What are they difference [Archive]

DJ Egg

15th April 2005, 01:49

Are you using Winamp Lite with Win9x, or something?

The following Output plugins are included with the default distro of Winamp 5.08 Full

DirectSound Output v2.2.11 (out_ds.dll)
Default playback output plugin on Win2k/XP
Uses Soundcard/Microsoft DirectX DirectSound drivers
Also includes built-in crossfader, and is required for multiple speaker output (ie. more than 2 stereo speakers), and gapless playback.

WaveOut Output v2.0.2a (out_wave.dll)
Default playback output plugin on Win9x/ME
Uses soundcard waveout driver

Nullsoft Disk Writer v2.0c (out_disk.dll)
Used for converting files from one format to another (default format is PCM WAV), instead of playing them back normally

The other two Output plugins you referred to aren't included with Winamp, but both of them are coded by Nullsoft (ie. not 3rd-party).

Nullsoft Crossfading Output (http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=175) is old, and no longer required if you use DirectSound Output instead.

Nullsoft Null Output (out_null.dll) is included with the Shoutcast broadcasting package, and is used for enabling playback but with no sound, which is also useful for systems with no sound card installed (so the broadcaster can use any old pc to permanently broadcast with, and not have to listen to any of it at the same time).

More (3rd-party) Output plugins here (http://www.winamp.com/plugins/browse.php?sortby=&shownum=20&ctype=P&category=7)

Basically, whichever Output plugin is selected (hi-lighted) is the active one, and one output plugin must be selected and active always. If you change the output plugin (by hi-lighting another one in the list) then the change will take place either when playback is restarted or when the next track begins.

This same principle is used for DSP/Effects and Vis plugins.
Whichever one is hi-lighted becomes active.

However, it's not the same for Input and General Purpose plugins, as all of these are always active.