Playing ambisonic *.amb files in Max/MSP

the .amb fileformat is really a Wave file with some custom GUIDs set
in the header (look up WAVE-EX) it's supposed to provide a channel-
mask for automated recognition of the content and routing/decoding
accordingly. WAVE-EX is a microsoft construct, which doesn't seem to
be parsed well (if at all) by max's sfplay~.

the .amb file-spec is an attempt by people from the sursound
community to create a standard for ambisonic bformat files.

there's really no need for that. you can rename the file .wav and use
a 4 channel sfplay~. it might complain about unrecognized header
stuff but shpould play the file just fine.

http://www.ambisonia.com/wiki/index.php/
Main_Page#File_Formats_for_Ambisonics

you can store b-format ambisdonic recordings in any file format you
wat, since it's really "normal" audio with phase dependencies between
the channels. we normally just use interleaved AIFFs.

hth

/*j

On 07.11.2007, at 12:23, julienbreval wrote:

>
> Hello,
>
> I have downloaded these:
>
> - a VST plug-in called "B2Stereo" (from the B2X plug-ins suite)
> that decodes B-format to stereo and that you can load into [vst~ 4 2]
> - a file called "TetraMicSample.amb"
>
>
> Now how can I "play" the *.amb file ? I don't know anything about
> this format nor any VST *.amb player that can load into Max/MSP ...
>
> Is the *.amb the right standard for storing B-format ?
>
>
> Thanks for your help
> -j
>