diff --git a/dec_audio.c b/dec_audio.c
index 6dc8033fab..ad5457a85d 100644
--- a/dec_audio.c
+++ b/dec_audio.c
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
+#include <sys/soundcard.h>
+
 #include "config.h"
 
 extern int verbose; // defined in mplayer.c
@@ -46,39 +48,45 @@ int init_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio){
 int driver=sh_audio->codec->driver;
 
 extern int init_acm_audio_codec(sh_audio_t *sh_audio);
-extern int acm_decode_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio, void* a_buffer,int len);
+//extern int acm_decode_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio, void* a_buffer,int len);
+extern int acm_decode_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio, void* a_buffer,int minlen,int maxlen);
 
 sh_audio->samplesize=2;
+sh_audio->sample_format=AFMT_S16_LE;
 sh_audio->samplerate=0;
 //sh_audio->pcm_bswap=0;
 
-sh_audio->a_buffer_size=2*MAX_OUTBURST;  // default size, maybe not enough for Win32/ACM
+sh_audio->a_buffer_size=0;
 sh_audio->a_buffer=NULL;
 
 sh_audio->a_in_buffer_len=0;
 
-if(driver==4){
+// setup required min. in/out buffer size:
+sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=8192;// default size, maybe not enough for Win32/ACM
+
+switch(driver){
+case 4:
   // Win32 ACM audio codec:
   if(init_acm_audio_codec(sh_audio)){
     sh_audio->i_bps=sh_audio->wf->nAvgBytesPerSec;
     sh_audio->channels=sh_audio->o_wf.nChannels;
     sh_audio->samplerate=sh_audio->o_wf.nSamplesPerSec;
-    if(sh_audio->a_buffer_size<sh_audio->audio_out_minsize+MAX_OUTBURST)
-        sh_audio->a_buffer_size=sh_audio->audio_out_minsize+MAX_OUTBURST;
+//    if(sh_audio->audio_out_minsize>16384) sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=16384;
+//    sh_audio->a_buffer_size=sh_audio->audio_out_minsize;
+//    if(sh_audio->a_buffer_size<sh_audio->audio_out_minsize+MAX_OUTBURST)
+//        sh_audio->a_buffer_size=sh_audio->audio_out_minsize+MAX_OUTBURST;
   } else {
     printf("Could not load/initialize Win32/ACM AUDIO codec (missing DLL file?)\n");
     driver=0;
   }
-}
-
-if(driver==7){
+  break;
+case 7:
 #ifndef USE_DIRECTSHOW
   printf("Compiled without DirectShow support -> force nosound :(\n");
   driver=0;
 #else
   // Win32 DShow audio codec:
 //  printf("DShow_audio: channs=%d  rate=%d\n",sh_audio->channels,sh_audio->samplerate);
-
   if(DS_AudioDecoder_Open(sh_audio->codec->dll,&sh_audio->codec->guid,sh_audio->wf)){
     printf("ERROR: Could not load/initialize Win32/DirctShow AUDIO codec: %s\n",sh_audio->codec->dll);
     driver=0;
@@ -91,20 +99,49 @@ if(driver==7){
     sh_audio->a_in_buffer_size=sh_audio->audio_in_minsize;
     sh_audio->a_in_buffer=malloc(sh_audio->a_in_buffer_size);
     sh_audio->a_in_buffer_len=0;
+    sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=16384;
   }
 #endif
+  break;
+case 2:
+case 8:
+case 5:
+  // PCM, aLaw
+  sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=2048;
+  break;
+case 3:
+  // Dolby AC3 audio:
+  sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=4*256*6;
+  break;
+case 6:
+  // MS-GSM audio codec:
+  sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=4*320;
+  break;
+case 1:
+  // MPEG Audio:
+  sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=4608;
+  break;
 }
 
 if(!driver) return 0;
 
 // allocate audio out buffer:
+sh_audio->a_buffer_size=sh_audio->audio_out_minsize+MAX_OUTBURST; // worst case calc.
+
+printf("dec_audio: Allocating %d + %d = %d bytes for output buffer\n",
+    sh_audio->audio_out_minsize,MAX_OUTBURST,sh_audio->a_buffer_size);
+
 sh_audio->a_buffer=malloc(sh_audio->a_buffer_size);
+if(!sh_audio->a_buffer){
+    printf("Cannot allocate audio out buffer\n");
+    return 0;
+}
 memset(sh_audio->a_buffer,0,sh_audio->a_buffer_size);
 sh_audio->a_buffer_len=0;
 
