semi-pro PCI snd crd for linux

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Fri, Jul 13, 2007 at 04:51:29PM -0400, Chris Aitken wrote:
> I am upgrading my home recording studio.
> 
> I need a linux-friendly PCI sound card with co-axial S/PDIF input that 
> will work in a PIII 733 MHz machine.
> 
> Background: Unless I get better advice, I am going to get Focusrite's 
> Trakmaster Pro microphone preamplifier/compressor and their Platinum Pro 
> ADC add-on. I'll get these from Long & McQuade in Toronto. What L&McQ 
> can't help me with is a linux-friendly PCI sound card (for my PIII 733 
> MHz processor PC) that has a digital in (co-axial S/PDIF). My PC 
> currently has the SoundBlaster Live 5.1 which does not have digital in 
> (let alone co-axial S/PDIF).

Might not be the easiest thing to find.  Many new motherboards come with
spdif on the motherboard, so there isn't as much demand for cheap cards
with that available.  Most people using add in sound cards do it because
they want some specific high end feature.

My old SB Live Platinum has spdif coax, and the platinum 2 came with
optical as well (which mine doesn't have).  Both are very well supported
by alsa.  I don't know the state of support for the newer audigy or x-fi
line, but I expect at least the audigys to be supported.

Now for something impresive looking there is this:
http://www.canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011735&cid=SC

Looking at the alsa development, there has been a number of checkins in
cvs over the last few weeks relating to the cmi8788 chip, so at least
support is being worked on, although it is probably still not complete
at this time (perhaps in a month or two).  One could always help out
with debuging and testing.

Something like an SB Audigy OEM card also supports spdif coax, although
you need a 1/8" jack adapter to hook it up as far as I know.

--
Len Sorensen
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