[pulseaudio-discuss] Network Audio with Pulse
Matt Patterson
matt at v8zman.com
Mon Apr 14 14:15:59 PDT 2008
I may not get to it tonight, but definitely by tomorrow night I will
email out what I have. Basically it is a lot of text parsing to read the
output from the command line interface. I haven't REALLY tested it yet,
just fiddling around on my local machine.
I have the wire and fish tape already, just need the time to pull the
wires through the walls. Then the real testing will begin (girlfriend
testing!). I can't wait for whole home audio!
Matt
Jim Duda wrote:
> Matt,
>
> I'm ready to start looking at the python scripts you have put
> together. I'd like to see how you handle the socket interface for
> setting and clearing the mutes. I appreciate your code share.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> "Matt Patterson" <matt at v8zman.com <mailto:matt at v8zman.com>> wrote
> in message news:47FBD3D3.9010007 at v8zman.com...
> Yes, when I wrote this I had just one sound card with 2 channels,
> but I used the remap module to simulate having 4 stereo sound
> cards. On my final rendition there is no remap module usage, I
> just target the channels directly.
>
> I think the easiest way to think about this is to know my meaning
> behind zones and p's (players). Zones are the output zones, like
> living room, office, etc. Players are the instances of mpd (or
> whatever you music playing app is). The way I have it set up
> below, every player is connected to every zone, so if you were to
> play from one player, every output gets the sound in sync. I then
> wrote a simple app to selectively mute the sink input streams
> (which are the streams associated with the zones) for each zone so
> that only one player is heard in any given zone at one time.
>
> What this gives me is the ability to listen to the same thing in
> any given zone as what is playing in any other zone, or something
> totally different.
>
> One thing that will make visualizing and playing with this MUCH
> easier is the disable the auto suspender module which will kill
> off all the streams. When they are left alive you can see what is
> connected to what and understand how it all works.
>
> Matt
>
>
> Jim Duda wrote:
>> Wow!, but, not sure I'm there yet.
>>
>> When you play from some player, do you play to sink zone1... or
>> p1...
>>
>> Where does the sound come out? Don't you just have 1 sound card
>> here with 2 front-channels?
>>
>> Thanks for you patience, it hasn't quite clicked in my head yet.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>> "Matthew Patterson" <matt at v8zman.com
>> <mailto:matt at v8zman.com>> wrote in message
>> news:47FB86E6.1010606 at v8zman.com...
>> I'm sorry, I think I mispoke in the last email, I meant
>> combine sink. Here's some sample config:
>>
>> When simulating my matrix switch idea, before I got the
>> multiple sound cards I used remap to make it seem like I had
>> 4 stereo sound cards. You can use this same idea to make one
>> 6 channel card appear as 3 stereo cards:
>>
>> # remap things so it seems like we have 4 stereo zones
>> load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=zone1
>> master=alsa_output.pci_8086_2668_alsa_playback_0 channels=2
>> master_channel_map=front-left,front-right
>> channel_map=front-left,front-right
>> load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=zone2
>> master=alsa_output.pci_8086_2668_alsa_playback_0 channels=2
>> master_channel_map=front-left,front-right
>> channel_map=front-left,front-right
>> load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=zone3
>> master=alsa_output.pci_8086_2668_alsa_playback_0 channels=2
>> master_channel_map=front-left,front-right
>> channel_map=front-left,front-right
>> load-module module-remap-sink sink_name=zone4
>> master=alsa_output.pci_8086_2668_alsa_playback_0 channels=2
>> master_channel_map=front-left,front-right
>> channel_map=front-left,front-right
>>
>> Then I used the combine module to join all the zones together
>> 4 times so there would be four inputs per zone, which can be
>> muted to control what is heard:
>>
>> # we leave only one of the outputs unmuted at startup, that
>> is our player selection
>> load-module module-combine sink_name=p1 master=zone1
>> slaves=zone2,zone3,zone4
>> #set-sink-input-mute 4 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 5 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 6 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 7 1
>> load-module module-combine sink_name=p2 master=zone1
>> slaves=zone2,zone3,zone4
>> set-sink-input-mute 8 1
>> #set-sink-input-mute 9 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 10 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 11 1
>> load-module module-combine sink_name=p3 master=zone1
>> slaves=zone2,zone3,zone4
>> set-sink-input-mute 12 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 13 1
>> #set-sink-input-mute 14 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 15 1
>> load-module module-combine sink_name=p4 master=zone1
>> slaves=zone2,zone3,zone4
>> set-sink-input-mute 16 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 17 1
>> set-sink-input-mute 18 1
>> #set-sink-input-mute 19 1
>>
>> Does that help?
