OpenAL is a cross-platform 3D audio API appropriate for use with gaming applications and many other types of audio applications. It's supported by important companies as Creative Labs, NVIDIA, Sensaura and Apple.

OpenAL (for "Open Audio Library") is a software interface to audio hardware. The interface consists of a number of functions that allow a programmer to specify the objects and operations in producing high-quality audio output, specifically multichannel output of 3D arrangements of sound sources around a listener.

The OpenAL API is designed to be cross-platform and easy to use. It resembles the OpenAL API in coding style and conventions. OpenAL uses a syntax resembling that of OpenGL where applicable.

OpenAL is foremost a means to generate audio in a simulated three-dimensional space. Consequently, legacy audio concepts such as panning and left/right channels are not directly supported. OpenAL does include extensions compatible with the IA-SIG 3D Level 1 and Level 2 rendering guidelines to handle sound-source directivity and distance-related attenuation and Doppler effects, as well as environmental effects such as reflection, obstruction, transmission, reverberation.

Like OpenGL, the OpenAL core API has no notion of an explicit rendering context, and operates on an implied current OpenAL Context. Unlike the OpenGL specification the OpenAL specification includes both the core API (the actual OpenAL API) and the operating system bindings of the ALC API (the "Audio Library Context"). Unlike OpenGL's GLX, WGL and other OS-specific bindings, the ALC API is portable across platforms as well.

The following platforms currently have a working OpenAL 1.0 implementation:

- Macintosh OS 8/9 ( Sound Manager )

- Macintosh OS X ( Core Audio )

- Linux ( OSS, ALSA )

- BSD ( native )

- Solaris ( native )

- IRIX ( native )

- Windows ( MMSYSTEM, DirectSound, DirectSound3D, NVIDIA nForce, Creative Audigy, Creative Audigy 2, CODA )

- Sony PlayStation 2 ( CODA )

- Microsoft Xbox ( CODA )

- Nintendo GameCube ( CODA )


Some applications which use OpenAL:

* AlienFlux (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* America's Army: Operations (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* Bridge Construction Set (Windows, Linux)
* Escape From Monkey Island (Macintosh)
* Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Windows, Macintosh)
* Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Windows, Macintosh)
* Jedi Knight 2 (Windows, Macintosh)
* Marble Blast (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* MegaCorps Online (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* Orbz (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* Postal 2 (Windows)
* Soldier of Fortune 2 (Windows)
* Unreal 2 (Windows)
* Unreal Tournament 2003 (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* Unreal Tournament 2004 (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)


Some engines and libraries which use OpenAL:

* AgentAE (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* C4 Engine (Windows, Macintosh)
* Decoy3D (Windows)
* Lightweight Java Game Library (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* Torque Engine (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)
* Unreal Engine (Windows, Linux, Macintosh)

Developer Pages (containing OpenAL information):

* Apple Developer Site (Audio page)
* Creative Developer Site (OpenAL page)
* NVIDIA Developer Site (Audio SDK page)

I think if MorphOS support this API (built-in on it ) will benefit to developers giving a vaule added to it because they will can use on their applications a standard API about 3D sound ( an easier use of this feature and easier ports from other platforms ), and to MorphOS users having applications using 3D sound.

OpenAL can be built-in into MorphOS' AHI, of course.


For more info consult http://www.openal.org

well said timofonic i couldn't agree more....suporting standards such as this and opengl really benefit any platform making coding and porting much more simple.....i think this would be a wise move.

Yes, it'd be good, but ATM there are problems with even the simple AHI (no 3D sound, etc.).

Supporting OpenAL would be a good idea. There was even work going on implementing a system similar to EAX (but cross-platform) in OpenAL, that might have died with Loki though, not really sure.

Well I've had OpenAL sample programs running already some time ago. Just as a static library, though, not as a shared lib. By that time there was a bug in OpenAL that hit on very very few systems but sadly I had this on my Peggy as well. So ... source code as far as I got should be on OpenAL CVS if anyone cares. Should compile for MorphOS with a simple "make". Unless they threw it out for some reason ... but as I said, not polished. Just for experimenting.

@GK_LKA

Yes, AHI is very nice, but is quite outdated, actually there are still some things that are in the lowlevel part and not in the other, these things must be solutionated first, and then add these other very interesting things...

PS: Added some more text to the explain about OpenAL

OpenAL CVS already has support for building a MorphOS static library, and it works pretty damned well.

Work on a shared library might be undertaken later, but without any applications to support it (and no OpenGL.. which it's usually paired with..) it seems effort expended for nothing.

If someone wants to go through, put all the global variables in a libbase, make a (base, sysv) library model for the code and write the function table accordingly, they are free to. If anyone needs any help with this, you know how to contact me.

I'll try and get it into MorphOS as soon as it's "relevant" :D

Neko

@GK_LKA:

AHI does support 3D sound - you can configure
panning and volume for each output device (AHI_SetVol() supports negative panning for "surround" encoding).

3D sound is just clever manipulation of the relative volume of audio between multiple speakers. AHI supports it as well as any.

Neko

Quote:

Fortunately, the industry is more than 'just clever', check this out: IASIG interactive 3D audio rendering guideline

AHI supports both 5.1 and 7.1 modes

@Neko, what about OpenAL, any progress?

Since I've been in the USA for the past weeks wearing my poor fingertips to the bone on thumbscrews, no.

@DarthX, applications can implement all that all they want. The basic hardware requirement is panning and volume.. manipulating via DSP effects is entirely optional (and some games are using doppler effects now, which are NOT hardware accelerated..)