To get started, my focus is on the Beaglebone Black(BBB) is on what Linux software is running on it and to determine if, in fact, it needs to be updated. If so, I then need to figure out what distribution and revision of Linux has the best chance of real time behavior with puredata and jack.
I plug the BBB via USB into a host machine and run the browser to the default USB Ethernet IP address for the BBB: http://192.168.7.2/. It works and brings up this page:
Then I follow the link for the Cloud9 IDE development environment:
http://192.168.7.2:3000/ide.html
Cloud9 IDE includes a bash shell in order to interact directly to the BBB. Here is a sample:
From there, I hook up wired Ethernet to my router so that the BBB can get out to the Internet and enable connectivity in via Ethernet. I am now able to connect via Ethernet the same way I did via USB but with a new IP address: http://192.168.1.72:3000/ide.html. It is interesting to note that Cloud9 IDE allows multiple browsers from different hosts, to connect and they all see the same debug session. It may be limited to one debug session at a time, but it also means that if someone has an issue, sharing a debug session is straight forward.
Several bash shell commands show me exactly what version of Debian came installed on the BBB:
root@beaglebone:~# uname -r
3.8.13-bone70
root@beaglebone:~# cat /etc/dogtag
BeagleBoard.org Debian Image 2015-03-01
root@beaglebone:/etc# cat /etc/debian_version
7.8
These webpages reference 3.8.13-bone70 shows Debian 7.8 as an 'Older' Debian image with the same date.
The preloaded image is Debian Wheezy. Now, to upgrade or not to upgrade: That is the question -- for another day. Today, I will test on Debian 7.8 Wheezy.
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I want to see if puredata will install on the BBB system software ( Debian 7.8 -- Wheezy).
Using the commands below I am able to install puredata without error:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install puredata
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Next: Audio support for the BBB:
This is an BBB audio support Blog post: https://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2014/03/27/beaglebone-black-navigating-the-audio-maze/ from March 2014, but has some good information on how to use audio on the BBB. They recommend 'alsa' which is already installed:
Not sure if I will need jack, but will leave that for another day as well if alsa works.
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Adding an USB audio device -- During installation by plugging in the USB audio device into the running BBB system, there is a problem. Using the command 'dmesg' does not show a connect / disconnect of USB peripherals from the USB Host port. I read a blog post, and it suggests that by default BBB does not support USB hot plug, but it will recognize a USB peripheral on initial startup. So I use the command: shutdown -h now
After a reboot I now find my USB audio device:
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Now on to testing pd with alsa and USB audio device. Launching a session from a Linux host with ssh -XY root@192.168.1.72, I execute pd. The pd window appears on my host screen and I make sure that alsa is selected in the media pull down menu as shown:
I select "preferences > audio settings" in order to make sure the correct audio device is selected as shown here:
I uncheck input device as my instrument will not be needing this and to simplify the test. I then select the 'USB Audio Device (hardware)' in the output device pulldown as shown above and click Apply.
Time to test audio in Pd by with the 'Media > Test Audio and MIDI…'
Which opens up:
Under the TEST TONES sections and the first column ( 80 or 60 or OFF) buttons, I select 60 to make sure the sound is not too loud. If you here a 440 Hz tone, your sound is working.
Day one complete with Pure Data with Alsa and USB audio device functional.
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