Sound server

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A sound server is software that manages the use of and access to audio devices, most notably, the soundcard. It usually runs as a background process. The term could also apply to a server dedicated to audio streaming or a networked or stand-alone appliance for playing sounds and sound files.

Sound server in an operating system

In a Unix-like operating system, the main task of a sound server is performing the mix of different data streams and send out a single unified audio output device of system. This mixture is usually done by software, or hardware if there is a supported sound card.

Motivation

Sound servers appeared after the problems given by old sound system OSS (Open Sound System). This is too basic and is only capable of receiving a single data stream and play it in the output of the sound card. Only a few models were able to play more than one data stream at a time. That limitation became a common problem when a program sent a stream of audio data while another was playing, second wouldn't be heard, and that was a problem for the common user of a desktop's system.

Many of these problems, were avoided by inefficient ways. Some programs expected to find the audio device not locked, so they could use it. Others, previously realized a status checks, and if they do not find it free, turn off audio features to prevent a possible hanging of the program.

The audio servers run as a daemon system working in the background. They receive calls from different programs and sound flows, mix, and send out to the audio device via the sound module to use it. At the moment, they take advantage of advanced features provided by ALSA, which has helped to reduce the amount of problems related to the sound, then from the 2.6 kernel has been integrated as part of it.

Diversification and problems

Currently, there are multiple servers sound, some are focused on providing very low latency, and others, offer general features for desktop systems and the best support possible for all types of applications. This variety has resulted in some critical positions who argue that standardization is necessary for an API or only focus efforts on a single server sound.

With the diversification of servers, an user can choose which option to use, but developers have added more work and more lines of code to write for its software, to make them compatible with the various sound servers available.

Els programes van haver de deixar d'enviar els sons directament al dispositiu de so per fer-ho al servidor de so. Programs had to stop sending the sounds directly into the audio device to make it on the sound server. If these are not ready, or send a direct data flow directly into the audio device, they may find this obstructed and cannot use the device correctly. In some cases there are mechanisms to force the output device of sound that will be using a software during its execution will be the audio server is running from.

List of sound servers

Streaming

External links

Project pages

General info

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