Cross-platform, cross-browser way to play sound from Javascript?

Question

I am writing a dhtml application that creates an interactive simulation of a system. The data for the simulation is generated from another tool, and there is already a very large amount of legacy data.

Some steps in the simulation require that we play "voice-over" clips of audio. I've been unable to find an easy way to accomplish this across multiple browsers.

Soundmanager2 comes pretty close to what I need, but it will only play mp3 files, and the legacy data may contain some .wav files as well.

Does anyone have any other libraries that might help?

dacracot_13930 · Answer

You will have to include a plug-in like Real Audio or QuickTime to handle the .wav file, but this should work...

//======================================================================
var soundEmbed = null;
//======================================================================
function soundPlay(which)
    {
    if (!soundEmbed)
        {
        soundEmbed = document.createElement("embed");
        soundEmbed.setAttribute("src", "/snd/"+which+".wav");
        soundEmbed.setAttribute("hidden", true);
        soundEmbed.setAttribute("autostart", true);
        }
    else
        {
        document.body.removeChild(soundEmbed);
        soundEmbed.removed = true;
        soundEmbed = null;
        soundEmbed = document.createElement("embed");
        soundEmbed.setAttribute("src", "/snd/"+which+".wav");
        soundEmbed.setAttribute("hidden", true);
        soundEmbed.setAttribute("autostart", true);
        }
    soundEmbed.removed = false;
    document.body.appendChild(soundEmbed);
    }
//======================================================================

ceejayoz_1902010 · Answer

If you're using Prototype, the Scriptaculous library has a sound API. jQuery appears to have a plugin, too.

user_235405 · Answer

dacracots code is clean basic dom, but perhaps written without a second thought? Of course you check the existance of an earlier embed first, and save the duplicate embed creation lines.

var soundEmbed = null;
//=====================================================================

function soundPlay(which)
{
    if (soundEmbed)
       document.body.removeChild(soundEmbed);
    soundEmbed = document.createElement("embed");
    soundEmbed.setAttribute("src", "/snd/"+which+".wav");
    soundEmbed.setAttribute("hidden", true);
    soundEmbed.setAttribute("autostart", true);
    document.body.appendChild(soundEmbed);
}

Came across the thoughts here while scanning for a solution for somewhat similar situation. Unfortunately my browser Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; en-US; rv:1.9.0.15) Gecko/2009102814 Ubuntu/8.04 (hardy) Firefox/3.0.15 dies when trying this.

After installing latest updates, firefox still crashes, opera keeps alive.

Ilya_Kochetov_15329 · Answer

I believe that the simplest and most convenient way would be to play the sound using a small Flash clip. I appreciate it's not a JavaScript solution but it IS the easiest way to achieve your goal

Some extra links from the previous similar question:

Scriptaculous, a Javascript library: http://github.com/madrobby/scriptaculous/wikis/sound
an opensource Flash project: Easy Musicplayer For Flash http://emff.sourceforge.net/

cheeaun_20838 · Answer

If you are using Mootools, there is the MooSound plugin.

user_3214497 · Answer

For a cross browser solution with wav files I would suggest to make an tag default and then go for the solution that @dacracot suggested before here if the user is in IE, you can check it easily with a little search here in SO.

Cross-platform, cross-browser way to play sound from Javascript?

10 Answers