This project is for Chromebooks with i386 processors.
I have a fully working installation of KDE KXStudio running on a 3-pound, $199 Chromebook! This is the Intel-inside Acer C7 currently at Walmart and other locations for $199 - making it - when working in conjunction with a crouton linux KDE chroot and KXStudio installed from the Ubuntu:Upgrade page - the least expensive full-blown audio workstation in the world!
First, take your Chromebook and place it into Developer mode (Do so at your own risk, etc.). This model does it from software rather than a hardware switch like some other models. You press the escape key, F4 (reload) key and power button at the same time to reboot into a special mode, then press CTRL-D when the "Broken Chrome OS" screen comes up and wait a moment. Press Enter from the page that appears to be led into the creation of the Developer mode. When it re-boots, you'll be at a "scary face" page -- just hit CTRL-D to get past it and connect to your Wifi and create your login. If you've synced all your settings with other machines, all of your settings will come back after about 5 minutes. But... we're after a linux installation next! Watch a video of this all being done here -- except we're installing KDE rather than XFCE since KXStudio runs best with that.
This version of linux - crouton - actually runs a desktop installation over the top of the existing Chrome OS linux (yes, Chrome OS is a linux desktop with drivers built into its custom kernel). First, go download it to your Downloads folder here:
http://goo.gl/fd3zc
and read the ReadMe page and the Wiki page:
https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton/bl ... /README.md
https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton/wiki
Now hit CTRL-ALT-T to enter crosh and type in
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shell
Install a 12.04 KDE desktop using this command next:
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sudo sh -e ~/Downloads/crouton -t chrome,kde -n kxstudio -r precise
Enter your new KDE installation now by typing:
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sudo startkde
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sudo apt-get install synaptic
After everything is installed, log-out and it will bring you back to the Chrome OS.
Type in this at your crosh shell prompt to turn off the Chrome OS system audio:
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sudo initctl stop cras
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cras stop/waiting
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sudo startkde
Now log-out and
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sudo startkde
BTW - you can return to the Chrome OS with the key combo CTRL-ALT-Backarrow(F2) (or on some machines, CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-Backarrow(F2)) and return to KXStudio with CTRL-ALT-SHIFT-Forwardarrow(F3). So, you get a full Linux with your Filezilla and KXStudio and Skype and your Cloud Machine Chrome OS all running so you can switch between the two in a flash!
JACK worked from Cadence after manually starting it (auto-start does not seem to work), but I had to go into the ALSA mixer to turn on my headphones at one point (they muted themselves) - You might want to add the Speakers volume control also, but probably not necessary.
If you are running JACK on an ARM based Chromebook, like a Samsung, then you'll need to definitely shut off cras to avoid a bad restart-causing crash coming about from trying to run the two sound systems at the same time.
Here are notes from the conversation I had with drinkcat at the crouton issues thread:
Run that last command drinkcat mentioned in the crosh shell before starting up KDE/KXStudio - it was worthless running it in KXStudio's terminal (to me at least!)In KXStudio using Cadence to control Jackd, the JACK server starts fine and
I can get playback from VLC set to output to JACK if I have the Alsa Bridge
Type setting to:
(None) "No Bridge in Use"
OR
ALSA ->PulseAudio->Jack(Plugin)
OR
ALSA->Jack(Plugin)
The ALSA->Loop->JACK setting does not work - that is, it attempts to start
but then fails without an error message. I do not know if I'll need it, as
VLC allows direct connection to JACK from its Audio preferences.
Happiness with VLC, then! It can play directly into JACK with the ALSA
bridge set to None. When I stop the Jack server, the audio stops as well.
Start Jack and I can re-start playback with VLC.
Even with JACK stopped Rhythmbox plays as normal. Rhythmbox seems to play
through ALSA, so it does not care whether JACK is started or not (but
manually stopping a running JACK server will crash Rhythmbox... that stops
the audio, but is unrecoverable and requires a terminate command).
The final test is with Ardour.
Yay! Ardour works! We've got a mean audio machine here now! This is pretty
amazing!
I think my problem earlier was actually not with the CRAS server, however.
I just did a test without trying to stop cras and all ran just fine (on an
Acer Chromebook C7 - the $199 Walmart edition running Intel). What you have
discovered possibly applies only to the Samsung ARM processor based
machines. (But perhaps it is still quite important to not have to audio
systems running at the same time... crashes or no crashes.)
I think it was my confusion over the ALSA->Loop->JACK setting not working
that may have been causing my lack of sound - that is, you'd hit Start and
the startup would fail. I did not at that juncture attempt other settings
(like None) because I always had used the ALSA->Loop->JACK setting.
When I runI get the messageCode: Select all
sudo initctl stop cras
That is in the shell before runningCode: Select all
cras stop/waiting
the KXStudio kde chroot.
Then I typedand gotCode: Select all
sudo initctl start cras
-- so I suppose that tells me what process to kill if I want to stop itCode: Select all
cras start/running, process 26026
that way. But, like I said, even without stopping cras, JACK is running and
I can hear AND record audio from VLC and Ardour. (My internal mic was on by
default, so I could see it in the meters in Ardor and hear it in the
headphones when I bumped it! Whoops! Watch those inputs!)
It probably is a good idea to stop cras while using the audio in KXStudio, but I'm not certain I am accomplishing this or not. Does cras stop/waiting indicate success?
drinkcat commented:
I believe the output you get means it worked. You can always verify if cras is running with something like
And yes, I would stop cras before starting JACK. It may not be fully necessary, but strange things may happen if you try to play sounds in Chrome OS (even inadvertently).Code: Select all
ps -eaf | grep cras
I've upgraded this Chromebook to 64 gigs of SSD drive space and added another 2 GB of RAM - instructions here - but that's because I'm crazy and just wanted a 3-pound killer writing machine originally that is now a killer audio/video laptop to play with! The stock system will work, but don't fill up Ardour with too many tracks on the stock machine!
People will not BELIEVE you are doing this on a Chromebook, my friends!
Terry