[12:01] <plain-user> fresh ubuntu install. slightly noobish at the desk. two soundcards: internal and external usb m-audio fast track. task: 1) use internal card for skype. 2) use external card for all other audio processing guitar input/big speakers or headphones from card playback.
[13:09] <holstein> plain-user: is that a statement?
[13:12] <plain-user> i forgot to add one key word to that statement. thanks for reminding.
[13:12] <plain-user> HOW?!
[13:13] <plain-user> +D
[13:31] <holstein> plain-user: pulse will be using the internal card
[13:32] <holstein> for me, i have a firewire device and pulse runs on the internal card
[13:32] <holstein> when i run the FW device, JACK takes that over and leaves pulse running on the internal card
[13:32] <holstein> JACK is not something that i use trivially like that though
[13:32] <holstein> i use JACK when i need it
[13:32] <holstein> and turn it off when im not using it
[13:40] <plain-user> what i'm missing is the concept. i must have a device per sound server and one of the servers being default?
[13:42] <holstein> ?
[13:42] <holstein> this is linux
[13:42] <holstein> theres no *must*
[13:42] <holstein> you are implying doing pro audio
[13:42] <holstein> that means you probaly want to use JACK
[13:43] <plain-user> i dont know how )
[13:44] <holstein> and you'll want to use that with the better hardware, that fast track
[13:44] <holstein> plain-user: sure... youll need to learn to use JACK
[13:44] <holstein> pulse will "just work" out of the box with the internal hardware
[13:45] <holstein> if it doesnt, then something is wrong with the hardware, or the support is not there
[13:45] <holstein> plain-user: what i would suggest if you are new to linux/audio is...
[13:45] <holstein> get the normal ubuntu
[13:45] <holstein> install that
[13:45] <plain-user> are there any articles that explain the concepts of what is what, or i need to read pages of pages about this, this and that, then build a wrong understanding in my brain, start using it and find myself lost.
[13:45] <holstein> use it with the internal hardware
[13:45] <holstein> get a live CD
[13:45] <holstein> sometihng like AVlinux
[13:45] <holstein> play with that with JACK and the USB hardware
[13:46] <holstein> plain-user: sure, there are nothing but articles about how JACK works with *some* kind of hardware
[13:46] <holstein> but, its all a bit technical, and different depending on what you have
[13:46] <holstein> again, i suggest...
[13:46] <holstein> install just plain normal ubuntu
[13:46] <holstein> play with it
[13:47] <holstein> test with LIVE discs til you learn how JACK works
[13:47] <holstein> then, you can always add whatever you want to that vanilla ubuntu install
[13:47] <holstein> JACK or whatever
[13:47] <plain-user> i already installed studio in hope that it already comes with configured jack the almighty and real-time kernel.
[13:47] <holstein> plain-user: you dont need a real-time kernel
[13:47] <holstein> mose folks dont
[13:47] <holstein> the only thing you need that for is low-latency
[13:47] <holstein> doing live effects processing
[13:48] <holstein> or playing software synthesisers live
[13:48] <holstein> other than that, its really just more hassle than its worth
[13:48] <plain-user> yes, that's what i want - use an instrument effect over my line-in signal.
[13:48] <holstein> plain-user: right, and thats *not* trivial
[13:48] <holstein> i wouls suggest *not* starting there
[13:48] <holstein> would
[13:49] <holstein> thats what i would call "advanced"
[13:49] <holstein> if you already have US installed, then i would try and get JACK running on the internal hardware
[13:49] <holstein> then the USB hardware
[13:50] <holstein> just get used to configuring JACK and starting/stopping it
[13:50] <plain-user> well it's already here on the hard drive installed an happy. jumping from distro to distro is noobish, that's what i was doing for the last few years, using the system just for basic home usage.
[13:50] <holstein> noobish?
[13:50] <holstein> i think its a great way to troubleshoot
[13:50] <holstein> especially with live CD's
[13:50] <holstein> you dont have to install/change the current setup
[13:51] <holstein> and you get to see what the hardware is like with different software
[13:51] <plain-user> that's when you know what you do, not like me - just guessing things and doing basic setup, crawl around.
