[FFmpeg-devel] [PATCH 2/2] lavfi: add channelremap audio filter.

[Clément Bœsch]

On Wed, Jan 11, 2012 at 09:35:58PM +0100, Nicolas George wrote:
> Le duodi 22 nivôse, an CCXX, Clément Bœsch a écrit :
> > +Remap the channels of an audio stream using channel indexes.
> > +
> > +This filter allows to re-order, copy, remove or insert muted channels in an
> > +audio stream. It accepts a list of channel indexes separated by ":". Using "-1"
> > +as channel index means it is a muted channel.
> > +
> > +For example, if you have a 5.1 source and want a stereo audio stream by
> > +dropping the extra channels:
> > + at example
> > +channelremap=0:1
> > + at end example
> > +
> > +Given the same source, you can also switch front left and front right channels
> > +and keep the input channel layout:
> > + at example
> > +channelremap=1:0:2:3:4:5
> > + at end example
> > +
> > +If the input is a stereo audio stream, you can mute the front left channel (and
> > +still keep the stereo channel layout) with:
> > + at example
> > +channelremap=-1:1
> > + at end example
> > +
> > +Still with a stereo audio stream input, you can copy the right channel in both
> > +front left and right:
> > + at example
> > +channelremap=0:0
> > + at end example
> > +
> 
> I did not yet look at the code, but I must say I do not like it very much,

:(

> for two major reasons:
> 
> - As far as I can see, all it can do, af_pan can do as well. Possibly,
>   af_pan may be slower and/or support less formats, but this is just a
>   matter of optimization and coverage.
> 
> - It does not take the channel layout into account at all.
> 
> More broadly speaking, having several implementations of roughly the same
> features is very confusing for the users: they always wonder why there are
> several versions, which one they are supposed to use. And for us, it makes
> twice the amount of work to maintain.
> 

Yes you are right af_pan can do all channelremap does AFAIK (with a
slightly more complicated syntax though), but I believe the goal of the
two filters are not actually the same. af_pan really is to fine tune
channel levels while channelremap is basically just to filter out or
re-order channels with a really simple syntax.

This filter is also a demonstration on how to use the channel mapping
feature of libswr (maybe that one could be improved to actually make
af_pan use these features instead?), which indeed should be faster and
possibly safer; I'm not so sure af_pan can for instance keep the lossless
aspect of map_channel when dealing with unsupported sample formats.

> For this particular case, I really see no reason not to use and improve
> af_pan rather than start a new filter.
> 

As you wish, I don't mind much dropping that patch if that really matters.

[...]

-- 
Clément B.
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