PulseAudio Lands Much Better Support For FreeBSD - Audio Now Plays Correctly

[dreich]

By mixing audio where it makes sense: in the kernel sound framework.

That makes no sense at all. No need to turn the kernel into Frankenstein's monster with mixing and effects chains.

[trasz]

How does FreeBSD handle this (multiple audio streams with independent volume control, resolution changes on the fly and such)?

By mixing audio where it makes sense: in the kernel sound framework. Unless you enable the bitperfect mode, by the very definition of bitperfect.

[Vistaus]

In my experience, many oddities with Bluetooth seem to come with Bluetooth itself.
So far I have replicated all Bluetooth errors known to me in Linux, Windows and Mac without even trying.

Biggest problem with Bluetooth for me is, when a device is used on multiple devices.
After a time and with a bit bad luck, I have to untrust the Bluetooth device and repair it in order to be able to establish a connection.

I only use Bluetooth for audio now.
For everything else it is a big hurdle, because I am using many devices on multiple computers.

Me too. Over the years, with various Bluetooth speakers, I've always had issues, even with my current not-so-cheap Marshall Bluetooth speaker (which, btw, works just fine when connected through the 3.5mm jack!), on various OS's, so it's most likely Bluetooth specific issues.

[bug77]

Which is one example of a Linux-specific bug worked around by PulseAudio.

How does FreeBSD handle this (multiple audio streams with independent volume control, resolution changes on the fly and such)?

[trasz]

I really miss the days of only being able to play one sound stream at a time and having to screw around with archaic mixer config files.

Which is one example of a Linux-specific bug worked around by PulseAudio.

[Lanz]

I really miss the days of only being able to play one sound stream at a time and having to screw around with archaic mixer config files.

[bug77]

Biggest problem with Bluetooth for me is, when a device is used on multiple devices.
After a time and with a bit bad luck, I have to untrust the Bluetooth device and repair it in order to be able to establish a connection.

That's my experience, too. Even if you turn off Bluetooth on other devices, damned earplugs still won't reliably connect to the only source left available
Very annoying till you figure out how to work around that.

[timofonic]

FreeBSD (and all of the BSDs, actually) are just so far behind in application and driver support that they can hardly be considered for any half-serious desktop computing use.

The only Unix system that actually shines as a desktop and laptop OS is macOS.

I agree! BSDs are the ugly brothers of UNIX.

I'm not happy about it. I really hope Linux and macOS would have a lot more stronger competition.

About BSD vs GPL: I don't care, it seems childish rivalry to me. I prefer GPL-like licenses to force conyribute back and not see selfish usage such as Sony and Google, but that's all.

[nist]

Audio support under FreeBSD works quite well. One thing that might not occur to folks with Linux background is that the primary purpose of PulseAudio is to work around bugs and problems that are Linux-specific; on FreeBSD, desktop use of audio works just fine without it.

In Linux Alsa works fine, it just need a simple config file in the home dir.

[splitcells.net]

While it's nice to see more stuff working on *BSD, I can't say I've ever used a *BSD device (other than a PS3) where I've cared if audio works or not. Macs are so locked down and restricted that while they might be based on BSD, it's not really the same thing.

edit:


Not got a USB headset, but audio does behave oddly for me with a Bluetooth headset on Ubuntu. Most frustrating. Could equally be a Bluetooth thing, though, rather than just audio.

In my experience, many oddities with Bluetooth seem to come with Bluetooth itself.
So far I have replicated all Bluetooth errors known to me in Linux, Windows and Mac without even trying.

Biggest problem with Bluetooth for me is, when a device is used on multiple devices.
After a time and with a bit bad luck, I have to untrust the Bluetooth device and repair it in order to be able to establish a connection.

I only use Bluetooth for audio now.
For everything else it is a big hurdle, because I am using many devices on multiple computers.