XBMC act as ESD (or PulseAudio) server
#1
I would love to see XBMC act as a ESD (Enlightenment Sound Daemon) server.

ESD is the sound server used by Gnome and by including a sound server in XBMC I could redirect sound from any gnome app (for example rhythmbox) to XBMC. As much as I love XBMC, sometimes when I sit at my computer it is more convenient to run a media player on it rather than use the web interface of XBMC.

The ESD-code is freely available and I don't think it's too complex, so perhaps inclusion would not be too much work. On the other hand it has not been updated in a while and PulseAudio seems to be a more modern replacement, while keeping the protocol compatible with ESD.

http://www.tux.org/~ricdude/EsounD.html
http://pulseaudio.org/
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#2
Why not just implement (or plug-in if already available) a SHOUTcast or ICEcast server into whatever player you are using on your computer?
XBMC can already play SHOUTcast, ICEcast, HTTP and RTSP/RTP streams, ...and most players can stream those nativly or via a plug-in Rolleyes
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#3
there is a nice thing about pulseaudio too thou.. it can handle latencies in playback.. ie get stuff to play in sync.
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#4
Hi

Anyone know an easy way to set up a stream using itunes as music source, a stream that xbmc can play of course...

Thanks Erik
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#5
Gamester17 Wrote:Why not just implement (or plug-in if already available) a SHOUTcast or ICEcast server into whatever player you are using on your computer?
XBMC can already play SHOUTcast, ICEcast, HTTP and RTSP/RTP streams, ...and most players can stream those nativly or via a plug-in Rolleyes
Because, as I wrote above, by having Xbmc act as a pulseaudio/esd server *every* program on my pc could play through xbmc in one go. Also, I'm not sure I want to waste cpu cycles on my computer by encoding audio into mp3 all the time, and I don't want to loose quality by reencoding my audio files. But perhaps shoutcast/icecast support raw audio data?

I guess a icecast sink for gstreamer could solve the first problem.
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#6
Wink 
Please also see the feature suggestion topic-thread about "Synchronize music/video-stream playback on multiple-Xboxes (Multi-Zone Audio/Video) " http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?p=111817
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#7
I did a quick search and it looks like this hasn't been suggested

i was wondering if everyone thought something similar to PulseAudio would be a neat idea for xbmc

for people who dont know heres a link
http://www.pulseaudio.org/

one of the features of this is allowing other machines on the network to recieve the sound from the server (i.e. xbmc in this case) it would be nice when im moving about the house and listening to music/podcasts

or for a makeshift surround sound

i realize this would be a huge undertaking and lots of coding would be required but this is just a "suggestion" take it as you will, i wont cry either way
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#8
This is a bit interesting: Ubuntu Desktop 8.04 (Hardy Heron) will include PulseAudio output by default
http://www.ubuntu.com/testing/hardy/alpha5
Quote:PulseAudio

Alpha 5 includes PulseAudio enabled by default. Some non-GNOME applications still need to be changed to output to pulse/esd by default and the volume control tools are still not integrated.
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/ubuntu/...dio-jumble
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#9
Thumbs Up 
Just adding my support for PulseAudio support. I think this would be an awesome feature to have. In addition to playing music in multiple rooms, it would provide a solution for things like Pandora where there is no easy way to get a native player onto XBMC.

Since PulseAudio already support win32, anyone know what kind of effort would be involved? I was just perusing the requirements page here.

Glad to help/test in any way I can.
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#10
PulseAudio support for the network capabilities is not my main desire, but it sounds as a cool thing to have this function as well.

I am more interested in PulseAudio support because ubuntu 8.04 incorporates it by default. I`m new to linux and ubuntu but a long time user of XBMC (on the v1.0 xbox). I`ve had tons of problems making sound work on my xbmc/ubuntu htpc (possibly due to PulseAudio issues...?)

DrE
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#11
DrErling Wrote:PulseAudio support for the network capabilities is not my main desire, but it sounds as a cool thing to have this function as well.

I am more interested in PulseAudio support because ubuntu 8.04 incorporates it by default. I`m new to linux and ubuntu but a long time user of XBMC (on the v1.0 xbox). I`ve had tons of problems making sound work on my xbmc/ubuntu htpc (possibly due to PulseAudio issues...?)

DrE

Ive tried to get pulse audio support on linux instead of alsa and have been somewhat sucessfull, main issues is that the design they have when creating the core doesnt work at all well with XBMC. adds additional threads and glibloops and other unholy things Smile
Hopefully it can be incorparated in atlantis+1.

Disclaimer, Im only talking about making XBMC a pulseaudio client on linux, nothing more.
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Do not e-mail XBMC-Team members directly asking for support. Read/follow the forum rules.
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"Well Im gonna download the code and look at it a bit but I'm certainly not a really good C/C++ programer but I'd help as much as I can, I mostly write in C#."
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#12
pulseaudio does not support passthrough afaik
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#13
Topfs2 Wrote:Ive tried to get pulse audio support on linux instead of alsa and have been somewhat sucessfull, main issues is that the design they have when creating the core doesnt work at all well with XBMC. adds additional threads and glibloops and other unholy things Smile
Hopefully it can be incorparated in atlantis+1.

Disclaimer, Im only talking about making XBMC a pulseaudio client on linux, nothing more.


Great news. Is it possible to download your code? Would like to try it out.

I was thinking about going through the SDL route and esd, pulseaudio will all be supported by it. To be honest I have zero knowledge about C++, therefore it may take a long time to write the SDL support code if it happens.
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