>>
>> Matt
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Jim Duda wrote:
>>> Matt,
>>>
>>> I don't understand how the remap_sink module helps (or works
>>> for that matter). I'm having trouble getting my head around
>>> the inputs and outputs of this module.
>>>
>>> Would you mind posting an example of how you use remap_sink?
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>>>
>>> "Matt Patterson" <matt at v8zman.com
>>> <mailto:matt at v8zman.com>> wrote in message
>>> news:47FAB22D.7000408 at v8zman.com...
>>> Yeah, sounds like you have the rtp thing. I assume you
>>> realize you can have multiple multicast addresses so
>>> there can be simultaneous streams that don't collide/get
>>> mixed.
>>>
>>> I don't think there is a way you can avoid the mesh
>>> (multicast is basically a mesh, just for free) unless
>>> you designate a server machine. In which case you could
>>> set up a single tunnel sink to each client machine and
>>> then have all the switching happen on that machine. I
>>> use the remap module to split each sink into 4 inputs
>>> (could be a tunnel sink), then connect each input to a
>>> different mpd instance, and control what is heard out
>>> each device by muting 3 of the 4 inputs. I end up with
>>> 16 remapped sinks in this case (4 output devices * 4
>>> remapped sinks each). I will be adding a 5th zone to my
>>> whole home audio soon, so that will make it 25. The 16
>>> sinks/streams seems to cause no undue load on the system
>>> (Core 2 Duo 2180), we'll see how 25 does :)
>>>
>>> I haven't played with the tunnel sink module.
>>>
>>> Matt
>>>
>>>
>>> Jim Duda wrote:
>>>> Matt,
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the feedback.
>>>>
>>>> I understand your point about using the command line interface module.
>>>> I actually would end up using the socket approach from perl once I had
>>>> it all working properly.
>>>>
>>>> I believe I understand how the rtp approach would work. I think what you
>>>> are doing is as follows. All stream senders would send on the rtp_send
>>>> side, connecting the rtp_send.monitor to the default alsa sink (for
>>>> local sound). All other machines would have an rtp_recv, and send the
>>>> output of rtp_recv to the default alsa sink. Each of these rtp_recv
>>>> would be muted by default. If machine B wants to join in, machine B
>>>> would unmute it's rtp_recv and thereby get the stream. Do I have a
>>>> basic understanding of how this approach would work? I have played with
>>>> this to some degree, so I think I understand.
>>>>
>>>> I assume using the tunnels would work in a similar fashion. However,
>>>> you need to build a mesh of tunnel connections. In my case, with 4
>>>> nodes, the mesh is 3 tunnels for each mode, 4*3=12 tunnels in total.
>>>> Each receiving node would then mute each tunnel by default, turning on
>>>> the one it wants. The annoying part of this approach is that you have
>>>> to decide which source you want to connect to, whereas, with the rtp
>>>> approach, you simply join the "collective".
>>>>
>>>> I have played with the combined_sinks somewhat too. However, since
>>>> upgrading to FC8, the pulseaudio server keeps crashing when I attempt to
>>>> use a combined sink. I've been trying to get a core dump to Lennart,
>>>> but I haven't been able to get gdb to help me out, I keep getting some
>>>> problems with some threading library (or something of that nature).
>>>>
>>>> I'm now trying to understand how the paprefs gui mechanism works. I
>>>> haven't been able to get any of the options to be enabled for operation,
>>>> all the controls are grayed out, trying to understand why.
>>>>
>>>> Jim
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Matt Patterson wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I played with something similar but my goal was an audio multiplex
>>>>> switch all on the same machine to the rtp lag issue was less apparent.
>>>>> As for controlling it, I just wrote a simple python app that connects to
>>>>> the unix socket (same thing pacmd does) and I issue commands to load
>>>>> modules, mute inputs, etc so things can be controlled. I then wrote a
>>>>> php wrapper around the python app so my web based audio control could
>>>>> come about.
>>>>>
>>>>> To go this route you have to make sure the command line interface is
>>>>> available either via TCP or Unix socket (I chose unix socket). If you
>>>>> like I would be happy to send my hacktastic python code to help get
>>>>> things moving.
