ALSA 1.0.24 Has Arrived, Bringing Better Linux Audio

[phoronix]

Phoronix: ALSA 1.0.24 Has Arrived, Bringing Better Linux Audio

ALSA 1.0.23 was released in April 2010 as a major update to the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture, but it's finally been outdone by ALSA 1.0.24. The ALSA 1.0.24 update is also very significant and delivers on quite a number of sound card / audio processor driver improvements...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=OTA4MA

[Shining Arcanine]

Michael, I have a Creative X-Fi sound card and I haven't encountered a single problem with the driver. Why do you keep talking about the lack of changes in the ALSA Creative X-Fi driver? As far as I can tell, it does not need changes.

[deanjo]

Michael, I have a Creative X-Fi sound card and I haven't encountered a single problem with the driver. Why do you keep talking about the lack of changes in the ALSA Creative X-Fi driver? As far as I can tell, it does not need changes.

Oh there are quite a few shortfalls of the driver. The inability to use the optical ports for passthru data for example (AC-3/DTS), no hardware midi support, no real dsp capabilies. The X-Fi in linux acts nothing more then a basic DAC for the most part.

[Shining Arcanine]

Michael, I have a Creative X-Fi sound card and I haven't encountered a single problem with the driver. Why do you keep talking about the lack of changes in the ALSA Creative X-Fi driver? As far as I can tell, it does not need changes.

After doing some more reading, it seems that I should point out that I migrated my desktop from Windows 7 to Gentoo Linux last July. As a result, my experience with the snd-ctxfi driver has entirely been with ALSA 1.0.23.

Before I migrated my system, I had heard that Linux had issues with my sound card. I had planned to switch to my motherboard's integrated audio if I encountered issues, but I never encountered any. Sound worked and I have been happy with it. The only difference between Linux and Windows that I could tell in terms of sound was that the Windows driver had an option to convert sub-5.1 channel audio to 5.1 channel audio. With that option set, I could play music in Windows Media Player and use all of my speakers. With Linux, I have still yet to find a way to do that, but aside from that, my experience has been perfect.

Oh there are quite a few shortfalls of the driver. The inability to use the optical ports for passthru data for example (AC-3/DTS), no hardware midi support, no real dsp capabilies. The X-Fi in linux acts nothing more then a basic DAC for the most part.

I had no idea. I thought that my high-end audio card had been accelerating audio processing like it had been doing on Windows. Just to verify, does the card have no advantages over my motherboard's integrated audio, such that I could switch to the integrated audio to save power and not lose anything aside from the opportunity to pay a higher electric bill?

[deanjo]

I had no idea. I thought that my high-end audio card had been accelerating audio processing like it had been doing on Windows. Just to verify, does the card have no advantages over my motherboard's integrated audio, such that I could switch to the integrated audio to save power and not lose anything aside from the opportunity to pay a higher electric bill?

It has hardware mixing and that is about it. Not really worth to keep it in the system if you are just in linux. When in windows though the X-Fi has some nice DSP options as well as the added capability of encoding and sending AC3/DTS signals through the spdif instead of relying on a bunch of analogue mini plugs.

[deanjo]

I might also add that the X-Fi probably has better quality DACs and opamps on it so it will probably sound better if you are using the analogue outs then your MB sound.

[FireBurn]

I'm guessing the kernel stuff will be merged up stream in the next merge window

[Anvil]

Michael, I have a Creative X-Fi sound card and I haven't encountered a single problem with the driver. Why do you keep talking about the lack of changes in the ALSA Creative X-Fi driver? As far as I can tell, it does not need changes.

there's only 2 type of X-FI cards that are supported in Alsa

last I heard, the X-Fi cards with the CA0110/CA0106 chipsets aren't supported

The X-Fi cards with the EMU20K1 and EMU20K2 chipsets are supported

[dimko]

lucky you

Michael, I have a Creative X-Fi sound card and I haven't encountered a single problem with the driver. Why do you keep talking about the lack of changes in the ALSA Creative X-Fi driver? As far as I can tell, it does not need changes.

I had both sound card and speaskers from Creative, there is no way i am coming back again to creative.
Xfi didnt work for years, i donated my XFI card to developer of drivers. Their speakers... I had replacement, and they were not cheap, around 700 euro. Since they broke - they never worked, even after parts replacement.

On the other hand, i am SO happy with my pci-e Xonair, you can't believe it. Asus is the way to go.

[Milos_SD]

So many fixes in Intel HDA, but now my system freez with this Alsa.