Multiple Computers, One Sound System

[NoOp]

On 05/30/2009 11:23 AM, Steven Susbauer wrote:
> Jerry Houston wrote:
>> Someone asked a while ago about connecting the sound output from two computers 
>> to the same speaker system, and got some answers involving sound drivers and 
>> networking.
>> 
>> I recently took a much simpler approach, and it worked quite well.  I ordered 
>> from http://www.CyberGuys.com a Y-adapter (3 female) and two male-to-male 
>> extensions.  
>> 
>> With my sound system connected to both computers this way, I was unsure 
>> whether there'd be problems with feedback, impedance issues, or whatever.  
>> However it cost only a few dollars to find out, and the results have been 
>> ideal.
>> 
>> I now use my KVM-audio switch to control JUST the keyboard and mouse.  (Each 
>> computer has its own monitor.)  I can watch a race on one while I'm connected 
>> to work via VPN on the other, and the two machines don't even need to be 
>> running the same operating system.
>> 
> 
> This solution certainly works. On my home theater I have an Xbox, Ubuntu
> Media Center and Wii hooked up to the same audio input, with no issues
> (unless I try to run multiple at once).
> 
> With multiple computers running Ubuntu, pulseaudio can be configured to
> send audio to the pulse system running on another computer.
> 
> 

Pulseaudio does indeed work with multiple systems on the network -
worked for me surprisingly well for _this_ purpose. Unfortunately you
need to wave the magic wand three times in a circle while chanting the
magic phrases to keep it from messing with other applications. I've
bookmarked this:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=789578
[HOWTO: PulseAudio Fixes & System-Wide Equalizer Support]
but then had to blow it out on this system because I just couldn't
continue to spend time keep messing with it.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/PulseAudio
http://www.pulseaudio.org/
"PulseAudio is a sound server for POSIX and Win32 systems"
Sometimes trying to accomodate too many systems just doesn't work too
well. Don't know, maybe it's simply Ubuntu's implementation:

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pulseaudio
http://www.pulseaudio.org/report/1?asc=0&sort=created&USER=anonymous