From alsa-devel-owner@alsa.jcu.cz  Wed Jan 13 14:46:04 1999
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From: Juhana Sadeharju <kouhia@nic.funet.fi>
To: alsa-devel@alsa.jcu.cz
In-reply-to: <369B9846.930BC9D2@gedamo.demon.co.uk> (message from George David
	Morrison on Tue, 12 Jan 1999 18:45:26 +0000)
Subject: Re: Suggestions
Message-Id: <19990113134355Z10479-2279+2179@nic.funet.fi>
Date: 	Wed, 13 Jan 1999 15:43:55 +0200
Reply-To: alsa-devel@alsa.jcu.cz
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>From:	George David Morrison <gdm@gedamo.demon.co.uk>
>
>Increased bit depths:
>  A lot of newer, high end cards can take 20 or 24 bit samples
>(apparently the Yamaha DSP factory can take 32 bit). It might be worth
>supporting these formats.

At least up to 24 bits should be supported. Can ALSA read data from digital
i/o? 24 bits resolution of digital i/o is a standard and is used between
DSP boxes. If a Linux is used as an effect box in a studio, should we have
a 24-bit supported. Nothing to do with human ears: extra bits in 24-bit word
are used for precision. Only the end result is dithered down to 16 or 20(?)
bits -- all intermediate results are kept in 24 bits.

DVD supports 24 bits but I'm not sure if it is used to store commercial
music. It can be used to store unfinished material.

DVD also supports 96 kHz sample rate. I have heard 96 kHz makes it
better for 3D effects.

About 32-bit connections I know nothing. Please direct me to some
documentation or tell more. Has that Yamaha card also a digital i/o?


>Audio + MIDI patchbay:
>  As well as being able to route sources to destinations, the ability to
>register new audio and MIDI ports e.g. a software synth could register a
>MIDI destination and audio source and appear the same as a hardware
>device. This could provide the basis for a plug-in architecture.

There are software MIDI control box (xphat) and a MIDI filter (?).
There is also esound which envelopes the drivers with a higher level
driver containing a mixer and so on. They are not a part of ALSA
but can use any driver set, I guess. Patchbay would be on the same
programming level. Right?

Yours,

Juhana

