[ardour-dev] MultiTrack recording

[Ben Loftis]

Chris,

I think using Ardour as the recorder in your truck is a smart move, but you 
should be aware of the issues that accompany an immature open-source 
technology.  Paul himself does not currently have the resources to support a 
product in the ways you are probably accustomed to.  The time that you spend 
configuring, learning, and updating your system will probably eclipse the 
cost of the Pyramix system.

Rather than compare the direct cost of Ardour vs Pyramix, I would consider 
these benefits:

* No single-source manufacturer worries
* Access to fast bug fixes without waiting on a release schedule
* Unrestricted access to all metadata many years from now
* multi-platform support
* provable performance ( is the internal math done correctly ? )

It is these benefits, plus the kind of support that Harrison is known for, 
that makes Ardour a contender in the ultra-high-end market.

No matter which system you choose, I would suggest a backup recorder running 
in parallel.  You can "Y" the output from  a MADI converter and feed 2 Ardour 
boxes pretty easily.


Regarding your other questions:  We have had mixed success with the RME card.  
If memory serves me correctly, the existing driver has issues on 64-bit 
distributions.  Is video sync a necessity?  If so then you will need to talk 
with us.  If you need help driving Ardour from LTC, we can also help there.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your findings!

-Ben Loftis
http://www.harrisonconsoles.com