Thanks for your interest.
I understand that you need instructions. I prefer to have some stable state, first. Before writing detailed instructions or integrating it into the makefile, etc...
Feel free to ask your questions via github, irc or me forum-mail.
And please, do not expect a usable FF802 implementation for now. It is in WIP state. Levels work, and a few settings, but i am far away from mcf's c skills, so its a learnig process for me. As you may have noticed, the goal of mcf's (and mine) generic branch is to do some kind of abstraction which should make it easier to adapt other devices.

It's the old chicken and egg problem. RME doesn't do Linux drivers because of small market share and small market share is caused by RME not doing Linux drivers.

But look at the competition - recently Focusrite broke ranks and pledged their official support for Linux driver development. RME should really take note and lead the way, instead of lagging behind.

Things don't have to be black and white. If RME so much as showed initiative of supporting independent devs in this endeavour, like Focusrite did - that would already be a big step.

Yeah, that's my understanding of it as well. The quoted number I see is 3% adoption of Linux across domains like gaming and pro audio. It's not that I don't understand the economics of it, it's that I see it as a values issue.

RME strikes me as a company that wants to control the variables of their platform. In a concrete sense, they develop their own (renowned) drivers instead of using generic ones. Since this is a core tenet of their business, I'd think they'd want to be on an OS that gives the users the same level of control. Sometimes businesses do things that make less economic sense but make more brand value sense. 

Either way, I bought in here at a time when they didn't support Linux so I got what I paid for. Still, I believe that every customer gets a virtual 'ticket' to voice their preferences so that's why I speak. They are doubtlessly aware of the potential to serve this market so all I can do is help keep the flame burning.

But definitely even unofficial support of independent initiatives would be something this segment would welcome.

I like AI but I also like choice. Lately I've been using Linux more actively to hedge the bet that AI won't be forced on us. Let's be real though: it's already being forced on us and has been for awhile. That's fine, once again I understand market forces but as that pressure grows, like you observed, more people will seek an escape. Linux dominates the server and mobile spaces already so how much longer will it be before their desktop market share mushrooms? It's grown over 1% in the past 5 years so that's probably already exponential. Windows has 74%, macOS 15% and Linux 4%*. Somewhere between 4-15% has to be the magic number - I hope.

As an outsider, Linux seems to fit with RME's Unique Sales Proposition perfectly: stability. You certainly don't buy RME for the price lol.

*statcounter

Hi. It will work perfectly in CC-mode with very little latency and outstanding stability - at least my experience...

To switch to Class-Compliant mode and operate the interface purely on-device, download manual and check:
- 32. Class Compliant Operation
- 33.1 Class Compliant Mode
- 34. Operation at the Unit

...but we currently don't get RME-provided TotalMix or DigiCheck in Linux.

PS: USB-controller can matter, I use Renesas uPD720201 USB 3.0 Host Controller (rev 03)

Hello. Do you mean UCX or UCX-II?

This post could be better served in USB section with own thread for UCX / UCX-II CC-mode, this thread discusses Linux driver support in general.

I doubt different distros, JACK or ALSA setups would help, guess its internal routing in the unit. Problem is I don't have one, so can't try myself, but have a look at manual https://rme-audio.de/downloads/fface_ucx_e.pdf chapter 36. Audio Routing and Processing (in CC-mode) and 35. Front Panel Operation

What I'd try is on-device setting CA: 1:1 routing of all 18 playback channels. Then you should get on the outputs just that what you hook up in QJackCtl graph, or other routing software in Linux.

Please note that "Both modes can be activated at any time and do not influence the mixer state loaded via the Setups, as they only influence the playback routing." so better try it in the default Setup (not the stuff you configured in Win).

Did you understand/overlook what cupakm wrote: you need to enable the correct CC routing mode from the front of the UCX.

I don't believe in ai or flat earth but i am aware of surveillance and slowing down implementations in algorithms. Even internet is 10 times slower than it was in 00s. After moving to linux no way back to win with its non-rt-kernel. I doubt that vsts run on windows better than via linvst on linux as in my experience rt-friendly linvst does not add any latency or additional cpu consumption. Besides, sometimes soft runs in rt-ready wine-staging better and faster than on windows itself. After trying 80% of daws i have chosen reaper as most flexible and lightweight solution. I suspect that driver will appear as soon as people start massively switching to linux but currently we don't see much activity in that area as we observe some malicious trends like people moving to smartphones from noble desktops and watch movies on phones vs video projectors with screens. I don't understand why people stick to win nowadays. In 00s till 2006 pc games were fantastic but now it's no longer an entertaining platform. Also it's not faster than linux as it used to be at early 00s. But most people probably don't need speed or rt, so what are the chances for linux to dominate? Linux itself btw needs reconsideration. Imo there must be one hard rt scientific linux with all possible and impossible optimizations +ugly gui and one for general gaming and browsing public with glamor gui. I don't see any benefit of hundreds of linuxes with slowed-down operation. Also it creates confusion in people's minds. The strength is in unity, not in division. People have to spend years on configuring linuxes instead of making music or things in their specific fields. On the other side there is windows and macos with blocked possibilities for kernel configuration. Thus 2 utmost cases. And the funny thing is that microsoft or google owns that github, right?

> [ Windows and OSX are getting worse ]

Yes, but there are other aspects of Windows that concern me more than the points you mentioned.

Regarding ASIO and Windows, I understand your frustration and would also welcome Linux support. However, that doesn't justify misrepresenting proven solutions like ASIO or exaggerating the situation, which is why I’m posting this response.

Dismissing ASIO as merely a third-party solution is illogical. ASIO is a well-established de facto / industry standard on Windows, performing exceptionally well by accessing the audio hardware of the recording interface directly—unlike macOS. For quality, stability, and low latency, there is no better solution.

Since RME equipment currently lacks Linux support, I suggest the following optimizations to address and resolve your concerns with Windows 10 and 11 with minimal effort:

• For Win11: use a Rufus-optimized installation medium for setup. This allows installation on slightly older hardware without TPM and Secure Boot, online accounts, and enables the disabling of performance-draining VBS (or later during use).

• If you find the start menu with its ads unappealing, the StartAllBack product can restore the familiar environment.

• For increased privacy, better system configuration, and enhanced security, run O&O ShutUp10 as an administrator to adjust both system and user default settings (to enhance privacy, disable sending of telemetry data, stop execution of background apps, delay Windows updates, ..).

• If you miss the Windows 7 gadgets, consider the 8GadgetPack for their return.

1. There is no reason to do so, but you should remain objective. To portray ASIO as a third party solution as if that makes it a worse solution is just nonsense. That was the main reason why I replied in the first place. Possibly I misunderstood you regarding this point, but it sounded this way.

2. Incidentally, the installation of a few tools is nothing compared to the distribution chaos that prevails with Linux, which in my opinion is the main reason why companies prefer to continue to rely on Windows and Apple. In these two areas, especially with Apple last recently, there is enough movement in the product to keep people busy.

Apart from that, I also hope that there will be Linux support.

What I no longer like about Windows is that Microsoft unnecessarily slows down the systems through poor security design (VBS) so that it only performs reasonably well on systems with current/fast CPUs.

Other things that I dislike:
- enforcement of online account which make you fully dependent on Mincrosoft and a working Microsoft account
- how uncontrolled data is siphoned off
- or how AI is implemented with the charm of a spy bug.

I sincerely hope to see official Linux support.  I think we are going to see more people making the switch to open source OS as the invasiveness of Microsoft Windows and planned obsolescence of its many iterations reaches a tipping point for the average user.  Didn’t the German government officially adopt Linux this past year?

And what if RME just does not want to disclose its know-how for drivers, TotalMix and so on to its competitors? Source code and like...