[Ardour-Dev] Funding: Build and Sell Hardware

[Quentin Harley]

Patrick Shirkey wrote:
> Quentin Harley wrote:
>>
>> Nice thing about DAW hardware is that most of it is developed 
>> already, and you just need to find the winning combination.  At least 
>> we know where to get the software for it
>>
> This is really dependent on whether we are providing a custom solution 
> or a retail product.
>
> Making Ardour run on existing products is an interesting idea but I 
> don't see much money coming from it.

What I mean by "existing" is something along these lines...

Lean mean ardour machine:

    * Powerful small form factor motherboard in a silent custom case
      running stripped down audio only Linux distro
    * Flash based drives for high reliability under touring conditions
    * High end ADAT card inside
    * Optional bundled with high end ADAT able input interface, worthy
      of studio owners attention
    * Optional bundled with USB control surface, tested extensively in
      the hardware environment.
    * Streamlined work flow, enabling the user to fluently make a
      recording, mix, master and burn Red Book master without the need
      of another system

If this was available for sale when I started out, I would probably buy 
it.  I had to set this up for myself at high cost in terms of time to 
implement - (set-up learning curve)

Another example of implementation on existing hardware is the little 
Trinity Indamixx:  http://www.64studio.com/remix_award


>
> We already have at least three companies that have built hardware with 
> Ardour. It's worth following up with them to find out if there is 
> anything new that we can do for them but this time tackle it as a dev 
> team working for Linux Audio Systems under Pauls direction.
>

I like this line of thought.  This is cooking with gas for the fist time!

Cheers,
Q