When playing audio on low end SPARC systems, the audio output can get into a
state where only parts of the audio stream are played on output. A 3 minute
audio sample plays in 45 seconds. Once the error occurs, it is necessary to
close and re-open the audio output device.

The Solaris native code opens the audio device in non-blocking mode then
ignores the return code from write. With a non-blocking write the return
code may indicate less than the full buffer was written or that none of
the buffer was written (EAGAIN). See truss output below. Short writes and
EAGAIN indicate the driver encountered a momentary shortage of kernel buffers.

Once such an error occurs, AUDIO_GETINFO ioctl returns with play.error=1
and the timing loop following write breaks early. Even with successful
writes, play.error does not appear to be cleared so the timing loop will
not function properly.

open("/dev/audio", O_WRONLY|O_NONBLOCK) = 17
write(17, "0480F8 i06C1FBCE07BBFD M".., 8192) = 8192
write(17, " -01 GC3 %\t , LF59EFFF5".., 8192) = 8192
write(17, "\r041BE1\t p15 z05F8180F".., 8192) = 8180
write(17, "F8CBF897F6E6F385FCD001 (".., 8192) = 8180
write(17, "D1A7D51BD2 ;D39ED5 .D8A7".., 8192) Err#11 EAGAIN
write(17, "050EF3D304B6F105F3C8E3 Z".., 8192) Err#11 EAGAIN
write(17, "FA NF0A5FC03F3 }FB aF2 f".., 8192) = 8180
write(17, "\tF81E ?\tBF1ACD\n r16B0".., 8192) = 8180
write(17, "07DEF80405DBF7CE06 HFDED".., 8192) Err#11 EAGAIN
write(17, "EBA0C919ED\nCBEDEC -C9 ;".., 8192) = 8180
write(17, "E68DE41AE9 wE805E8 }E8D6".., 8192) Err#11 EAGAIN
write(17, "0F o ! 21E01 ) k %AD /F3".., 8192) Err#11 EAGAIN
write(17, "F9D1EB9DF4EEE3 yF3D3E103".., 8192) = 8180
write(17, "D912CAEED8 `CCAACE ^CA 3".., 8192) Err#11 EAGAIN
write(17, "D8CAD0FCDBF6D5FAE3 QDDFA".., 8192) Err#11 EAGAIN

Note play.error following successful write:

write(17, "EE qE98EEFB7EACDEE 7E7AA".., 8192) = 8192
ioctl(17, AUDIO_GETINFO, 0xFCD20FB4) = 0
        play sample_rate=22050 channels=2 precision=16
        play encoding=LINEAR
        play gain=24 buffer_size=8180
        play port=SPEAKER|HEADPHONE
        play avail_ports=SPEAKER|HEADPHONE|LINE_OUT
        play samples=2521796 eof=0 pause=0 error=1
        play waiting=0 balance=32 minordev=32
        play open=1 active=1
        record sample_rate=22050 channels=2 precision=16
        record encoding=LINEAR
        record gain=127 buffer_size=8180
        record port=MICROPHONE
        record avail_ports=MICROPHONE|LINE_IN|CD
        record samples=0 eof=0 pause=0 error=0
        record waiting=0 balance=32 minordev=64
        record open=0 active=0
        monitor_gain=0 output_muted=0