Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] Direct multitracking using adat.
From: Paul Barton-Davis (pbd_AT_Op.Net)
Date: Sun Oct 15 2000 - 08:14:52 EEST
>Can anyone tell me if I'm correct in thinking that if I hook up an A/D convert
>er (8 inputs) directly to a soundcard I can use adat as the transfer protocol?
>
>If I'm right then I would get a swissonic AD24 and connect it to a hammerfall
>or something similar. Then I would have a very powerful digital 8 track record
>er which could be easily upgraded to 16 tracks providing I had the cash.
Absolutely Correct. The Hammerfall, or the Midiman Delta series, or
the RME Digi96 series, or a variety of other ADAT-equipped audio
interfaces with ALSA support. I have 2 or sometimes even 3 Hammerfalls
in my machine at home, and it works exactly as you would hope.
BUT:
what software do you propose to use with it ? there is just about
*zero* software for Linux right now that can handle such an interface.
once the ALSA PCM API stabilizes, the situation will get better,
because it will allow applications to use complex multichannel cards
as if they were regular 2-channel, 16bit cards (i.e. alsaplayer will
work with a standard audio interface and a Hammerfall/Delta-like card).
But you can forget using the vast majority OSS-API-using application
with such devices, at least for multichannel work. Even if you coerce
this ancient and simplistic API to do the right things, 99.9% of all
apps that use this API are written with the expectation of 2 channels,
8-16bit, 22-44.1kHz. its pretty dismal.
In addition, the demands of multitrack recording, at least if you want
to be able to do multiple simultaneous tracks, are very different than
the 2 track stuff that is commonly done, and there are no applications
available right now in anything other than "fetch it from CVS and
spend 2 hours compiling it" form that can handle this challenge.
--p (wink, wink :)
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b28 : Sun Oct 15 2000 - 08:46:26 EEST