I installed the ffado drivers in an attempt to get my Presonus Firebox working. After that jack refused to start at all, insisting that no drivers were in existence. I did a little more research and then elected to unsinstall Jack (I was running .118) and install 1.9.6. Same result. Jack won’t start with any drivers selected at all; they’re all “unknown” including Alsa. Now, I know Alsa is working… my other apps have sound. Here’s some of the message window output from qjackctl:
21:05:32.183 JACK is starting…
21:05:32.183 /usr/local/bin/jackd --no-realtime -r -dalsa -dhw:0 -r48000 -p1024 -n3
21:05:32.185 JACK was started with PID=30359.
Unknown driver “alsa”
jackdmp 1.9.6
Copyright 2001-2005 Paul Davis and others.
Copyright 2004-2010 Grame.
jackdmp comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions; see the file COPYING for details
21:05:32.191 JACK was stopped with exit status=255.
JACK2 and JACK1 are quite different when it comes to packaging, JACK2 must be built specifying each backend separately in it’s configure script, if your package was built incorrectly it will be missing the necessary backend support. It would appear that the alsa backend is not present thus JACK doesn’t know what to do with the ‘-dalsa’ in your launch command.
I’m certainly no firewire expert but since you are running Kernel 2.6.29 which has the older legacy firewire stack you may find JACK1 to be a better option. Another issue is running JACK without realtime permissions is not going to give you very good performance at all. I sincerely hope you can figure this out, once again I’d really suggest a distro that has this stuff figured out for you will be a much more productive option unless you really enjoy brainteasers…
Actually, right now I’m fooling with it on my -current machine with the 2.6.35 kernel. The problem came into being with Jack1, and persisted when I installed Jack2… in both cases it ceased to recognize any drivers once the FFADO stuff was installed. As for the buiding, I compiled Jack2 from source. I just checked the help file, and can see that I didn’t install with the correct options (which in no way explains why jack1 stopped working). How do I properly uninstall this thing, so I can re-install with the correct options?
I uninstalled Jack2 and tried again with dbus, firewire, and alsa all enabled in the config. Now I go to start jack and get this no matter what drivers i have selected:
08:37:14.022 Patchbay deactivated.
08:37:14.093 Statistics reset.
08:37:14.180 Startup script…
08:37:14.181 artsshell -q terminate
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server socket
jack server is not running or cannot be started
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server socket
jack server is not running or cannot be started
08:37:14.188 ALSA connection graph change.
sh: artsshell: command not found
08:37:14.607 Startup script terminated with exit status=32512.
08:37:14.607 JACK is starting…
08:37:14.607 jackd --no-realtime -r -dfirewire -r48000 -p1024 -n3
08:37:14.610 Could not start JACK. Sorry.
08:37:14.617 JACK was stopped with exit status=255.
08:37:14.618 Post-shutdown script…
08:37:14.618 killall jackd
08:37:14.809 ALSA connection change.
jackd: no process killed
08:37:15.026 Post-shutdown script terminated with exit status=256.
18:32:30.998 Patchbay deactivated.
18:32:31.178 Statistics reset.
18:32:31.238 Startup script…
18:32:31.238 artsshell -q terminate
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server socket
jack server is not running or cannot be started
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server socket
jack server is not running or cannot be started
18:32:31.245 ALSA connection graph change.
sh: artsshell: command not found
18:32:31.660 Startup script terminated with exit status=32512.
18:32:31.670 JACK is starting…
18:32:31.671 /usr/local/bin/jackd --no-realtime -r -dalsa -r48000 -p1024 -n3 -D -Chw:1 -Phw:1
no message buffer overruns
no message buffer overruns
jackdmp 1.9.6
Copyright 2001-2005 Paul Davis and others.
Copyright 2004-2010 Grame.
jackdmp comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions; see the file COPYING for details
JACK server starting in non-realtime mode
18:32:31.802 JACK was started with PID=24071.
