# Linux users down here ?



## Deep64 (Jun 3, 2009)

Hello guys !

I'm using only Linux on my PCs at home and for audio too. Are there some other guys using it ?

- Chris -

Mandriva Linux 2010 64 bits


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

I've fiddled with Linux a lot over the years, but have always went back to my tried and tested (and expensive) tools when I wanted to get some work done.

So I'll be reading your posts on the topic with great interest....Maybe you could do a few posts about what you're using to do what jobs, and how it's working out, for people like me?

Cheers


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## Deep64 (Jun 3, 2009)

Jonathan,

Basically, my workflow is :

Tracking --> console pres --> HD24 Alesis --> Editing with Ardour --> return to Alesis HD24 --> mix with the console.

I hate mixing "in the box", so I use Ardour just for editing my tracks. Lately, I ran a test with 22 tracks, a double compression plugin, 2 reverbs plugins and a distortion one. Didn't have any problem with my old PC - 1 Go mem, AMD 3000 +.
Ardour is very stable, even with my 7 years old machine. When I brought my Alesis, there were few audio interfaces that were compatible with Linux, so I decided to get rid of this problem by buying a hardware DAW. Works fine for me and allow me to grab 24 tracks during a concert without trouble.
Ardour works well for what I need, a non-destructive audio editor.
There's a lot of plugins around too, but I don't use much as I don't mix "in the box".
For me, Ardour is fast, solid and free ! Updates and bug corrections are as always good reasons to choose this program. Works on Mac OsX too. Harrison consoles made a Mac OsX version, called MixBuss with some very interesting additions, only for 79 US$ !

It seems me a interesting alternative to Pro Tools and another ** Tools !!

- Chris -


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

Sounds like a nice solid way of working, I would enjoy the HD24 too.

What console are you using to print 24 tracks at a time?

And how do you get stuff in and out of the computer? Can you mount the HD24 drive in linux via the ethernet port?

And yeah, you can't beat the price.....I could have several HD24s for the money I've spent on software....


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## Deep64 (Jun 3, 2009)

Thanks !!

For the small concerts, I use an Amek / TAC B2 custom (channel's direct out). For mixing, an Amek Recall 40.
I use FTP to access the drives of the HD24. An interessant person made a free software called HD24connect wich has interesting features :

- mount directly the HD24 formated hard drive in the three of you filesystem
- behave like a simulated HD24 (read tracks on the fly)
- import / export (copy) the tracks
- works directly with Ardour !!
- compatible Linux / free software

more info here :

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/hd24/

I don't use it now, but I will since the ethernet interface of the HD24 is sooo sloooooww ! More news when I will make some tests... A suivre !

- Chris -


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## Deep64 (Jun 3, 2009)

Jonathan, are you working with a Mac ?
You could get a try with Ardour, and then, if it's OK, try the faboulous MixBus !

http://www.harrisonconsoles.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=108&Itemid=63

If Harrison use Ardour and Linux in their products, it seems really fine, uh ?

- Chris -


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

oooh nice consoles too :jealous:

So the Alesis has a built in ftp server that you access via ethernet? That's pretty cool. The HD24Connect sound even cooler.....

I use PC mostly, but I have a macbook for DJing with - might try it on there..thanks for the info


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## Deep64 (Jun 3, 2009)

Jonathan, 

Yes, the HD24 has a very LIMITED FTP server, and a VERY slow ethernet interface. That person who made HD24connect discoverd that the hard drive caddy that Alesis is selling 80$ or so is available on internet as an internal USB version for something like 11$ ! It permits pull out your disk, put it in the USB bay in your PC and voilà !!
Thanks for the consoles, they have the sound I love !!! (some pics here one day...)

And you, what sort of Linux you used ?

- Chris -


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

That sounds like a really neat setup.

I've used tons of different linux distros over the years, for all kinds of things, but never worked with it on a daily basis...

Well I have kind of - I used to work in the IT department of a company that ran SCO UNIX, the predecessor to linux. linux did not exist yet at the time.

I use linux live cds like knoppix, and ubcd, I have messed around with dyne:bolic (don't know what flavor that is based on actually)

I've also played around with ubuntu and other desktop flavors, and my virtual web server runs on CentOS - basically Red Hat...


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## fractile (Mar 15, 2009)

I did a 325 hour workshop on Unix systems and used SuSE linux for 5 years; not for production, tho'.
One project I have is to build a quad or 2x4 server with VirtualBox and Linux, OSX and Windows.


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

fractile said:


> I did a 325 hour workshop on Unix systems and used SuSE linux for 5 years; not for production, tho'.
> One project I have is to build a quad or 2x4 server with VirtualBox and Linux, OSX and Windows.


I tried this with VMware ESXi just for fun - got Ubuntu, OSX, XP, Windows 7 and Windows 95  all installed and running on the same box

It was unusable (older hardware, not enough memory) but it showed me it can be done....


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

The other interesting thing was, I installed the images over the network from my laptop, but my laptop has a broken cd drive, so I mounted my media center cd drive on my laptop over the network to access the installation disks.... I was amazed it all worked!


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## fractile (Mar 15, 2009)

jonathanm said:


> I tried this with VMware ESXi just for fun - got Ubuntu, OSX, XP, Windows 7 and Windows 95  all installed and running on the same box
> 
> It was unusable (older hardware, not enough memory) but it showed me it can be done....


The reason I'm looking at VirtualBox is that the clipboard is active across OS's


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## jonathanm (Mar 24, 2010)

Yeah, ESXi is a type 1 hypervisor, Virtualbox is a type 2 - different beast really. I was just playing around when ESXi got released cos it was free. It's better for servers I think, whereas i get the impression that VirtualBox would be better for a workstation. Never Tried it though. Do you think that audio apps could run ok in each of those OSes concurrently?


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## fractile (Mar 15, 2009)

jonathanm said:


> Yeah, ESXi is a type 1 hypervisor, Virtualbox is a type 2 - different beast really. I was just playing around when ESXi got released cos it was free. It's better for servers I think, whereas i get the impression that VirtualBox would be better for a workstation. Never Tried it though. Do you think that audio apps could run ok in each of those OSes concurrently?


I guess it would be more of a workstation than a real server.
The main idea with multiple OS's is just to remove platform barriers. Running concurrent cross-platform apps might not be a problem with 4 or 8 cores. There will be a lot of things for me to figure out.
And I don't know about the audio apps talking to each other; I'll just have to find out.

But I plan to dedicate a macbook to the main audio production. And I still like doing most things in the out-of-the-box analog world, but I'll probably gravitate toward digital for most 'signal processing'.
The powerful box will be mainly for video/animation.


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## Monomer (K.Unger) (Apr 21, 2010)

Ubuntu 9.04 here, on a acer aspire one netbook. 160gb drive crashed, I put in a 30gig SLC ssd to try out these new harddrives out, and have a more robust laptop.


I do have JAPA and various other handy programs also. I do a little bit of mobile djing and Xwax with the audio4dj soundcard works fantastic.


I like it. Only downside is the wifi card acer likes using, not really to much support for it.


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## PepAX7 (Mar 11, 2008)

Anybody played with Linux Mint? Downloaded it but not up yet.

Pep


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## fractile (Mar 15, 2009)

PepAX7 said:


> Anybody played with Linux Mint? Downloaded it but not up yet.
> 
> Pep


No, looks interesting. I see it's based in Ubuntu linux. I had been looking at Ubuntu Studio for my next build. And I also see that the anti-latency feature is now part of the standard Ubuntu kernel, which Mint uses, so it looks like a good inroad; and Ubuntu Studio can be a handy reference to see what packages are available to the multimedia production crowd.


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