[ILUG] multiple sound cards...

[kevin lyda]

On Sun, Apr 22, 2001 at 08:42:28PM +0100, Aaron McDaid wrote:
> But apps have to be esd aware to work. This is the main problem
> I have. Does esd create sockets as files which the likes of
> mpg123 could pass with a -a switch?

actually mpg123 on my system defaults to esd.  redhat 6.2 box,
mpg123-0.59r-4 is what an rpm -q returns.

and all the apps that create graphics on my box use libX11 and friends...

esd does open sockets, but for its protocol.  look into esddsp.  as far
as "just writing to a file," there's more to controlling an audio card then
just spewing audio streams at it.  volume, balance, etc.

> Isn't one of the UNIX philosophies: Everything should be a file?

then i assume you're against the socket call and just stick to opening in
the tree where your portal fs is mounted?

> But this hypothetical networking thing I'm talking about would
> take whats written to /dev/dspX and send it. It would be
> relatively transparent.

it can't be.  every soundcard has different ways of controling it's
different bits.  in addition kernel drivers listening to tcp/ip ports
etc add way too much complexity.  i think the solution for the wide
varieties of video cards and arches in the unix world is equally good
for audio cards.  it's worked quite nicely - i used it with ncd xterms
and sun sparcs (ncd audio) and now with linux boxes.

kevin

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