Hey,
sorry to keep you waiting, something came up (well these things always take more time than you imagine). Still intend to finish the project and the write up, but it’ll more likely be mid/end January as right now it’s holiday season here and the hardware is in the lab for two weeks…
I saw that on github. Would patchbox OS benefit from a newer RT Kernel version? The last time I needed a real time kernel I patched the config myself which wasn’t too hard. (but that was 6 years ago on x86 architechture.
Hey, yes, an updated RT kernel would be great. 
One of the difficulties of updating it is to make sure it runs well at least on Pi 2 - Pi 4 (and all its variations) - we could help with testing it. Another challenge could be Raspberry Pi hardware specific kernel modules that have some code incompatible with realtime kernel mode (like blocking in an interrupt handler, even though it’s a bad idea in itself, is not strictly forbidden in the normal kernel mode, RT kernel would crash or at least dump the stacktrace, slowing the system down to snail speed, if it occurs often )
Here is the build script of the RT kernel we’ve used: https://github.com/BlokasLabs/rpi-kernel-rt/blob/master/build.sh
It is assumed that the system is set up for cross-compiling the kernel, as described in this document: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/linux/kernel/building.md
Hm… I don’t know about the hardware specific kernel modules. This would take some serious investigations. Currently I’m just trying to check out sonic pi. Which has more hidden difficulties than I thought.
But I’m thinking if 64bit would benefit the system as well.
It’d benefit mostly only for 8GB Pi 4 model. In my opinion, 4GB is more than enough. 
+1
for 64bit and 8GB support regarding rt kernel.
Hello! RPi4 8gb user here, chipping in to say I’d love to see Patchbox OS in glorious 64bits as well.
Extra ram can be very useful when working with sampled instruments.
I also use Pianoteq 7 which has a ARM64 build that boasts significant performance boosts. See: https://forum.modartt.com/viewtopic.php?pid=973104#p973104
But in any case much love for the work you guys put into this thing!
Yes, I concur
I’m using a 8GB Raspberry Pi4 and a 64bit OS would be lovely! After updating PatchboxOS, I still only have the option to use 4.19.71-rt24 RT kernel (or the vanilla raspberry pi one). Is there a way to get the v5 kernel, and is there any benefit to the 8GB Pi in doing so?
Hi there , just got my pisound and wondering this same question . has anybody made possible to run patchbox OS on 64bit ? would be nice to take advantage of the 8gb in its full potential.
At the moment my soulution is to run latest raspberry OS 64bit and then add manually pi-sound etc , but Im missing all the clever audio overlaying of things and the ease of use of Patchbox for Audio only related work
Hm… Just started from this image, burnt to a new SD card.
Most parts of the patchbox configuration work… except for setting up modules. Say, MODEP.
Manager: modep.module install script found: /usr/local/patchbox-modules/modep/install.sh
Hit:1 http://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian buster InRelease
Hit:2 http://apt.blokas.io rpi InRelease
Get:3 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster InRelease [15.0 kB]
Reading package lists... Done
E: Repository 'http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster InRelease' changed its 'Suite' value from 'stable' to 'oldstable'
N: This must be accepted explicitly before updates for this repository can be applied. See apt-secure(8) manpage for details.
Failed to install modep.module via /usr/local/patchbox-modules/modep/install.sh script
Easy fix, it sounds like. Good ol’ sudo apt update, which prompts for an explicit acceptance of that change:
patch@patchbox:~ $ sudo apt update
Hit:1 http://archive.raspberrypi.org/debian buster InRelease
Hit:2 http://apt.blokas.io rpi InRelease
Get:3 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster InRelease [15.0 kB]
E: Repository 'http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster InRelease' changed its 'Suite' value from 'stable' to 'oldstable'
N: This must be accepted explicitly before updates for this repository can be applied. See apt-secure(8) manpage for details.
Do you want to accept these changes and continue updating from this repository? [y/N]
Typed ‘y’ and pressed return.
Got:
Get:4 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster/main armhf Packages [13.0 MB]
Get:5 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster/contrib armhf Packages [58.7 kB]
Get:6 http://raspbian.raspberrypi.org/raspbian buster/non-free armhf Packages [104 kB]
Fetched 13.2 MB in 15s (856 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
214 packages can be upgraded. Run 'apt list --upgradable' to see them.
So I did what any normal person would do… sudo apt upgrade.
Processing now.
It’s a long enough process.
Getting some release notes…
apt-listchanges: News
---------------------
webkit2gtk (2.31.1-1) experimental; urgency=medium
Starting from the 2.31.x development versions, support for NPAPI
plugins has been completely removed from WebKitGTK. This technology is
deprecated and has already been removed from all major web browsers.
The last important user of this API was the Adobe Flash Player, which
reached end of life in December 2020.
-- Alberto Garcia <berto@igalia.com> Fri, 15 Jan 2021 17:31:53 +0100
Then, pressing ‘q’ I get further in the process.
I’ll report back if something goes wrong but I’m sure that part will work well.
I just did an upgrade - now there is there a persistant drum beat in the background, throughout. Whether using different pedalboards or just the OS in desktop mode =)
I’ll have a bash at a new install on a new SD card.
What do you mean exactly by that? Did you flash the SD card with this image, or ran some command?
Ran the command line upgrade …
It’s no problem, I have my original image that I flashed. I will do another flash install on another SD.
sudo apt-get upgrade?
Yes - funny thing is I could not determine where the beat was coming from … Halloween!
Could it be Orac? 
Try running systemctl status orac, systemctl status mec
I have today tried to run my new pi4 8gb pisound (I couldn’t get a 4gb one) with the newest nov 2021 build but I had to still follow “clockworks” steps to make it work with the modules.
Also the button is very temperamental and the hotspot is unfindable although I have been able to connect modep directly to a monitor and it functions as expected.
I also have a pisound pi4 4gb which runs perfectly.
Try running these commands:
sudo apt-get update --allow-releaseinfo-change --fix-missing
sudo apt-get upgrade
Afterwards, module installation should work.
Thanks Giedrius,
I tried:
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
…and that worked for getting the modals installed but hot spot is not working.
If I run the above should that fix the hotspot? I’ll give it a go.
PS with this build I tried it on a Pisound with pi 3b and the same problems occurred, ie firstly the modules wouldn’t install then when I got them working the hotspot wasn’t working.
I’ll update with my progress.
What’s the output of sudo systemctl status wifi-hotspot?