[pulseaudio-discuss] Introduction

[Colin Guthrie]

Vasili Sviridov wrote:
> The site contains links to the latest version. It's a tarball, so 
> provided you satisfy all dependencies, ./configure && make && make 
> install should get you going :)
> 
> About advantages - that topic was extensively covered, there's a nice 
> video of (i believe) Lennart himself explaining the reasons and ideas 
> behind PA, just look around, maybe through Wikipedia entry on PA. That 
> also includes topics of proxying, merging soundcards together into 
> virtual multi-channel soundcards, and much more...
> 
> In general PA is the "right thing", that just needs bit more polishing 
> and distro vendors involvement :)

Another headline advantage Alex didn't cover is:

4) multiple sound cards. If you have e.g. a built in sound card or PCI
sound card and plug in a USB sound system (headset or speaker etc.) then
with pulse you can move currently playing/active streams to the new
device on the fly. Very handy.

(obviously there are many other advantages such as much better quality
resampling etc. but this thread should not be an extensive list of "good
things" ;))

A really good presentation that describes everything pulse is good at/is
for is:
http://foss.in/2007/register/slides/The_PulseAudio_Sound_Server_353.pdf

(I find it best to "watch" this presentation in "Presentation Mode" of
kpdf but YMMV).

I'd really recommend you spend the time to look at that Karl if you are
genuinely interested.

Col