[ubuntu-studio-users] Ubuntu Studio 20.04 LTS Released!

[eeickmeyer at ubuntu.com]

Hi Glenn,

> On 4/23/20 12:45 PM, Erich Eickmeyer wrote:
> > Due to kernel compatibility reasons, Firewire devices are no longer
> > supported.
> 
> Can you go into a little more detail on that? Is this a permanent change? Is
> Firewire no longer supported by the kernel?
> 

It's actually pretty simple. The kernel has a Firewire module in ALSA that conflicts with FFADO. We attempted to make Ubuntu Studio Controls compatible, but it proved to be impossible. In order for FFADO to work, one must blacklist the ALSA Firewire module in the kernel. This is something one must know how to do and be comfortable with doing, we can't do it for you.

Basically, firewire devices are a crapshoot. If you plug it in and it just works, then awesome, glad it does. If it doesn't, sorry, but we can't help you get it working.

Additionally, Firewire devices are ancient and no longer being manufactured. We are not in the business of reviving old hardware; that's not the purpose of Ubuntu Studio. So, going forward, we simply aren't making an effort to support Firewire devices because that would mean fighting with the kernel, which is not something our small team is willing to do.

USB devices and PCI devices are the future going forward, because that's what hardware manufacturers are actually producing. We have to be forward-thinking and not stuck in the past on many decisions, otherwise we become irrelevant.

----
Erich Eickmeyer
Project Leader
Ubuntu Studio

ubuntustudio.org

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