NOTE

This snapshot of the the "ZA2-Driver for Linux" web page was taken on 01-Sep-2000. For up-to-date information, please check the original web page http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzsa69/za2.html.

[back]

ZA2-Driver for Linux

ZA2 driver for ALSA/Linux

News

08-27-00	new version of the ZA2 driver - containing minor changes for the 2.4.x-kernels and a bugfix for the soundcore-module (gzip, bzip2)
07-16-00	first public release of the alpha stage alsa driver for the za2
07-16-00	some minor bugfixes (gzip, bzip2), now the driver can also be used with the 2.4.x kernels (I've tested it with linux-2.4.0-test4).
06-26-00	minor changes (gzip, bzip2)
06-25-00	New version of ZA2CPL supporting the new structures of the latest driver release (source release: gzip, bzip2; binary release: gzip, bzip2).
06-13-00	Support for CONFIG_MODVERSIONS added, interface for cbits ioctl rewritten (now also the AES/EBU cbits are completely returned). (gzip, bzip2)
04-30-00	Ok, now there's also the dspfx.sim included (gzip, bzip2).
04-29-00	Another trial to fix the problems with debian (reported by Brice Burgess - Thanks !). The driver included the wrong asm/posix_types.h (gzip, bzip2).

ZA2 Driver

Here comes some short summary of the driver capabilities:
Things that work are:

playback
record
simultaneous record/playback
resampling (32kHz to 44.1 kHz and 48kHz to 44.1 kHz)
MP2 Playback (through the DSP of the ZA2)
read CBITS and UBITS
send start IDs

Known Bugs:

sometimes one has to reload the driver (especially after playing at low (< 30000 Hz) sample rates)

The code for linux is provided with the firmware (thanks to Zefiro) and some tools to test the driver and convert firmware.
Here are the files:

Please test the driver and mail me your experiences since I haven't tested it much ...

You can also download the firmware from Zefiro at http://www.zefiro.com/new/.

ZA2CPL for Linux

Now there's also a control panel for the ZA2 under linux which allows to:

switch inputs and outputs
change operation mode (swap channels, substract channels, normal output)
send start IDs
resample through the DSP of the ZA2
change volume of both channels of analog and digital output
display CBITS/UBITS information
quit it

Be sure to download the latest driver version in order to use the new za2cpl:

binary release (gzip, bzip2)
source release (gzip, bzip2)

README

To run (or compile) za2cpl you need:

QT library version 2
X11
a ZA2 and the latest ZA2 driver

ALSA driver for the ZA2

For the brave: try the alpha stage alsa driver for the za2.

Other ZA2 drivers for linux

There exists another driver for the ZA2 and Linux by Martin Pahl (http://www.tnt.uni-hannover.de/~pahl/alsa-za2/za2.html, I didn't test this driver, in the README it says that play works and the state of record was unknown).

4-Front Technologies has also developped a driver for the ZA2 and OSS which is not available freely (you can test it, but after a certain time it stops working, see http://www.4front-tech.com - I won't comment its state ...).

Some links concerning the ZA2, Linux and Audio

(under construction)

ZA2

Zefiro Acoustics - Ok, this one is trivial.
RKMS - Zefiro Acoustics product support - Here you find a description of the upgrade from the CS4920 to the CS4922.
ZA2 mailing list archive - the mailing list can be joined at za2@iphase.com
ALSA driver for the ZA2
4Front technology - here you can buy their ZA2 driver for OSS - if you want to ...

Audio and Linux

Autools - tools to play, record and resample audio files in various formats
Ecasound - multitrack audio processing software

If you use (or try to use) one of these packages with the ZA2 driver for linux - please mail me whether it works or if you have problems.

Last change: 08-29-00

Peter Wahl (uzsa69@uni-bonn.de)