[asterisk-dev] Trying to improve "file convert" command

[Steve Edwards]

On Thu, 2 Apr 2015, Pavel Troller wrote:

>  I'm disappointed with functionality of the "file convert" command. Its
> results are very poor, at least in ast11. It looks that the conversion
> is performed through something like slin8 or even alaw/ulaw. There is
> a huge difference between listening to for example MP3Player() using
> a G.722 codec and Playback() of the G.722 file prepared by "file convert"
> from the same MP3 file.
>  I was looking at res_convert.c. It's unbelievably simple :-). The trick
> must be somewhere in the underlying functions. I tried to analyze them as
> well but I never noticed anything like specification of the format used for
> the conversion. It just reads frames from one file and writes them to the
> other one. But which frames ? Who specifies the format ? I'm confused.
>  I would like to implement a simple logic to choose proper "intermediate
> format" according to the combination of input/output file types. A small
> hint to push me forward would be greatly appreciated :-).

Just my 'personal biases...'

I always thought having Asterisk convert files was dumb. I will never use 
it.

I'd much prefer a 'stand-alone' command line utility like sox.

Why would you want to use a hammer instead of a scalpel?

Do you really want to drag all the functionality and bloat of a general 
purpose audio conversion tool into your PBX?

Do you really want to explain to your boss why you crashed the PBX during 
an important shareholder conference because you wanted to convert the new 
music on hold and you hit a bug in all the new bloat?

'Do one thing, do it well, and move on.'

Are sox plugins for telephony codecs viable?

I'll stop ranting now. You caught me on a frustrating day.

-- 
Thanks in advance,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Edwards       sedwards at sedwards.com      Voice: +1-760-468-3867 PST
Newline                                              Fax: +1-760-731-3000