Linux.com: Fiddling With USB Audio And Linux Feb 21, 2001, 22 :02 UTC (8 Talkback[s]) (5679 reads) (Other stories by Brian Richardson)
"For years, only Microsoft Windows users could truly benefit from the wide assortment of USB devices on
the market. The average Linux user probably thinks that USB devices are keyboards, mice, joysticks and
webcams, perhaps nothing to get too excited about. What many people may not know is that the 2.4 kernel
adds support for more interesting devices, like USB Audio. This article describes my experience with Linux
and a set of Microsoft USB speakers...."
"USB Audio is very consumer oriented ... the ultimate form of Plug and Play. Anybody who has ever worked
technical support can understand the perils of walking an average "home computer user" through any
hardware installation. Computer manufacturers worship any technology that can be installed without the
user actually having to open their computer case, because it greatly reduces the amount of technical
support the company has to provide to its customers. As long as the operating system has good USB
support, installation is a snap for any level of user."
"Assuming the operating system supports USB Audio, installation involves plugging a small rectangle into
another small rectangle, pretty darn brainless. Easy to install and they sound good. The audio stays digital
all the way down the USB cable, which cuts down on the noise found in an analog signal."
