Public CVS is more up-to-date than our 0.6.0 release , so if you're going to check it out, get it from CVS.
It mixes multiple streams, can convert sampling rates, and doesn't need a half-second long buffer. We haven't got it to slice and dice yet, though.
The API that is in there is VERY low level. We've been working hard on a high-level "soundserver-style" API that'll allow esd and OSS apps to be ported easily. It'll be out when-it's-done, which will be soon.
In fact, we were using the term MAS(TM) in public before Mark of the Unicorn. And, if you look, they have no trademark, registered or otherwise on "MAS".
The official reason is that we're going to restrict the volume settings to 0-100 for non-privileged users, and allow privileged users to set the volume up to 110. This way, privileged users can always punch through the mix with something that's a little bit louder. How much louder, you ask? One louder.
There's also a db scale, but... it's just not the same thing.
No, you can still use GStreamer. We're working with the GStreamer guys to get the integration right.
Why not NAS, from a MAS developer
on
A Sound Server For X
·
· Score: 5, Informative
Well, we looked hard at the Network Audio System (NAS), and at DEC AudioFile, and esound and aRTs. And we looked hard at the efforts of Tice and Welch at the X Consortium whose X Common Audio project was to take the best of the NAS and DEC AudioFile to form the standard solution. And, we looked hard at all kinds of other soundserver-related things out there.
Our conclusion: none of them had the kind of system-pervasive time management one needs to handle sound, let alone video or other time-dependent information. The system that came closest to meeting our timing needs was DEC AudioFile, but it was not extensible enough for our needs, and lacked support for sample rate conversion.
We didn't take the conclusion lightly. As you say, there's all these applications that support the Network Audio System natively. There's all those old NCD X tubes that support it in firmware, too. And, I really have no interest in stepping away from code that has most of its bugs worked out. But, we just did not see how NAS would scale in both performance and in functionality to handle the kind of high-performance multi-media we all want to see on Linux and UNIX.
I think MAS is a great platform to handle the timing. It's young, though. We're working hard now on a soundserver-style API to ride on top of the lower level core API that's in the source distribution. Beyond that, there are a host of security issues to work through, and the X.org standards process. (Also on our to-do list is a more detailed developement roadmap for the website!)
I think there's a ton of cool, useful stuff in the core of MAS now. For instance, we compute a running estimate of your soundcard's actual sampling rate. You can use that estimate to drive the sample rate converter (srate) device to resample audio to the actual rate of your sound card. We've been appalled at how far off some soundcards' crystals have been!
Please be patient if you e-mail us... We're getting a lot of e-mails for some reason.
Thanks, Mike Andrews Lead Developer, Media Application Server (MAS) Project
Start your journey at goodsound.com.
Finish at a local, independent hi-fi dealer.
I'd recommend a Yamaha or NAD receiver coupled with PSB Alpha speakers. Don't forget the stands!
The RCA 77DX ribbon mic is a little more common than the old 44's. Even though the ones on the desks of Larry King and David Letterman are replicas, you can still find them used by recording engineers to pull off the mid-side recording technique.
I've messed with a bunch of ergo-devices, but the thing that really, really helped was xwrits. It is designed to force you to take breaks every N minutes, and it is heavily customizable for maximum annoyance until you take your break. I have mine set to make me stop every 45 minutes for 5 minutes. If I ignore my break for five or more minutes, it starts flipping me off (and, yes, you can set your culture preference for the "flipoff" hand gesture).
CmdrTaco and Hemos are with about eight people in a 1969 Dodge Dart convertible (with a penguin on the hood) speeding down the left lane. They're passing a 40 year old man in a suit standing, staring at his "Windows Logo" bearing Lotus that's crashed into the guardrail abutting the slow lane.
And, Stallman is pulling his moped over to hand the "suit" a copy of Debian...
Slashdot Mirror
We're working on MAS.
Public CVS is more up-to-date than our 0.6.0 release , so if you're going to check it out, get it from CVS.
It mixes multiple streams, can convert sampling rates, and doesn't need a half-second long buffer. We haven't got it to slice and dice yet, though.
