Podcast related functionality

[aluchko]

I use my player almost exclusively for podcasts and was wondering if there was a way to get a couple of the features I really enjoy on the Android podcast app I use.

1) Variable playback speed: I like to speed up my podcasts somewhere between 1.5-2.0x, and I like to have this set per podcast feed. Is this doable? I know there's a pitch setting but that also changes the pitch and I don't know how that would be set per podcast series.

2) Auto-delete on finish: I never run into a scenario where I finish and want to relisten, and if I do I can just re-download. Ideally a podcast would delete automatically when I finish or when I skip after being 90% of the way through.

Are these things possible?

[[Saint]]

1) Variable playback speed: I like to speed up my podcasts somewhere between 1.5-2.0x, and I like to have this set per podcast feed. Is this doable? I know there's a pitch setting but that also changes the pitch and I don't know how that would be set per podcast series.

Yes. This is possible.

It requires the use of two of Rockbox's features, the Pitch Screen;

From section 4.3.3 of our fine manual - The WPS Context Menu:

Pitch

The Pitch Screen allows you to change the rate of playback (i.e. the playback speed
and at the same time the pitch) of your player. The rate value can be adjusted between
50% and 200%. 50% means half the normal playback speed and a pitch that is an octave
lower than the normal pitch. 200% means double playback speed and a pitch that is an
octave higher than the normal pitch.
The rate can be changed in two modes: procentual and semitone. Initially, procentual
mode is active.
If you’ve enabled the Timestretch option in Sound Settings and have since rebooted,
you can also use timestretch mode. This allows you to change the playback
speed without affecting the pitch, and vice versa.
In timestretch mode there are separate displays for pitch and speed, and each can be
altered independently. Due to the limitations of the algorithm, speed is limited to be
between 35% and 250% of the current pitch value. Pitch must maintain the same ratio
as well as remain between 50% and 200%.
The value of the rate, pitch and speed is not persistent, i.e. after the player is turned
on it will always be set to 100%. However, the rate, pitch and speed information will be
stored in any bookmarks you may create (see section 8.7 (page 76)) and will be restored
upon playing back those bookmarks.

And Timestretch;

From section 6.11 of our fine manual - Timestratch:

6.11. Timestretch

Enabling Timestretch allows you to change the playback speed without it affecting
the pitch of the recording. After enabling this feature and rebooting, you can access
this via the Pitch Screen. This function is intended for speech playback and may
significantly dilute your listening experience with more complex audio. See section 4.3.3
(page 35) for more details about how to use the feature

2) Auto-delete on finish: I never run into a scenario where I finish and want to relisten, and if I do I can just re-download. Ideally a podcast would delete automatically when I finish or when I skip after being 90% of the way through.

No. This is not possible.

I hope this is of assistance to you.


[Saint]

[aluchko]

Thanks for the info on Timestretch, I'm a bit confused about how to save the values though. From the manual:

The value of the rate, pitch and speed is not persistent, i.e. after the player is turned
on it will always be set to 100%. However, the rate, pitch and speed information will be
stored in any bookmarks you may create (see section 8.7 (page 76)) and will be restored
upon playing back those bookmarks.

So it sounds like if I have bookmarks enabled the speed setting I set for that file should persist to the next startup.

However, when I start a podcast, set the speed, stop the podcast (so the bookmark is created), reboot the player, and restart the podcast the speed (and pitch) are both reset to 100%.

Am I missing a setting to enable this somewhere?

[redeyedzhaan]

2) Auto-delete on finish: I never run into a scenario where I finish and want to relisten, and if I do I can just re-download. Ideally a podcast would delete automatically when I finish or when I skip after being 90% of the way through.

Are these things possible?

No. This is not possible.

True, not possible, but you can approximate it by using the "Queue" feature (instead of Insert) to add the tracks to your playlist so that the track will be removed from the current playlist when you are done listening to it.  Doesn't delete the file, so you still need to do that manually, but it's something I've found useful to streamline podcast listening.

So it sounds like if I have bookmarks enabled the speed setting I set for that file should persist to the next startup.

However, when I start a podcast, set the speed, stop the podcast (so the bookmark is created), reboot the player, and restart the podcast the speed (and pitch) are both reset to 100%.

I've run into the same thing, and have never been able to figure out how to keep it set at the speed I want.  Once it is rebooted, it always seems to go back to 100%, regardless of bookmarks.  If there's a way, I'm unaware of it.