snd-pulsar 0.6.1 - licence and packaging

No functional changes since 0.6.0.

• GPL-2.0-or-later LICENSE file and SPDX headers on every tool and script
• Debian copyright file in the package; homepage https://pulsar.faghy.it
• Clear notice that the project is independent and not affiliated with Sonic Core
• Licence-unlock documentation reduced to what is needed to use the driver

Install: sudo apt install ./snd-pulsar_0.6.1_all.deb (upgrades 0.6.0 in place).
Project site: https://pulsar.faghy.it

snd-pulsar 0.6.0 - SCOPE mixers, meters, Ardour

New since 0.5.1 (all tested on a Pulsar II):

• SCOPE factory mixers as one block: DynamicMixer, MicroMixer, STM 1632, STM 16 S, STM 48 S. As in SCOPE, a channel exists only while its input is connected. Polyphonic summing modules, host-side panel scripts (pan, attenuators...) and splitting a mixer across several DSPs are handled automatically. The "Mixer Package" ones need your own SCOPE licence.
• Mixer panel in Pulsar Scope: channel strips with faders, pan, gain, aux sends, On/Muted buttons, stereo/mono, a master section, and per-channel input meters (read from SCOPE's own VU meter modules, with peak hold).
• Rack navigation: drag on an empty area (or with the middle button) to move the view; the wheel zooms to the pointer; Ctrl+0 zooms to fit, Ctrl+1 resets to 100%; Ctrl/Shift + drag selects several blocks.
• On-screen MIDI keyboard: mouse, glissando, computer keys (Z S X D... / Q 2 W 3...), octave, velocity, channel, panic.
• Coloured DSP load bars, plus View and Help menus.
• Ardour (and any JACK application) through pipewire-jack, now a recommended dependency: playback, recording from the analog inputs, and MIDI tracks playing the DSP synth. See the README.
• pulsarctl meters id=<device> and pulsarctl peek (read-only DSP debug).
• CONTRIBUTING.md.

Install: sudo apt install ./snd-pulsar_0.6.0_all.deb, then (once) sudo pulsar-import-dsp SONIC_CORE_SCOPE_PCI_v5.1.2709-x64_EN.exe and, if you have one, sudo pulsar-import-dsp --license YOURSERIAL.v5.
The Sonic Core DSP files, devices and presets are NOT included: they come from your own SCOPE installer.

snd-pulsar 0.5.1 - delays, MIDI, licence, presets

New since 0.3.0 (all tested on a Pulsar II):

• Delays and reverbs: PC-side delay lines in host RAM (new kernel ioctls DELAY_ALLOC/FREE/PARAM). Delay S, Delay M, Dual Delay S, MasterVerb...
• Licensed "Effect Package" devices: the card unlocks them with your own SCOPE licence key file. Install it with sudo pulsar-import-dsp --license YOURSERIAL.v5; it is copied to /var/lib/snd-pulsar/license and readable by root only. Up to 107 devices are available, depending on your licence.
• Factory presets (.pre): preset menu in the device panel of Pulsar Scope, pulsarctl presets / pulsarctl load_preset. pulsar-import-dsp now also imports app/Presets.
• PC MIDI in: ALSA sequencer client "Pulsar2 MIDI" plus a 4-voice test synth (builtin:test_synth), in tune, with chords.
• Fixed: the device list could hang inside the daemon (multiprocessing now uses spawn).
• New read-only debug command: pulsarctl peek.

Install: sudo apt install ./snd-pulsar_0.5.1_all.deb, then (once) sudo pulsar-import-dsp SONIC_CORE_SCOPE_PCI_v5.1.2709-x64_EN.exe.
The Sonic Core DSP files, devices and presets are NOT included: they come from your own SCOPE installer.

snd-pulsar 0.3.0 - SCOPE devices and knobs

New

• SCOPE devices (.dev): 36 ready-made effects run on the card:

  • EQ: High/Low Cut, …
  • filters
  • dynamics: compressor, expander, gate, limiter
  • distortion
  • phaser, flanger, chorus
  • mastering tools

  Each device appears in Pulsar Scope as one block with its own ports and front panel.

• SCOPE-style knobs with real units (Hz, dB, %…) and the original SCOPE curves, applied live. Shift gives fine control, double-click resets to the default. Bypass and other switches are buttons.

• Correct pad encoding: fixed point 1.31, integer selectors and IEEE float inputs. Frequency and level knobs are also provided for common bare modules.

• pulsar-import-dsp now also imports the installer's Devices folder.

Fixes

• A bypassed device passes its input through instead of muting.
• Blocks no longer stack on top of each other after the daemon restarts.

Install / upgrade

sudo apt install ./snd-pulsar_0.3.0_all.deb
sudo pulsar-import-dsp SONIC_CORE_SCOPE_PCI_v5.1.2709-x64_EN.exe   # again, to import the devices too

Not yet supported

• synths (MIDI and voice manager)
• delays and reverbs (PC-side modules)
• licensed "Effect Package" devices
• ADAT, S/PDIF and MIDI ports

snd-pulsar 0.2.0

First installable release of the Linux driver for the Creamware / Sonic Core Pulsar II (PCI 14b5:0600).

What works

• The card starts by itself at boot: the 6 SHARC DSPs are booted, and the clock runs at 48 kHz (44.1 kHz also available).
• ALSA / PipeWire sound card "Pulsar2 Stereo": playback to analog outputs 1/2 and recording from analog inputs 1/2.
• Direct monitoring of the analog inputs with no host latency. "DSP Out" and "Input Monitor" levels are in alsamixer.
• pulsard daemon: SCOPE DSP modules can be loaded, wired and removed while the card runs (pulsarctl).
• Pulsar Scope, a modular GUI (Qt): a module library, drag & drop, cables, input sliders and projects (.pulsar). The current rack is restored after a reboot.

Install (Debian 13 / Ubuntu)

sudo apt install ./snd-pulsar_0.2.0_all.deb
sudo pulsar-import-dsp SONIC_CORE_SCOPE_PCI_v5.1.2709-x64_EN.exe   # once

Then reboot. The Sonic Core DSP files are not included: they are imported from your own SCOPE PCI 5.1 installer.

Not yet supported

• ADAT, S/PDIF and MIDI
• SCOPE devices (.dev)
• 88.2 / 96 kHz
• an external clock (implemented, not tested)

Tested on Debian 13 (kernel 6.12) with a Pulsar II rev 02 and a P-Plate.