Subject: Re[2]: [linux-audio-dev] Reverse-engineering files
From: Rick Burnett (destinytech_AT_spacey.net)
Date: Fri Dec 01 2000 - 08:04:31 EET
I don't know if you are aware of this, but If I am not mistaken, Emu
is owned by Creative Labs anyways. Long ago when the SB16 was $250
and the WaveBlaster was $250 (which I bought both) I requested the
documentation from Creative labs and they sent me the proteus user
guide. After talking with them they indicated that they owned Emu.
Its like my Triton keyboard with a built in sampler. Floppy drive and
scsi support but no support to the computer. Right now I agree that
these companies are worried because there is a fine line between their
product and say an external piece of hardware that attaches to a
computer that can use a computers resource.
On a different list (GSP2101) we talked about these issues, because my
project is taking Paul's Ardour code and writing a new GUI and some
other functionality to be a stand alone DSP. People like rack DSPs
for various reasons, but mainly I see reliability, portability and
usability. Editing effects stacks on a monochromatic LCD screen
is crazy, I would rather have knobs! (Which is what Digitech did,
their newer DSP 2121 has less power but more knobs for easier tweaking
)
I am not a good enough musician to play out places, I am a home studio
artists (not that I don't want to but I still have a bit to go ) plus
I like to do all the instruments on my songs and well, can't do all
that at once on stage.
Once your product becomes software and not hardware you loose an edge.
Software can be copied, cracked, and reverse engineering MUCH easier
than a hardware component. Many of these companies are 'old school'
why redo something the right way when you can hack up the old
technology with a faster processor :) Believe me, I design IC chips
and I see this go on all the time!
Wow, I didn't mean to write a book. I do have one more question. Can
somone elaborate to me what the difference between LADSPA and the MAIA
(forgot the actual letters ) is and MOCOS and how all these benefit
each other. I am just trying to get up to speed on these issues :)
Rick
Thursday, November 30, 2000, you wrote:
>> > But what I
>> > think strange is that their new line of Proteus family synth
>> > modules do not also include some standard RAM SIMM/DIMM slots, plus
>> > a quick (USB/ethernet) interface to the computer for downloading
>> > additional sounds.
>>
>> That would have been way to usable to be healthy to their sampler
>> sales!
JT> I wouldn't doubt that was a consideration to them. But to look
JT> at the bigger picture ... Gigasampler! It's already pretty
JT> decent competition, and able to do some things an Ultra sampler
JT> can't. And there are other software samplers, from Bitheadz
JT> and now Emagic. The Gigasampler format is already starting to
JT> eclipse AKAI, Emu and Roland as the preferred distribution format
JT> for sample CDs.
JT> Things are changing in the sampler market, and I think in the
JT> future, the main selling point of hardware samplers will be
JT> reliability and portability. Honestly, E-mu may have to keep
JT> on their toes to stay viable.
JT> I'm hoping that the sampler companies will come out with some
JT> products that work more like the Nord Modular, in which case
JT> there will be some opportunities for writing Linux applications
JT> to support them.
JT> The Ultra sampler of the future might make a nice sound card. ;-)
JT> Actually, this reminds me that E-mu's E8000 and E10000 chips are
JT> found on Soundblaster cards, and my XL-1 synth module has in it ...
JT> (guess) ... an E10000 chip (plus a couple other custom chips).
JT> And E-mu already has a professional sound card product. They
JT> may be feeling out that direction already.
>> Small, external box, rock solid MIDI, awesome audio quality, loads of
>> DSP power, fast and easy sample editing with VST and DirectX plugin
>> support etc, all for the same price as a sampler, decent PC w/ OK
>> sound card for editing *included*. :-D
JT> Pretty much what I was thinking. I expect whoever comes out with
JT> something like this will have a hot product.
>> No, that would have to be some other company,
JT> Whatever. E-mu is in a prime position to do it, but as you say,
JT> they are also in a prime position to resist.
JT> - Jay Ts
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