diff --git a/gst/law/alaw-decode.c b/gst/law/alaw-decode.c
index ee5367a563..ed42b3d0e2 100644
--- a/gst/law/alaw-decode.c
+++ b/gst/law/alaw-decode.c
@@ -36,9 +36,12 @@ GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (alaw_dec_debug);
 
 static GstStateChangeReturn
 gst_alaw_dec_change_state (GstElement * element, GstStateChange transition);
+
+static gboolean gst_alaw_dec_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event);
 static GstFlowReturn gst_alaw_dec_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer);
 
-GST_BOILERPLATE (GstALawDec, gst_alaw_dec, GstElement, GST_TYPE_ELEMENT);
+#define gst_alaw_dec_parent_class parent_class
+G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstALawDec, gst_alaw_dec, GST_TYPE_ELEMENT);
 
 /* some day we might have defines in gstconfig.h that tell us about the
  * desired cpu/memory/binary size trade-offs */
@@ -110,16 +113,13 @@ alaw_to_s16 (guint8 a_val)
 #endif /* GST_ALAW_DEC_USE_TABLE */
 
 static gboolean
-gst_alaw_dec_sink_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
+gst_alaw_dec_setcaps (GstALawDec * alawdec, GstCaps * caps)
 {
-  GstALawDec *alawdec;
   GstStructure *structure;
   int rate, channels;
   gboolean ret;
   GstCaps *outcaps;
 
-  alawdec = GST_ALAW_DEC (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad));
-
   structure = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
 
   ret = gst_structure_get_int (structure, "rate", &rate);
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ gst_alaw_dec_sink_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
 }
 
 static GstCaps *
-gst_alaw_dec_getcaps (GstPad * pad)
+gst_alaw_dec_getcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * filter)
 {
   GstALawDec *alawdec;
   GstPad *otherpad;
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ gst_alaw_dec_getcaps (GstPad * pad)
     otherpad = alawdec->srcpad;
   }
   /* get caps from the peer, this can return NULL when there is no peer */
-  othercaps = gst_pad_peer_get_caps (otherpad);
+  othercaps = gst_pad_peer_get_caps (otherpad, filter);
 
   /* get the template caps to make sure we return something acceptable */
   templ = gst_pad_get_pad_template_caps (pad);
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ gst_alaw_dec_getcaps (GstPad * pad)
 }
 
 static void
-gst_alaw_dec_base_init (gpointer klass)
+gst_alaw_dec_class_init (GstALawDecClass * klass)
 {
   GstElementClass *element_class = GST_ELEMENT_CLASS (klass);
 
@@ -221,26 +221,20 @@ gst_alaw_dec_base_init (gpointer klass)
       "Codec/Decoder/Audio", "Convert 8bit A law to 16bit PCM",
       "Zaheer Abbas Merali <zaheerabbas at merali dot org>");
 
+  element_class->change_state = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_dec_change_state);
+
   GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (alaw_dec_debug, "alawdec", 0, "A Law audio decoder");
 }
 
 static void
-gst_alaw_dec_class_init (GstALawDecClass * klass)
-{
-  GstElementClass *element_class = (GstElementClass *) klass;
-
-  element_class->change_state = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_dec_change_state);
-}
-
-static void
-gst_alaw_dec_init (GstALawDec * alawdec, GstALawDecClass * klass)
+gst_alaw_dec_init (GstALawDec * alawdec)
 {
   alawdec->sinkpad =
       gst_pad_new_from_static_template (&alaw_dec_sink_factory, "sink");
-  gst_pad_set_setcaps_function (alawdec->sinkpad,
-      GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_dec_sink_setcaps));
   gst_pad_set_getcaps_function (alawdec->sinkpad,
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_dec_getcaps));
+  gst_pad_set_event_function (alawdec->sinkpad,
+      GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_dec_event));
   gst_pad_set_chain_function (alawdec->sinkpad,
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_dec_chain));
   gst_element_add_pad (GST_ELEMENT (alawdec), alawdec->sinkpad);
@@ -253,13 +247,40 @@ gst_alaw_dec_init (GstALawDec * alawdec, GstALawDecClass * klass)
   gst_element_add_pad (GST_ELEMENT (alawdec), alawdec->srcpad);
 }
 
+static gboolean
+gst_alaw_dec_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event)
+{
+  GstALawDec *alawdec;
+  gboolean res;
+
+  alawdec = GST_ALAW_DEC (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad));
+
+  switch (GST_EVENT_TYPE (event)) {
+    case GST_EVENT_CAPS:
+    {
+      GstCaps *caps;
+
+      gst_event_parse_caps (event, &caps);
+      gst_alaw_dec_setcaps (alawdec, caps);
+      gst_event_unref (event);
+
+      res = TRUE;
+      break;
+    }
+    default:
+      res = gst_pad_event_default (pad, event);
+      break;
+  }
+  return res;
+}
+
 static GstFlowReturn
 gst_alaw_dec_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
 {
   GstALawDec *alawdec;
   gint16 *linear_data;
   guint8 *alaw_data;
-  guint alaw_size;
+  gsize alaw_size;
   GstBuffer *outbuf;
   gint i;
   GstFlowReturn ret;
@@ -272,17 +293,11 @@ gst_alaw_dec_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
   GST_LOG_OBJECT (alawdec, "buffer with ts=%" GST_TIME_FORMAT,
       GST_TIME_ARGS (GST_BUFFER_TIMESTAMP (buffer)));
 
-  alaw_data = GST_BUFFER_DATA (buffer);
-  alaw_size = GST_BUFFER_SIZE (buffer);
+  alaw_data = gst_buffer_map (buffer, &alaw_size, NULL, GST_MAP_READ);
 
-  ret =
-      gst_pad_alloc_buffer_and_set_caps (alawdec->srcpad,
-      GST_BUFFER_OFFSET_NONE, alaw_size * 2, GST_PAD_CAPS (alawdec->srcpad),
-      &outbuf);
-  if (ret != GST_FLOW_OK)
-    goto alloc_failed;
+  outbuf = gst_buffer_new_allocate (NULL, alaw_size, 0);
 
-  linear_data = (gint16 *) GST_BUFFER_DATA (outbuf);
+  linear_data = gst_buffer_map (outbuf, NULL, NULL, GST_MAP_WRITE);
 
   /* copy discont flag */
   if (GST_BUFFER_FLAG_IS_SET (buffer, GST_BUFFER_FLAG_DISCONT))
@@ -290,11 +305,13 @@ gst_alaw_dec_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
 
   GST_BUFFER_TIMESTAMP (outbuf) = GST_BUFFER_TIMESTAMP (buffer);
   GST_BUFFER_DURATION (outbuf) = GST_BUFFER_DURATION (buffer);
-  gst_buffer_set_caps (outbuf, GST_PAD_CAPS (alawdec->srcpad));
 
   for (i = 0; i < alaw_size; i++) {
     linear_data[i] = alaw_to_s16 (alaw_data[i]);
   }
+
+  gst_buffer_unmap (outbuf, linear_data, -1);
+  gst_buffer_unmap (buffer, alaw_data, -1);
   gst_buffer_unref (buffer);
 
   ret = gst_pad_push (alawdec->srcpad, outbuf);
@@ -307,13 +324,6 @@ not_negotiated:
     GST_WARNING_OBJECT (alawdec, "no input format set: not-negotiated");
     return GST_FLOW_NOT_NEGOTIATED;
   }
-alloc_failed:
-  {
-    gst_buffer_unref (buffer);
-    GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (alawdec, "pad alloc failed, flow: %s",
-        gst_flow_get_name (ret));
-    return ret;
-  }
 }
 
 static GstStateChangeReturn
diff --git a/gst/law/alaw-encode.c b/gst/law/alaw-encode.c
index f5514cef74..983a457008 100644
--- a/gst/law/alaw-encode.c
+++ b/gst/law/alaw-encode.c
@@ -34,9 +34,10 @@ GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (alaw_enc_debug);
 extern GstStaticPadTemplate alaw_enc_src_factory;
 extern GstStaticPadTemplate alaw_enc_sink_factory;
 
+static gboolean gst_alaw_enc_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event);
 static GstFlowReturn gst_alaw_enc_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer);
 
-GST_BOILERPLATE (GstALawEnc, gst_alaw_enc, GstElement, GST_TYPE_ELEMENT);
+G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstALawEnc, gst_alaw_enc, GST_TYPE_ELEMENT);
 
 /* some day we might have defines in gstconfig.h that tell us about the
  * desired cpu/memory/binary size trade-offs */
@@ -297,7 +298,7 @@ s16_to_alaw (gint pcm_val)
 #endif /* GST_ALAW_ENC_USE_TABLE */
 
 static GstCaps *
-gst_alaw_enc_getcaps (GstPad * pad)
+gst_alaw_enc_getcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * filter)
 {
   GstALawEnc *alawenc;
   GstPad *otherpad;
@@ -317,7 +318,7 @@ gst_alaw_enc_getcaps (GstPad * pad)
     otherpad = alawenc->srcpad;
   }
   /* get caps from the peer, this can return NULL when there is no peer */
-  othercaps = gst_pad_peer_get_caps (otherpad);
+  othercaps = gst_pad_peer_get_caps (otherpad, filter);
 
   /* get the template caps to make sure we return something acceptable */
   templ = gst_pad_get_pad_template_caps (pad);
@@ -359,27 +360,17 @@ gst_alaw_enc_getcaps (GstPad * pad)
 }
 
 static gboolean
-gst_alaw_enc_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
+gst_alaw_enc_setcaps (GstALawEnc * alawenc, GstCaps * caps)
 {
-  GstALawEnc *alawenc;
-  GstPad *otherpad;
   GstStructure *structure;
   gboolean ret;
   GstCaps *base_caps;
 
-  alawenc = GST_ALAW_ENC (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad));
-
   structure = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
   gst_structure_get_int (structure, "channels", &alawenc->channels);
   gst_structure_get_int (structure, "rate", &alawenc->rate);
 
-  if (pad == alawenc->sinkpad) {
-    otherpad = alawenc->srcpad;
-  } else {
-    otherpad = alawenc->sinkpad;
-  }
-
-  base_caps = gst_caps_copy (gst_pad_get_pad_template_caps (otherpad));
+  base_caps = gst_caps_copy (gst_pad_get_pad_template_caps (alawenc->srcpad));
   structure = gst_caps_get_structure (base_caps, 0);
   gst_structure_set (structure, "rate", G_TYPE_INT, alawenc->rate, NULL);
   gst_structure_set (structure, "channels", G_TYPE_INT, alawenc->channels,
@@ -388,7 +379,7 @@ gst_alaw_enc_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (alawenc, "rate=%d, channels=%d", alawenc->rate,
       alawenc->channels);
 
-  ret = gst_pad_set_caps (otherpad, base_caps);
+  ret = gst_pad_set_caps (alawenc->srcpad, base_caps);
 
   gst_caps_unref (base_caps);
 
@@ -396,7 +387,7 @@ gst_alaw_enc_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
 }
 
 static void
-gst_alaw_enc_base_init (gpointer klass)
+gst_alaw_enc_class_init (GstALawEncClass * klass)
 {
   GstElementClass *element_class = GST_ELEMENT_CLASS (klass);
 
@@ -414,28 +405,20 @@ gst_alaw_enc_base_init (gpointer klass)
 }
 
 static void
-gst_alaw_enc_class_init (GstALawEncClass * klass)
-{
-  /* nothing to do here for now */
-}
-
-static void
-gst_alaw_enc_init (GstALawEnc * alawenc, GstALawEncClass * klass)
+gst_alaw_enc_init (GstALawEnc * alawenc)
 {
   alawenc->sinkpad =
       gst_pad_new_from_static_template (&alaw_enc_sink_factory, "sink");
-  gst_pad_set_setcaps_function (alawenc->sinkpad,
-      GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_enc_setcaps));
   gst_pad_set_getcaps_function (alawenc->sinkpad,
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_enc_getcaps));
+  gst_pad_set_event_function (alawenc->sinkpad,
+      GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_enc_event));
   gst_pad_set_chain_function (alawenc->sinkpad,
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_enc_chain));
   gst_element_add_pad (GST_ELEMENT (alawenc), alawenc->sinkpad);
 