The API that is in there is VERY low level. We've been working hard on a high-level "soundserver-style" API that'll allow esd and OSS apps to be ported easily. It'll be out when-it's-done, which will be soon.
-Mike
In fact, we were using the term MAS(TM) in public before Mark of the Unicorn. And, if you look, they have no trademark, registered or otherwise on "MAS".
Mike Andrews
Lead Developer, MAS Team
The official reason is that we're going to restrict the volume settings to 0-100 for non-privileged users, and allow privileged users to set the volume up to 110. This way, privileged users can always punch through the mix with something that's a little bit louder. How much louder, you ask? One louder.
There's also a db scale, but... it's just not the same thing.
-Mike
No, you can still use GStreamer. We're working with the GStreamer guys to get the integration right.
Well, we looked hard at the Network Audio System (NAS), and at DEC AudioFile, and esound and aRTs. And we looked hard at the efforts of Tice and Welch at the X Consortium whose X Common Audio project was to take the best of the NAS and DEC AudioFile to form the standard solution. And, we looked hard at all kinds of other soundserver-related things out there.
Our conclusion: none of them had the kind of system-pervasive time management one needs to handle sound, let alone video or other time-dependent information. The system that came closest to meeting our timing needs was DEC AudioFile, but it was not extensible enough for our needs, and lacked support for sample rate conversion.
We didn't take the conclusion lightly. As you say, there's all these applications that support the Network Audio System natively. There's all those old NCD X tubes that support it in firmware, too. And, I really have no interest in stepping away from code that has most of its bugs worked out. But, we just did not see how NAS would scale in both performance and in functionality to handle the kind of high-performance multi-media we all want to see on Linux and UNIX.
I think MAS is a great platform to handle the timing. It's young, though. We're working hard now on a soundserver-style API to ride on top of the lower level core API that's in the source distribution. Beyond that, there are a host of security issues to work through, and the X.org standards process. (Also on our to-do list is a more detailed developement roadmap for the website!)
I think there's a ton of cool, useful stuff in the core of MAS now. For instance, we compute a running estimate of your soundcard's actual sampling rate. You can use that estimate to drive the sample rate converter (srate) device to resample audio to the actual rate of your sound card. We've been appalled at how far off some soundcards' crystals have been!
Please be patient if you e-mail us... We're getting a lot of e-mails for some reason.
Thanks,
Mike Andrews
Lead Developer, Media Application Server (MAS) Project
Start your journey at goodsound.com. Finish at a local, independent hi-fi dealer. I'd recommend a Yamaha or NAD receiver coupled with PSB Alpha speakers. Don't forget the stands!
The RCA 77DX ribbon mic is a little more common than the old 44's. Even though the ones on the desks of Larry King and David Letterman are replicas, you can still find them used by recording engineers to pull off the mid-side recording technique.
Check out _The Tao of Physics_ by Frijtof Capra.
Not only was some of this thing unrealistic, but nearly every single part of it was completely preposterous. Come on, laser-tag vests?!
I believe Gibson and Maddox have just delivered the first major prime-time TV troll, aimed directly at US. They win.
-Mike
Take breaks!
I've messed with a bunch of ergo-devices, but the thing that really, really helped was xwrits. It is designed to force you to take breaks every N minutes, and it is heavily customizable for maximum annoyance until you take your break. I have mine set to make me stop every 45 minutes for 5 minutes. If I ignore my break for five or more minutes, it starts flipping me off (and, yes, you can set your culture preference for the "flipoff" hand gesture).
-Mike
Check out the article in hotwired from 1996 that Jon mentions he wrote. At least he's recycling!
Top down view on a three-lane highway:
CmdrTaco and Hemos are with about eight people in a 1969 Dodge Dart convertible (with a penguin on the hood) speeding down the left lane. They're passing a 40 year old man in a suit standing, staring at his "Windows Logo" bearing Lotus that's crashed into the guardrail abutting the slow lane.
And, Stallman is pulling his moped over to hand the "suit" a copy of Debian...
-Mike