[PlanetCCRMA] Sony VAIO S4

[Brian Panulla]

Steve Harris wrote:

>Is anyone using this laptop (or its predecessor, the S3) with CCRMA?
>They're very common, but I cant find many reports of people using them
>with Linux, and none with any lowlatency comments. Slightly concerning as
>I've just ordered one.
>
><ot mode="winge">Every time I buy a new laptop I go through the same pain
>of looking for a laptop that is practical allround. Why doesn't someone
>make one that isn't anoying in some way? The Sony is close but its full of
>wierd hardware, and hardware suspending doesnt appear to work under
>linux.</ot>
>  
>
I'm not familiar with the S3/S4, but I'm using a Vaio A250 dual-booting 
XP and FC3/CCRMA. I'm pretty happy with it, though I'm still getting 
used to the Linux audio apps. The  Intel 2200BG wireless works well. 
Once I got my display working at 1280x800 resolution under X I was much 
happier. I haven't gotten my VAIO hardware buttons to work, or my 
MemoryStick slot, and power management seems to be minimal. I really 
haven't had a lot of time to track down the various hardware issues, but 
they haven't been too critical as I mostly use the notebook for Web 
development under XP.

I did a little recording with the Realtek onboard SP'97 audio interface, 
but I recently got a Creative MP3+ USB box on closeout at Wal-Mart that 
seems to be working better. I've recorded with Audacity under XP, and 
played the file back under Audacity in Linux. I've also gotten Hydrogen 
and Rosegarden+QSynth(?) to at least make noises. :) I've only recorded 
guitar and bass so far using aLine 6 POD 2.0 and I've been happy with 
the results. I've multitracked chords+solos to work out musical ideas. 
I'm working on getting a mic and mixer and/or preamp to mix in some vocals.

I still get a lot of Xruns in JACK, and I'm not sure why. I think it may 
be that I have extra services or maybe network interfaces competing for 
processor time. I'm still using the more stable "ll" CCRMA kernel, since 
my touchpad mouse motion becomes very odd under the rdt kernels, 
possibly because it's an Alps touchpad, and X is using the Synapics driver?.

I have the suspicion that my wireless NIC is a contributor to my Xruns, 
but I haven't done a real test yet.

-B