linuxDSP Workstation Plug-ins Bundle - Pay What You Want - Limited Offer

Installation & Configuration Linux
#21

When I said “based on Carbon” I meant that VST 2.x actually uses a Carbon datatype to describe the window that the plugin will be using for its GUI/editor. It is not true that VST 2.x 64 bit hosts expect Cocoa - the VST 2.x specification doesn’t allow for this directly. Such hosts “expect” it because they cannot possibly use a Carbon GUI, not because the plugin API works that way. There are also several VST hosts running in 32 bit mode that at the very least prefer plugins to have a Cocoa GUI (and can in fact, use the OS to create one if it does exist, as per Apple’s own recommendations). And if you want to write a plugin GUI that will work on all AU and VST hosts on OS X 10.4 through 10.8, you’ve got problems … saying “no-one should have been coding with Carbon since OS X 10.2” is just dodging the point that both host (Logic) and plugin developers did in fact continue to do so. It wasn’t until 10.6 that Carbon really began to get edged out of the way.

The basic, single common factor between these sorts of issues and the ones on X Window all relate to identifying the low level data types used to describe a “native” window as well as input events from the user. On Windows, the window has remained as an HWND since … forevever. Ditto for the events. On OS X, people had to transition from Carbon to Cocoa, and Apple gave them more than a decade to do it. The big difference on X Window is not the notion of different low level data types, but their simultaneous existence. GtkWindow doesn’t supercede QtWindow or XWindow, it sits alongside them (alongside all the other toolkits). And this, as we’ve agreed before, is a total nightmare for any architecture that loads random binary blobs into an address space and then says “sure, pop up a window and draw in it, etc.” … “Window … I do not think that word means what you think it means” … etc.

#22
When I said "based on Carbon" I meant that VST 2.x actually uses a Carbon datatype to describe the window that the plugin will be using for its GUI/editor...
ok, understood, but, its not really specifically a carbon data type, the API actually specifies a pointer, what that pointer is (or points to - you could essentialy consider it void, for the sake of argument) depends on e.g. A carbon window / view if you're on Mac OS X (32Bit), an NSView if you're on Mac OS X (64Bit), an HWND if you're on Windows, or an X11 window ref if you're on linux..
Such hosts "expect" it because they cannot possibly use a Carbon GUI,..
Yes that's what I mean - from a plugin point of view, if I design a plugin which is compiled for 64Bit Mac OS X, when the host asks for my plugin editor window, its going to provide me with a pointer to an NSView, a Cocoa UI component, there is therefore an implicit expectation that I will be providing it a Cocoa UI (at some level)
And if you want to write a plugin GUI that will work on all AU and VST hosts on OS X 10.4 through 10.8, you've got problems
You've actually got more problems than just the UI which would likely prevent you from doing that anyway - the Audio Unit spec also started using a different API for component discovery as of around OS X 10.6 - a lot of hosts support both the 'legacy' component manager option as well as the newer version but Apple is essentially saying don't do this.. and.. there's the spectre of application sandboxing to deal with.. for added complication and amusement.. Is it really necessary to worry about 10.4 when we are almost at 10.10 (do you still support PPC ? )
There are also several VST hosts running in 32 bit mode that at the very least prefer plugins to have a Cocoa GUI (and can in fact, use the OS to create one if it does exist, as per Apple's own recommendations).
Whatever the host does, at the end of it, it passes a Carbon view or a Cocoa NSView to the plugin depending upon whether its 32Bit or 64Bit. Its also true that some 32Bit plugins actually always create a CocoaUI and then wrap this in a Carbon view for (32Bit) compatibility - I think JUCE might do something like this at some level..
The basic, single common factor between these sorts of issues and the ones on X Window all relate to identifying the low level data types...And this, as we've agreed before, is a total nightmare for any architecture that loads random binary blobs into an address space and then says "sure, pop up a window and draw in it, etc." .. "Window ... I do not think that word means what you think it means" ... etc....
yes, completely, my other point about LV2 / linux vs e.g. OS X is that while for example you can use Carbon / Cocoa or any clever mixture of the two, if you really want to, in the same host, irrespective of what the host uses as its fundamental toolkit, on linux you can't use GTK in a Qt host etc etc, that is a uniquely linux problem - and one which LV2 gives the illusion of, addressing by using some clever compatibility wrappers which all translate between the various toolkits by using X11 at some lower level e.g. GTK, -> X11 -> X11 to Qt etc - what happens after X11... is another matter..
#23

The plugin in pack is excelent.

Particularly the reverb unti, and the graphical EQ.

Im not so sure about the EQ but maybe im just too used to having more than a few parametric eq points, i find that once ive used the low mid eq where i need it, i need something else in the low mid area dn the bass eq doesnt go high enough. other than that there are no problems with the eq, it does what it should, it doesnt create any wierd anomolys or phase issues. it does what an eq should do and is very smooth.

I havnt tested the multiband compressor but i have no doubts that its good.

The gate, i havnt used becaue i dont generaly use gates as i dont record acoustic kits. but again ive no doubts that its good.

The compressor is also pretty good, very smooth and transparent. I do find that i need to have my tracks gain a bit higher compared to other plugins, but thats not much of an issue just use revion gain to icnrease each tracks volume (not all my tracks were recorded with ideal levels)

Reverb is excelent. love it. very different to what im used to but it works very well.

for the graphic EQ and reverb alone id probably pay £50. £50 for the whole pack is a bargain.

#24

@linuxdsp: I installed the plugins via the installer and all worked well on my other system. All versions (JACK, LV2, VST) worked fine. The problems I had with my other machine is specific to that machine it seems so all is well after all.

#25

Payed, downloaded and trying to understand how to work them…

To clarify, there isn’t anything wrong with the bundle, but I have allways had troubles understanding how to work these things (i.e. understanding what happens to the signal when I tweak some parameters on the delay, or such.)

But this is a wonderful opportunity to learn.

Thanks Linuxdsp

#26

@Ralf: All the plugins also come with detailed manuals etc - but I understand only too well that most people prefer to learn by doing things rather than just reading about it - and there are various (interesting - I hope) bits and pieces / articles on the linuxdsp website - there is also a forum at KVR (follow the link from the linuxdsp site) - which is probably a better place to ask about anything to do with the using the software / plugins specifically, rather than at ardour.org (although I’m sure there are lots of helpful people here too, but I just don’t want to inadvertently hijack paul’s forum… etc - with things that aren’t ardour specific issues / problems and the linuxDSP forum would be a better place for other users to find information specifically about the sofware / plugins too)

#27

@linuxdsp: Ok. RTFM Got it :wink:

#28

Just bought these at a reduced rate (but paid more than I could’ve) at the last minute as I didn’t want to let Mike off the hook wrt my nitpicking! He’s got off lightly for way too long now!

Seriously though, I’m very much looking forward to testing these plugs and I wanted to show some support for LinuxDSP being one of the very few to create and support commercial quality Linux Audio plugins and the only fully dedicated vendor in his field.

You’ve got a few hours left to get a bargain so buy buy buy!

PS Do us a synth Mike! :wink: