Index: libao2/ao_alsa.c
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/mplayer/main/libao2/ao_alsa.c,v
retrieving revision 1.2
diff -u -r1.2 ao_alsa.c
--- libao2/ao_alsa.c	11 Jun 2004 15:20:49 -0000	1.2
+++ libao2/ao_alsa.c	26 Jun 2004 22:26:26 -0000
@@ -100,27 +100,15 @@
       snd_mixer_elem_t *elem;
       snd_mixer_selem_id_t *sid;
 
-      static char *mix_name = NULL;
-      static char *card = NULL;
+      static char *mix_name = "PCM";
+      static char *card = "default";
 
       long pmin, pmax;
       long get_vol, set_vol;
       float calc_vol, diff, f_multi;
 
-      if(mix_name == NULL){
-        if(mixer_device) {
-          card = strdup(mixer_device);
-          mix_name = strchr(card, '/');
-          if(mix_name) {
-            *mix_name++ = 0;
-          } else {
-            mix_name = "PCM";
-          }
-        } else {
-          mix_name = "PCM";
-          card = "default";
-        }
-      }
+      if(mixer_channel) mix_name = mixer_channel;
+      if(mixer_device) card = mixer_device;
 
       if(ao_data.format == AFMT_AC3)
 	return CONTROL_TRUE;
Index: libao2/ao_alsa1x.c
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/mplayer/main/libao2/ao_alsa1x.c,v
retrieving revision 1.44
diff -u -r1.44 ao_alsa1x.c
--- libao2/ao_alsa1x.c	6 Apr 2004 17:55:36 -0000	1.44
+++ libao2/ao_alsa1x.c	26 Jun 2004 22:26:30 -0000
@@ -101,27 +101,15 @@
       snd_mixer_elem_t *elem;
       snd_mixer_selem_id_t *sid;
 
-      static char *mix_name = NULL;
-      static char *card = NULL;
+      static char *mix_name = "PCM";
+      static char *card = "default";
 
       long pmin, pmax;
       long get_vol, set_vol;
       float calc_vol, diff, f_multi;
 
-      if(mix_name == NULL){
-        if(mixer_device) {
-          card = strdup(mixer_device);
-          mix_name = strchr(card, '/');
-          if(mix_name) {
-            *mix_name++ = 0;
-          } else {
-            mix_name = "PCM";
-          }
-        } else {
-          mix_name = "PCM";
-          card = "default";
-        }
-      }
+      if(mixer_channel) mix_name = mixer_channel;
+      if(mixer_device) card = mixer_device;
 
       if(ao_data.format == AFMT_AC3)
 	return CONTROL_TRUE;
Index: libao2/ao_alsa9.c
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/mplayer/main/libao2/ao_alsa9.c,v
retrieving revision 1.46
diff -u -r1.46 ao_alsa9.c
--- libao2/ao_alsa9.c	6 Apr 2004 17:55:36 -0000	1.46
+++ libao2/ao_alsa9.c	26 Jun 2004 22:26:34 -0000
@@ -91,27 +91,15 @@
       snd_mixer_elem_t *elem;
       snd_mixer_selem_id_t *sid;
 
-      static char *mix_name = NULL;
-      static char *card = NULL;
+      static char *mix_name = "PCM";
+      static char *card = "default";
 
       long pmin, pmax;
       long get_vol, set_vol;
       float calc_vol, diff, f_multi;
 
-      if(mix_name == NULL){
-        if(mixer_device) {
-          card = strdup(mixer_device);
-          mix_name = strchr(card, '/');
-          if(mix_name) {
-            *mix_name++ = 0;
-          } else {
-            mix_name = "PCM";
-          }
-        } else {
-          mix_name = "PCM";
-          card = "default";
-        }
-      }
+      if(mixer_channel) mix_name = mixer_channel;
+      if(mixer_device) card = mixer_device;
 
       if(ao_data.format == AFMT_AC3)
 	return CONTROL_TRUE;
Index: DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/mplayer/main/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1,v
retrieving revision 1.609
diff -u -r1.609 mplayer.1
--- DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1	26 Jun 2004 16:21:22 -0000	1.609
+++ DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1	26 Jun 2004 22:26:58 -0000
@@ -1533,14 +1533,17 @@
 .B \-mixer <device>
 This option will tell MPlayer to use a different device for mixing than
 /dev/\:mixer.
+For ALSA this is the mixer name.
 .TP
-.B \-mixer-channel <mixer line> (\-ao oss only)
+.B \-mixer-channel <mixer line> (\-ao oss and \-ao alsa only)
 This option will tell MPlayer to use a different channel for controlling
 volume than the default PCM.
-Options include
+Options for OSS include
 .B vol, pcm, line.
 For a complete list of options look for SOUND_DEVICE_NAMES in
 /usr/include/linux/soundcard.h.
+For ALSA you can use the names e.g. alsamixer displays, like 
+.B Master, Line, PCM.
 .TP
 .B \-nowaveheader (\-ao pcm only)
 Don't include wave header.