OpenAL is a cross-platform 3D audio API appropriate for use with gaming applications and many other types of audio applications. The 1.0 specification has been complete for quite a while now, and the Linux, MacOS (8/9 and OS X), and Windows (all 32-bit versions) versions are fairly mature. There are quite a few applications using OpenAL at this time.

The soundcards of Creative come with native OpenAL hardware acceleration. Other soundcards use DirectSound(3D) indirectly via OpenAL. Also on most computers OpenAL should work. On the Creative site you will find a 'end user' redistibution installer for that.

But why should you want to use OpenAL instead of other solutions:

• Ease of use
• Cross Platform (Windows,Linux,MacOS)
• Simmilar to the OpenGL platform
• More freedom then FMOD and the likes

In short, if you use OpenGL for graphics you should Also use OpenAL if you have a need for sound in your application.

What do i need to get started:

• The documentation from Creative
• The 'end user' distribution
• The delphi unit files.

Optionaly you can also download the SDK for examples in c. Take care with installing the SDK as it seemed to break OpenAL on my pc. Re-installing the sblive driver fixed it again.