[MPlayer-users] sound quality with oss/alsa/aoss/artsd

[Evan Stergiou]

Hello.
Could you please help me understand why my solution works?

I play streaming radio by satellite with mplayer.
I also want to be able to mix the sat stream with locally stored audio files.
I simulate sat reception problems by deconnecting/reconnecting the sat cable.
I want my audio output not to be sensible to these simulated sat problems.

I have modified mplayer to use 256 bytes of streaming buffering instead of 2048 bytes
and not to quit trying to receive after 6 sat problems.

Here are the solutions I have tried : 

a/ 
mplayer -ao alsa dvb://channel 
mplayer -ao alsa localfile.mp3
also have a .asoundrc file
results: mixing works fine, but streaming sound quality is very bad following sat problems

b/ 
mplayer -ao oss dvb://channel 
mplayer -ao oss localfile.mp3
results: unable to mix with oss, but perfect sound quality even after sat problems

c/ 
artsd&
mplayer -ao arts dvb://channel 
mplayer -ao arts localfile.mp3
results: perfect mixing and perfect sound quality even after sat problems, but buffering of streaming radio occurs often which results in a delay of up to 15 sec compared to the broadcasted stream, and this buffering is not always constant

d/ 
aoss mplayer -ao oss dvb://channel 
aoss mplayer -ao oss localfile.mp3
results: perfect mixing, but sound quality presents some minor but still audible defects (little cracks) after sat problems

e/ The solution that works for me
aoss artsd&
mplayer -ao arts dvb://channel 
mplayer -ao arts localfile.mp3
results: perfect sound quality and mixing even after sat problems, little but constant streaming buffering

I appreciate any input.
Thanks.