recommend a linux DISTRO&APPS for video/audio workstation

motrocco

I'm interested in build a low cost open source audio and video editing workstation.

I am looking for recommened specs for machine (probably a laptop).

Which distro would be best.

What audio apps are available? Need recording (WAV, AIFF, MP3), wave editor and processor, midi in/out, sequencer, soft instruments/synths.

What video apps are available? Capture, effects, sequence/editor, encoder (DVD, VCD, realplayer, media player, divX).

Could anyone point me in the right direction?

Regards,
Mot.

parasite

dyne:bolic is a distro aimed at multimedia production, but almost any distro would do once you have the apps. have a look at dyne:bolic anyway to see what kind of apps you're looking for, maybe browse around freshmeat.net for other multimedia apps ...
the biggest hurdle might be sound/video drivers on a laptop

angelofdeath

audacity as an audio editing app, i'd be interested to know if there is a video editing app as good as vegas/premier out there?

edit:// cinellera apparently http://heroinewarrior.com/cinelerra.php3

better screenshot: http://www.linuxbog.dk/applikationer/applikationer/cinelerra.png

wes

Would reccommend you go for a Geforce graphics card as they seem to have better support for Linux than ATI right (ATI are slowly catching up ).

Thats about all the advice i got.

L1011

wes wrote:

Would reccommend you go for a Geforce graphics card as they seem to have better support for Linux than ATI right (ATI are slowly catching up ).

Thats about all the advice i got.

Unless he goes for an older Radeon, which have better support for Linux than nVidia will probably ever have. Open specs, open drivers. Whereas the last nVidia card with open drivers for Linux was the GeForce 2 GTS in XFree86 3.3 - was never ported up to XF86 4 or XOrg.

All <R300's have very good drivers, and I think theres bet R300+ drivers now.

niallb

These are the three main ones I've come across.
Cinelerra looks great, but I didn't have the welly for it.
It worked well for me just with audio though.

LiVES, I only came across recently. It's not as polished,
but it got much more out of my hardware.

Kino gets high praise for those with DV cameras.

Cinelerra - http://heroinewarrior.com/cinelerra.php3
LiVES - http://www.xs4all.nl/~salsaman/lives/
Kino - http://kino.schirmacher.de/

NiallB

motrocco

nice one folks for the prompt replies.

are any of you's actively using this stuff day in day out? what sort of problems are can I expect to run into? I understand the gaphics card issues that can occur. I have a ATI Rage-Mobility P video with AGP 2x, 4MSGRAM in the machine with 256RAM.

Do these apps support capturing from DV camera's over firewire?
Do these support exporting as DVD or would I need different software for exporting then burning onto dvd?

Basically I'm looking to setup a pro/semi pro workstation that I can use on the road and lend out to people as needed (once they can get their head around it). Would these apps mentioned be professional quality and produce professional, TV usuable output ot would they be for home video.

I'm downloading the dyne:bolic distro and I'll let you know how I get on.

No-one mentioned music sequencing software/ creation software. This again is only a hobby but I would like to produce some professional sounding tunes.

Ok, thanks again folks.
look forward to hearing from yall.
mot.

niallb

motrocco wrote:

No-one mentioned music sequencing software/ creation software. This again is only a hobby but I would like to produce some professional sounding tunes.

I used cinelerra for audio work, but it's a bit heavy.
If you're considering video software in this way,
your best bet is to try it out. You'll know very quickly
if you're getting what you need from it.
These applications will write DVD compatible streams,
but don't expect them to ask you to insert a blank DVD now
and press OK. Burning will be a different application.
You'll have a bit of reading to do.

I use audacity regularly. I have one issue with it, which is exporting a selection direct to mp3. It's probably not
audacity's fault, but my encoder library, as it works fine
to wav or ogg. Interestingly exporting the whole project
to mp3 works fine.

Ardour has the best reputation of the audio apps at the moment.
As I said, I didn't have the hardware to make the best use of it.
It's important to have low latency patches applied to your kernel,
and I think DYne will have that done for you.

Here's a review of last year's Annual Linux Audio Conference.
http://mitpress2.mit.edu/e-journals/Computer-Music-Journal/reviews/28-4/phillips-linux.html
It should mention everything in the field that would interest you.

Looking forward to hearing your experiences with DyneBolic.

NiallB

nadir

i use mencoder for all my editing, and such, i used to use avidemux, but I just use mencoder/mplayer for everything now.