Solved: Making a Chromebook a Working DAW w/ Audio Interface

[unanamis]

I recently bought a Behringer UPhoria UMC 1820 and wanted to hook it up into Reaper, but my current Pulseaudio didn't know how to recognize it (it recognized that I didn't want to use my computer microphone, but I am still getting L/R as the only inputs when trying to arm it). ALSA however recognizes the interface (after pressing the triangle for the drop down menu), but it currently gives me "ALSA: error opening audio input device" when trying to do anything (this is true even when the audio interface isn't plugged in).

Can someone help me fix this with some command lines that I can just plug into my terminal? I really have no clue how to code on my own and am using Ubuntu 18.04 because my other OS doesn't currently support Reaper on its own. I would also like not to use JACK as an audio device because I've tried setting it up numerous times before and it's always given me a headache without ever really working (if that is eventually what I have to resort to, can you please provide this noob with a detailed catalog of command lines for the year 2021).

Thanks to anyone who might help.

[Glennbo]

I have a Behringer UMC1820 plus ADA8200 for 16 Midas mic pres, and they both work fine in Linux.

Once you select ALSA as the audio system for REAPER to use, you also need to click the down arrow buttons on Input and Output device then select your UMC1820 on each so it looks like this, with the exception that you might need more than 64 samples buffer, depending on how fast your computer is.

[unanamis]

Originally Posted by Glennbo

I have a Behringer UMC1820 plus ADA8200 for 16 Midas mic pres, and they both work fine in Linux.

Once you select ALSA as the audio system for REAPER to use, you also need to click the down arrow buttons on Input and Output device then select your UMC1820 on each so it looks like this, with the exception that you might need more than 64 samples buffer, depending on how fast your computer is.

I tried even copying your display to the T and I'm still getting the same error:

"ALSA: error opening input device"

[Glennbo]

Originally Posted by unanamis

I tried even copying your display to the T and I'm still getting the same error:

"ALSA: error opening input device"

And you had the "Auto-Suspend Pulse Audio" box checked?

If yes, try going into the Pulse Audio mixer, and on the Configuration tab, make sure UMC1820 is not enabled, then see if REAPER is happy.

If Pulse Audio isn't the culprit, is it possible you've messed with JACK and have it taking over the UMC1820 at boot time?

[unanamis]

Originally Posted by Glennbo

And you had the "Auto-Suspend Pulse Audio" box checked?

If yes, try going into the Pulse Audio mixer, and on the Configuration tab, make sure UMC1820 is not enabled, then see if REAPER is happy.

If Pulse Audio isn't the culprit, is it possible you've messed with JACK and have it taking over the UMC1820 at boot time?

Yep, box is checked.

I haven't touched jack since I rebooted my system, so that shouldn't be the problem.

However, I went to the configuration tab and nothing was shown there. "No cards available for configuration."

[Glennbo]

Well, unlike Windows you don't install any driver to make a UMC1820 get recognized and working because it uses the USB Class Compliant driver that's part of Linux.

I used Xubuntu 18.04 before switching to Manjaro, and the UMC1820 worked just plugging it in with both versions of Linux.

It sounds like something is getting control of the unit so it is unavailable when you try to select it in REAPER. Pulse Audio will do that, and some folks have had to un-select their audio device for REAPER in the Pulse Audio mixer. One thing I'd try would be to get in REAPER on the audio setup page, then pull the USB cable to the UMC1820 and plug it back in after a second or two. Might make no difference but worth a try.