adjust playback speed

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

You should calm down a bit...

[verdigris]

no, you can speed up by 0.05x too.

But how exactly do you do that?

Using the menus, or the hotkeys for small increase in speed.

Hi guys, I realise this is an old thread...

I was using 1.0.5 and getting some glitches, so I have updated to 2.2.4 on Win7/64 (I don't generally fix what ain't broke!).

I use VLC to play MP3s for ballroom dancing. We need fine tempo control, and I use it with the timestretch turned OFF to absolutely minimise DSP artefacts (a change in pitch is far less objectionable than the distortion caused in some types of music track).

The speed slider offers 1.00x, 1.04x, 1.09x, 1.13x...
The speed up/down keys +/- (or on the Playback menu) offers 1.00x, 1.50x, 2.00x, 3.00x...
The fine speed up/down keys [/] (or on the Playback menu) offers 1.00x, 1.10x, 1.20x, 1.30x...

...so I don't know where the 0.05 increments mentioned above come from, and I cannot see anywhere in the menus the increment can be redefined (this was the same in 1.0.5 AFAICR).

The 1.04, 1.09, 1.13 increments are good enough for my purposes, but it would be very nice if the exact speed could be set in 0.01 increments by keyboard entry into the speed box.

However, a real drawback is that it is not possible to set the speed of playback before play starts. When the previous track ends, the speed resets to 1.00x, and cannot be adjusted without starting the next track playing. This means there is a twitch in the audio, or one has to pause as soon as it starts and adjust the speed, then resume play. It would be so much nicer to set the speed and then start the track. It would also be nice to have a settings option to keep the speed setting or reset to 1.00x after each track.

By launching VLC from the command line using the --rate switch, a new instance of VLC is started (I can't find a way of using the same instance) with the rate defaulted as specified, thus: "vlc --rate 1.01" launches a new VLC window with the speed set to 1.01x for anything you play in it (until altered, and then the stock increments resume); "vlc --rate 1.01 xxx.mp3" starts xxx.mp3 playing in a new window with 1.01x as the default speed. The --rate switch was not available in 1.0.5.

What I would really like is for the command line to add the named file to the existing playlist (not start a new one), for playback (when the queue gets to it) at the selected speed.

As things stand, my only real option is to re-code the relevant MP3s into versions at all the various tempos I might need, and then play that version of the track instead of having live control.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

If you need 0.01 increments, you can do so manually with a script then.

[verdigris]

If you need 0.01 increments, you can do so manually with a script then.

Thanks for the tip, but please explain further. Guidance required!

However, the 0.01 increments are less important than being able to set the tempo before starting the track playing, which I suspect is a "feature request" to be considered for a future release of VLC (unless you are aware of any fancy command line options).

Further up this thread you mentioned direct access to 0.05x increments is available, but not said how.

Edit: I have found the feature requests section, and will post my suggestions there:

[verdigris]

Edit: I have found the feature requests section, and will post my suggestions there:

https://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=137509

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

If you need 0.01 increments, you can do so manually with a script then.

Thanks for the tip, but please explain further. Guidance required!

However, the 0.01 increments are less important than being able to set the tempo before starting the track playing, which I suspect is a "feature request" to be considered for a future release of VLC (unless you are aware of any fancy command line options).

Further up this thread you mentioned direct access to 0.05x increments is available, but not said how.

Edit: I have found the feature requests section, and will post my suggestions there:

THen use the preferences.

[verdigris]

THen use the preferences.

Thank you for taking the time to reply, but I regret the above does not help me locate the relevant options in Tools.. Preferences.

Using VLC 2.2.4 64-bit on Win7/64:

Tools.. Preferences
Show Settings = All
Audio > Enable time stretching audio = off

I can find where the hotkey assignments are made to commands such as "Faster (fine)", but nothing to control the granularity of the adjustment:

Interface.. Hotkeys settings

Please be so kind to explain.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

In preferences, you can set the rate as you wish, and as precise as you wish.

[verdigris]

In preferences, you can set the rate as you wish, and as precise as you wish.

I'm sorry, but I simply cannot find any such setting. Please be precise where it is.

[Jean-Baptiste Kempf]

In preferences, you can set the rate as you wish, and as precise as you wish.

I'm sorry, but I simply cannot find any such setting. Please be precise where it is.

Preferences->all->Input ->playback speed.

[verdigris]

OK, thanks, got that. Unfortunately it appears that the setting does not take effect without closing VLC and launching it again. That's not useful in a live situation.

So, thank you for the tip, but it does not replace my feature request.

[mederi]

I can help you with Lua script: [Extension] Fine adjust playback speed

[verdigris]

Thanks