Java Sound API Resources

Java Sound API Compared with JMF and JOAL

The Java Media Framework, or JMF, (http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/jmf/) supports streaming multimedia, such as video and audio, with an emphasis on streaming over a network where bandwidth and latency are issues. This means support for time-based protocols, such as RTP, and services such as compression and media streams synchronization.

The Performance Pack versions of JMF (for Windows, Solaris, and Linux) use the Java Sound API to play and capture sound data, so Sound API techniques can be utilized. However, the Cross Platform version of JMF uses sun.audio classes to play sound rather than the API (and audio capture isn't available).

JMF supports more sound formats than the Sound API, including MPEG-1 (see http://java.sun.com/products/java-media/jmf/2.1.1/formats.html for an extensive list). Even better, it's possible to plug additional codecs into Java Sound via the service provider interface. For example, MP3 (MPEG 1/2/2.5 Layer 1/2/3) and Ogg Vorbis formatted files can be read through an AudioInputStream by utilizing plug-ins from JavaZoom (http://www.javazoom.net/projects.html).

JMF can be used with JDK 1.1 or later, so is suitable for applets running inside JVMs on older browsers; the Java Sound API requires J2RE 1.3 or higher.

JOAL (https://joal.dev.java.net/) is a set of Java bindings for OpenAL, a 3D sound API for OpenGL. JOAL's area of strength is 3D positional audio and offers little support for audio mixing or synthesis; consequently, it doesn't "compete" with Java Sound. A combination of JOAL and Java Sound may replace the buggy audio elements of Java 3D in its next major release (the latter half of 2005).