On 01.07.2016 00:30, Joel Roth wrote:

> I'd be interested in your list. Most serious audio
> applications I'm aware of have options for ALSA output as
> well as pulse. So to de-pulse them is a matter of
> appropriate compile time options, or repackaging them
> without pulse dependencies.

Haven't checked which packages only support pulse, but not ALSA.
(except skype, perhaps)

My idea was just settling on one client API, which all applications
(that dont need any special features) just use - on all plattforms
and no need for separate layers within individual applications.
(for most applications, that API maybe could be even simpler)

Is alsa-lib also available on other platforms ?

>> By the way: does ALSA support per-application volume handling ?
>
> No it does not. I think with ALSA you're dependent on volume control
> of each app.

hmm, that would be an important feature for me.

To summarize my personal requirements for such an API

* an simple and easy-to-use (x-platform) API
* provide everything that an audio application might need,
to keep the applications free from as much burden as possible
* primary functions: audio playback and recording, mixer settings
* provides an own "virtual" audio device for each application
* allows easy picking of the optimal codecs, etc.
(incl. hw codecs -> embedded devices)

The idea behind that would be having an simple and stable API for most
common (90%) use cases, which then can be implemented by several
backends (ALSA, OSS, Pulse, jack, whatever), so individual packages
can just settle to that API and never need to care about the whole
topic anymore.

I'm really out of the audio area for quite some time, so I dont know
much about what APIs are out there and what they can and cannot do.
Any hints appreciated.


--mtx

mit freundlichen Grüßen
--
Enrico Weigelt,
metux IT consulting
+49-151-27565287