[Ardour-Dev] waveform display for master track

[torbenh at gmx.de]

On Thu, Nov 20, 2008 at 07:52:46AM +0200, Quentin Harley wrote:
> Patrick Shirkey wrote:
>> Wolfgang Woehl wrote:
>>> Patrick Shirkey:
>>>
>>>  
>>>> To save space the waveform could be exported as 8bit/mono which
>>>> should give enough info to build the peakfiles and display the
>>>> complete waveform.
>>>>     
>>>
>>> Except it wouldn't.
>>>   
>>
>> I don't see why a track saved in 8 bit mono wouldn't provide enough data 
>> to generate a peakfile for use as a quick reference. Can you give more 
>> details on why you feel this wouldn't work?
>>
>>
> Your master display will need to be in stereo, unless you never work in 
> stereo.  2nd, actively converting 32 float into 8bit all the time would 
> take even more processing power than just using the 32bit float masterbuss 
> output.  Maths becomes involved.  Every time you change something if will 
> have to use a custom audio engin, not written yet to sense the changes 
> (with effects) and print it to the 8bit file, using the 32bit to 8bit 
> converter.
>
> I may be old fashioned, but it all seems a bit much, just to be able to see 
> a waveform that may or may not be accurate.
>
> If this is to be implemented, it needs to have minimal impact in the 
> current engin.

well... i think anything which does not involve a second audio engine
running in the background (in the same thread) would be ok.

another solution just came to my mind.
this might actually be feasible. (and might be useful in other senses
also)

how about a separate export command ?
ie non GUI non jack ardour-export
you save a snapshot, and then:
ardour-export <snapshot> <outputs>
runs in background as a separate process, 

i dont see much sense in reducing bitrate etc.
but having the export run in background is a very noble goal actually ;)
this still does not tackle the problem with, only render the changes,
but its getting us somewhere.



-- 
torben Hohn
http://galan.sourceforge.net -- The graphical Audio language