[vlc-devel] Rationalizing audio output formats

[Rémi Denis-Courmont]

   Hello,

In principles, VLC supports a large number of different linear audio
formats for output. I have to say I do not really see the point. I think
only formats used by audio outputs and encoders make any sense there. The
other linear format should be decoded by the raw audio decoder to whatever
is most appropriate (meaning FL32 or S16N).

Currently, the following formats are support in both endianess:
F64, F32, S32, S24, S16, U16
Also these formats are supported:
U8, S8, FI32
And these formats can be byte-swapped but do not seem truly supported:
U32, U24

Totally useless:
S8, U16*, U24*, S24* and U32*.

Useless except on prehistoric unsupported hardware:
U8.

Probably useless in practice:
F64*, F32 in wrong endian, S32*.

Useful:
FL32, S16*.

Uncertain:
FI32.

(*) in both endianess.


-- 
Rémi Denis-Courmont
Sent from my collocated server