 switch(driver){
 case 4: {
-    int ret=acm_decode_audio(sh_audio,sh_audio->a_buffer,sh_audio->a_buffer_size);
+    int ret=acm_decode_audio(sh_audio,sh_audio->a_buffer,4096,sh_audio->a_buffer_size);
     if(ret<0){
         printf("ACM decoding error: %d\n",ret);
         driver=0;
@@ -119,6 +156,14 @@ case 2: {
     sh_audio->channels=h->nChannels;
     sh_audio->samplerate=h->nSamplesPerSec;
     sh_audio->samplesize=(h->wBitsPerSample+7)/8;
+    switch(sh_audio->format){ // hardware formats:
+    case 0x6:  sh_audio->sample_format=AFMT_A_LAW;break;
+    case 0x7:  sh_audio->sample_format=AFMT_MU_LAW;break;
+    case 0x11: sh_audio->sample_format=AFMT_IMA_ADPCM;break;
+    case 0x50: sh_audio->sample_format=AFMT_MPEG;break;
+//    case 0x2000: sh_audio->sample_format=AFMT_AC3;
+    default: sh_audio->sample_format=(sh_audio->samplesize==2)?AFMT_S16_LE:AFMT_U8;
+    }
     break;
 }
 case 8: {
@@ -157,7 +202,10 @@ case 3: {
 }
 case 5: {
   // aLaw audio codec:
-  Gen_aLaw_2_Signed(); // init table
+  if(sh_audio->format==6)
+    Gen_aLaw_2_Signed(); // init table
+  else
+    Gen_uLaw_2_Signed(); // init table
   sh_audio->channels=sh_audio->wf->nChannels;
   sh_audio->samplerate=sh_audio->wf->nSamplesPerSec;
   sh_audio->i_bps=sh_audio->channels*sh_audio->samplerate;
@@ -240,9 +288,12 @@ int decode_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio,unsigned char *buf,int minlen,int maxlen){
         unsigned short *d=(unsigned short *) buf;
         unsigned char *s=buf;
         len=2*l;
-        while(l>0){
-          --l;
-          d[l]=xa_alaw_2_sign[s[l]];
+        if(sh_audio->format==6){
+        // aLaw
+          while(l>0){ --l; d[l]=xa_alaw_2_sign[s[l]]; }
+        } else {
+        // uLaw
+          while(l>0){ --l; d[l]=xa_ulaw_2_sign[s[l]]; }
         }
         break;
       }
@@ -266,8 +317,11 @@ int decode_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio,unsigned char *buf,int minlen,int maxlen){
         //printf("{3:%d}",avi_header.idx_pos);fflush(stdout);
         break;
       case 4:
-        len=acm_decode_audio(sh_audio,buf,maxlen);
-//        len=acm_decode_audio(sh_audio,buf,minlen);
+//        len=sh_audio->audio_out_minsize; // optimal decoded fragment size
+//        if(len<minlen) len=minlen; else
+//        if(len>maxlen) len=maxlen;
+//        len=acm_decode_audio(sh_audio,buf,len);
+        len=acm_decode_audio(sh_audio,buf,minlen,maxlen);
         break;
 
 #ifdef USE_DIRECTSHOW
diff --git a/dll_init.c b/dll_init.c
index de36071786..4d07813afa 100644
--- a/dll_init.c
+++ b/dll_init.c
@@ -60,8 +60,16 @@ int init_acm_audio_codec(sh_audio_t *sh_audio){
     if(verbose) printf("Audio codec opened OK! ;-)\n");
 
     acmStreamSize(sh_audio->srcstream, in_fmt->nBlockAlign, &srcsize, ACM_STREAMSIZEF_SOURCE);
+    //if(verbose) printf("Audio ACM output buffer min. size: %ld (reported by codec)\n",srcsize);
     srcsize*=2;
-    if(srcsize<MAX_OUTBURST) srcsize=MAX_OUTBURST;
+    //if(srcsize<MAX_OUTBURST) srcsize=MAX_OUTBURST;
+    if(!srcsize){
+        printf("Warning! ACM codec reports srcsize=0\n");
+        srcsize=16384;
+    }
+    // limit srcsize to 4-16kb
+    //while(srcsize && srcsize<4096) srcsize*=2;
+    //while(srcsize>16384) srcsize/=2;
     sh_audio->audio_out_minsize=srcsize; // audio output min. size
     if(verbose) printf("Audio ACM output buffer min. size: %ld\n",srcsize);
 
@@ -78,12 +86,20 @@ int init_acm_audio_codec(sh_audio_t *sh_audio){
     return 1;
 }
 
