by Heya folks
I'm a rather experienced Linux user and avid /. reader (I lived on
slackware for 3 years) and have recently moved to RedHat 5.1.
My system has both an Ensoniq AudioPCI and an AWE64 Gold (standard 4mb
setup) card. I love the sound quality of the APCI (ok let's just admit
it...having 2 dsp's in 1 card, rocks!) and I love playing MIDI's /
MODs on the AWE64.
The problem is I am completely fed up with trying to work with isapnp
(and its *sarcasm* awesome usage documentation *sarcasm off*), and it
seems my kernel doesn't even know about the Ensoniq (though I
understand it should be able to through some config system in RedHat).
I installed the 7-day OSS trial software and discovered the exact
settings for my sound card, which, alas, are NOT what they are in
Windows/DOS - which probably is why my kernel module sound driver
settings never worked for the AWE64. I suspect it is using some isapnp
program to set these things a certain way in Linux, okay I can live
with that.
What I can't live with is the idea that unless I register OSS I can't
have the full functionality of my sound cards. I've tried ALSA (ewwww,
and I thought my KERNEL drivers were hard), and I found out it does
not support the soundfont system, so no high-quality mods. I am very
big on that ability to farm the playing of samples out to the sound
card and leaving the CPU to do just the sequencing; that's a must for
me. That and the reverb/chorus controls. Needless to say the full
features of my sound system aren't available to me in ALSA.
Oh and did I also mention that while ALSA works with Quake 2, running
OSS instead seems to result in a segmentation fault at Quake 2's
"sound init" phase?
The new OSS doesn't do that but I'm weary of relying on non open
source DRIVERS. This sets a dangerous precedent in Linux. Drivers for
already-bought hardware shouldn't be charged for. Games and wordpros
and all that are another issue entirely, I'll pay for them but
drivers? Nut uhhhh. I guess t I'd rather let my trial OSS expire and
wait for ALSA to catch up. Is that my only choice here?
If not, what should I do to get the full functionality of my sound
cards in Linux?
(Steve)