Subject: Re: [linux-audio-dev] good intro article on mLAN
From: Tom Pincince (stillone_AT_snowcrest.net)
Date: Sat Feb 17 2001 - 23:17:29 EET
>> I do want to upgrade to linux as soon as I can include 1394, so I
follow
>> 1394 closely. In this light I found the article to be misleading. For
>> most of the article, the author treated mLAN as synonymous with the
A+M
>> protocol, correcting this only at the end. The articles linked at
>
>I don't think that is quite correct, but I can't check at the moment.
As
>far as I remeber, the A+M protocol was developed by Yamaha as part of
the
>mLAN system (the other part being the control protocol).
>
>The A+M and Control Protocol documents linked from my page are
developed
>and provided by Yamaha. What makes you think its proprietary?
Here is a quote from the article (near the end). The sos article also
mentions this.
"Now that the Music and Audio Protocol (IEC 61883-6) is used to
designate what began life as mLAN, Yamaha is using this term (mLAN) to
refer to a higher level of specific functions that sit on top of the
1394 and 61883-6 protocols"
Yamaha did contribute the a+m protocol freely, but mLAN, as described in
the above quote, must be licensed. A visit to yamaha's web site will
verify this.
Originally I was quite enthusiastic about mLAN and felt that digital
harmony was little more than a distraction that would produce nothing
more than short term splintering of 1394 implementation. I did not
follow dh for many months, but after noticing a void of announcements
from other manufacturers regarding adoption of mLAN, I checked back in
with dh. An impressive list of pro audio companies have signed on with
dh. Here is a list for comparison.
mLAN DH
yamaha tc electronic
korg lexicon
swissonic JBL
metric halo midiman
QSC
crest
peavey
DH also has licenses with many of the biggest names in consumer hi-fi.
I know of no other companies that have announced support for mLAN.
>mLAN is the only one of the audio-over-firewire protocols that is open
>(that I'm aware of), and it is certainly the only one with noticeable
>industry support.
My friend at dh says that their implementation is pure 1394 and a+m,
nothing more, nothing less. When tc electronic and lexicon sign on, I
certainly notice.
>Digital Harmony manufactured the first mLAN developers boards, and may
be
>making the current mLAN cards as used by Korg and Yam, but I'm not
>sure. Either way it makes sense that DH stuff would interoperate with
>mLAN but DH seems to only be interested in domestic applications, and
>don't seem particularly keen on openess, unlike Yamaha.
I imagine that there will be some degree of interoperability. DH's
interest is to become the MIDI of the 21st century, with its logo
recognized worldwide as a symbol of 100% standards compliant, 100%
compatible connectivity for all pro and consumer a/v gear over 1394.
Essentially they are a vendor neutral cheerleader for strict adherence
to standard 1394 as a way to guarantee a/v compatibility to the same
degree that MIDI accomplished this for synthesizers and sequencers.
They will help any company achieve this compatibility.
I am not rooting for dh. I don't care who "wins". I would like to see a
single standard that works as well as MIDI has done for the last 15
years. dh seems to be gaining support faster than mlan.
>> still be a bust. 1394 support for linux is only as relevant as the
>> availability of hardware products, and it is still all vaporware.
>
>That is definatly not true. I could walk into town tommorow with 200
quid
>in my pocket and buy an mLAN card for my mixer. Course, it wouldn't do
me
>any good, cos I don't have a Mac ;)
I was referring to products that could function as an a/d/a interface
for a linux daw, announced by companies other than yamaha or dh, that
supported either implementation.
Tom
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