Configuring Applications for OSSv4

Most applications should work with OSSv4 out of the box. However, some distributions separate the OSS output plugins, or patch the software to use another sound API. This page will show how to tell some common applications to use the OSS API. There's no need to use any of these tips unless there's a problem.

• Flash V9:
  • Note for Ubuntu users: do not install libflashsupport from apt-get. That version only supports Pulseaudio. Remove this package if you have it.
  • flashsupport.c is found in /usr/lib/oss/lib
    • 32-bit/x86 users should install SSL support libraries
      • In Debian/Ubuntu - sudo apt-get install libssl0.9.8 libssl-dev;
    • To compile: sudo cc -shared -O2 -Wall -Werror -lssl flashsupport.c -o libflashsupport.so
    • Then: sudo cp libflashsupport.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins
    • 64-bit/amd64 users should comment out "define OPENSSL" by placing a '#' in front of that line
      • To compile for 64-bit browser: sudo cc -shared -O2 -Wall -Werror -fPIC flashsupport.c -o libflashsupport.so
      • To compile for 32-bit browser, user needs gcc-multilib support
        • In Debian/Ubuntu - sudo apt-get install gcc-4.1-multilib
      • sudo cc -shared -O2 -Wall -Werror -m32 flashsupport.c -o libflashsupport.so
    • sudo cp libflahsupport.so /usr/lib/mozilla/plugins/

• Gnome Volume Applet
  • Requires updated libgstossaudio.so 32 bit version available from [1]
  • 64 bit version available from [2] (login required).
  • Follow installation instructions in README file.

• libao
  • write default_driver=oss to ~/.libao

• mpg123
  • Debian: install mpg123 instead of mpg123-alsa

• MPlayer
  • write "ao=oss" to ~/.mplayer/config

• scummvm - MIDI music
  • scummvm 0.11.0 supports midi output via timidity.
  • Start timidity -Od -ir 7777 and then run scummvm. Select "TiMidity" as a music driver.

• SDL
  • Debian: install libsdl1.2-debian-oss or libsdl1.2-debian-all
  • set SDL_AUDIODRIVER=dsp in the environment

• skype
  • Arch: install skype-oss
  • install static OSS version from skype [3] (Direct link to 1.4 static OSS version: [4])

• sox
  • Debian: install libsox-fmt-oss

• wine
  • Debian: install libwine-oss

• xine
  • write audio.driver:oss to ~/.xine/config