# GStreamer Properties Manual V2.4

## Introduction

The GStreamer Properties application enables you to configure parameters related to the hardware and multimedia systems on your system. Only advanced users should normally need this as your OS vendor should be shipping the system with the correct defaults.

## Getting Started

You can start GStreamer Properties in the following ways:

Applications menu

- Choose Preferences GStreamer Properties.

Command line

- Type `gstreamer-properties`, then press Return.

When you start GStreamer Properties, the following window is displayed.

### GStreamer Properties Window

Shows the GStreamer Properties main window. Contains menubar, toolbar, and drop-down menus for the input and output audio options.

## Usage

The GStreamer Properties capplet offers four drop-down menus spread over two tabs. There are two drop-down menus for audio and two for video. These choices set the default for most GNOME applications for sound and video input and output.

### Understanding the menu options

Looking at the screen for setting audio options you notice that the two sections says are called Default Sink and Default Source. These are terms used in the GStreamer framework that GNOME uses to describe where data is sent and where it comes from. The default sink is, in other words, where GNOME applications should output their sound, while the default source is where the sound comes from.

The reason you might want to alter these settings is because under Unix there are many different audio systems and sound servers, to which you might want to output. For instance, on Linux popular alternatives are: the OSS sound system, the ALSA sound system, the ESD sound server and the ARTSd sound server.

For instance, if you wish that your GNOME applications output their sound to the ESD sound server you set the Default Sink to use ESD. If you wish that your GNOME applications which have sound recording capabilities use the OSS sound system, choose OSS as the Default Source.

As mentioned elsewhere in this user guide, these settings are meant as a tool for advanced users who have specialised needs. As an ordinary user you should not need to set these, as the vendor of your distribution of Linux or Unix should have set them for you with sensible defaults.