---
<p>
- Ardour will only use a single interface. If you want to use more
- than one interface you have two choices:
-
- <ol>
- <li>
- If you want to use Ardour to start JACK (which handles all
- audio I/O) you will need to create a "fake" audio device on your
- computer the represents all the multiple devices you wish to
- use. How to do this is platform dependent and described below.
- </li>
- <li>
- Use a different tool to start JACK and manage all the devices.
- </li>
- </ol>
+ Ardour will only ever deal with a single <dfn>audio device</dfn>. If you
+ want to use more than one, you have two choices:
</p>
-
+<ul>
+ <li>
+ If you want to use Ardour to start JACK (which handles all
+ audio I/O) you will need to create a "fake" audio device on your
+ computer the represents all the multiple devices you wish to
+ use. How to do this is platform dependent and described below.
+ </li>
+ <li>
+ Use a different tool to start JACK and manage all the devices.
+ </li>
+</ul>
<p>
-Ardour is fundamentally designed to be a component in a
-pro-audio/music creation environment and standard operating practice
-for such setups involves using only a single digital sample "clock"
-(something counting off the time between audio samples). This means
-that trying to use multiple independent soundcards is problematic,
-because each soundcard has its own sample clock, running independently
-from the others. Over time, these different clocks drift out of sync
-with each other, and cause glitches in the audio. You can't stop this
-drift, although in some cases the effects may be insignificant enough
-that some people might not care about them.</p>
-
+ Ardour is fundamentally designed to be a component in a
+ pro-audio/music creation environment. Standard operating practice
+ for such setups involves using only a single digital <dfn>sample
+ clock</dfn> (something counting off the time between audio samples).
+ This means that trying to use multiple independent soundcards is
+ problematic, because each soundcard has its own sample clock, running
+ independently from the others. Over time, these different clocks
+ <dfn>drift</dfn>
+ out of sync with each other, which causes glitches in the audio. You
+ cannot stop this drift, although in some cases the effects may be
+ insignificant enough that some people might not care about them.
+</p>
<p>
Thus in an ideal world you should not use multiple independent
soundcards but instead use a single device with a single clock and all
the inputs, outputs and other features that you need.
</p>
-
<p>
- Of course, a lot of people don't live in an ideal world, and believe that software should make up for this.
+ Of course, a lot of people don't live in an ideal world, and believe
+ that software should make up for this.
</p>
-<h3>OS X</h3>
+<h2>OS X</h2>
<p>
-Aggregate devices provide a method to use multiple soundcards as
-a single device. For example, you can "aggregate" 2 different
-8-channel devices so that you can record 16 channels into Ardour.
+ In CoreAudio, <dfn>aggregate devices</dfn> provide a method to use
+ multiple soundcards as a single device. For example, you can
+ aggregate two 8-channel devices so that you can record 16 channels
+ into Ardour.
</p>
-
+<div class="note">
<p>
- If you are using a <strong>single</strong> typical 3rd party
+ If you are using a <em>single</em> typical 3rd party
audio interface (such as those from Apogee, RME, Presonus, and many
- others), <strong>OR</strong> you are using JackPilot or a similar
- application to start JACK, you do not need to worry about this.
+ others), <em>or</em> you are using JackPilot or a similar
+ application to start JACK, you do not need to worry about this.<br />
+ You will need to set up an aggregate device only if either
+ of the following conditions are true:
</p>
-
-<p>You will need to set up an aggregate device <strong>ONLY</strong> if either of the following conditions are true:</p>
-
- <ul>
- <li>You want to use two entirely separate
- devices <strong>AND</strong> want to start JACK using Ardour.</li>
- <li>You want to use your builtin audio device <strong>AND</strong>
- want to start JACK using Ardour.</li>
- <li>You want to use more than two entirely separate devices</li>
- </ul>
-
-<p>In the case of your builtin audio device, you will need to create
+<ul>
+ <li>You want to use two entirely separate
+ devices <em>and</em> want to start JACK using Ardour.</li>
+ <li>You want to use your <dfn>builtin audio device</dfn> <em>and</em>
+ want to start JACK using Ardour.</li>
+ <li>You want to use more than two entirely separate devices</li>
+</ul>
+</div>
+<p>
+ In the case of your builtin audio device, you will need to create
an aggregate device that combines "Builtin Input" and "Builtin
Output" into one device.
</p>
-
-<p>The precise instructions for creating an "aggregate device" on OS X have varied from one released to another.</p>
-
+<p>
+ The precise instructions for creating an aggregate device on OS X
+ have varied from one released to another.
+</p>
<dl class="wide-label">
<dt>OS X 10.5</dt>
- <dd>
- Please read <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215">http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215</a>
- </dd>
+ <dd>Please read <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215">http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1215</a></dd>
<dt>OS X 10.6 or later</dt>
- <dd>
- Please read <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3956">http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3956</a>
- </dd>
+ <dd>Please read <a href="http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3956">http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3956</a></dd>
</dl>
-<h3>Linux</h3>
-
+<h2>Linux</h2>
<p>
Please see the instructions at <a href="http://jackaudio.org/faq"
title="http://jackaudio.org/faq">http://jackaudio.org/faq</a>
projects / ardour-manual-diverged / blobdiff