[Novalug] linux sound structure, Fedora specifically

[Walt Smith]

hi,

last time I looked at sound architecture, ( mostly
for curiosity ) was alsa.  I think alsa had it's own
drivers, meaning kernel level.

Fedora-10 has pulse-audio.  Apparently it coexists
with alsa ( or is supposed to ).  This curiosity came up
when I couldn't get gnome-sound recorder to record 
using a microphone ( still doesn't) .  I didn't try the line input.
until then, xine worked OK with movies.  Totem is installed
but no propriet plugins I'm aware of.

Looking for right combo of selections !!
System -> properties -> hardware -> Sound Preferences ->
SoundCapture:  Lots of alsa/OSS/pulseaudio options.  none obviously work.
selections include references to hardware such as AD1985 and Intel 
ICH5 chip

Similar ( not same ) mess of selections for:
Default -> Mixer Tracks -> Device

Anyway, the more BAD symptoms in Gnome-Sound-Recorder:
1.  clock runs very fast and no recording ( i.e. it shows
1 minute after about 3 seconds, 2 minutes after 4 seconds

2.  it hangs.. Force Quit.

recommendations on settings ?
 


anyway, I'm now curious how it plays out.

If pulseaudio is a system, does it have it's own kernel
level drivers? 

does pulse audio access the low driver thru something like 
/dev/sound, or whatever is used these days ?

What are some sound systems that sit "ontop" of pulse audio?
architecturally speaking, would a mixer sit on top?
Would gnome-sound-recorder qualify ?

do apps access pulse audio directly?  thru /dev/sound ( whatever)
or some other mixer app or some access driver/app ?
user driver ?  For example, multiple use devices or
cross access?  to be more explicit ( as one example) , 
line -in to usb out simultaneously with  CD in to speaker out.

is there some architectural chart somewhere for a Fedora 
specific sound system ?  How about a decent readable web page ?

thanks,

Walt......