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Simple audio recording program

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12 Jul 20071 min read 402.1K   18.5K   83   109
Simplest way to record sound...

Sample Image - SoundRecord.jpg

Introduction

This sample program make use of waveInxxxx functions to read from an audio input device like a sound card and write it to a .wav file using mmioxxx functions. It is one of the simplest way to record sound with all the format capabilities supported by the hardware device

Initially, by using waveInGetNumDevs, we can find all the devices and then by using waveInGetDevCaps, we can find the formats it is supported.

To start recording, first select a device and then open the device with waveInOpen API call with the specified format (i.e. 16 bit etc). The output file is also prepared with all the headers filled in properly. Here i am using only PCM format which is easy. If you have more codecs installed on your PC, you can change that one also. But be sure that you supplied the proper values in the WAVEFORMATEX structure.

waveIn needs buffers to start recording. It is better to give more buffers for buffering to avoid any delays. I have used 3 here, but you can add more if your PC needs more time in writing to the HDD and thus causing the delay. Once the buffers are added in the queue, waveInStart will start recording. For each data chunk, the callback function specified in the waveinOpen will get the buffers. Just write it to the file and mark the buffer again for recording by calling the same addbuffer fn.

Once done with recording, adjust the chunk headers using the mmioascend APIs. Thats it.

License

This article has no explicit license attached to it but may contain usage terms in the article text or the download files themselves. If in doubt please contact the author via the discussion board below.

A list of licenses authors might use can be found here


Written By
Software Developer (Senior)
United States United States
I am from the beautiful sea side town called Kochi ( cochin), Kerala, South India.

Comments and Discussions

 
AnswerRe: output wav can't play on Vista Pin
binsonl16-May-07 20:37
binsonl16-May-07 20:37 
GeneralRe: output wav can't play on Vista Pin
Saneesh17-May-07 4:11
Saneesh17-May-07 4:11 
GeneralRe: output wav can't play on Vista Pin
binsonl17-May-07 8:02
binsonl17-May-07 8:02 
GeneralFormat combo box Pin
chris_mezzanine5-Feb-07 4:14
chris_mezzanine5-Feb-07 4:14 
GeneralRe: Format combo box Pin
Saneesh6-Feb-07 3:27
Saneesh6-Feb-07 3:27 
GeneralRe: Format combo box Pin
chris_mezzanine6-Feb-07 12:22
chris_mezzanine6-Feb-07 12:22 
QuestionCompatible for c++ v6.0? Pin
Newbee0724-Jan-07 4:10
Newbee0724-Jan-07 4:10 
AnswerRe: Compatible for c++ v6.0? Pin
Saneesh24-Jan-07 5:18
Saneesh24-Jan-07 5:18 
Hi..please see the last message in messages section in the article. If it is some thing different, let me know. Basically, if its the #define error, just use them as follows



/* defines for dwFormat field of WAVEINCAPS and WAVEOUTCAPS */
#define WAVE_INVALIDFORMAT 0x00000000 /* invalid format */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_1M08 0x00000001 /* 11.025 kHz, Mono, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_1S08 0x00000002 /* 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_1M16 0x00000004 /* 11.025 kHz, Mono, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_1S16 0x00000008 /* 11.025 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_2M08 0x00000010 /* 22.05 kHz, Mono, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_2S08 0x00000020 /* 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_2M16 0x00000040 /* 22.05 kHz, Mono, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_2S16 0x00000080 /* 22.05 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_4M08 0x00000100 /* 44.1 kHz, Mono, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_4S08 0x00000200 /* 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_4M16 0x00000400 /* 44.1 kHz, Mono, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_4S16 0x00000800 /* 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit */

#define WAVE_FORMAT_44M08 0x00000100 /* 44.1 kHz, Mono, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_44S08 0x00000200 /* 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_44M16 0x00000400 /* 44.1 kHz, Mono, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_44S16 0x00000800 /* 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_48M08 0x00001000 /* 48 kHz, Mono, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_48S08 0x00002000 /* 48 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_48M16 0x00004000 /* 48 kHz, Mono, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_48S16 0x00008000 /* 48 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_96M08 0x00010000 /* 96 kHz, Mono, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_96S08 0x00020000 /* 96 kHz, Stereo, 8-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_96M16 0x00040000 /* 96 kHz, Mono, 16-bit */
#define WAVE_FORMAT_96S16 0x00080000 /* 96 kHz, Stereo, 16-bit */



Saneesh

GeneralRe: Compatible for c++ v6.0? Pin
Member 870123527-Apr-12 22:56
Member 870123527-Apr-12 22:56 
GeneralRAW PCM file extension. Pin
Newbee079-Jan-07 20:14
Newbee079-Jan-07 20:14 
GeneralRe: RAW PCM file extension. Pin
Saneesh15-Jan-07 7:36
Saneesh15-Jan-07 7:36 
QuestionTwo sound cards Pin
Baracat15-Oct-06 20:09
Baracat15-Oct-06 20:09 
AnswerRe: Two sound cards Pin
Saneesh16-Oct-06 8:49
Saneesh16-Oct-06 8:49 
GeneralRe: Two sound cards Pin
Conmen.Tsai7-Mar-07 20:00
Conmen.Tsai7-Mar-07 20:00 
GeneralRe: Two sound cards Pin
Saneesh8-Mar-07 8:08
Saneesh8-Mar-07 8:08 
GeneralI have an strange Problem Pin
Hung In27-Jun-06 1:28
Hung In27-Jun-06 1:28 
GeneralRe: I have an strange Problem Pin
Saneesh27-Jun-06 4:07
Saneesh27-Jun-06 4:07 
GeneralRe: I have an strange Problem [modified] Pin
Hung In27-Jun-06 15:56
Hung In27-Jun-06 15:56 
GeneralRe: I have an strange Problem Pin
Hung In3-Jul-06 19:01
Hung In3-Jul-06 19:01 
GeneralError when free memory [modified] Pin
Hung In20-Jun-06 16:26
Hung In20-Jun-06 16:26 
GeneralRe: Error when free memory Pin
Saneesh22-Jun-06 16:45
Saneesh22-Jun-06 16:45 
GeneralRe: Error when free memory Pin
Hung In22-Jun-06 17:34
Hung In22-Jun-06 17:34 
QuestionPlayer? Pin
Hung In24-May-06 20:47
Hung In24-May-06 20:47 
AnswerRe: Player? Pin
Saneesh25-May-06 10:48
Saneesh25-May-06 10:48 
GeneralAbout wave audio control Pin
hslings16-May-06 0:56
hslings16-May-06 0:56 

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