From alsa-devel-owner@alsa.jcu.cz  Sat Feb 27 21:52:49 1999
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Date: Sat, 27 Feb 1999 21:49:52 +0100 (CET)
From: Jaroslav Kysela <perex@jcu.cz>
To: Data <data@havoc.gtf.org>
cc: alsa-devel@alsa.jcu.cz
Subject: Re: New proposal: Timer interface
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On Sat, 27 Feb 1999, Data wrote:

> Jaroslav Kysela
> 
> >	I tried to make a proposal of the timer interface. It's a dirty
> >paper, but I hope useable. I need help mainly with MIDI IN timestamps
> 
> By the way .. where is it?

Oops. There is now standard URL for proposals: http://alsa.jcu.cz/proposals

> >P.S. The time is now to discuss things about MTC/SMPTE and the sequencer
> >synthronization!!!
> 
> I know my last post was kind of long but try to read it all .. it 
> discusses some sequencer issues which I think are relevant - maybe not 
> directly but still important to talk about in conjunction with the sync 
> stuff.

I did not see anything related to the timer interface or sequencer timing
in your e-mail. The problems you are mentioned:

Sequencer events
----------------

Q: Why has not ALSA sequencer encapsulated directly MIDI stream in them?
A: It seems for me that prepared structures and separated event types for
   MIDI events are more nature for programming. Latency? Did you think
   that 386SX-20 has not enough power to parse and to compose 3000
   bytes per second per MIDI port?

The instrument abstraction layer
--------------------------------

You said about IAL & sequencer:

>> Its job should be similar to that of an overnight postal service, in my
>> view: move the stuff from here to there, and quickly.

Add the comunication between clients. There is only one, but BIG benefit
from IAL (which is designed currently only between user & kernel space):
The lowlevel programmer needn't design new instrument communication
interface for his lowlevel driver between the kernel and an application.
The sequencer core will do this job. Did you read the introduction from
latest IAL proposal? 

Maybe the instrument abstraction layer isn't right name. We need to do the
ALSA library part of this proposal. There will be real power and I hope
that most things like instrument management will be hidden in this
library.

DLS format: Yes, we can discuss about it. This feature is optional. We can
try do something with the universal instrument format after native soundcard
formats will be supported.

Maybe I missed something important. Feel free ask again.

						Jaroslav

-----
Jaroslav Kysela <perex@jcu.cz>
Academic Computer Centre, University of South Bohemia
Branisovska 31, C. Budejovice, CZ-370 05 Czech Republic



