Re: Sound recording in Debian Lenny

["Russell L. Harris" <rlharris@broadcaster.org>]

* Petrus Validus <petrus.validus@gmail.com> [110105 22:51]:
> 
> > The Lexicon Alpha and Omega use USB 1.0 and thus work with Linux Etch,
> > Lenny, and Squeeze; a two- or three-line configuration file may be
> > needed to make the Lexicon the default sound device.  With Ubuntu
> > 10.10, both are fully plug-and-play.
> 
> This is exciting to hear that such interfaces have "out of the box"
> compatibility.  What about other units like the MBox2 and various
> M-Audio interfaces - do they have the same level of Linux compatibility
> as the Lexicon units?
> 
> Last I heard, which was about 1-1.5 years ago, the DigiDesign MBox2 was
> a no-go and M-Audio external interfaces were hit or miss.

I found one forum post which said that the Alpha "just worked" in
Linux.  I needed the capabilities of the Omega, so I ordered one.  It
did not work "out of the box", but a few hours with Google turned up
the solution.  All I needed to do with create in my home directory a
configuration file ".asoundrc":

    $ cat .asoundrc
    pcm.!default {
        type hw
        card Omega
    }
    ctl.!default {
        type hw
        card Omega
    }

Subsequently, I obtained an Alpha, and found that it, too, worked.

I considered other USB boxen, but to me, the features and
specifications of the Lexicon appeared to be the best for my needs.
These are nice units.

I have running here on various machines Etch, Lenny, Squeeze, and
Ubuntu 10.10; some handle the Lexicon cards more automatically than do
others, but nothing more complex than the above configuration file is
needed.

Of course, the nice thing is that a USB sound card (really a sound
"box") can unplugged and used with any machine.

By the way, today's electronically-balanced outputs can drive either
balanced (that is, professional/broadcast) or unbalanced (that is,
consumer) inputs, automatically.  Here, "balanced" means twisted pair
with shield, terminating in either XLR or 1/4-inch TRS phone plug.
And "unbalanced" means coax (like guitar cable). terminated in either
1/4-inch TS phone plug or RCA plug.

RLH