diff --git a/src/snd_alsa.c b/src/snd_alsa.c
index 3a394e1..5c569f8 100644
--- a/src/snd_alsa.c
+++ b/src/snd_alsa.c
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 /*
- * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
- * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
- * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
- * (at your option) any later version.
- *
- * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
- * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
- * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
- * GNU General Public License for more details.
- *
- * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
- * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
- * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
- */
+* This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+* it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+* the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+*(at your option) any later version.
+*
+* This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+* but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+* MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+* GNU General Public License for more details.
+*
+* You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+* along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+* Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+*/
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
 #include "config.h"
@@ -25,166 +25,227 @@
 #include "client.h"
 #include "snd_loc.h"
 
-static int snd_inited;
+static snd_pcm_t *pcm_handle;
+static snd_pcm_hw_params_t *hw_params;
 
-static snd_pcm_t * pcm_handle;
-static snd_pcm_hw_params_t * hw_params;
+static snd_pcm_uframes_t period_size;
+static snd_pcm_uframes_t buffer_size;
 
-#define BUFFER_SIZE 4096
+static int periods;
 
-int tryrates[] = { 44100, 22051, 11025, 8000 };
+static int period_bytes;
+static int buffer_bytes;
 
-/* sound info */
 static struct sndinfo * si;
 
-qboolean SNDDMA_Init(struct sndinfo * s) {
-    int i;
-    int err;
+/*
+*  The sample rates which will be attempted.
+*/
+static int RATES[] = {
+	44100, 22050, 11025, 8000
+};
 