[13:51] <holstein> a kernel rev can totally break, or fix support for some hardware
[13:51] <plain-user> well, yes...
[13:51] <holstein> live CD's are an easy way to see whats going on
[13:52] <holstein> for us, kernel versions, and ALSA versions can really make or break it
[13:52] <holstein> and you can fuss around for a long time and not get anywhere...
[13:52] <plain-user> well my card is very simple usb fast track m-audio. and internal audio is also quite straight-forward.
[13:52] <holstein> plain-user: lol
[13:52] <holstein> if *any* of this were simple/straight forware, you wouldnt be here ;)
[13:53] <holstein> again, i would start slow
[13:53] <holstein> i would suggest taking some time starting/stopping JACK on both your devices
[13:53] <holstein> starting with the internal one
[13:53] <plain-user> what about compiling the kernel with the right drivers that do work.. that's the other way around it isnt' it.
[13:53] <holstein> ?
[13:53] <plain-user> ok.
[13:53] <holstein> i use a realtime kernel from PPA
[13:54] <holstein> ubuntustudio doesnt have an RT kernel right now
[13:54] <holstein> hopefully in the 11.10 release we have a -lowlatency one
[13:54] <holstein> the PPA i use is falks ppa from KXstudio
[13:55] <plain-user> so my learning process: get my head around jack, and use it on both my cards.
[13:56] <holstein> well, to be more presice
[13:56] <holstein> learn to use it on the internal card first
[13:56] <holstein> then, you dont ever have to run it there again
[13:56] <holstein> that'll be easier (probably)
[13:56] <plain-user> jack isn't the sound server by itself, or am i wrong?
[13:56] <holstein> plain-user: dont think of JACK as a sound server
[13:56] <holstein> its not a replacement to pulse or alsa really
[13:57] <holstein> it just needs the audio hardware too, and cant typically run at the same time as pulse
[13:57] <plain-user> ok. what is sound server: alsa and pulseaudio? and i have pulse installed and running. it can run one card at a time, is it?
[13:58] <holstein> im not sure what all pulse is capable of
[13:58] <holstein> its all linux
[13:58] <holstein> so, realistically, the answer is *always* yes
[13:58] <plain-user> is it same like in windows i had asio and whenever i had guitarrig, all the other sounds including media player were off without sound?
[13:58] <holstein> if you want to run 3 cards with differnt servers on each, its all open code, so you have but to code it
[13:59] <holstein> or, if you want alsa to see a bunch of different cards as one, theres a way to do that
[13:59] <holstein> plain-user: its not going to be helpful to think about windows
[13:59] <holstein> anyways... i gotta run
[14:00] <plain-user> i know, i'm just remembering the issue i had recently in windows that was one sound instance per app
[14:00] <holstein> plain-user: let me know when you have about 20 minutes, and you are in front of the computer
[14:00] <holstein> we'll get JACK up and running
[14:00] <plain-user> holstein, thank you. of course run, we shall talk later, if it's ok.
[14:00] <holstein> plain-user: yeah, the only limits in linux are the actual hardware limitations
[14:00] <holstein> and you're imagination/coding skills
[14:00] <holstein> its all open
[14:01] <holstein> so, in theory, anything is possible
[14:01] <plain-user> that's why i want to nail it : one card for skype, other for guitar.
[14:01] <holstein> right, but you just stop JACK, and use skype with pulse
[14:02] <holstein> OR, use some kind of pulse to JACK bridging
[14:02] <holstein> or, use something other than skype like mumble
[14:02] <plain-user> what else i read: what is alsa and pulse and how they work, then jack  and play with those.
[14:02] <holstein> there are tons of options with FOSS
[14:02] <holstein> you just have to play around with them
[14:02] <holstein> and ask questions :)
[14:02] <plain-user> yes
[14:03] <holstein> anyways... BBL... we'll catch up sometime soon
[14:03] <plain-user> ok. thank you again. talk to you later. !