FreeLists / openbeosmediakit / [openbeosmediakit] Re: soundcard API :-(

[David McPaul <dmcpaul@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Heya,

>I need some suggestions! If you know something about this topic, please 
>comment.
>
>During development of my AC97 driver, I reviewed the available APIs. None
>of them seems to be the "right" one.
>
>First there is the R3 one. It does not allow to add mixers that map 
>individual inputs,
>like selection a "stereo mix of all active sound inputs" as a source. Only
>4 predefined sources are available. There is also no way to add something
>like a control for 3d enhancement.
>
>Next API I tried was the multiaudio API. I noticed that the documentation 
>allows
>individaul mixer names. However, the mixer ioctls never get called,
>and after reviewing the multi_audio.media_addon in /boot/beos/system/add-ons
/
>media
>using "strings", "nm", and Diskprobe I had to realize that its not 
>implemented.
>Also the API is fairly complex.
>
>There is a R4 api for mixer(gain ciontrol) and mux(connection selection),
>but it does not seem to be documented, except by the driver 
>in /boot/optional/sample-code/drivers/sonic_vibes
>
>Dano introduced another API, called game audio, or whatever.
>
>Question: what should be our direction? Rewriting the multi audio api
>media add-on, to support the currently missing functionality?
>Dropping it (there are only two BeOS R5 drivers that seem to use it)
>Documenting,  extending the R4 API?
>Simplifying the multiaudio API (I don't like the multi-buffer-exchange)?
>Creating a new one?
>Creating another, with a more streaming like approach? 
>
>Requirements: It should be easy to write a driver that conforms to the API,
>and it should provide low latencies.
>
>Please, send some suggestions...

Well, my first thought is that we want to have for the first release the API 
that allows us to use the most drivers.  I assume this is the R3 one?

Then for the next release we work on our own API.  I am guessing that the R4 
and R5 API's have a low usage and so might be easier to ignore?

So I suggest we get R3 API working, then build a better one.


-- 
Cheers
David

Have you reconsidered a computer career?