   alawenc->srcpad =
       gst_pad_new_from_static_template (&alaw_enc_src_factory, "src");
-  gst_pad_set_setcaps_function (alawenc->srcpad,
-      GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_enc_setcaps));
   gst_pad_set_getcaps_function (alawenc->srcpad,
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_alaw_enc_getcaps));
   gst_pad_use_fixed_caps (alawenc->srcpad);
@@ -446,12 +429,39 @@ gst_alaw_enc_init (GstALawEnc * alawenc, GstALawEncClass * klass)
   alawenc->rate = 0;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+gst_alaw_enc_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event)
+{
+  GstALawEnc *alawenc;
+  gboolean res;
+
+  alawenc = GST_ALAW_ENC (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad));
+
+  switch (GST_EVENT_TYPE (event)) {
+    case GST_EVENT_CAPS:
+    {
+      GstCaps *caps;
+
+      gst_event_parse_caps (event, &caps);
+      gst_alaw_enc_setcaps (alawenc, caps);
+      gst_event_unref (event);
+
+      res = TRUE;
+      break;
+    }
+    default:
+      res = gst_pad_event_default (pad, event);
+      break;
+  }
+  return res;
+}
+
 static GstFlowReturn
 gst_alaw_enc_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
 {
   GstALawEnc *alawenc;
   gint16 *linear_data;
-  guint linear_size;
+  gsize linear_size;
   guint8 *alaw_data;
   guint alaw_size;
   GstBuffer *outbuf;
@@ -464,8 +474,7 @@ gst_alaw_enc_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
   if (G_UNLIKELY (alawenc->rate == 0 || alawenc->channels == 0))
     goto not_negotiated;
 
-  linear_data = (gint16 *) GST_BUFFER_DATA (buffer);
-  linear_size = GST_BUFFER_SIZE (buffer);
+  linear_data = gst_buffer_map (buffer, &linear_size, NULL, GST_MAP_READ);
 
   alaw_size = linear_size / 2;
 
@@ -475,25 +484,14 @@ gst_alaw_enc_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
   GST_LOG_OBJECT (alawenc, "buffer with ts=%" GST_TIME_FORMAT,
       GST_TIME_ARGS (timestamp));
 
-  ret =
-      gst_pad_alloc_buffer_and_set_caps (alawenc->srcpad,
-      GST_BUFFER_OFFSET_NONE, alaw_size, GST_PAD_CAPS (alawenc->srcpad),
-      &outbuf);
-  if (ret != GST_FLOW_OK)
-    goto done;
+  outbuf = gst_buffer_new_allocate (NULL, alaw_size, 0);
 
   if (duration == GST_CLOCK_TIME_NONE) {
     duration = gst_util_uint64_scale_int (alaw_size,
         GST_SECOND, alawenc->rate * alawenc->channels);
   }
 
-  if (GST_BUFFER_SIZE (outbuf) < alaw_size) {
-    /* pad-alloc can return a smaller buffer */
-    gst_buffer_unref (outbuf);
-    outbuf = gst_buffer_new_and_alloc (alaw_size);
-  }
-
-  alaw_data = (guint8 *) GST_BUFFER_DATA (outbuf);
+  alaw_data = gst_buffer_map (outbuf, NULL, NULL, GST_MAP_WRITE);
 
   /* copy discont flag */
   if (GST_BUFFER_FLAG_IS_SET (buffer, GST_BUFFER_FLAG_DISCONT))
@@ -502,23 +500,21 @@ gst_alaw_enc_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
   GST_BUFFER_TIMESTAMP (outbuf) = timestamp;
   GST_BUFFER_DURATION (outbuf) = duration;
 
-  gst_buffer_set_caps (outbuf, GST_PAD_CAPS (alawenc->srcpad));
-
   for (i = 0; i < alaw_size; i++) {
     alaw_data[i] = s16_to_alaw (linear_data[i]);
   }
 
-  ret = gst_pad_push (alawenc->srcpad, outbuf);
-
-done:
-
+  gst_buffer_unmap (outbuf, alaw_data, -1);
+  gst_buffer_unmap (buffer, linear_data, -1);
   gst_buffer_unref (buffer);
 
+  ret = gst_pad_push (alawenc->srcpad, outbuf);
+
   return ret;
 
 not_negotiated:
   {
-    ret = GST_FLOW_NOT_NEGOTIATED;
-    goto done;
+    gst_buffer_unref (buffer);
+    return GST_FLOW_NOT_NEGOTIATED;
   }
 }