa,default \
> -a:1 -o mono-1.wav \
> -a:2 -o mono-2.wav -erc:2,1 \
> -a:3 -o mono-3.wav -erc:3,1 \
> -a:4 -o mono-4.wav -erc:4,1 \
> -a:5 -o mono-5.wav -erc:5,1 \
> -a:6 -o mono-6.wav -erc:6,1 \
> -a:7 -o mono-7.wav -erc:7,1 \
> -a:8 -o mono-8.wav -erc:8,1 \
> -a:all -o alsa,default
> I can hear the inputs, but the mono-*.wav files are essentially empty 
> (44 bytes each).  If I remove the last line, the mono-*.wav files record 
> ok.  But, of course, I can't hear it while recording.  Can anybody tell 
> me what I'm doing wrong (I suspect it is something about opening 
> alsa,default twice, but I don't really know).
> (if this looks familiar, I sent a message yesterday under the subject "xrun madness." I haven't heard back anything and I'm hoping to try this tonight)

Yup. this is a common stumbling point with ecasound. Each chain can have
exactly one input and one output. So, to have two outputs you need to
double up your chains.


ecasound -r -b:256 -a:1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16 -f:16,8,48000 -i alsa,default \
-a:1 -o mono-1.wav \
-a:2 -o mono-2.wav -erc:2,1 \
-a:3 -o mono-3.wav -erc:3,1 \
-a:4 -o mono-4.wav -erc:4,1 \
-a:5 -o mono-5.wav -erc:5,1 \
-a:6 -o mono-6.wav -erc:6,1 \
-a:7 -o mono-7.wav -erc:7,1 \
-a:8 -o mono-8.wav -erc:8,1 \
-a:9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16 -o alsa,default

I can't remember exactly right now, but you may need to set
-f:16,1,48000 for your file outputs so you don't end up writing 8x
8channel wav files. Anyway, the idea of doubling up chains is the main
point and should at least get you closer to your goal.

-Eric Rz.