NAS(1x)

📦 version 1.9.5, in fedora 43, fedora 44

🌈 NETWORK AUDIO SYSTEM 💖

okay bestie, gather round, because this is the nas(1x) page and it's genuinely iconic. sit down, hydrate, and let's talk about a portable, network-transparent audio system ✨

🎀 NAME 🎀

Network Audio System — a portable, network-transparent audio system 🦋

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

The Network Audio System service is a network-transparent system developed at Network Computing Devices for playing, recording, and manipulating audio data over a network. It uses the client/server model to separate application code from the software drivers needed to control specific audio input and output devices. no cap, that's the whole vibe 💅

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

The Network Audio System service gives applications the ability to send and receive audio data — think voice, sound effects, and music — in a network environment. A audio server inside the desktop terminal or personal computer controls the various input and output devices in response to messages sent from client programs running on other hosts. it's giving main character energy, but for your sound card 🎧

A variety of utility programs are provided that you can use to play or record audio with shell scripts or command-line procedures. More ambitious applications can talk directly to the audio server using a C-language programming library. lowkey powerful fr fr 🔥

The Network Audio System service supports a variety of the common formats used to store sound data. Audio inputs and outputs can run at a any of a range of sampling rates. The audio server automatically converts all data to the designed format or rate. it just handles it, no notes 🫶

Streams of data from multiple inputs can be mixed together and directed to any attached output device. Sounds that are used many times can be stored in the server so that they do not need to be transmitted over the network each time they are played. Furthermore, inputs can be hooked directly to outputs (for example, a CD player can be connected to a set of speakers) so that data can be played without requiring any client intervention or network traffic. literally zero network drama, we love to see it 🌸

🌸 AUDIO SERVER NAMES 🌸

Each audio server has a name that is used by applications in establishing a connection. The format of the name depends upon the type of network being used. 👑

In TCP/IP environments, audio server names look like:

tcp/hostname:portnum

where hostname is the name or numeric IP address of the desktop machine to be contacted and portnum is the port number on which the server is listening. If the `tcp/` prefix is not given, 8000 is automatically added to portnum so that the audio server name is compatible with the X Window System display name. the math is mathing ✨

In DECnet environments, audio server names look like:

decnet/nodename::num

where nodename is the name or numeric DECnet address of the desktop machine to be contacted and num is the DECnet task AUDIO$num. If the `decnet/` prefix is omitted, it is automatically added so that the audio server name is compatible with the X Window System display name. it fills itself in, so polite 💅

Most audio utilities accept a command line argument -audio servername for specifying the audio server to be contacted. like this:

% auinfo -audio tcp/ncdunit:8000

If no server is specified on the command line, the AUDIOSERVER environment variable is checked to see if a name has been stored there. Otherwise, the DISPLAY environment variable used by X Window System applications is checked and the corresponding audio server is used. it'll find one, don't worry 🦋

🎵 SAMPLE PROGRAMS 🎵

Several sample programs that use the Network Audio System service are provided by NCD:

  • auplay — This program simply plays the files listed on its command line. It is typically used from shell scripts, command-line procedures, or other programs that just need to ``dump'' sound data to the audio server. the no-thoughts-just-play option 🍓
  • audemo — This program allows the user to select and play pre-recorded sound files or to record new sound files. It provides a simple control panel for dynamically changing the volume while a sound is being played and for aborting a sound. volume slider go brrr 🔥
  • audial — This program generates North American telephone touch tones correspond to a given string. audial can also recognize touch tones and produce the corresponding string. beep boop both ways 📞
  • autool — This program is compatible with the Sun audiotool program and is typically used to play prerecorded sound files. Unlike auplay it provides a graphical interface to allow the user to replay or cancel the data. glow-up with buttons ✨
  • auinfo — This program lists information describing the capabilities of an audio server. the "what can u even do" program 💜
  • auctl — This program can be used to change various device parameters. knobs, but make it command line 🎛️
  • auscope — This program is an audio protocol filter that can be used to view the network packets being sent between an application and an audio server. eavesdropping, but consensually 👀
  • aupanel — This program provides an X-based window-oriented interface allowing the user to adjust the attributes of the devices provided by the Network Audio System service. very X, very panel 🌈
  • auedit — This program provides an X-based window-oriented interface allowing the user to edit audio files. slice and dice the waveforms ✂️
  • auconvert — This program allows the user to perform various conversion operations on sound files. format glow-up 🦋
  • auphone — This program provides an X-based window-oriented interface allowing two-way real time voice communication between two audio servers. call your bestie, server to server 💖
  • aurecord — This program is used to record audio data from an audio server into a file. press record, queen 🎙️
  • auwave — This program provides an X-based window-oriented interface demonstrating the use of waveform elements. a little demo, a little slay 🌊

💿 AUDIO FILES 💿

The audio programming library and utility programs can be used to read and write files in any of the following file formats:

  • Sun/NeXT — These files typically have a .au or .snd extension. They are usually produced by Sun or NeXT workstations. the classic 💜
  • Creative Labs — These files typically have a .voc extension. They are usually produced by Soundblaster audio cards on IBM PC compatible computers. retro moment 🎀
  • Microsoft WAVE — These files typically have a .wav extension. They are usually produced by IBM PC compatible computers. u know this one 🍓
  • AIFF — These files typically have an .aiff or .aif extension. They are usually produced by SGI workstations or Apple computers. 🍎
  • Amiga IFF/8SVX — These files typically have an .iff extension. niche and iconic 🌸
Due to the nature of the file formats, only the Sun/NeXT file format can be piped through standard input and/or standard output. The convention for specifying standard input or standard output is to use a hyphen (-) as the file name. bestie, that's the only one that can do the pipe thing, don't try it with the others 😭

🧚 PROGRAMMING 🧚

Application developers may create their own audio clients using the Network Audio System programming library. build ur own, main character 🫶

⭐ ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES ⭐

The following environment variables are used by Network Audio System programs:

  • AUDIOSERVER — This specifies the name of default audio server to contact if no name is explicitly given on the command line. the backup bestie 💖
  • DISPLAY — This specifies the name of an X Window System display that should be assumed to also have a corresponding Network Audio System server. if u have X, u probably have audio too 👑

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

auplay(1), audemo(1), audial(1), autool(1), auinfo(1), auctl(1), auscope(1), aupanel(1), auedit(1), auconvert(1), auphone(1), aurecord(1), auwave(1)

Network Audio System Overview and Programmers Guide

read the whole squad, they're all here 🌈

The following copyright and permission notice applies to all files in the Network Audio System application programming libraries and example programs provided in source form by Network Computing Devices:

Copyright 1993, 1994 Network Computing Devices, Inc.

Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software and its documentation for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting documentation, and that the name Network Computing Devices, Inc. not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of this software without specific, written prior permission.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED `AS-IS'. NETWORK COMPUTING DEVICES, INC., DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL NETWORK COMPUTING DEVICES, INC., BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER, INCLUDING SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY THEREOF, AND REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IN AN ACTION IN CONTRACT, TORT OR NEGLIGENCE, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.

fr fr, that's the legal bit, all caps and everything 💀

™️ TRADEMARKS ™️

NCD, NCD Display Station, and NCDware are all trademarks of Network Computing Devices, Inc.

X Window System is a trademark of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

💅 AUTHORS 💅

Greg Renda, Jim Fulton, David Lemke

and that's the whole page bestie!! 🎀 this one's version 1.9.5 of the NETWORK AUDIO SYSTEM manual, straight from the General Commands Manual — go forth and slay some audio ✨💖🦋

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