3 This project implements a dispatch function for ALSA playback for
4 dynamic selection of output device. The idea is to direct playback
5 when it starts to the first output from the user's priority list that
6 is available at that time.
8 For instances, you might have three different output devices sometimes
11 1. a bluetooth headset
12 2. a USB soundcard for wall speakers, and
13 3. a built-in soundcard for desktop speakers.
15 and want them to selected in that priority order. I.e. playback should
16 be directed to the bluetooth headset, if connected; otherwise to the
17 USB soundcard, if plugged in; and otherwise to the built-in soundcard.
19 Ordinarily it will take some editing of ~/.asoundrc to explicitly
20 select output device for a program before it starts, and them that
21 program will keep using that setup onwards.
23 *alsa-dispatcher* provides that dynamic selection based on the user's
24 priority list without need of editing or playback program restart. By
25 this solution, there is a dynamic link in the playback chain that
26 applies the dispatch logic whenever a program starts playback anew.
27 Thus, the output device is decided depending on what is available when
28 the playback starts, or more specifically whenever a program opens an
29 output sink to start or to continue playback.