18:32:31.899 ALSA connection change.
creating alsa driver … hw:1|hw:1|1024|3|48000|0|0|nomon|swmeter|-|32bit
Using ALSA driver Audigy2 running on card 1 - SB Audigy 2 ZS [SB0350] (rev.4, serial:0x20021102) at 0xe800, irq 21
configuring for 48000Hz, period = 1024 frames (21.3 ms), buffer = 3 periods
ALSA: final selected sample format for capture: 16bit little-endian
ALSA: got smaller periods 2 than 3 for capture
ALSA: cannot configure capture channel
Cannot initialize driver
JackServer::Open() failed with -1
Failed to start server
18:32:31.974 JACK was stopped with exit status=255.
18:32:31.974 Post-shutdown script…
18:32:31.974 killall jackd
jackd: no process killed
18:32:32.383 Post-shutdown script terminated with exit status=256.
18:32:33.913 Could not connect to JACK server as client. - Overall operation failed. - Unable to connect to server. Please check the messages window for more info.
configuring for 48000Hz, period = 1024 frames (21.3 ms), buffer = 3 periods
ALSA: final selected sample format for capture: 16bit little-endian
ALSA: got smaller periods 2 than 3 for capture
ALSA: cannot configure capture channel
Cannot initialize driver
Your card cannot be used with the parameters. And in fact, with an Audigy, its not tremendously likely that you will find a set of parameters that allow you use to the device in duplex mode (Playback & Capture at the same time). This is a cheap consumer device, and was not designed for this purpose. You might get lucky. In the meantime, pick one of “Playback only” or “Capture only” the Audio mode selector of qjackctl and try that.
Thing is, Paul, it was working before i installed the FFADO drivers. Now even if I remove them it doesn’t seem to help. I tried removing those and re-installing Jack1… no good. I agree that the card sucks (I’m hoping to replace it with my new Firebox, but those drivers aren’t working either), but it was working wiht Jack before.
Okay, tried it in capture-only mode, and it fired right up. The set_rlimits is obviously working, because it started in realtime. I don’t understand why it was working in duplex mode before but not now, but anyway…
I plug my Firebox into the Firewire port, select the firewire drivers, and attempt to start jack. The attempt failed, and here’s the output:
05:44:05.394 Patchbay deactivated.
05:44:05.401 Statistics reset.
05:44:05.446 Startup script…
05:44:05.447 artsshell -q terminate
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server socket
jack server is not running or cannot be started
Cannot connect to server socket err = No such file or directory
Cannot connect to server socket
jack server is not running or cannot be started
05:44:05.454 ALSA connection graph change.
sh: artsshell: command not found
05:44:05.853 Startup script terminated with exit status=32512.
05:44:05.853 JACK is starting…
05:44:05.853 /usr/local/bin/jackd -dfirewire -r48000 -p1024 -n3
05:44:05.856 JACK was started with PID=2908.
no message buffer overruns
no message buffer overruns
jackdmp 1.9.6
Copyright 2001-2005 Paul Davis and others.
Copyright 2004-2010 Grame.
jackdmp comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY
This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it
under certain conditions; see the file COPYING for details
JACK server starting in realtime mode with priority 10
libffado 2.0.1 built Dec 6 2010 18:21:26
firewire ERR: FFADO: Error creating virtual device
Cannot attach audio driver
JackServer::Open() failed with -1
no message buffer overruns
Failed to start server
05:44:05.985 JACK was stopped with exit status=255.
05:44:05.985 Post-shutdown script…
05:44:05.986 killall jackd
05:44:06.055 ALSA connection change.
jackd: no process killed
05:44:06.394 Post-shutdown script terminated with exit status=256.
05:44:08.057 Could not connect to JACK server as client. - Overall operation failed. - Unable to connect to server. Please check the messages window for more info.
@2handband: this isn’t the best place for FFADO support. Given that you’re on Slackware, I think, there is even the question of whether your kernel has the right Firewire stack. Firewire audio support on Linux is a bit of mess for a variety of reasons (almost none of which have anything to do with the people who actually implemented it), but you’d probably be better off using mailing lists, IRC and other support methods mentioned at http://ffado.org/ instead of this forum. You can also check on the status of support for various devices there.
As for the Audigy, playing with possible capture source settings in an h/w mixer app (such as alsamixer) might get it into a state where it can be used in duplex mode.
