help: xruns with jack firewire backend

  • ethanay
Posted: Mon, 02/02/2009 - 00:07
I recently installed the FFADO rc1 (1.999.4) w/cpu optimizations enabled, compiled from source Upgraded jack to 0.116.1 via repos Onboard Intel HDA is solid with jackd alsa backend -- no xruns at jackd settings of 48000/256/3 Using my Echo Audiofire2 w/jackd firewire backend is causing headaches -- it is very unstable right now. When left alone, the system regularly "hiccups" an xrun every few minutes, and will xrun or even jackd timeout/zombify if I touch anything. For example, switching desktop workspaces (ctl-alt+arrow keys) will trigger xruns with the firewire backend! No xruns in the same situation w/ALSA backend! Don't think it's a permissions problem, ran jackd firewire as root and it still gives many xruns. Seems like the system isn't giving the firewire interface priority...any suggestions to diagnose/solve this issue? Jackd+firewire has been stable in the past on this same system! Here are my settings: *Jack firewire settings* 48000/256/3 -- conservative last-known good configuration **System settings** *rtirq* RTIRQ_NAME_LIST="rtc ohci1394 snd usb i8042" RTIRQ_PRIO_HIGH=99 RTIRQ_PRIO_DECR=2 RTIRQ_RESET_ALL=0 RTIRQ_NON_THREADED="rtc ohci1394 snd" RTIRQ_HIGH_LIST="softirq-timer" *limits.conf* @audio - rtprio 99 @audio - memlock 1536000 @audio - nice -19 **other system info** Dell XPS m1330 64studio 3.0beta (lenny upgrade)
‹ Laptop setup roadmap 3.0 Alpha and services ›

problem solved :)

  • ethanay
  • 05/20/08
  • Sat, 02/07/2009 - 04:09
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http://www.64studio.com/node/936

64studio version clarification

  • ethanay
  • 05/20/08
  • Sat, 02/07/2009 - 01:59
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I am running a 64studio etch -> lenny upgrade

troubleshooting

  • ethanay
  • 05/20/08
  • Sat, 02/07/2009 - 01:48
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I recompiled ffado without optimizations and am still getting xruns, so that wasn't it... I will try downgrading from RC1 to beta7 and see if that resolves anything...! If the ALSA backend works well with jackd, then it can't be a kernel problem, can it? it seems related specifically to the firewire hardware/software system itself... ahhh, jackd just crashed...hmmm! seems very unstable with ffado right now!

Which kernel

  • skullnotions
  • 09/29/07
  • Mon, 02/02/2009 - 08:16
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Hi ethan, Which kernel are you using, 2.6.21 or 2.6.26?. The new kernel is working well here. It shows the "best" performance on my 64studio/etch/lenny upgrade, I had to do quite a bit of tweaking in order to get the 3.0 alpha install to perform as well as my lenny upgrade, even though the lenny upgrade still has more services running? The worst reports I am finding/reading are with 2.1 dist-upgrades to 3.0 alpha (hardy). If you haven't tested the new kernel it would be great if you did and report your findings. I hope it helps to improve your audio performance. Cheers! dave

you had me hunting!

  • ethanay
  • 05/20/08
  • Tue, 02/03/2009 - 07:39
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ok, after doing a bit a search, I found the necessary repos: deb http://apt.64studio.com/backports hardy-backports main I am pretty sure this isn't a kernel issue at all, but it has to do with either 1. systems settings (permissions and priorities) or 2. jackd firewire implementation or 3. my ffado installation I compiled ffado "with optimizations" which isn't default setting, so I will first recompile w/o optimizations if necessary and see if that solves something... 2.6.21 has worked well for me so far and am not ready to change it yet!