Silence generator does not use tone/sweep sample rate

2013-07-09 19:16:04

With fb2k v1.2.8 under Win7 32-bit, I am using a fb2k DSP effect that adds an audio stream from another application to the fb2k audio.  When I only want to hear the audio from the other application, I use the following command in fb2k to generate silence: File > Add location... > silence://<duration>

The problem is that fb2k's silence generator always generates at a sample rate of 44100 Hz, regardless of the setting at File > Preferences > Advanced > Decoding > Tone/sweep sample rate.  One solution would be that fb2k's silence generator honors the setting used by the other generators, which will allow me to add streams at other sample rates.

A minor problem I also noticed is that entering silence:// with no duration parameter causes a playback error: "Unable to open item for playback (Unsupported format or corrupted file)".  The tone generator supports infinite playback with no duration parameter, so it would be good if the silence generator did the same.

The best solution for my main problem would be if fb2k's silence generator supported a sample rate parameter on the command line (silence://<duration>,<sample rate>).  This would allow me to create separate silence entries in my playlist for the different sample rates I use.  In other words, I would not have to go to the Preference menu each time I want to change sample rates.  This feature might also be beneficial for the tone and sweep generators.  This solution is compatible with the solution for the minor problem I mentioned.  Specifically, the following syntax with a comma and no duration parameter: silence://,<sample rate>

Silence generator does not use tone/sweep sample rate

Reply #1 – 2013-07-09 23:02:39

That seems like a rather round-about way to pause playback or mute the output foobar2000. May I ask what the reason is for such a complicated setup? Just wondering if there isn't a more straight-forward solution.

Silence generator does not use tone/sweep sample rate

Reply #2 – 2013-07-10 02:16:52

I would like to use DSP effects in fb2k that are not available in my other application.  I have tried to influence the other application's developers to add these DSP effects, but I have not been successful.  I guess they have a lot of more important fires to fight.  Routing the audio through fb2k is working very well (at 44100 Hz).

The DSP effect I use in fb2k to sum the other applications audio stream requires an active stream from fb2k (playback of a track).  I tried pausing playback in fb2k, but this stops the entire audio stream, so I get no desired output from my other application.

I tried setting fb2k's volume to the minimum during playback of a track.  It muted ALL audio from fb2k, including the audio from my other application.  I assume this is because fb2k's volume control comes after all the DSP effects in the chain.

I tried to suggest solutions that would increase fb2k's flexibility and usefulness to others also.  When I searched the internet for fb2k's tone generator, I found a lot of forum posts where people suggested installing fb2k just to use as a tone generator or for testing their external DACs.  I hope my suggestion(s) require little development time.