---
title: Introduction to Audio Developer Note
framework: hardware
role: article
path: apple-archive/documentation/Hardware/Conceptual/HWTech_Audio/Introduction
---

# Introduction to Audio Developer Note

Describes the analog and digital audio capabilities of Mac computers.

## Organization of This Document

This document is organized into the following articles:

- [Audio Concepts](../Articles/Audio_concepts.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003979-SW1_1200331167) describes Apple's implementation of audio input and output and defines the key concepts you need to ensure that your audio device is compatible with Macintosh computers. - [Audio Product-Specific Details](../Articles/Audio_implementation.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003978-SW1_1200331167) provides details specific to particular Macintosh computers.

## See Also

For specific information about a particular Macintosh computer, see the product Developer Note for that computer in [Guides > Hardware & Drivers > Apple Hardware](../../../../../navigation/redirect.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP30000440-TP40003576-TP30000519) .

For a list of the standard units of measure and abbreviations used in this developer note, refer to *[Hardware Developer Note Terms and Abbreviations](../../../../HardwareDrivers/Conceptual/HWTech_abbrev/Introduction/abbrev_intro.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40003503)*.

Apple offers the following additional resources for audio:

- *[Getting Started with Audio & Video](../../../../../referencelibrary/GettingStarted/GS_MusicAudio/_index.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP30001095)* introduces audio-related resources for Macintosh developers. - *[Audio Device Driver Programming Guide](../../../../DeviceDrivers/Conceptual/WritingAudioDrivers/About/About.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP30000729)* describes the requirements for Mac OS X audio device drivers. - *[Apple Core Audio Format Specification 1.0](../../../../MusicAudio/Reference/CAFSpec/CAF_intro/CAF_intro.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40001862)* provides a detailed description of the format for Core Audio, Apple's audio architecture. - The [Core Audio developer mail list](http://lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/) provides a forum for those developing audio products compatible with Macintosh computers and Mac OS X.

[Next](../Articles/Audio_concepts.html)

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