KXstudio OS and AV Linux

[Mister Mint]

Apart from AV Linux' lowlatency kernel, what is really the difference between these two OSs when it comes to making music using DAWs? If you have experience with both which do you prefer, and why?

[GMaq]

Hi,

I recently visited Mint world myself: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16596

When you say KXStudio Mint, I assume you mean using the KXStudio repos with an existing Mint install as opposed to using the actual KXStudio OS from it's ISO? Making that presumption here's a few things off the top of my head.

AV Linux differences:
- Full RT preempt kernel (not 'lowlatency', there is a difference) Note AVL kernels can also be installed in Mint
- Light XFCE Desktop Environment (also available in the Mint XFCE version)
- AV Linux comes with demo version of Harrison Mixbus (and all plugins) pre-installed
- Many extra file manager service menus:
Anything from Converting Audio to creating SFZ and H2 banks can be done from Thunar + much more!
- Convenient extra configuration tools in the AV Linux Assistant for system set up and APT
- Full developer environment with multiple GCC versions ready to use to easily compile applications
- Specialized Video setup with a special custom Cinelerra-CVA build with useful presets
- JACK1 + AlsaLoopback ready to use (KX uses JACK2 and Cadence, also good!)
- Very thorough User Manual included in the OS

These are merely presented to inform, there are numerous great OS choices in the Linux Audio world

[Mister Mint]

Thanks very much for this. AV Linux is a lot more customized, I see.

When you say KXStudio Mint, I assume you mean using the KXStudio repos with an existing Mint install as opposed to using the actual KXStudio OS from it's ISO?

Yes that's what I mean, but probably KXStudio OS is a better choice than Mint + KXS repos, so any opinion about this OS is appreciated, especially as compared to AV Linux. I mean, is the one better in some respects than the other, or is it mostly a matter of taste?

Of course, I could simply try them both myself, I will later, but right now with my partition arrangement, I can only have one of them.

PS. In my first post, I edit "KXStudio Mint" to "KXStudio OS".

[GMaq]

Hi,

If you are used to Ubuntu and Mint etc. then to be honest you probably would be most at home with KXStudio as an OS. AV Linux has a few limitations that most people can get around but it assumes at least a moderate amount of Linux experience, as an example:

AV Linux uses a 3rd party application called 'Systemback' for installation, it is limited to computers without GPT partition tables (most newer Windows 7+ computers use GPT by default) secondly AV Linux requires UEFI to be disabled or put in legacy mode, many computers have this option in their BIOS settings but some don't. Lastly the RT Kernel in AV Linux (or any RT kernel for that matter) doesn't support 3rd party proprietary Video card drivers by AMD or nVidia, so you need to use the Open-Source Xorg Video drivers, for most people this works just fine and you can set up Dual-Head support, I have 2 machines running nVidia's Open-source Nouveau drivers and Dual-Head works OOTB, but there are a small handful of Video cards that do not work very well with RT kernels + Open-Source Video drivers.

Summary:

Your chances of success with KXStudio... 97.63%
Your chances of success with AV Linux... 89.47%

[Mister Mint]

Hi again, sorry for my late reply.

Thanks for this information, - and nice with some exact percentages too!

My computer is without GPT partition tables, and it runs nVidia's Open-source Nouveau drivers, but in BIOS I can't find anything about UEFI or legacy /safe mode, so maybe this explains why, on a USB key with both a Mint Mate and AV Linux ISO file, I could only see Mint Mate? (via booting from the SuperGrub2 CD)

So if my computer doesn't have the UEFI or legacy mode option, then I simply can't install AV Linux?

[GMaq]

Hi,

Hehe the percentages are just for fun bull**it but I'd guess they are not too far off..

I would try booting AVL on it's own USB key made with Unetbootin, (or DD if you like the command line), Those are the only 2 methods I've tested and they are known to work, not all USB boot solutions work for all ISO's and I have no idea about booting multiple ISO's with SG2. If it doesn't boot from a Unetbootin created USB key then it will most likely be a no-go,

I just saw you post in the other thread and the OP there was able to get up and running using Unetbootin.

[Mister Mint]

Hi, and sorry again for replying so late.

Ok thanks, I will try with Unetbootin although it seems a little bit complicated.. About the USB key, do you know if it can be used for data storage later on? In the manual, it mentions only with "Method 1 - Bootable USB Key" that it can't, but maybe it's the same with Unetbootin method?

[Metalmachine]

Hello,
this is my first post in this forum. I hope it's ok, to use this thread for my question.

I have been using Reaper on a Win7 system for years. Now I want to try Linux and Ardour, so I downloaded KXStudio and AVLinux and quickly tried both of them from Live DVDs. Both seemed to work. Based on the information I found on the net, I decided to use KXStudio, as a parallel install with Windows, that I still need for gaming. But the installer crashed multiple times. I then tried to install AVLinux and that worked fine.
However, I now have problems with my audio interface.
I have a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8. In the KXStudio, I started Cadence, started Jack from there, startet Ardour, made the connections in Catia and everything worked. Recording and Playback.
In the installed AVLinux, I installed Cadence and tried to do what I did in KXStudio. But only recording works. I can not get any output from the interface. Not from Ardour, nor any other source, like youtube.

Do you have an idea, what is different between KXStudio and AVLinux, that might cause this?

Greetings from Germany,
Jan