[Asterisk-Users] Recording voice messages in mp3 format

[Kevin Hanson]

tmassey at obscorp.com wrote:

>
> asterisk-users-bounces at lists.digium.com wrote on 11/16/2005 09:46:17 PM:
>
> > Hi,
> >          Yes,  I'm using wav for my recording and the file is quite 
> large.
>
> I too am using WAV files because of the volume issue:  WAV files are 
> shifted two bits louder than any other format.  (slight details here: 
>  http://lists.digium.com/pipermail/asterisk-users/2005-September/124570.html) 
>  That means I'm getting 1MB voicemail files e-mailed to me.  It's not 
> that big of a deal, but it's kind of stupid.
>
> Any word on if the shifted-bits nature of the WAV format is present 
> (or even better:  selectable) on any of the other formats in 1.2?  Or 
> might this be a post-1.2 feature worth considering?
>
> I haven't programmed in C in a good 10 years or so.  But this one 
> motivates me.  I'm pretty sure I can hack a simple x = x << 2; in 
> there, but making it selectable from within the voicemail 
> configuration file (or wherever else it should go) would be much 
> tougher for me.  Might there be a similar selectable feature that I 
> could examine and get an idea of how to do it?  Any voicemail experts 
> out there?
>
>
Have you tried the new gain (g) option for the voicemail application?  
 From 'show application voicemail':

g(#) - Use the specified amount of gain when recording the voicemail
           message. The units are whole-number decibels (dB).

I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I hope it works.  Incoming 
voicemail messages from analog ports are extremely quiet.

Cheers,
Kevin