-    if (snd_inited)
-	return 1;
-
-    snd_inited = 0;
-
-    si = s;
-
-    si->dma->samples = 1024;
-
-    if ((err = snd_pcm_open(&pcm_handle, si->device->string, 
-			    SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, 0)) < 0) {
-	si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, cannot open device %s (%s)\n", 
-		   si->device->string,
-		   snd_strerror(err));
-	return 0;
-    }
-  
-    if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc(&hw_params)) < 0) {
-	si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, cannot allocate hw params (%s)\n",
-		   snd_strerror(err));
-	return 0;
-    }
-  
-    if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_any(pcm_handle, hw_params)) < 0) {
-	si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, cannot init hw params (%s)\n",
-		   snd_strerror(err));
-	snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
-	return 0;
-    }
-  
-    if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access(pcm_handle, hw_params, 
-					    SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED)) < 0) {
-	si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, cannot set access (%s)\n",
-		   snd_strerror(err));
-	snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
-	return 0;
-    }
-  
-    si->dma->samplebits = si->bits->value;
-    if (si->dma->samplebits == 16 || si->dma->samplebits != 8) {
-	if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format(pcm_handle, hw_params,
-						SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16_LE)) < 0) {
-	    si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, 16 bit sound not supported, trying 8\n");
-	    si->dma->samplebits = 8;
+/*
+*  Initialize ALSA pcm device, and bind it to sndinfo.
+*/
+qboolean SNDDMA_Init(struct sndinfo *s){
+	int i, r, err, dir;
+	
+	si = s;
+	
+	if(!strcmp(si->device->string, "/dev/dsp"))  //silly oss default
+		si->device->string = "default";
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_open(&pcm_handle, si->device->string,
+			SND_PCM_STREAM_PLAYBACK, SND_PCM_NONBLOCK)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot open device %s(%s)\n",
+			si->device->string, snd_strerror(err));
+		return false;
 	}
-    }
-    if (si->dma->samplebits == 8) {
-	if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format(pcm_handle, hw_params,
-						SND_PCM_FORMAT_U8)) < 0) {
-	    si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, cannot set sample format (%s)\n",
-		       snd_strerror(err));
-	    snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
-	    return 0;
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_malloc(&hw_params)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot allocate hw params(%s)\n",
+			snd_strerror(err));
+		return false;
 	}
-    }
-
-    si->dma->speed = (int)si->speed->value;
-    if (!si->dma->speed) {
-	for (i = 0; i < sizeof(tryrates); i++) {
-	    int dir = 0;
-	    int test = tryrates[i];
-
-	    if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near(pcm_handle, hw_params,
-						       &test, &dir)) < 0) {
-		si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, cannot set sample rate %d (%s)\n",
-			       tryrates[i], snd_strerror(err));
-	    } else {
-		si->dma->speed = test;
-		if (dir != 0) {
-		    si->Com_Printf("alsa: The rate %d Hz is not supported by your hardware, using %d Hz instead.\n", test, err);
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_any(pcm_handle, hw_params)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot init hw params(%s)\n", snd_strerror(err));
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_access(pcm_handle, hw_params,
+			SND_PCM_ACCESS_RW_INTERLEAVED)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot set access(%s)\n", snd_strerror(err));
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	si->dma->samplebits = si->bits->value;
+	if(si->dma->samplebits != 8){  //try 16 by default
+		
+		si->dma->samplebits = 16;  //ensure this is set for other calculations
+		
+		if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format(pcm_handle, hw_params,
+				SND_PCM_FORMAT_S16)) < 0){
+			si->Com_Printf("ALSA: 16 bit not supported, trying 8\n");
+			si->dma->samplebits = 8;
 		}
-		break;
-	    }
 	}
-    }
-    if (!si->dma->speed) {
-	si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error couldn't set rate.\n");
-	snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
-	return 0;
-    }
+	if(si->dma->samplebits == 8){  //or 8 if specifically asked to
+		if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_format(pcm_handle, hw_params,
+				SND_PCM_FORMAT_U8)) < 0){
+			si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot set format(%s)\n", snd_strerror(err));
+			snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+			return false;
+		}
+	}
+	
+	si->dma->speed =(int)si->speed->value;
+	if(si->dma->speed){  //try specified rate
+		
+		r = si->dma->speed;
+		
+		if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near(pcm_handle, hw_params, &r, &dir)) < 0)
+			si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot set rate %d(%s)\n", r, snd_strerror(err));
+		else {  //rate succeeded, but is perhaps slightly different
+			if(dir != 0) si->Com_Printf("ALSA: rate %d not supported, using %d\n", si->dma->speed, r);
+			si->dma->speed = r;
+		}
+	}
+	if(!si->dma->speed){  //or all available ones
+		
+		for(i = 0; i < sizeof(RATES); i++){
+			
+			r = RATES[i];
+			dir = 0;
+			
+			if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_rate_near(pcm_handle, hw_params, &r, &dir)) < 0)
+				si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot set rate %d(%s)\n", r, snd_strerror(err));
+			else {  //rate succeeded, but is perhaps slightly different
+				si->dma->speed = r;
+				if(dir != 0) si->Com_Printf("ALSA: rate %d not supported, using %d\n", RATES[i], r);
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if(!si->dma->speed){  //failed
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot set rate\n");
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	si->dma->channels = (int)si->channels->value;
+	
+	if(si->dma->channels < 1 || si->dma->channels > 2)
+		si->dma->channels = 2;  //ensure either stereo or mono
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels(pcm_handle, hw_params, 
+			si->dma->channels)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot set channels %d(%s)\n",
+			si->dma->channels, snd_strerror(err));
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params(pcm_handle, hw_params)) < 0){  //set params
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot set params(%s)\n", snd_strerror(err));
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_get_period_size(hw_params, &period_size, 0)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot get period size(%s)\n", snd_strerror(err));
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
 
