From 7ff8cf958cf220228ff2f5c4019bea09de1e48bf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: falkTX Date: Sat, 4 Dec 2021 12:23:56 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Start of DIFFERENCES doc Signed-off-by: falkTX --- .github/workflows/build.yml | 2 +- doc/DIFFERENCES.md | 45 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2 files changed, 46 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-) create mode 100644 doc/DIFFERENCES.md diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml index c67504d..3726562 100644 --- a/.github/workflows/build.yml +++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml @@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ jobs: run: | sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 sudo apt-get update -qq - sudo apt-get install -y binutils-mingw-w64-i686 g++-mingw-w64-i686 mingw-w64 wine-stable + sudo apt-get install -y binutils-mingw-w64-i686 g++-mingw-w64-i686 mingw-w64 wine32 wine-stable - name: Build win32 cross-compiled env: CC: i686-w64-mingw32-gcc diff --git a/doc/DIFFERENCES.md b/doc/DIFFERENCES.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8af7726 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/DIFFERENCES.md @@ -0,0 +1,45 @@ +# RACK VS CARDINAL DIFFERENCES + +This document describes the differences between VCV Rack official plugin and Cardinal. +It is not possible to know all the internal details of the official plugin due to it not being open-source, +so more technical details are best-guesses based on its behaviour. + +The obvious big difference is that the official plugin is a commercial, closed-source product while Cardinal is free and open-source. + +Also, the official plugin works pretty much like the free standalone where you login and download modules. +This is intentionally not allowed/enabled in Cardinal, as the target is to make a self-contained plugin binary. +Online access is also not allowed. + +Bellow follows a list of features comparing the official plugin to Cardinal. + +| Feature | VCV Rack | Cardinal | Additional notes | +|--------------------------------|---------------------------|---------------------------------|------------------| +| Open-Source | No | Yes | | +| Free (of cost) | No | Yes | | +| Officially supported | Yes, if you pay | No, but you can fix it yourself | | +| Contains internal modules | Core only | Everything is internal | | +| Loads external modules | Yes | No | | +| Supports commercial modules | Yes | No | | +| Plugin in LV2 format | No | Yes | | +| Plugin in VST2 format | Yes | Yes | | +| Plugin in VST3 format | No | WIP | | +| Multi-threaded engine | Yes | No, uses host audio thread | Intentional in Cardinal, for removing jitter | +| Supports ARM systems | No | Yes | This means Apple M1 too yes | +| Synth plugin variant | Yes, 16 ins, 16 outs | Yes, 2 ins, 2 outs | | +| FX plugin variant | Yes, 16 ins, 16 outs | Yes, 2 ins, 2 outs | | +| Raw-CV plugin variant | No, unsupported | Yes, 2 audio IO + 8 CV IO | Not possible in VST2 format | +| Arbitrary parameter automation | Yes | No | Unsupported in Cardinal, tricky to do for many plugin formats at once | +| Integrated plugin host | No, Host payed separately | Yes, using Carla or Ildaeil | Currently work-in-progress in Cardinal | +| v1 module compatibility | No | No, but with less restrictions | Modules can load resources at any point | +| Online phone-home | Yes | No | Online access is strictly forbidden in Cardinal | +| Proper dark theme | No, only room brightness | Yes | CC-ND respected by leaving files intact, dark mode applied at runtime | +| Proper Linux headless mode | No, always requires X11 | Yes | CC-ND respected by leaving files intact, dark mode applied at runtime | + +Additionally, Cardinal contains the following built-in modules not present in the official plugin or standalone: + + * Aria Salvatrice modules (except Arcane related modules, due to their online requirement) + * Carla Plugin Host + * Ildaeil Host + * Host Parameters (24 host-exposed parameters as CV sources) + * Host Time (play, reset, bar, beat, tick, bar-phase and beat-phase CV sources) + * Host CV (for the CV IO variant, allows direct CV access to/from the DAW)