>>>>>
>>>>> I believe that using the tunnels allows you to have the sync feature
>>>>> where rtp doesn't, so maybe play around with getting them working???
>>>>>
>>>>> Matt
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Jim Duda wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> There was a similar thread, back around New Year's regarding Network
>>>>>> Audio. I've read the entire thread a few times. I'm having similar
>>>>>> problems, yet different.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm looking for some advice as to how best to use network audio with pulse.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have multiple linux computers in my house, four to be specific. One
>>>>>> operates as a file server, one as a desktop, and the other two as
>>>>>> diskless think clients which basically operate as media players.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I use these computers in a home automation network in my house using the
>>>>>> misterhouse home automation software (misterhouse.net).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> All machines are running stock fedora 8. The two thin clients, are not
>>>>>> running the full suite of services which a desktop would. For example,
>>>>>> they are not currently running avahi or hal (but could if necessary). I
>>>>>> can certainly turn on what needs to be running.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm hoping to perform the following using pulseaudio.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Let's call my machines A, B, C, D.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Let's assume that some stream is started on machine A, playing in the
>>>>>> living room. I would like to be able to have that same stream play on
>>>>>> machines A and B simultaneously. I don't care if I have to go to stream
>>>>>> A and say send to machine B now, or, go to machine B and ask B to fetch
>>>>>> a stream from machine A. I can make both work. I want to be able to
>>>>>> drop the stream to B at anytime. I realize that if the source stream
>>>>>> stops, then all streams would in essence stop too.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I need to be able to access the controls to switch streams using a
>>>>>> command line application which I can call from perl using the system
>>>>>> call. I've seen the stream switch in pavucontrol. I've seen the
>>>>>> move-sink-input in pactl (but failed to get it to work, I guess I don't
>>>>>> understand how the params work as I always get some error message).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> At some other time, I may want to have machine C join in the stream with
>>>>>> machines B, C.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> How is this best to accomplish?
>>>>>> 1) Should I use combine_sink on the source machine?
>>>>>> 2) Should I use rtp?
>>>>>> 3) Should I use tunnel_sink?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've played with rtp. Although it works, the audio isn't synchronized.
>>>>>> Maybe it should be synchronized, but I haven't found that to be
>>>>>> true. I can hear latency delay between multiple machines.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I know how to play across the network, using the pulseaudio alsa plugin.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm now trying to play with the network options in the paprefs
>>>>>> application. On my main server and desktop, all the network audio
>>>>>> options in paprefs, configure local sound server, are all grayed out.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Each machine has these modules installed from FC8.
>>>>>> sudo yum list '*pulse*'
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Installed Packages
>>>>>> akode-pulseaudio.i386 2.0.2-4.fc8 installed
>>>>>> alsa-plugins-pulseaudio.i386 1.0.15-3.fc8.1 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-core-libs.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-esound-compat.i3 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs-devel.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs-glib2.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-libs-zeroconf.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-gconf.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-jack.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-x11.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-zeroconf.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>> pulseaudio-utils.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 installed
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Available Packages
>>>>>> audacious-plugins-pulseaudio.i386 1.3.5-3.fc8 fedora
>>>>>> fluxbox-pulseaudio.i386 1.0.0-2.fc8 updates
>>>>>> gstreamer-plugins-pulse.i386 0.9.5-0.4.svn20070924. fedora
>>>>>> kde-settings-pulseaudio.noarch 3.5-38.fc8 updates
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-bluetooth.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 updates
>>>>>> pulseaudio-module-lirc.i386 0.9.8-5.fc8 updates
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Both the avahi and gconf modules are loaded as displayed in the Modules
>>>>>> section of the Paprefs Manager display. What else is necessary?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have auth-anonymouns=1 loaded for both native-protocol-unix and native
>>>>>> -protocol-tcp.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've read all the documentation on the pulse wiki many times. I've
>>>>>> browsed through all the postings on the mailing list over the past 6 months.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm just playing now with the server and desktop which have full blown
>>>>>> stock fc8 installs, just to figure out how all this works, then I'll
>>>>>> incorporate the thin clients later.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The whole package is rather complicated and I haven't had much success
>>>>>> in putting it all together.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've done my homework. I just cannot get it working ...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Jim
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> pulseaudio-discuss mailing list
>>>>>> pulseaudio-discuss at mail.0pointer.de
>>>>>> https://tango.0pointer.de/mailman/listinfo/pulseaudio-discuss
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>
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