Re: [linux-audio-user] Firewire sound - which HW?

From: Sampo Savolainen <v2@email-addr-hidden>
Date: Wed May 17 2006 - 09:06:35 EEST

Quoting jan <jan@email-addr-hidden>:

> I'm looking to buy some sound recording equipment for my computer, but
> what should I get? The shop I went to recommended Motu Ultralite, Motu
> 828 MKII, Edirol FA101 or Focusrite Sapphire, all of which look fairly
> nice. But how about support for them in Linux?
>

To get an audio device to work with all software under linux, you need ALSA
support. See http://www.alsa-project.org/alsa-doc/ for a complete list.

None of the above are supported by ALSA.

Firewire device support currently relies on the freebob project. Freebob
doesn't currently provide an ALSA driver, but jackd includes a freebob
backend. This means, that while you can't use normal consumer audio software
(typical mp3 players, flashplugin, etc), you can use a firewire device with
software using jackd. (Some mp3 players, etc. also support jackd). Freebob
is aiming for proper ALSA support, but they aren't there yet.

For which devices freebob supports, see:

http://freebob.sourceforge.net/index.php/List_of_Supported_Devices

>From your list, the FA101 and the Focusrite Saffire are supported. At the
moment it looks like MOTU devices will never get support, as MOTU is
refusing to release specifications. The same goes (sadly) for the RME fireface.

  Sampo
Received on Wed May 17 16:15:01 2006

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