AV Linux MX Edition 23.1 (AVL-MXe) Released!

[Audiojunkie]

I have an RME FireFace 800 with black audio ADA converters but I also have an old Digidesign USB 2 interface for playback and maybe connect a guitar or a bass. So I'll be trying the new AVL this weekend!

You might want to consider going the FFADO route, since you have a FireWire device. AFAIK (and I could be wrong), Pipewire doesn't do much with FireWire. Look into this link:

http://www.ffado.org/

Edit: It looks like Pipewire does indeed work with FireWire!!! See below:

https://docs.pipewire.org/page_module_ffado_driver.html

[Audiojunkie]

I would like to say that the distribution is installed in my computer and so far so good. No issues with pipewire and everything seems to work properly.

But I really don´t like Enlightenment desktop. I can see why it is included, I know it consumes less system resources, less memory, I know it is faster and snappier... but maybe I´m too used to XFCE and it´s goodneses and I´m feeling very clumsy using this "enlightenment". I find XFCE easier to use, easier to customize and much more useful in general. Or maybe I don´t know how to do the same with Enlightenment.

Anyway, just a thought, my 2 cents. AVLinux is great

One big benefit of Enlightenment, is that it is one of only a handful of Desktop Environments that is supporting Wayland. Those DEs that don't support Wayland will be left by the wayside or die of stagnation in the end. I've always liked Enlightenment for what it can do with so little, and I like it even more because the developers won't let it die (like so many others are doing).

[Audiojunkie]

@Lume

Thanks for the feedback, change is hard... unwanted change is harder.. I had been using XFCE4 for 10 years or so and I got bored of it and there were some things about Distributing it and how it's XML files work that annoyed me so I changed.. I've always wanted AVL to be unique, not just another 'business blue' Desktop Distribution and I find KDE has become almost like using a really nice Windows theme on Linux. At the end of the day I want people to have a comfortable and convenient system to create their art on but I also want some of the art to be in the system itself, Enlightenment is a good vehicle for that..

@sjzstudio

Thanks! Glad to hear you're warming up to it even in a Finnish winter!

Another good thing about Enlightenment is how flexible it is. Users who don't like it can change almost every aspect of it so that in the end it becomes what they want it to be.

[GMaq]

@Audiojunkie

I'd better hire you for PR... Your sentiments about it are not proving universal but I'm glad to hear that some people actually even like it! As far as the Wayland support that is true although even the E developer would describe that as 'experimental' but baby steps...

[Audiojunkie]

@Audiojunkie

I'd better hire you for PR... Your sentiments about it are not proving universal but I'm glad to hear that some people actually even like it! As far as the Wayland support that is true although even the E developer would describe that as 'experimental' but baby steps...

I haven't used it in years, to be honest. But I've been following it all this time, and I've remained impressed. I now use Gnome, because I use my 2-in-1 laptop as a tablet as well as a laptop workstation. I'll probably move to a different DE if something better for touch comes along. But if I had a low powered system like I used to have, Enlightenment would probably be on a very short list of desktop environments that I would choose from. I'm really happy that they are supporting Wayland like they are doing--it shows that they are also forward thinking and will keep up with the future of Linux.

[sjzstudio]

I am quite satisfied with this Enlightenment desktop. You have to remember that this is a pro audio and video workstation. It doesn't get in the way of anything and is very light. Everything works like a train toilet, as they say here in Finland. Means it works for sure.

[GMaq]

Everything works like a train toilet, as they say here in Finland. Means it works for sure.

That may be my new tagline... "AV Linux, works like a train toilet..."

[Audiojunkie]

Everything works like a train toilet, as they say here in Finland. Means it works for sure.

That may be my new tagline... "AV Linux, works like a train toilet..."

LOL! It may not translate too well across all languages.

Maybe:

AV Linux -- Works for sure! ...just like a Finnish train toilet!

[MrZed]

TNX for the quick reply ... just a bit surprised that such an integral part of the recent MX-23 infrastructure isn't keeping up with ongoing Pipewire bug-fix development ... I've been monitoring various Debian distros that implement the new sound-server in their most recent (Bookworm) iterations ... so far the only one that incorporates the most recent version is Sparky Linux ... beats me why pimp-wire ever made it into recent Distros while still under development! IMHO, audio/multimedia creators should stick with their "older", stable setups (including yours) until such a time that the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" adage re-surfaces.

Personally, I have used MX for production since v.17, rolling my own audio/video needs without a niggle TNX to your many AVLinux guides that I've implemented for my purposes over the years. Right now I still use Mx-19 (with my setups) on my production machine and will continue even after EOL ... you just use it offline! The reason being is that I print my own CDs using Lightscribe apps whose installation dependencies are uninstallable with newer versions of MX. I also have another rig with your MX-21 version on it which I also use on occasion ... no niggles either!

Therein lies another salient point ... e.g., MX-21 has an EOL 2026 ... why in the world would one pre-maturely opt for a more recent version, or, for that matter, construct one. given the state of pimp-wire at present? Beta-testing? Maybe ... final release? nada ... IMHO, given your hard work and prowess at development, you've missed the mark in 2 areas with your enlightened version:

(1) As mentioned above, pimp-wire just ain't mature enough ... problematics with rig-types/models and/or external interfaces. A brief analytical look at all the various posts on this site as well as the Mx Forums says mountains
(2) You've probably alienated a lot of former AVLinux users with your idiosyncratic move to another DE. Saying you got bored with XFCE just doesn't cut it, given the pedigree that you established many years ago.

Anyhow, that's just my two toonies (they don't make cents anymore! )

I certainly wish you all the best Sir 'cause, like you, the back-40 needs lookin' after a couple of months of winter remaining, Sugar-bush time is on the horizon too.

Harmonica Zeke

[GMaq]

(1) As mentioned above, pimp-wire just ain't mature enough ... problematics with rig-types/models and/or external interfaces. A brief analytical look at all the various posts on this site as well as the Mx Forums says mountains
(2) You've probably alienated a lot of former AVLinux users with your idiosyncratic move to another DE. Saying you got bored with XFCE just doesn't cut it, given the pedigree that you established many years ago.

Hi, long time!

There is a huge distinction between what works in a single end-user case and what may work for others.. I'm also very conservative with my own Studio setup and run older OS's until sufficient new features beguile me into upgrading. That is a whole different paradigm than putting something out for first time Users with a wide variety of production needs.

Considering that current MX is built on Bookworm (as I'm sure you know) and the PW version in Bookworm is 0.3.65 the fact that they even have 1.0.0 in the main Repo is a significant accomplishment and they did so at my request and it wasn't without it's teething issues. PipeWire updates coming to MX-Test is a pretty good deal for a Debian Stable dist I think...

(1) Mature enough for some, and not for others... unwinnable game. I use ALSA backends in my Studio and things work like they always have so for people in that segment, no change.. As far as USB multichannel devices the recently added 'Pro Audio' profile functionality of PipeWire helps a lot and I just revised the ISO with pavucontrol to make that easier. There was no winning with the Audio system... Keep JACK and nobody new is interested in a Distro with "some old way" that no one else is using and they don't have context for... Add PipeWire and be current and get the change-averse hollering at you... Whatever...*shrugs

(2) Nobody is paying for this system and VERY few are donating for it. I do what I find pleasant to use in my daily driver and then share it and by and large it works for others. Anyone who's been following along knows I started a development build with Enlightenment last year and made it quite clear it was a WIP toward the next AV Linux version and now it's here, it's also no surprise I mostly do this on my own and have never claimed to be a full and proper Distribution or some paid bespoke Studio software engineer.. I'm a country boy that plays some music and fools with Linux enough to make it useful for the like-minded.. Expect more than that and it will get disappointing very quickly, and seemingly for some it has..

[MrZed]

Hey Glen

Very cool response ... good to know that Mx is woke regarding PW ... one of the many reasons I use the distro for both production (my aforementioned older version) and general use. I do use Mx-23 (latest update) on a partition for general purposes and everything is fine with PW as long as I'm in systemd ... audio/video editing (I use Audacity for some clean-ups), Zoom, Skype, Screen Recorder, Shotcut, and a few others behave. My partner is a university teacher/lecturer and often requires my services for her online-course video productions. Her computer needs to be up-to-snuff as well.

For production/creation purposes, I DO understand that PW is a new learning curve, and, as you say, you gotta go with the flow! Personally, I'm just going to bide my time and wait for it to mature ... too busy creating stuff the old way ... and yes, ALSA has always been my go-to.

Cheers and I hope (as a country-boy myself) will get to meet you in person someday and swap stories 'bout tractors and guitars!

[sunrat]

On a related note, bookworm-backports is offering latest Pipewire and it seems to be updated regularly (was 1.0.0 last week when I looked):

Code: Select all

$ apt list -a pipewire
Listing... Done
pipewire/stable-backports 1.0.1-1~bpo12+1 amd64
pipewire/stable 0.3.65-3 amd64

Are MX devs duplicating work which has already been done in Debian?

[GMaq]

Hi sunrat,

True, backports are also an option, I kind of keep them as a secondary option and prefer MX Test as the first place to go, to be honest I don't know which upstream Debian source Stevo uses for PipeWire packaging

[glowrak guy]

Another good thing about Enlightenment is how flexible it is. Users who don't like it can change almost every aspect of it so that in the end it becomes what they want it to be.

As one having used E (and the Moksha variant) in several distros, I can verify that many config options exist, but many are not where one might expect them, and many of the label wordings are presented in unfamiliar terms, and then rely on a logic that is not universal. And there are changes and new additions to process at times. There is a steap learning curve, but it's a rewarding view from the top, if one has the need and time go beyond the defaults.

In my case, needed to have the scroll wheel flip among multiple desktops, need to focus any window with a click in the gui, and need solid backgrounds to prevent confusion among semi-transparent overlaid complex synth/daw gui's, so I opt to have no trendy transparency. I chose to install xfce, where those needs are defaults, or are simple to configure.

Credit to GMaq and the MX crew, that it was quite easy to replicate the expected functionality of older AVLinux versions that had no pipewire, into a working jackd system with the modern libs, kernel, and apps.
Cheers

[sjzstudio]

Will this update to the MX-23.2 base itself in the future?