aacPlus codec support!

[jcn50]

Hi All,

I read this Slashdot (http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/01/22/0324230&tid=141&tid=95) news, and went (http://slate.com/id/2112548/) to Tuner2 (http://www.tuner2.com/) website to listen to the stream radio stations, but QCD is unable to play them...with all the plug-ins available (I've installed them all!!)
For example, this radio:
http://160.79.128.40:7026


Good job. :gasmask:

[Toe]

Yay, another marketing department 'news story' claiming Format X is perfectly CD-quality 48kbps! :rolleyes:

Looking at that Slate article, it looks like this 'aacPlus' is really just marketing-speak for HE-AAC (regular LC-AAC + SBR, designed for low bitrates). HE-AAC can be played back via any AAC player, if it doesn't support the SBR data, it's just played as regular LC-AAC.

My guess is that the current AAC plugin just doesn't support streaming.

[shaohao]

The QCDMp4 plug-ins support the AACPlus? If it supports, I'll update the plug-in to support stream.

[JShadow]

No, it looks like the MP4 plugin plays AAC... AACplus is very much different...

Could someone look into this as my radio stations(digitallyimported.com) have moved to aac+ streams so I'm having to use another player that can play aac+ :cry:

[J44xm]

D.I. still appears to have MP3 streams.

[brian]

The current Nullsoft MPEG decoder, used with QCD in the Winamp plugins manager, supports AAC+ streaming (like Netscape Radio, for example). But it isn't always clear whether a stream is based on AAC+ or not.

[JShadow]

D.I. still appears to have MP3 streams.
Yes, but I want to keep my bandwidth usage at work to a minimum! I tried the AAC+ stream with VLC and my bandwidth usage was way lower than anything I've seen before PLUS the quality was great! Thus I'd much rather use AAC+ with QCD. :biggrin:

The current Nullsoft MPEG decoder, used with QCD in the Winamp plugins manager, supports AAC+ streaming (like Netscape Radio, for example). But it isn't always clear whether a stream is based on AAC+ or not.
Ok well here's my problem then, when I use one of the aac playlists from D.I. QCD starts buffering, it gets to 100%... and then starts buffering again from 0, gets to 100%... and then starts buffering again from 0... forever. It never plays the stream. From my network activity, it looks as though QCD is in fact downloading the music stream, but it's just not playing it. Am I missing something?
:ermm:

[shaohao]

Ok well here's my problem then, when I use one of the aac playlists from D.I. QCD starts buffering, it gets to 100%... and then starts buffering again from 0, gets to 100%... and then starts buffering again from 0... forever. It never plays the stream. From my network activity, it looks as though QCD is in fact downloading the music stream, but it's just not playing it. Am I missing something?
:ermm:

'Cause QCD can't decode aacPlus, but QCDMp3.dll can stream aacPlus data.

[JShadow]

'Cause QCD can't decode aacPlus, but QCDMp3.dll can stream aacPlus data.
Ummm... I don't quite understand what you're saying there... Do you mean the dll can output aacplus?

I also tried to use winamp's in_mp3.dll through the Winamp Input Plugin-in Manager... still no dice... shouldn't that have worked? I even unchecked all other input plugins but still the same result.

Is there any way to get QCD to play an AACPlus stream?

[JShadow]

Bump...

Anyone have any answers for this?

[brian]

Sorry, I've given all the information I can on the subject. My only experience with this codec is that Netscape Radio streams are based on it, and that I can play them with no problem in QCD using the Nullsoft MPEG decoder and the Winamp input plugins manager.

[JShadow]

Sorry, I've given all the information I can on the subject. My only experience with this codec is that Netscape Radio streams are based on it, and that I can play them with no problem in QCD using the Nullsoft MPEG decoder and the Winamp input plugins manager.
Argh! Well could you point me in the direction of, or directions on how to get, the "nullsoft mpeg decoder"? It sounds like I've got mine set up like yours, but I still can't play the streams. :depressed

[brian]

Here's the Nullsoft MPEG decoder (right-click on the link, then `save target as...'):

http://www.geocities.co.jp/SiliconValley-Bay/7045/wa5/mp3v308_2.zip

By the way, as I hope I've made clear, I've only tried this with Netscape Radio streams, so if you're trying to play any other AAC streams, I have no idea whether this plugin supports them. My only practical suggestion is to make sure you have this plugin at the top of your list in the Winamp plugins manager config window, with no native QCD mp3-supporting plugins enabled.

[JShadow]

Well, for now I'll have to move to foobar2000, since it can actually play the aacplus(aac+, he-aac, however you want to refer to it). QCD is still my favorite, so I'll be checking back often looking for either an updated mp4 plugin or other information to get STREAMING aacplus working with QCD.
:ermm:

[Protocol]

I have been asked the question whether QMP can stream AACPlus. I did a search and found a small number of threads related to AACPlus. This one seemed the most appropriate to ask it in. But it seems a little confusing as to whether it can or not. Can someone either confirm or deny this?

