Any Linux Users in here? USB 1.0 vs 2.0?

C

chrispalmo

New member
Hi guys,

I am currently setting up a basic home recording system on a Linux PC with Ubuntu 11.04, with Ardour 2.8.12 as my DAW.

I have been having a hard time figuring out which USB interfaces have supported drivers, and so far have only been directed toward the Roland UA-25 EX.

The main problem I have with this is that it is a USB 1.0 device, and I have not found sufficient info regarding whether or not USB 1.0 is sufficient for recording two mono tracks with playback.

TLDR; 2 Questions:
1) Which Interface for PC running Ardour on Ubuntu 11.04 OS?
2) How would a USB 1.0 interface effect usage as opposed to a USB 2.0 device?

Thanks,

Chris Palmieri
 
USB 1.0 will do 2 tracks, but 2 tracks only. You want to go 2.0 definitely.
Hardly any interface manufacturers write drivers for linux, so you'll be best looking for 3rd party open source stuff [isn't that the point of linux anyways?].
 
Sorry to jack your thread, but I am curious as to what the whole Linux thing is? Free OS? Suppose I could just Google it..

Nevermind. :)
 
I just Googled. I don't understand why someone would want the hassle of having programs/drivers not work, just to save $100. Hmmm......
 
somegeezer said:
USB 1.0 will do 2 tracks, but 2 tracks only. You want to go 2.0 definitely.
Hardly any interface manufacturers write drivers for linux, so you'll be best looking for 3rd party open source stuff [isn't that the point of linux anyways?].
Click to expand...



I believe that USB 2 class compliant devices are supported by ALSA as of release 1.0.23. The "class compliant" is the thing to check for.

I would suggest using a distribution that is pre-tweaked for audio - that way you will get the best performance and lowest latencies out of the box. AVLinux is one example which you can run from live cd, usb stick, or hard disk install. Paul
 
jimmys69 said:
I just Googled. I don't understand why someone would want the hassle of having programs/drivers not work, just to save $100. Hmmm......
Click to expand...

It's not just that it's free, but also that you have control of absolutely everything. Down to the very core. There are also free alternatives to every programme you can use. If you look at websites like Freecycle, you can even sometimes manage to find hardware for free. Meaning you could not just save the £100 or so on your OS, but the few other hundred on all that hardware too.

The only problem with it, is you're stuck with a limited amount of things. Not many people are that tech savvy to write new drivers and such. I enjoy using free programmes, but I'll stick to Windows as my OS for as long as I understand how to use it.
 
use WineHQ to run Windows apps in Linux right?

and then just install the regular drivers for whatever interface you want?
 
somegeezer said:
USB 1.0 will do 2 tracks, but 2 tracks only. You want to go 2.0 definitely.
Hardly any interface manufacturers write drivers for linux, so you'll be best looking for 3rd party open source stuff [isn't that the point of linux anyways?].
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "do two tracks"? Does that mean recording only, because I am only interested in an interface with 2 simultaneous inputs max. What I'm worried about that recording 2 tracks while simultaneously playing back audio from several tracks might be too much for a USB one interface?

Also, where would I be able to find open source drivers for otherwise unsuppoted interfaces?
 
PRHunt said:
I believe that USB 2 class compliant devices are supported by ALSA as of release 1.0.23. The "class compliant" is the thing to check for.

I would suggest using a distribution that is pre-tweaked for audio - that way you will get the best performance and lowest latencies out of the box. AVLinux is one example which you can run from live cd, usb stick, or hard disk install. Paul
Click to expand...

Could you please clarify what you mean by "class compliant" and "ALSA"?

Cheers
 
chrispalmo said:
What do you mean by "do two tracks"? Does that mean recording only, because I am only interested in an interface with 2 simultaneous inputs max. What I'm worried about that recording 2 tracks while simultaneously playing back audio from several tracks might be too much for a USB one interface?

Also, where would I be able to find open source drivers for otherwise unsuppoted interfaces?
Click to expand...

Record 2 tracks. You won't be able to send those tracks back through either though. Just go USB 2.0 and not have to worry about it.

chrispalmo said:
Could you please clarify what you mean by "class compliant" and "ALSA"?

Cheers
Click to expand...

ALSA - Advanced Linux Sound Architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It IS drivers for sound. What he means by compliant is to check ALSA and see if they have a driver for the particular interface you want to use.
 
