Testers wanted for SPC player (SNES audio)

[adam917]

Does the codec buffer (almost) the whole music buffer of SPCs (hundreds or maybe thousands at a time could fill 24 MiB) if you queue up a large collection of SPCs? I'm asking because for some reason, I notice the HDD spinning up when I switch to another SPC in my playlist, and I think spinning up the drive just for 64.2 kiB (file size) that should already be buffered (the very next file) can put a lot of drain on the battery life.

[Llorean]

The Codec buffer is limited to 32 songs (I may have the number wrong, but there is a set maximum number) but it should happily buffer the next many SPC files up to that maximum number of files.

[adam917]

The Codec buffer is limited to 32 songs (I may have the number wrong, but there is a set maximum number) but it should happily buffer the next many SPC files up to that maximum number of files.

Is this limitation for a reason? Can it be lifted? Not that I have a problem with letting 32 files (files, right?) play out, but it would be nice to have the limit higher, especially for jumping around between one game or track & another.

[Llorean]

In the past, 32 files was more than one could reasonably expect unless songs were exceptionally short. Since the audio buffer is only about 29 or 30 mb on the largest targets (not counting the 60gb iPod 5G which has twice as much) the 32 file limit would mean each file would have to be under 1mb, not common with streaming audio formats in general.

With the addition of SPC, SID and other smaller formats the situation has changed, and while it would be possible to just up the number I believe it hasn't been done because it's generally felt that just increasing it isn't the proper solution, rather the option for an arbitrary number of files which I think is what will happen with the metadata on buffer feature once that's done (don't ask when, we don't know yet).

At least, I think this is the situation.

[adam917]

In the past, 32 files was more than one could reasonably expect unless songs were exceptionally short. Since the audio buffer is only about 29 or 30 mb on the largest targets (not counting the 60gb iPod 5G which has twice as much) the 32 file limit would mean each file would have to be under 1mb, not common with streaming audio formats in general.

With the addition of SPC, SID and other smaller formats the situation has changed, and while it would be possible to just up the number I believe it hasn't been done because it's generally felt that just increasing it isn't the proper solution, rather the option for an arbitrary number of files which I think is what will happen with the metadata on buffer feature once that's done (don't ask when, we don't know yet).

At least, I think this is the situation.

Can you re-word that 2nd paragraph? It seems I got lost somewhere. I'm guessing what you're saying is that changing the number of buffered files isn't the best solution, as a problem will occur when a new feature that allows metadata to be buffer is added to Rockbox. Is this right?

[Llorean]

It's more like "Changing the maximum number of buffered files will be less efficient for every other codec right now, so the limit should probably stay the same until the better method is implemented"

[psychosync]

Are you still working on this plugin? It still misses the snes reverb...

[saratoga]

Are you still working on this plugin? It still misses the snes reverb...

He hasn't posted in years, so probably not.

[Adam]

Reverb is disabled only on targets that aren't known to be able to handle it.  It is enabled for:
- Gigabeat (F or S)
- devices with Coldfire CPUs
- device with dual core PortalPlayer CPUs

Now, I could give you a build that enables reverb for whatever device you have, and I guess if it holds up for the more intensive sets (Uncharted Waters 2 being the worst that I remember) then it could be enabled in the main build.