update Sendspin-CPP-CLI to support input(s) #72

Activity

1. chrisuthe

   added this to Sendspin Project Boardon Oct 7, 2026
2. chrisuthe

   moved this to In Progress in Sendspin Project Boardon Oct 7, 2026
3. chrisuthe

   self-assigned this

   on Oct 7, 2026
4. chrisuthe commented on Oct 14, 2026

   

   chrisuthe

   on Oct 14, 2026

   MemberAuthor

   More actions

   Soundcard input is in: sendspin-cli --input <backend>:<device> streams a mic or line-in through the source role. Dedicated loopback is not built yet (see below).

   Plan

   From the approved sendspin-cpp v0.9 update plan:

   • Capturing must be easy. --input takes -o's <backend>:<device> syntax, -l lists capture devices separately from playback, and a bad or busy device fails with an error naming it.
   • Seam + ALSA. An AudioSource seam with one capture thread calling write_audio(); --input and an input config key, with the source role added only when given; capture devices in -l; ALSA plus null/tone sources; status shows whether input is streaming.
   • Other backends. PipeWire, PulseAudio and CoreAudio capture, one PR per backend.
   • Not planned: line-sense (set_signal), since we have no signal-detect hardware.

   sendspin-cli -n den --input default
   sendspin-cli -n den --input hw:1,0
   sendspin-cli -n den --input coreaudio
   sendspin-cli -n den --input pipewire
   sendspin-cli -n den --input pulse:alsa_input.usb-mic.analog-stereo

   PRs (merged 2026-10-07)

   • Add --input: stream a microphone or line-in through the source role sendspin-cpp-cli#74 — --input seam, ALSA capture, tone/null sources, input devices in -l, status line.
   • Add CoreAudio capture: --input coreaudio on macOS sendspin-cpp-cli#75 — CoreAudio capture on macOS, including the microphone permission prompt.
   • Capture through PipeWire and PulseAudio with --input sendspin-cpp-cli#76 — PipeWire and PulseAudio capture; -l lists Pulse sources (monitors included) and PipeWire source nodes.

   Loopback — not built

   There is no dedicated loopback option. Workaround on Linux with PulseAudio or pipewire-pulse: capture a sink's monitor source, which -l lists under "PulseAudio sources":

   sendspin-cli -n den --input pulse:<sink>.monitor

   --input pipewire:<node> only lists and targets source nodes, so it has no monitor path of its own; use the pulse: form. macOS has no loopback path.

   Still open / unverified

   • Streaming to a real rc1 server: no PR had a server start the source (Update sendspin-js to the Sendspin 1.0.0 RC1 spec #75 did stream to Music Assistant on a Mac; Linux backends were only driven locally).
   • PortAudio capture: still refused with "not supported yet".
   • Device unplugged mid-stream: untested on ALSA and CoreAudio; PipeWire/Pulse loss was tested only with a virtual source.
   • A real PulseAudio daemon (only pipewire-pulse tested) and a launchd daemon on macOS.
   • Line-sense: not planned.
5. chrisuthe

   moved this from In Progress to Done in Sendspin Project Boardon Oct 16, 2026
6. chrisuthe

   closed this as completedby moving to Done in Sendspin Project Boardon Oct 16, 2026