-    si->dma->channels = (int)si->channels->value;
-    if (si->dma->channels < 1 || si->dma->channels > 2)
-	si->dma->channels = 2;
-    if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_set_channels(pcm_handle, hw_params, si->dma->channels)) < 0) {
-	si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error couldn't set channels %d (%s).\n",
-		   si->dma->channels, snd_strerror(err));
-	snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
-	return 0;
-    }
-
-    if ((err = snd_pcm_hw_params(pcm_handle, hw_params)) < 0) {
-	si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error couldn't set params (%s).\n",snd_strerror(err));
-	snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
-	return 0;
-    }
-  
-    si->dma->buffer = malloc(BUFFER_SIZE);
-    memset(si->dma->buffer, 0, BUFFER_SIZE);
-
-    si->dma->samplepos = 0;
-    si->dma->samples = BUFFER_SIZE / (si->dma->samplebits / 8);
-    si->dma->submission_chunk = 1;
-
-    si->Com_Printf("alsa: buffer size is %d, %d samples\n", BUFFER_SIZE, si->dma->samples);
-
-    snd_inited = 1;
-    return 1;
-}
-
-int SNDDMA_GetDMAPos(void) {
-    if (snd_inited)
-	return si->dma->samplepos;
-    else
-	si->Com_Printf("Sound not inizialized\n");
-    return 0;
-}
-
-void SNDDMA_Shutdown(void) {
-    if (snd_inited) {
-	snd_pcm_drop(pcm_handle);
-	snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
-	snd_inited = 0;
-    }
-    free(si->dma->buffer);
-    si->dma->buffer = NULL;
-}
-
-/* SNDDMA_Submit
- * Send sound to device if buffer isn't really the dma buffer
- */
-void SNDDMA_Submit(void) {
-    int written;
-  
-    if(!snd_inited)
-	return;
-  
-    if ((written = snd_pcm_writei(pcm_handle, si->dma->buffer, si->dma->samples * (si->dma->samplebits / 8))) < 0) {
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_get_buffer_size(hw_params, &buffer_size)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA snd error, cannot get buffer size(%s)\n", snd_strerror(err));
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	if((err = snd_pcm_hw_params_get_periods(hw_params, &periods, 0)) < 0){
+		si->Com_Printf("ALSA: cannot get periods(%s)\n", snd_strerror(err));
+		snd_pcm_hw_params_free(hw_params);
+		return false;
+	}
+	
+	period_bytes = period_size * si->dma->channels * si->dma->samplebits / 8;
+	buffer_bytes = buffer_size * si->dma->channels * si->dma->samplebits / 8;
+	
+	si->dma->buffer = malloc(buffer_bytes);  //allocate pcm frame buffer
+	memset(si->dma->buffer, 0, buffer_bytes);
+	
+	si->dma->samplepos = 0;
+	
+	si->dma->samples = buffer_size * si->dma->channels;
+	si->dma->submission_chunk = period_size * si->dma->channels;
+	
+	si->Com_Printf("period size is %d (%d bytes)\n"
+		"buffer size is %d (%d bytes)\n%d periods\n", (int)period_size, 
+		period_bytes, (int)buffer_size, buffer_bytes, periods
+	);
+	
 	snd_pcm_prepare(pcm_handle);
-	si->Com_Printf("alsa: buffer underrun\n");
-    }
-    si->dma->samplepos += written / (si->dma->samplebits / 8);
+	
+	return true;
 }
 
-
-void SNDDMA_BeginPainting(void) {    
+/*
+*  Returns the current sample position, if sound is running.
+*/
+int SNDDMA_GetDMAPos(void){
+	
+	if(si->dma->buffer)
+		return si->dma->samplepos;
+	
+	si->Com_Printf("Sound not inizialized\n");
+	return 0;
 }
+
+/*
+*  Closes the ALSA pcm device and frees the dma buffer.
+*/
+void SNDDMA_Shutdown(void){
+	
+	if(si->dma->buffer){
+		snd_pcm_drop(pcm_handle);
+		snd_pcm_close(pcm_handle);
+	}
+	
+	free(si->dma->buffer);
+	si->dma->buffer = NULL;
+}
+
+/*
+*  Writes the dma buffer to the ALSA pcm device.
+*/
+void SNDDMA_Submit(void){
+	int w;
+	void *start;
+	
+	if(!si->dma->buffer)
+		return;
+	
+	start = (void *)&si->dma->buffer[si->dma->samplepos];
+	
+	if((w = snd_pcm_writei(pcm_handle, start, period_size)) < 0){  //xrun
+		//si->Com_Printf("ALSA: buffer underrun(%s)\n", snd_strerror(w));
+		snd_pcm_prepare(pcm_handle);
+	}
+	else {  //mark progress
+		//si->Com_Printf("wrote %d frames\n", w);
+		si->dma->samplepos += w * si->dma->channels;
+		
+		if(si->dma->samplepos >= si->dma->samples)
+			si->dma->samplepos = 0;  //wrap
+	}
+}
+
+/*
+*  No clue :)
+*/
+void SNDDMA_BeginPainting(void){}