[arm-allstar] Workaround for variable audio delay

Mon Jan 18 16:25:18 EST 2016

Hi LaRoy,

No problem! And, I know the release has slipped several times--I have to 
continue to remind myself that this is a hobby!

73, David KB4FXC

On Mon, 18 Jan 2016, LaRoy McCann wrote:

> David,
> 
> Please don't think I'm knocking the hamvoip release.
> I've been running it for about a year now and I love it.
> I've been telling everyone I know that is involved with repeaters about it.
> I really appreciate the work you guys have done.
> 
> I know how busy life gets.  I work full time for a living and also 
> singlehandedly run a WISP (with a little help from the wife).
> Oh, don't forget trying to "play radio" in all my spare time.
> 
> I know you have a fix for the problem but as of last week when I started 
> playing with DIAL did not know any timeline for release of the fix.
> 
> LaRoy McCann, K5TW
> 
> On 1/18/2016 1:54 PM, David McGough wrote:
> > Hi LaRoy,
> >
> > Yes, using usbradio is an option over simpleusb for resolving the variable
> > audio delay. As you have found, usbradio does work in the hamvoip release.
> > And, usbradio can be used, if you're will to put up with a extra audio
> > artifacts here and there--I expect this noise is easy for me to hear,
> > since I've become accustom to listening for these artifacts during
> > software development and tuning...But, usbradio IS indeed usable.
> >
> > As for reported CPU use differences, I expect this is mainly due to -all-
> > the reporting software and Linux Kernel found in the hamvoip release being
> > more recent than the equivalents included in the Debian version....YES,
> > that's correct: the hamvoip release uses a NEWER kernel, libraries,
> > etc., even though it was released maybe 6 months earlier!  This is the
> > advantage you get by using the Arch disto: it is truly (b)leading edge.
> > Since the RPi2 device drivers have been rapidly evolving, (b)leading edge
> > is typically a good thing...
> >
> > Also, there is nothing wrong with disabling unused Asterisk modules in
> > hamvoip release, similar as found in the Debian version--this -might-
> > provide a small performance boost. It's worth nothing that these modules
> > are multi-threaded and on the RPi2, there are four parallel cores. So, I
> > expect any performance gain to be marginal, likely not even noticeable
> > (but, I welcome someone to prove me wrong about this!!!).
> >
> > Anyhow, as has been mentioned on the e-mail list, there is already a beta
> > simpleusb driver available that resolves the variable audio delay. It will
> > work ONLY with the stock hamvoip RPi2 1.0 release and is available on a
> > limited basis to those who wish to be Guinea Pigs....AH, I MEAN -beta
> > testers- LOL.  (Please contact off list for more info).
> >
> > 73, David KB4FXC
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mon, 18 Jan 2016, LaRoy McCann wrote:
> >
> >> I know there is a fix for the variable audio delay in testing and I look
> >> forward to it being released.
> >>
> >> In the meantime....
> >> I have been playing around and I think I have found a workaround for the
> >> problem.
> >> At least it works for me.
> >>
> >> I know the general rule of thumb is to use simpleusb instead of radiousb
> >> because it puts less load on the cpu.
> >> I noticed in the config file for radiousb that you can still use the
> >> hardwired inputs for cor and ctcss.
> >> Well, I decided to try radiousb to see what would happen.
> >>
> >> I am using RP2 and only one full duplex repeater on each system.
> >> I have two systems that are linked together full time via the internet.
> >> One is running Arm Allstar image and the other is running DIAL image.
> >>
> >> Arm Allstar Image:
> >>     What I have done is switched to using radiousb instead of simpleusb.
> >>     I use the hardwired input for cor.  (carrierfrom=usb)
> >>     I also use the hardwired input for ctcss.  (ctcssfrom=usb)
> >>
> >> DIAL Image:
> >>     What I have done is switched to using radiousb instead of simpleusb.
> >>     I use the hardwired input for cor.  (carrierfrom=usb)
> >>     I use dsp for ctcss.  (ctcssfrom=dsp)
> >>
> >> I am actually using dsp on the DIAL image for ctcss.  I thought I would
> >> try this since I did not have a tone board on this repeater yet.
> >> It seems to work well decoding the ctcss.
> >>
> >>
> >> I know top is a different version between the two systems but on DIAL
> >> the cpu load only runs about 3.6% cpu compaired to Arm Allstar which can
> >> run around 25-26% cpu.
> >> It's hard to tell on Arm Allstar because top breaks down each cpu usage
> >> where DIAL's version only shows the total cpu usage.
> >>
> >> I noticed that on DIAL all modules are not loaded by default.  This
> >> probably contributes to less of a load on the cpu.
> >>
> >>
> >> I have been running the DIAL system this way for about a week and the
> >> Arm Allstar system since yesterday.
> >> It seems to have cured the variable audio delay issues for me.
> >> I do not hear any dropped or choppy audio.
> >>
> >>
> >> LaRoy McCann, K5TW
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ---
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> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >>
> >> arm-allstar mailing list
> >> arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
> >> http://lists.hamvoip.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/arm-allstar
> >>
> >> Visit the BBB and RPi2 web page - http://hamvoip.org
> >>
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > arm-allstar mailing list
> > arm-allstar at hamvoip.org
> > http://lists.hamvoip.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/arm-allstar
> >
> > Visit the BBB and RPi2 web page - http://hamvoip.org
> >
> 
> 
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> 