Since Dapper, esd releases the audio device after 1 idle second. (If you've changed this, you're on your own.)
Inserting a newer version of realplay with alsa support into dapper- commercial (not realplayer, which is this package, in multiverse!) would resolve this issue once and for all. ** Changed in: realplayer (Ubuntu) Importance: Medium => Low Status: Confirmed => Rejected -- realplayer not working when esd is enabled https://launchpad.net/bugs/1703 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs