Hello, I’d like to use OpenBSD to build a MIDI synthesizer using SoundFonts, as the OpenBSD MIDI and audio subsystems are remarkably understandable and sane, compared to everything else out there today.
� However, I’m having difficulty finding a combination of hardware that is known to be supported. (I tried this a few years ago, but was unhappy with the results due to the quality of the audio-out ports on the laptop I used.) � I’ve heard a fair bit here about USB audio not working very well, or at all, in -stable right now. I’m unsure if this only applies to XHCI ports or not? � Therefore, ideally, I’d like a fanless amd64 architecture system, that boots from SATA (not eMMC) with either onboard stereo++ audio (up to and including 7.1ch) *or* a PCI slot for a sound card. A laptop with really good audio-out would work, too, but I don’t know of any. If connecting USB audio to a RPi or BeagleBone Black works well, then I could try that, too. � I intend to use USB MIDI interfaces, as they appear to be supported and working fine (IIRC). � The problem is that, as I browse the list of embedded, fanless systems I can get from DigiKey, Mouser, et al., all the boards with audio have HD Audio Codecs that I cannot confirm work with OpenBSD, and I don’t know enough about how azalia(4) [et a.] works with random unsupported DACs to drop $250-$500 on something that may or may not work (i.e. the codec isn’t explicitly supported). � Can anyone make any recommendations for specific hardware that’s fanless and has working audio-out ports? � And/or if I’ve gone off completely in the wrong direction about USB audio, please tell me so. (Working multi-channel USB audio would made this a lot simpler/easier/cheaper.) � Thanks in advance, -Adam �
