ICE1712/1724 HW mixing?

ICE1712/1724 HW mixing?

[Rene Herman]

Good day.

I've been updating the TerraTec vendor page in the new wiki matrix:

http://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Vendor-Terratec

The problem with information that looks maintained though is that when 
something's _not_ mentioned, it might be interpreted to mean it's not 
actually working....

I have the older TerraTec cards (both ISA and PCI) but not any of the 
ICE1712/ICE1724 ones. Could someone verify/confirm that the ICE1712 
(Envy24?) does not support 24-bit samples?

And that ICE1724 supports only 32-bit in hardware?

Does either chip/driver support hardware mixing?

Filling out some of the Digital I/O tags for any Aureon card that you know 
would be nice as well.

Rene.

Re: ICE1712/1724 HW mixing?

[Alan Horstmann]

On Wednesday 16 May 2007 02:24, Rene Herman wrote:
> Good day.
>
> I've been updating the TerraTec vendor page in the new wiki matrix:
>
> http://bugtrack.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Matrix:Vendor-Terratec
>
> The problem with information that looks maintained though is that when
> something's _not_ mentioned, it might be interpreted to mean it's not
> actually working....
>
> I have the older TerraTec cards (both ISA and PCI) but not any of the
> ICE1712/ICE1724 ones. Could someone verify/confirm that the ICE1712
> (Envy24?) does not support 24-bit samples?
>
> And that ICE1724 supports only 32-bit in hardware?
>
> Does either chip/driver support hardware mixing?
>
> Filling out some of the Digital I/O tags for any Aureon card that you know
> would be nice as well.
>
> Rene.

My understanding was that ice1712 data format is always 24-bit 'loose-packed' 
into 32-bits (ie with 0's added), the ice1724 is probably the same?  That is 
what the Terratec DMX6fire handbook also says.  The chipset is 24-bit/96Khz 
capable.  Hardware mixing of 10 inputs and 10 outputs is provided.  In the 
notes, it is probably worth mentioning Envy24control, a mixing/control tool 
dedicated to this chipset?

The DMX6fire has both optical and phono SPDIF connectors, and a wavetable 
connector in the front box (for use with DB50XG etc), and works fine since 
1.0.12.

Regards  Alan

Re: ICE1712/1724 HW mixing?

[Lee Revell]

On 5/16/07, Alan Horstmann <gineera@aspect135.co.uk> wrote:
> Hardware mixing of 10 inputs and 10 outputs is provided.  In the
> notes, it is probably worth mentioning Envy24control, a mixing/control tool
> dedicated to this chipset?
>

I don't think it has "hardware mixing" by ALSA's definition, which is
that multiple applications can open the same hw:x device and the
hardware will mix all the streams together.

Lee

Re: ICE1712/1724 HW mixing?

[Rene Herman]

On 05/16/2007 10:27 AM, Alan Horstmann wrote:

> My understanding was that ice1712 data format is always 24-bit 'loose-packed' 
> into 32-bits (ie with 0's added), the ice1724 is probably the same?  That is 
> what the Terratec DMX6fire handbook also says.  The chipset is 24-bit/96Khz 
> capable.

Okay, thanks for the answer. I had already added the 8 and 16-bit tags to 
the ICE1712 based cards based on the snd_ice1712_playback{,_ds} structures 
but I just deleted them again. Just not much idea of how and what and also 
not sure if the 24-bit tag is meant to signify "real" 24-bit or intended to 
be inclusive of this "24-in-32" format.

I'll pick up an Envy card eventually and try to understand it... ;-/

> Hardware mixing of 10 inputs and 10 outputs is provided. In the notes, it
> is probably worth mentioning Envy24control, a mixing/control tool 
> dedicated to this chipset?

Could you "cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/info" (replace the 0,0 with where 
your 6Fire PCM is at) and confirm that "subdevices_count" is larger than 1 
to confirm it's HWMIXing in the ALSA sense?

The "details" text/page is currently a rather unhelpful generic text for all 
cards which I believe might just as well just be a standard link _from_ any 
card details page but with the details page itself being somewhat more card 
specific. Something like Envy24control would then nicely fit on it.

> The DMX6fire has both optical and phono SPDIF connectors

Both both input and output?

> and a wavetable connector in the front box (for use with DB50XG etc),
> and works fine since 1.0.12.

That connector might be worth a Tag-WaveBlaster or similar. Problem might be 
with growing too many tags after which people just don't maintain them. I've 
for example added "ANALOGio" to every single card on the TerraTec page which 
felt a bit silly. They should probably be added to approximately 99% of all 
cards but chances are slim anyone will bother...

Rene.

Re: ICE1712/1724 HW mixing?

[Alan Horstmann]

On Wednesday 16 May 2007 23:53, you wrote:
> On 05/16/2007 10:27 AM, Alan Horstmann wrote:

> > Hardware mixing of 10 inputs and 10 outputs is provided. In the notes, it
> > is probably worth mentioning Envy24control, a mixing/control tool
> > dedicated to this chipset?
>
> Could you "cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/info" (replace the 0,0 with where
> your 6Fire PCM is at) and confirm that "subdevices_count" is larger than 1
> to confirm it's HWMIXing in the ALSA sense?

subdevices_count: 1
Lee has explained this confusion:- this card has a hardware mixer but does not 
do 'Hardware Mixing' in the Alsa sense!  Thanks for that Lee!

> > The DMX6fire has both optical and phono SPDIF connectors
>
> Both both input and output?

Yes. The two inputs can be switch selected; the outputs are in parallel.

> > and a wavetable connector in the front box (for use with DB50XG etc),
> > and works fine since 1.0.12.
>
> That connector might be worth a Tag-WaveBlaster or similar.

> I've for example added "ANALOGio" to every single card on the TerraTec page
> which felt a bit silly. 

Actually as I understand it, the EWS88D is essentially digital (ADAT etc) only 
though it seems to have a secondary low-grade audio out for system sounds 
etc.

http://productsen.terratec.net/
modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=7

Regards  Alan

Re: ICE1712/1724 HW mixing?

[Rene Herman]

On 05/18/2007 12:14 PM, Alan Horstmann wrote:

>> Could you "cat /proc/asound/card0/pcm0p/info" (replace the 0,0 with
>> where your 6Fire PCM is at) and confirm that "subdevices_count" is
>> larger than 1 to confirm it's HWMIXing in the ALSA sense?
> 
> subdevices_count: 1
> Lee has explained this confusion:- this card has a hardware mixer but
> does not do 'Hardware Mixing' in the Alsa sense! Thanks for that Lee!

Thanks. Will leave out "HWMIX" from the ICE1712/1724 card tags.

>>> The DMX6fire has both optical and phono SPDIF connectors
>> Both both input and output?
> 
> Yes. The two inputs can be switch selected; the outputs are in parallel.

Thanks again, just added "RCAio" to the 6Fire.

>> I've for example added "ANALOGio" to every single card on the TerraTec page
>> which felt a bit silly. 
> 
> Actually as I understand it, the EWS88D is essentially digital (ADAT etc) only 
> though it seems to have a secondary low-grade audio out for system sounds 
> etc.

You're right, just checked the manual. I see the driver creating a 8/16-bit 
8-48 kHz "ICE1712 consumer" PCM that I suppose will be the one that ends up 
at that backplate analog out. The "low-grade" will be fairly relative so 
I'll leave in the ANALOGio tag for the ES88D as well. If someone reading 
this knows better, please yell...

Rene.