Excerpts from Uli Armbruster's message of 2010-02-10 09:28:12 +0100: > * Ng Oon-Ee <ngoonee@xxxxxxxxx> [09.02.2010 23:46]: > > Forwarding the below, for those interested. fons, you'd maybe like this? > > > > -------- Forwarded Message -------- > > > To: linux-audio-user@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx > > > Subject: [LAU] A sound decision > > > Date: Tue, 9 Feb 2010 18:26:36 -0200 > > > > > > http://www.itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis/open-sauce/36698-from-windows-to-linux-a-sound-decision > > > > > > From Windows to Linux: a sound decision > > > > > > Some excerpts: > > > > > > Five years ago, when Geoff Beasley decided to move his sound studio > > > business from a Windows-based one to a Linux-based setup, he had one > > > simple bit of logic driving him: things could not be worse under > > > Linux. > > > ... > > > "There's a great difference between working with commercial software > > > and Linux," says Beasley. "One is the speed at which things get fixed > > > - it is simply amazing. Another thing is that though I am always > > > running software which is in a constant state of development, it is > > > incredibly stable. It is not possible to get fixes at this speed from > > > commercial vendors - the guys I work with are driven by the sheer > > > elegance of their software and its flexibility. And I am constantly > > > amazed at what I can do with my limited knowledge." > > > ... > > > Beasley's set-up: > > > > > > SYSTEM SOFTWARE > > > > > > All 5 of the production machines have the following subsystem: > > > > > > Arch Linux system custom 2.6.31,6-rt19 kernel with RT preemption > > > (essential for Xrun avoidance - click and pops) Desktop consisting of > > > openbox, Adeskbar and pypanel. Display manager is Slim > > > AUDIO > > > jack2-svn (contains netone; which is netjack1 within jack2) > > > Qjackctl-svn > > > Rtirq (RT pci priorities for sound cards; also essential for Xrun avoidance) > > > > > > LinAS > > > LinAS is the audio master machine. It hosts 4 Hoontech C-Ports > > > (ice1712-based chipset) in an Alsa multi-array providing 40 channels > > > of audio to the other machines via 'netone'. jack is running with 2 > > > periods @ 48kH and 64 frames giving a 'round-trip' latency (in and > > > out) of 2.66 ms . Can be run @ 32 frames (half the latency) but the > > > samplers struggle at this low a frame rate. > > > > > > Uses Gjacktransport to control the jack transport here and therefore > > > the netone slaves via jack transport. > > > > > > LinDAW > > > The Digital Audio Workstation hosts 'Ardour' as the main DAW software > > > and also Mhwaveedit and Audacity for audio editing, Qjadeo for > > > synchronous video playback with Ardour, K3b & GDC Master for CD > > > mastering. > > > > > > LinSeq > > > The midi sequencer machine. Runs MusE 1.01-svn and Linuxsampler with > > > the Fantasia (java) frontend. Magic. Mscore is the Linux music scoring > > > program, started by the creator of MusE, Werner Schweer. > > > > > > LinSampler > > > Uses the program fst (free software studio) by Torben Hohn to run > > > vsti's (virtual studio technology instruments) under wine. The two I > > > run are Kontakt 2 and Sampletank 2. Both work 100 percent maybe better > > > than under Wine. > > > > > > LinVS > > > This is the 'Video Server" This one specialises in distributing video > > > throughout the complex via webcams using 'Cheese' to mount them. > > > Kdenlive and capture cards are used to take interviews of Composers > > > and Performers for web-based content enhancement. Qjadeo is used to > > > playback vision also piped throughout. > > > > > > LinFX > > > Essentially hosts the Jc_Gui front end for Fons Adriaensen's > > > Jconvolver. Using open source Impulse Responses. Gives reverbs to the > > > mixing desk. > > > > > > > > > He should have bought some Macs and run ProTools on it! I really don't like Apple stuff in general, but the combination Mac + ProTools is amazing, it's stable and the features blow your mind. Of course Linux and Ardour are cheaper (what is cheaper than nothing? ;-) ), but reading, that he catched a virus using the Internet Explorer shows me, that he's really not that clever with computers. And I can't believe, that even Windows has to be reinstalled twice a year on a working machine. Does he have internet access with this computer? Does he randomly install stuff on it and uninstall it again? That's not what a studio computer should be used like. I'd say, he should have installed Windows on it, installed his software and that's it, no other crap on the system, no playing around. > > But still it's very nice to see that Ardour can be used in a professional environment. Let's see how well the next big release is gonna work (for those interested, yesterday I uploaded ardour3-svn to the AUR, it seemd quite stable to me at first sight) > > Thanks again for the link, I didn't know this article > > Greetz > Army Well, there are also lots of people who have complaints about macs and pt, but pt sure has good marketing. I doubt a networked setup such as his would be possible with pt. I doubt that A3 is anywhere near ready, that's why I don't think it's wise to provide it before a call for testers was made. Regards, Philipp
