Possible to play mp3/other formats? Also FFT?

Hello everyone, my first post here.

From what I can tell it looks like XNA relies on XACT for audio, which only supports ADPCM at the moment. A preliminary googling reveals that it's not all that great of a format for music, and wouldn't allow users to load tracks from their own mp3 collections. Is there something better in the works for the final version of XNA (or is there another way of achieving this functionality) Also, I was wondering if there is any planned FFT functionality to help with things like synching animations to the music.

I ask all this because I'm looking at using alternative, FMOD, which supports a bunch of different formats and features (including FFT), and is compatible with many game platforms including the 360. But if I can just stick with the base XNA API I'd prefer that.

Thanks all,

Tom

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Possible to play mp3/other formats? Also FFT?

IgorB
Actually, it's quite easy to play sounds.

using System.Media;
SoundPlayer Ping = new SoundPlayer("Content/ping.wav"); //Loading bouncing sound
Ping.Play(); //Play the beep sound

Straight form my Pong game.
I don't know if that also works with MP3
JackStri

Add your request to connect see - http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx PostID=682921

Post a link to your request in this thread so others who find it can then go and vote.

I can't see this being a change that is made for this release though since they rely on XACT and its XACT that doesn't support other formats but the request may get through to the XACT team eventually
Ayman metwally
Well, This is straight from my Pong game:

[code]using System.Media;
SoundPlayer Ping = new SoundPlayer("Content/ping.wav"); //Loading bouncing sound
Ping.Play(); //Play the beep sound
[/code]

I don't know if this also works with MP3
Jakein2006
So basically there's no good solution for this, other than to just hope that either MS adds this functionality later on, use FMOD and hope they add managed support on 360, or to write your own.
4B7

No there is no way to play MP3s. See Ben's FAQ where he laments the lack of compressed formats (search for MP3)

Yes FMOD works on the xbox but there is no guarentee it will work on the xbox using XNA. The current FMod for xbox is used with the full XDK, I doubt there is a managed version that will work and you can't interop in XNA.
chris441962

As the XNA System uses the Xact system for it's audio, I would have a look at the Xact Groups. I personally have not done much with Xact and have only just started to play with it.

reading the documentation Xact Supports, WAV (Standard Windows Adio Format), AIFF (Apple Audio Format), XMA (File Format based on Windows WMA). And it will also act on automatic Loop points embeded in WAV and AIFF File Formats. It also allows for you to apply the ADPCM compression format.

Hope this helps... bt as I said have a look through the MSDN Documentation that gets installed with the SDK, the Online MSDN Doco, and speak to the guys in the Xact forums on this site.
Orest Bolohan
Looks like someone already made the suggestion to add mp3.

Everyone, add your vote to it here!

https://connect.microsoft.com/feedback/ViewFeedback.aspx FeedbackID=191088&SiteID=226
Ed Hintz

That will only work on the PC, not on the xbox 360.

Also SoundPlayer only lets you play one sound at a time which is usually not enough for games.

But its a good workaround for simple, PC only games.

I do NOT belive this will work with MP#, however there are media apis (also PC only) tht will work with MP3.
Possible to play mp3/other formats? Also FFT?

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