MP3 Playback in MaxMSP - has anything changed?

    fairesigneaumachiniste
    Dec 05 2008 | 1:58 pm
    I'm working on a little side project which requires the playback of MP3 files.
    I already know that the 'import' message to buffer~ will allow playback of an MP3. I also know of the jit.qt.movie and spigot~ method but as of QT7 this also writes a file to disk like the import message which is something I'd like to avoid.
    Are these still my only two options at the end of 2008? Are there any externals out there? I don't mind paying if it's reasonable.
    I know Ms. Pinky can do this already. Does it use a custom external? I don't really need Ms. Pinky at the moment but if anyone here uses it I'd be interested to know how that works.
    I searched maxobjects and this forum (mp3 brings up nothing).
    Thanks.
    • fairesigneaumachiniste
      Dec 05 2008 | 3:06 pm
      This may seem a silly question but if my suspicions are correct then I don't have a problem.
      As buffer~ just loads into RAM, presumably if an MP3 is imported then the buffer is cleared (i.e. all set to zero), then that memory is freed?
      Example:
      I import an MP3 into buffer. I clear buffer using clear message. I import another MP3 into buffer.
      The memory which was taken up by the first uncompressed MP3 is now replaced with the new MP3, no loss of memory?
      If this is the case then no worries. I have 2GB or RAM. I think that'll be sufficient.
    • justin
      Dec 05 2008 | 3:37 pm
      i havent heard of any changes, but i would like sfplay to be able to read mp3 files (as with jit.qtmovie and spigot~, see thread below).
      https://cycling74.com/forums/index.php?t=msg&goto=148792&rid=789&S=373ea7f4b973485eb2a5cdbea4eebdf3#msg_148792
      justin
    • Peter Nyboer
      Dec 06 2008 | 6:43 pm
      I haven't used the mspinky externals for a while, but they worked great in the past, and I doubt that has changed. Their implementation is a bit obtuse, but it all works. As for buffer~ playback of mp3's, I'm pretty sure that the memory is freed on replace, but it would take less than 10 minutes of your time to test it w/ a simple patch and watch the results in Activity Monitor/Task Manager (OSX/XP).