If you're looking for low latency, than you're propably looking for the Linux rt-kernel. The generic kernel already does low latency very well, but the rt-kernel can be a level higher.

Don't know how much the hardware is relevant to the choice of a distro, other than that of my own experience with NVIDIA graphic cards, in which case I've come to believe that NVIDIA works easier on on "Ubuntu" RT-kernels than on much of the competition, unless you compile the kernel module yourself. Specifically in RT-kernels the difference may be striking.

I've tried Fedora withPlanet CCRMA, last autumn (on Pentium 3 and AMD Sempron), but had to give up after loosing two harddisks at once (on the same machine). I seemed to have problems with something to do with no=acpi, or something on that road (I'm not a wizard at these things, as you may have gathered). I made some extensive research on the subject, but the solutions given on different forums were not enough for my hardware, at least. Shutting down didn't work very well. Often I had to use the Power button to shut the whole thing down. This was on a clean Fedora + CCRMA system, with no other additions other than:
a pci usb 2.0 card (which may have caused the problem due to IRQ, if I understand correctly)
a pci m-audio sound-card
and a pci wireless network card.

Puredyne uses the "Ubuntu" RT-kernel, to my knowledge (it's been a while since I updated that machine),
That is the system I use as a "production machine".
The pre-installed Pure Data did not work for me. Neither on the 32 bit system or the 64 bit system. The input sound was not right (distorted, wrong samplerate, somtehing like that).
However, the daily build of pd-extended (at this date being the release candidate 5 (rc-5)), works perfectly. And the Ubuntu RT-kernel, together with the minimal Puredyne, XFCE desktop is a dream for the live musician.
It "just" works for me.
At home, when "rt" is not as important, but easy desktop-use is, I use the standard Ubuntu (though not crash-free).

Can't find a straight answer to which is the best system. I haven't had stainless experiences with any of them.
99% of the time, though, I prefer Ubuntu-based systems.

On 08/01/2010 12:23 AM, Pierre Massat wrote:

Yeah, do make the move to Linux. And don't give up after trying out Ubuntu (or whatever) and finding out that i won't work properly on your machine. I tried at least three different distros of Ubuntu and Pure Dyne before i installed Fedora. I don't believe anybody can tell for sure which distro will work fine on your computer, but there has to be one. Just be patient!

(Slightly off topic) Just in case, i'd recommend downloading and burning Gparted Live and Super Grub Disk before you start experimenting with various linux distributions. They'll come in handy when it comes to formating your linux partition and accessing Windows again.
Also, when you have a linux distribution installed, first thing you should do is download and install the realtime kernel (when available), and then try JACK to see what the minimal latency is. If it's not way less than in windows then there's something wrong. Then download, install and run Pd, and make sure it works normally (it didn't in Ubuntu 9.04 on my laptop).

Pierre

2010/7/31 Jeffrey Concepcion <jeffreyconcepcion@gmail.com>

Thanks guys, i'll definitely be looking at your suggestions, i think it's pretty clear that i should make the move to linux, but i just haven't gotten to it. i already have an acer netbook, but the issues there are horrifying latency and breakup of the sound (at least on windows), pierre's solution seems like my ticket for now, as i don't need to have the system on me. although the bisquitbox, audiopint , beagleboard ,etc. seem like good possibilities.

To be continued...

On Fri, Jul 30, 2010 at 11:23 AM, Michal Seta <mis@artengine.ca> wrote:

On Thu, Jul 29, 2010 at 2:30 PM, Jeffrey Concepcion
<jeffreyconcepcion@gmail.com> wrote:
> I would like to exclude my laptop from live performance, so to be able to
> upload my pd patch (or patches) to a device like the beagleboard seems
> perfect for my needs.

I suppose that by "exclude" you mean you want to avoid interacting
with your laptop directly?

I don't know what platform you are on but you may want to consider
using a netbook. It gives you more power than a beagle board, you can
develop/test your stuff right on the thing, it is small and you could
even fit it in a small backpack that you could carry on stage. If you
are familiar with linux you should search linux-audio-users list for
some info about getting it done. Ivica Ico Bukvic (who is also on
this list) does a laptop orchestra with netbooks running linux, Ken
Restivo uses an eepc for live shows as a softsynth and DSP (IIRC) and
I was recently involved in a project where a mobile setup with
netbooks, speakers and microphones was used and carried by musicians
in backpacks:
http://vimeo.com/12997228

--
./MiS

--
www.avmachinists.org Puerto Rico based Art Collective/ Non-Profit Org

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