For instance, users will be able to use Zeroconf to detect other computers on the local network that are running audio servers and then dynamically redirect audio output to any of those computers.Īnother possible feature is support for conditional dynamic volume adjustment. PulseAudio's support for network transparency will also facilitate some impressive functionality. PulseAudio will pave the way for intelligent audio hotplugging functionality-making it possible for the system to automatically redirect VoIP program audio streams when users plug in or remove USB headsets, for instance. There are also some subtle and compelling ways in which PulseAudio improves the overall user experience. PulseAudio will make it possible to independently control the volume of individual applications, support moving audio streams between devices on the fly, output audio on multiple devices simultaneously, and provide compatibility with GNOME's fast user switching functionality. PulseAudio provides the infrastructure needed to bring a next-generation audio experience to the Linux desktop.
PulseAudio is designed to be a drop-in replacement for the Esound daemon and uses a pluggable Esound module for backwards compatibility.
PulseAudio is a cross-platform, open source sound server that supports advanced software mixing capabilities and network transparency.