I use linux for pretty much everything else (I'm a programmer by trade), but I have an xp box for a daw. Path of least resistance and all.... It's possible with a lot of dicking around, but 'why?' is the question. It's also possible for me to put a 2' lift kit on my little acura, it's just not really made for that. Esp. when it comes to video, music, media, etc - linux is not nearly as polished as windows or mac. The last year or 2 is the first time I've ever installed a linux distro that actually played mp3's and mpg/avi video without installing a bunch of extra codecs and drivers and shit after the install. I like to hate on Windows, but everything has its place - linux in a daw isn't really one of them. Windows is still a necessary evil until this kinda stuff gets hashed out.
 
suprstar said:
I use linux for pretty much everything else (I'm a programmer by trade), but I have an xp box for a daw. Path of least resistance and all.... It's possible with a lot of dicking around, but 'why?' is the question. It's also possible for me to put a 2' lift kit on my little acura, it's just not really made for that. Esp. when it comes to video, music, media, etc - linux is not nearly as polished as windows or mac. The last year or 2 is the first time I've ever installed a linux distro that actually played mp3's and mpg/avi video without installing a bunch of extra codecs and drivers and shit after the install. I like to hate on Windows, but everything has its place - linux in a daw isn't really one of them. Windows is still a necessary evil until this kinda stuff gets hashed out.
Click to expand...

Linux is free and so are most things that use it.
I personally would rather use a hack copy of Windows than use Linux, but purely because I have no idea how to use Linux and have no plan on ever trying to learn it.
But they have really done a lot for free software having its place on the computing map.
 
Thanks for the responses guys - I think that considering my limited technical knowledge I will indeed take the path of least resistance and set up my computer to dual-boot with windows7 for Cubase and Linux for everything else.
 
chrispalmo said:
Thanks for the responses guys - I think that considering my limited technical knowledge I will indeed take the path of least resistance and set up my computer to dual-boot with windows7 for Cubase and Linux for everything else.
Click to expand...

If I recall, you'll need to set Windows as the main boot to do that. Or separate hard drives for each and just use the BIOS to select which hard drive boots. Even then, that's only my word on it. I've never used Linux myself.
 
Most (all?) linux distros come with GRUB, a great bootloader that lets you select between any amount of OSs on diffferent partitions or drives. Windows will overwrite the boot sector, so install windows before linux. Windows and linux will install just fine on smaller partition on together within a single hard drive.
 
chrispalmo said:
Could you please clarify what you mean by "class compliant" and "ALSA"?

Cheers
Click to expand...
Sorry, I haven't checked this thread for a while. ALSA is the Advance Linux Sound Architecture. ALSA provides sound hardware driver support for many devices (except for firewire devices, which are supported elsewhere). ALSA is built in to most distributions, and current distributions should provide the most recent version of ALSA. Main Page - AlsaProject

ALSA is supported by JACK (the JACK Audio Connection Kit - yes, one of those recursive acronyms that Linux folk seem to love). JACK is the low latency audio connection system that pretty much all pro-audio linux apps require for routing audio within and between each other.

Class Compliant refers to USB hardware that meets a particular standard (in terms of its firmware, I guess), so that it can be controlled by a computer host using a generic driver rather than a vendor-supplied specific driver. ALSA does provide support for Class Compliant usb audio devices.

I really do recommend that you consider an audio-visual distribution like AVLinux. AVLinux provides a ready to run environment for audio-visual production. The kernel is configured for realtime pre-emption, which is really helpful in ensuring high performance audio input and output. You also get up-to-date builds of great software, like Ardour.

Hope that helps. Paul
 
Actually, you can save upwards of several thousand dollars using linux, what with all the free/open source software there is out there. Another thing, all USB interfaces work with ubuntu, according to my research.
 
I am primarily a Windows guy but I have my dirty little hands in all the OS'es. They all offer different things and all work well.

I use Ubuntu Studio quite often and I find it quite powerful and easy to use. Considering all the software you get in that distribution you would have to fork out THOUSANDS of dollars to get equivalent Windows or OS X apps. Now with the package updater, the built in app store and the synaptic package manager, installing drivers and programs is easier than ever.

AFAIK, and like SimthULTD said, Ubuntu Studio comes pre-installed with most of the USB drivers available. It also comes standard with Ardour. Of course, nothing is fool proof so it's a good idea to check online regarding the absolute compatibility of your interface. Firewire interfaces drivers and compatibility can be checked at ffado.org. You can also download the necessary USB packages through the synaptic package manager under the system menu in Ubuntu, I think.

Granted, it can be quirky at times, but Linux, particularly Ubuntu, is a fabulous FREE tool for users that have the moxie to get into open source software.

Cheers :)

PS. If you want to run Ubuntu and Windows in dual-boot configuration, install windows first on an NTFS partition and then leave unallocated space for ubuntu. When you boot from the live dvd, it'll ask you if you want to install Ubuntu ALONGSIDE Windows. Click that option.
 
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