Re: [SLUG] Looking for a low cost sound card for Linux

From: shawn (shawn@digilliance.net)
Date: Tue Sep 04 2001 - 19:39:56 EDT


Just a bit of FYI.. I'm using an SBlive in 2 of my linux box (asus MB w/ via
chipset) Running slackware using the default 2.4.x kernel driver for the
card and also one in my win2k box. 0% problems in either OS. The only
problem I've every personally had with that card is when I tried to install
2 of them in the same win box for multi-tracking purposes. So if you havent
tried this driver recently, give it a shot again.. As a side note.. the only
real advantage that card has (besides all the hype) are the A/D converters..
So if you are not trying to achieve a semi-professional recording out of it
there is no real reason to pay the extra $$ they sometimes cost. Oh the
beauties of the common SB64pci.
-Shawn

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bryan-TheBS-Smith" <b.j.smith@ieee.org>
To: <slug@nks.net>
Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2001 4:19 PM
Subject: Re: [SLUG] Looking for a low cost sound card for Linux

> "Patrick Grantham (aka. Mr Yahoo)" wrote:
> > Please I would enjoy readin it.
>
> First off, Creative has been "less than open" with their specs. At
> first, they created a closed source driver. But they decided to
> finally GPL it as they were not interested in development. The
> kernel and ALSA teams have picked it up and are working hard on it.
>
> Which brings me to the real issue, Creative's design of the boards
> themselves (actually it was Ensoniq's). They make all kinds of
> decisions that are largely non-PCI compatible -- like latching onto
> the keyboard controller's interrupt for timing and other
> interfaces. So their boards have "issues" on non-Intel chipsets, or
> on newer Intel chipsets released after the design date. I know, I
> got an original SBLive! card and it instantly bombed on my i440BX
> mainboard in Windows 95/98! Later drivers fixed the issue.
>
> That $200 card now sits on my shelf. I take it down on occassion
> and check how far the Linux drivers have gotten. It works decently
> in Linux, but still has issues in Windows. Although Creative has
> "fixed" issues with newer Intel chipsets (although I hear the i845
> takes issue), ViA/SiS chipsets still have problems. I have replaced
> it with a SoundBlaster PCI128 (ES1371) which works perfectly in
> Linux. Unfortunately, that card also also problems in Windows 98 SE
> -- again, for the same reasons. If I even load the drivers, I
> totally screw up my Windows 98 SE installation ("double blue screen"
> at boot), which requires a full re-installation.
>
> Creative really needs to "get on the ball" with better designs. I'm
> sick of them designing their boards to violate PCI interface
> standards for performance.
>
> -- TheBS
>
> P.S. I'm looking for a new PCI audio card that works in Linux and
> doesn't have the issues that Creative cards have on non-Intel
> chipsets.
>
> --
> Bryan "TheBS" Smith mailto:b.j.smith@ieee.org chat:thebs413
> Engineer AbsoluteValue Systems, Inc. http://www.linux-wlan.org
> President SmithConcepts, Inc. http://www.SmithConcepts.com



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