Re: [LAD] Plugin buffer size restrictions

2012/5/27 Fons Adriaensen <fons@email-addr-hidden>:
> On Sun, May 27, 2012 at 09:59:29PM +0300, Stefano D'Angelo wrote:
>
>> If I understand correctly an implication would be that you get uniform
>> sampling of parameter signals with control rate = sample rate /
>> nframes. I assume that computing parameter trajectories basically
>> means interpolating, and that inevitably introduces some latency if
>> you want the audio and control streams to be in sync (e.g., nframes
>> for linear interpolation, 2 * nframes for splines, etc.).
>
> Indeed, interpolation introcudes delay. If control values are
> delivered at a constant rate it's quite easy for a host to
> compensate for this. What is needed in that case is that the
> delay is *defined*. But there is anothor issue you touch on.
>
> If automation data is the result of 'real time' input, then
> that delay doesn't matter - the user, while creating the data
> using some GUI widget or a HW controller, will compensate for
> it because he/she simply has no other choice. Then, if the host
> delivers the data at the same time (w.r.t. the audio) as when
> it was recorded, then the plugin will do the same things and
> the user will hear the result he/she wanted.
>
> If OTOH the automation data is created by e.g. drawing some
> curves in a graphical interface (with probaby the audio wave-
> form as a reference) then you don't want that delay, and the
> host shoudl compensate for this.
>
> In most cases (general audio effects in a DAW) it just doesn't
> matter much. The only thing (apart from synthesis/instruments)
> that need accurate timing is the 'mute' function when used to
> remove unwanted noises etc. But that is usually handled by the
> host itself, and anyway automation is not the best way to deal
> with such things - editing is.

So far so good, but in practical terms how could a plugin API allow
all use cases without requiring the plugin writer to do twice the
work? The only solution I can think of is "getting future values" in
case a host can provide them, but maybe there is a better way?

Stefano
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Received on Mon May 28 00:15:07 2012