[LAU] Multichannel analog I/O audio interface: experiences and tips

[David Kastrup]

"Peter P." <peterparker at fastmail.com> writes:

> * David Kastrup <dak at gnu.org> [2022-06-14 19:21]:
> [...]
>> It's sort of embarrassing but the Hammerfall DSP cards work with either
>> the Expresscard adapter or an Expresscard-to-Cardbus adapter (the latter
>> _has_ to map the PCI express lane of the Expresscard slot, not the USB
>> lane) with the old Cardbus adapter.  It's ancient technology with 8
>> line-in/line-out connectors and quite robust ADAT support, but in terms
>> of the quality and latency of the available connections and driver
>> support, it's still unprecedented.
>> 
>> The Expresscard-to-Cardbus adapter solution is not overly convincing
>> mechanically.  And you need to dig up the firmware for 64bit versions of
>> Linux (no idea where I got my .deb from when I needed to upgrade).
> Isn't it in alsa-firmware-loaders package? Or does it ship without the
> actual firmware?

The latter.  I think I got the 64bit .deb from Medibuntu when that was
still a thing.

>  
>> And of course, Expresscard slots are a dying breed as well.
>
> I am still using two Lenovo X230s for live work. They are amongst the
> last laptops from this manufacturer with an ExpressCard slot. I think I
> have earned a part of my living with an RME HDSP+Multiface for the last
> twenty years. About three weeks ago the card cause a hard lockup of my
> laptop in one of the last rehearsals for a concert which would require
> it to work together with a 20 member ensemble in front of a 300+
> audience. Had to replace it temporarily with a Motu B16. 
> I had multiple problems with this RME card: Firmware would not load
> randomly, or the card would be detected being connected to a digiface
> with wrong firmware loading also randomly. In terms of features, quality
> and latency this is amongst the best linux laptop cards. I think I have
> to let it go after 20+ years now.

Downgrading the Expresscard version/speed in the BIOS might or might not
help.  Can you guess whether the problem is more likely with the
interface card (I assume the expresscard version rather than the
adapter/Pccard stack I use) or the Multiface breakout box?

-- 
David Kastrup