-int acm_decode_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio, void* a_buffer,int len){
+int acm_decode_audio(sh_audio_t *sh_audio, void* a_buffer,int minlen,int maxlen){
         ACMSTREAMHEADER ash;
         HRESULT hr;
         DWORD srcsize=0;
+        DWORD len=minlen;
         acmStreamSize(sh_audio->srcstream,len , &srcsize, ACM_STREAMSIZEF_DESTINATION);
         if(verbose>=3)printf("acm says: srcsize=%ld  (buffsize=%d)  out_size=%d\n",srcsize,sh_audio->a_in_buffer_size,len);
+
+        if(srcsize<sh_audio->wf->nBlockAlign){
+           srcsize=sh_audio->wf->nBlockAlign;
+           acmStreamSize(sh_audio->srcstream, srcsize, &len, ACM_STREAMSIZEF_SOURCE);
+           if(len>maxlen) len=maxlen;
+        }
+
 //        if(srcsize==0) srcsize=((WAVEFORMATEX *)&sh_audio->o_wf_ext)->nBlockAlign;
         if(srcsize>sh_audio->a_in_buffer_size) srcsize=sh_audio->a_in_buffer_size; // !!!!!!
         if(sh_audio->a_in_buffer_len<srcsize){
diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index d224594af9..e5d6105935 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -1033,8 +1033,8 @@ if(has_audio){
     printf("Couldn't initialize audio codec! -> nosound\n");
     has_audio=0;
   } else {
-    printf("AUDIO: samplerate=%d  channels=%d  bps=%d  ratio: %d->%d\n",sh_audio->samplerate,sh_audio->channels,sh_audio->samplesize,
-        sh_audio->i_bps,sh_audio->o_bps);
+    printf("AUDIO: srate=%d  chans=%d  bps=%d  sfmt=0x%X  ratio: %d->%d\n",sh_audio->samplerate,sh_audio->channels,sh_audio->samplesize,
+        sh_audio->sample_format,sh_audio->i_bps,sh_audio->o_bps);
   }
 }
 
@@ -1369,8 +1369,13 @@ if(has_audio){
   int r;
   audio_buf_info zz;
 
-  r=(sh_audio->samplesize==2)?AFMT_S16_LE:AFMT_U8;ioctl (audio_fd, SNDCTL_DSP_SETFMT, &r);
+  r=sh_audio->sample_format;
+//  (sh_audio->samplesize==2)?AFMT_S16_LE:AFMT_U8;
+  ioctl (audio_fd, SNDCTL_DSP_SETFMT, &r);
+  printf("audio_setup: sample format: 0x%X  (requested: 0x%X)\n",r,sh_audio->sample_format);
+  
   r=sh_audio->channels-1; ioctl (audio_fd, SNDCTL_DSP_STEREO, &r);
+  
   r=sh_audio->samplerate; if(ioctl (audio_fd, SNDCTL_DSP_SPEED, &r)==-1){
       printf("audio_setup: your card doesn't support %d Hz samplerate => nosound\n",r);
       has_audio=0;
@@ -1417,6 +1422,12 @@ if(has_audio){
 #endif
   printf("Audio buffer size: %d bytes, delay: %5.3fs\n",audio_buffer_size,audio_buffer_delay);
 
+  // fixup audio buffer size:
+  if(outburst<MAX_OUTBURST){
+    sh_audio->a_buffer_size=sh_audio->audio_out_minsize+outburst;
+    printf("Audio out buffer size reduced to %d bytes\n",sh_audio->a_buffer_size);
+  }
+
 //  a_frame=-(audio_buffer_delay);
   a_frame=0;
 //  RESET_AUDIO(audio_fd);
@@ -1761,14 +1772,14 @@ switch(sh_video->codec->driver){
 
     if(has_audio){
           int delay=get_audio_delay(audio_fd);
-          if(verbose)printf("delay=%d\n",delay);
+          if(verbose>1)printf("delay=%d\n",delay);
           time_frame=v_frame;
           time_frame-=a_frame-(float)delay/(float)sh_audio->o_bps;
     } else {
           if(time_frame<-0.1 || time_frame>0.1) time_frame=0;
     }
     
-      if(verbose)printf("sleep: %5.3f  a:%6.3f  v:%6.3f  \n",stime,a_frame,v_frame);
+      if(verbose>1)printf("sleep: %5.3f  a:%6.3f  v:%6.3f  \n",time_frame,a_frame,v_frame);
       
       while(time_frame>0.005){
           if(time_frame<=0.020)
diff --git a/stheader.h b/stheader.h
index 9fc291f928..5d295c6f86 100644
--- a/stheader.h
+++ b/stheader.h
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ typedef struct {
   char* a_buffer;
   int a_buffer_len;
   int a_buffer_size;
+  int sample_format;
   // win32 codec stuff:
   AVIStreamHeader audio;
   WAVEFORMATEX *wf;