[Neo]

Can't some genius here just make a QMP original plugin for it? I hate the idea of using a winamp plugin manager to get something on QMP to work and the fact I don't even know where to get the winamp plugin manager or what version, etc... :cross-eye

[Protocol]

Can't some genius here just make a QMP original plugin for it? I hate the idea of using a winamp plugin manager to get something on QMP to work and the fact I don't even know where to get the winamp plugin manager or what version, etc... :cross-eye
Yes. I really think that it is needed considering the amount of radio stations streaming in this format now.

[Neo]

I nominate shaohao! :biggrin:

[shaohao]

I nominate shaohao! :biggrin:

THX for your nomination:)

I've updated the MP4 plug-in to v2.6b.1.

Now, you can play stream media online.
This version support HE-AAC (aacPlus v1) and HE-AAC (aacPlus v2).

[Neo]

http://quinnware.com/list_plugins.php?plugin=42

[ace2701]

THX for your nomination:)

I've updated the MP4 plug-in to v2.6b.1.

Now, you can play stream media online.
This version support HE-AAC (aacPlus v1) and HE-AAC (aacPlus v2).

OK, I downloaded the plugin, flushed the cache, and reinstalled the plugins, went to Shoutcast and tried an AAC+ station and it still re-buffered.. no music. What did I do wrong (beside running 98SE)? Should I move the plugin up in the list?

[shaohao]

OK, I downloaded the plugin, flushed the cache, and reinstalled the plugins, went to Shoutcast and tried an AAC+ station and it still re-buffered.. no music. What did I do wrong (beside running 98SE)? Should I move the plugin up in the list?

Move the MP4 Plug-in up to Quinnware's MP3 Plug-in!

BTW: As to stream, I have not figured out a better solution to play AAC stream and mp3 stream at the same time:(
That meant: You should move mp4 plug-in up to mp3 plugin to play aac stream, while move mp3 plug-in up to mp4 plug-in to play mp3 stream.

[ace2701]

WOW! Thanks Shaohao. It's wierd, but it works :shocked: . Of course, you know that if you load an MP3 station while the MP4 plugin is at the top, QMP explodes (just kidding, but it does crash the player). I hope the next version will solve this problem. Keep up the good work, your plugins are great.

Just checked, and after the player crashes, opening it resets the plugins to their previous locations in the list, so you now can play MP3's.

[Toe]

By the way, is there any need for the old FAAD plugin (http://www.quinnware.com/list_plugins.php?plugin=45) to remain on the downloads page?

[MrT]

Is there another trick to getting AAC+ streaming? I've figured how to stream without the ongoing buffering, using the MP4 plugin, thanks to this thread, but I cannot get any decent sound, just a lot of fuzz and crackle. I've turned off all other encoders, shifted them around, tried different settings, turned of the DSP plug in - all to no avail :(

Anything else I should try? It's working for others - what am I doing wrong?

[Tokelil]

What are the url to the stream?

[PVTele]

I just discovered - it may be necessary to move the MP4 Plug-in 2.6b.1 up the list, till it's above the MP3 decoder, for it to work... If you don't, you get the dreaded "buffer up to 100%, then start again from 0%, ad infinitum" syndrome :cross-eye

[drago]

an mp4/aac input plugin for qmp is available at rarewares.org in http://rarewares.org/aac.html

THX for your nomination:)

I've updated the MP4 plug-in to v2.6b.1.

Now, you can play stream media online.
This version support HE-AAC (aacPlus v1) and HE-AAC (aacPlus v2).

[Paul]

Or you can use the Bass plug-in:
http://www.quinnware.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7027

and download the Bass aac plugin from:
http://www.un4seen.com/bass.html

[Toe]

Is there anything wrong with Shaohao's plugin (http://www.quinnware.com/list_plugins.php?plugin=42)? That one on Rarewares is a couple years older than Shaohao's last ver. Heck, the one on Rarewares probably *is* Shaohao's, albeit an older build.

[Paul]

There isn't is anything wrong with Shaohao's plugins at all.
However, the benefit to using the latest Quinnware plugins is that they use the 'Media Source' interface which centralize the reading of files/streams, follow the source settings in the preferences and give you buffering and streaming for all formats the decoder supports.

[drago]

Hi. The plugin I mentioned at rarewares does not have streaming configuration options that I can see in "configure". However, it is easy to download it and install it and play aac files in QMP - it was written as an input plugin for QMP.

It plays iTunes aac files that were "imported" from a CD. Paul's recommendation to use the BASS aac plugin noted, so see his message back one.

Steve

an mp4/aac input plugin for qmp is available at rarewares.org in http://rarewares.org/aac.html