Software synths

[Tom and Esther Ward]

Well, my ac-97 is multichannel and gnopernicus crashes when attempting to
using beast or the gnome sound recorder.
Interesting when recording with sox it seams to work ok. Not sure what
gives.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sean McMahon" <smcmahon at usgs.gov>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 11:15 AM
Subject: Re: Software synths


> Curious to know if the problem you explained with audio recording and
> software synths happens on systems with multi-channel soundcards?
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Janina Sajka" <janina at rednote.net>
> To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux."
<speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 6:59 AM
> Subject: Re: Software synths
>
>
> > But, Cecil, it's not a question of should or could, it's a question of
> > is and does.
> >
> > Clearly, all synths rely on software, whether or not they're housed in
> > the main computer or an auxiliary device. The point is how they
> > interface to the principle computer, and what resources they require to
> > function. To date it remains my quantified experience that those running
> > on the host computer are less respectful of system resources. I guess
> > it's something along the lines of software expanding to fill all
> > available space.
> >
> > The issue is further exaserbated if one attempts to do any serious audio
> > work while using a synth as one's interface device. At the moment, the
> > quickest way to crash Gnopernicus is to try and launch an audio
> > application like Beast or Gmorgan. Is that Gnopernicus fault? Or perhaps
> > gnome-speech? Or perhaps Esd? Or perhaps Jack? I don't know, and neither
> > does anyone else. The issue of appropriately handling multiple audio
> > streams on Linux remains fluid and unresolved. On Windows things aren't
> > much better as witnessed by all those messages in the MIDI-Mag archive
> > about keeping the speech synthesizer out of the music.
> >
> > So, the theory is just that--theory. The facts are something else.
> >
> > Whitley CTR Cecil H writes:
> > > From: Whitley CTR Cecil H <WhitleyCH.ctr at cherrypoint.usmc.mil>
> > >
> > > Hi,
> > > I'm sorry, I can't buy into there being anything inheriently bad with
> > > software synths.  They actually provide an elegant solution.  Even the
> > > dectalk is at it's heart a software synth, it just runs on an external
> > > computer all it's own.  If I remember the specs, it's a 386 with a meg
> of
> > > memory.  If you can get that out of a 386, what should you be able to
do
> > > with one of the modern processors?
> > >
> > > Admittedly, the dectalk has some fancy DAC's.....  But once again,
they
> are
> > > circa 1990....  Shouldn't todays technology be able to at least match
> it??
> > > After all, we're not talking tubes here.
> > >
> > > So in summary, I contend that with a modern processor and high end
sound
> > > hardware it should be possible to exceed "old" hardware synths in all
> > > catagories.  On the other hand, if you get my dectalk express you'll
> have to
> > > pry it from my cold dead fingers.....
> > >
> > > Cecil
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Speakup mailing list
> > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
> > --
> >
> > Janina Sajka
> > Email: janina at rednote.net
> > Phone: +1 (202) 408-8175
> >
> > Director, Technology Research and Development
> > American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
> > http://www.afb.org
> >
> > Chair, Accessibility Work Group
> > Free Standards Group
> > http://a11y.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
>
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