I hope you can appreciate how tiring it is to deal with questions about 2nd rate hardware like this year after year. We know that “it just works on Windows”, but that’s because invariably the actual manufacturer of the card was intimately involved in creating a device driver. I know that its a forlorn hope, but if people would actually use cards that were (1) engineered for use by musicians and audio engineers (2) are acknowledged to have good Linux support, everyone would be a lot more productive and quite a bit happier.
You were right-on about the firewire stack; only the legacy stack is built in the kernel that ships with Slackware, I had to build the module for the new one. No big deal, but it was something I didn’t know about. Thanks for steering me in the right direction. I’ve still got an issue but (and given the content of your last post you’re going to laugh at this) it turns out that trying to use the built-in firewire port on these Audigy2 cards is a bad idea. That’s what I get for trying to save a few bucks; I’m going to pick up a dedicated fw card tomorrow.
I got the duplex problem sorted out… it was driving me nuts because it was working before and I couldn’t figure out what had changed. I still don’t know; I just figured out where my qjackctl config file was and deleted it. Problem solved.
As for your last paragraph, I understand… really I do. But when one is getting his recording rig together from scratch he tries to use what he already has as much as possible unless he’s independently wealthy. I put this box together early this year with a brand-new mobo, chipset, RAM, and hard drive, but to save on costs everything else was old stuff I had lying around… including the Audigy soundcard. I have four or five soundcards gathering dust, and that was the best of a bad lot. Now I’m trying to get set up to record and am doing what I can… a quality recording microphone and a firewire interface took precedence over a decent soundcard (much as I would like one). Let’s hope that once I get a proper firewire card the firebox will make the audigy irrelevant.
@2handband: from what i read, the firewire connector on the Audigy has nothing to do with audio - its a “value added extra” that (if supported by a device driver) would add a generic vanilla Firewire port to your computer. It would let you plug in things like a video camera and access them as if your computer had its own builtin Firewire port. It is not used for audio (unless you plug an actual firewire audio interface into it, which would deliciously subversive). I very much doubt that the linux driver support for the audigy includes support for its firewire port, but I could be wrong.
Hi
How about FW not working in a studio box.
After many years of using Ubuntu and Ardour I now cannot use a Saffire pro26 as I get a Dbus error connecting,
this means I have no FFADO mixer, so no recording system.
To make it worse I researched the hardware and software before buying the saffire, said to be fully supported!
I also bought a FW card supported by FFado.
It seems all the info is years out of date.
Please advise how you multi track in Linux now.
I cannot use the saffire adats with my RME card as I cannot set the unit to use adat.
Are you all using USB?
I used two DDX 3216 on adat for years but they are now gone after giving years of good service.
You’re likely on Ubuntu or some similar distribution which recently began having problems with this device. We’ve seen a couple of other people on IRC with the same issue.
@wavesound - FFADO 2.3 was just released on the 8th.
The release announcement states that problems have been fixed with ‘newer Focusrite Saffire Pro 26’ models.
Its possible that upgrading to 2.3 version will fix it.
@nickm -
Thanks for the heads up.
Still at a loss on this, i’m using Ubuntu studio 16.6 and the older saffire pro ( grey colour)
I didn’t buy the newer one as I thought this was fully supported.
I’ll try and get the newer FFADO.
Seems that I can get the mixer to start I think and get this output.
Hi All I tried to install FFADO 2.3 from Source, but there is no readme ( well a blank one) and ,/configure throws up an error. So no Make
and make install.
I’m having to use reaper on win 7 which doesn’t have the same workflow as ardour.
The saffire pro 26 is playing in windows but as yet nothing on Ubuntu studio.
Any ideas how I get ffado 2.3?
Cheers bob
Hi all
After much thought and time I decided to move away from Firewire and Saffire pro.
Do any of you know if the new Behringer FCA 1616 USB is fully supported and available to Ardour.
I believe it’s fully USB 2 compliant.
Would be nice getting Ardour back again.
Cheers Bob
I don’t know about FCA1616, but this newer comparable product from Behringer (UMC1820) is fully compatible with Linux and Ardour:
I have been thinking about getting one.
One Ardour user reported it works fully with Ardour (link below search for UMC1820), and there are other reports on the net about people using it successfully with Linux.
