How to dynamically set AudioInfo based on files on disk?

[cinderblockgames]

I'm currently trying to play various MP3s (though eventually I would like to play all supported file types), but some of them don't play, just make weird noises. I'm assuming that this is because I'm using an AudioInfo info(44100, 2, 16); like in the example without doing anything to find the correct info from the files themselves. But I'm also not sure how to find the info from the file. Could someone please point me to the right documentation on how to dynamically pull and set AudioInfo from files grabbed off SD?

[fwillemsen]

Hi, if you want to read the info from the mp3 header maybe the information in this link this can help you:
https://cboard.cprogramming.com/c-programming/54179-reading-mp3-header.html

Note that using different sample rates can cause issues when you want to mix them together.
Another way to go is just convert all mp3 to the same sample rate. You can use an online converter to do this.
You can also use the converter to convert to wav files. This header is less complicated.
If you already now the sample rate, there is according to the audio toolkit documentation the function setAudioInfo() for streams to set it dynamically.

[pschatzmann]

I guess you just decided to ignore the mp3 documentation in the Readme!
If this is using LibHelix, I bet this is about some high bitrates and you did not define enough RAM...

[fwillemsen]

Hi, was this a reply on my input? I know how to do things right and can use your library without any issues. My reply was to try to help out cinderblockgames and the input can help him to find the best way to work on his issue with sounds. And (not) reading documentation... I guess this is common for most developers (not a right thing though). :)
As you wrote the library you can give him/her the best fitting answer!

[cinderblockgames]

@pschatzmann I did start with the README and parts of the wiki but this is as far as I got. How do I define more RAM?

[fwillemsen]

@cinderblockgames Did you look at the properties of the mp3 that doesn't play right? You can see the correct value there. One thing you can try is to adjust the setting in info(44100, 2, 16) to the ones mentioned in the properties and try to play it.
I use an ESP32 S3 with N8/16. This board has enough memory (PSRAM) to load some files. If you use the Arduino IDE you need to set the values in the 'Tools' menu to match the board configuration.
Can you elaborate a bit on your setup (what board?) and the goal you want to achieve? For instance, is it a viable solution for you to prepare the sound files to all match the same properties? (channel, sample rate).

[cinderblockgames]

@fwillemsen I'm using a XIAO RP2040. Arduino IDE recognizes the board - do I need to do additional setup somewhere in Tools?
I'm trying to make a general-purpose audio component, so it needs to be able to handle the files that are thrown at it without special preparation.
If I can get this to work well enough, then this is a $10 component with an I2C interface that can be thrown into other projects. Arduino/C++ are not in my wheelhouse - I'm most comfortable in C# in general and CircuitPython for embedded - so I'm working blind on this.

[pschatzmann]

Double check the bitrate of your non working mp3 files to confirm my assumption.
If my diagrnosis is confirmed, just increase the max pcm output size and eventually the max frame size as described int the Parameters section of the Readme

Please ignore the info about the AudioInfo above: For AAC and MP3 it is the other way round: you don't tell the Decoder this but this information is provided from the Decoder after starting the decoding!

[cinderblockgames]

I do have higher bitrates; trying the increased parameters now.

[cinderblockgames]

Looks like that did it! Thank you! I can play 320kbps MP3s now!

I've got some other issues but I'll start another discussion if I can't get them working. Thank you for the help and for the libraries!

[cinderblockgames]

@pschatzmann I see that there are similar settings for AAC, but there's no recommendation on increasing them. Should there be increases for any other filetypes? (AAC, FLAC, M4A, OGG, WAV, WMA?)