FAAD(1)

✨ FAAD — like, the manual page, but make it make sense ✨

okay bestie, welcome to faad(1) — the command-line glow-up for libfaad2, aka your girl for decoding MPEG-4 AAC 💖

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🌸 NAME 🌸

faad — process an Advanced Audio Codec stream. yes that's literally the whole job. she takes your AAC and she serves it back to you in a different format. iconic behaviour honestly.

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

faad [options] [-w | -o <output_filename> | -a <output_filename>]
input_filename

so like: options first, then you pick one of -w, -o <output_filename>, or -a <output_filename> — not all three, bestie, that's not how this works — and then your input_filename at the end. the input filename is not optional. she needs the tea to spill. 🫖

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

This utility is a command line interface to libfaad2. It reads in MPEG-4 AAC files, processes them, and outputs them in either Microsoft WAV, MPEG-4 AAC ADTS, or standard PCM formats.

that's it. that's the whole vibe. read → process → output. a little pipeline of self-care. 💅

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💜 OPTIONS 💜

• -a <filename>, --adtsout <filename> — tells the processing to output to the filename you named, in MPEG-4 AAC ADTS format. specify the file, get the ADTS. slay.
• -b <number>, --bits <number> — sets the output (individual) sample format. the <number> has to be one of these, no improvising:
  • 1: 16-bit PCM data (default).
  • 2: 24-bit PCM data.
  • 3: 32-bit PCM data.
  • 4: 32-bit floating-point data.
  • 5: 64-bit floating-point data.
• -d, --downmix — sets the processing to downsample from 5.1 (surround sound and bass) channels down to 2 channels (stereo). surround sound, but make it personal. 🎧
• -f <number>, --format <number> — sets the output file format. the <number> is one of:
  • 1: Microsoft WAV format (default).
  • 2: Raw PCM data.
• -g — disables sample-accurate gapless decoding, so you get output as un-trimmed raw PCM. no gapless, no trimming, just the whole thing. she's being unhinged on purpose, and honestly? valid.
• -h, --help — shows a usage summary. your girl is helpful. 🫶
• -i, --info — shows information about the about the input file. (yes, the manual really does say "the about the" — I'm not editing her, that's her moment 😭)
• -l <number>, --objecttype <number> — sets the MPEG profile and object type for the processing to use. <number> is one of:
  • 1: Main object type.
  • 2: Low Complexity (LC) object type (default).
  • 4: Long Term Prediction (LTP) object type.
  • 23: Low Delay (LD) object type.
• -o <filename>, --outfile <number> — sets the filename for processing output. (note: the long form's argument is literally written as <number> in the source. we don't ask questions, we just report faithfully ✨)
• -q, --quiet — Quiet. Suppresses status messages during processing. no chatter, just output. mysterious main character energy. 🤫
• -t, --oldformat — sets the processing to use the old MPEG-4 AAC ADTS format when outputting in said format. vintage, but make it deliberate.
• -w, --stdio — sets the processing output to be sent to standard out. pipe it, redirect it, whatever — she's going to stdout. 🔥

heads up bestie: with the synopsis being what it is, -w, -o and -a are the three ways to decide where the output goes, and you pick one. don't be greedy. 💀

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👑 AUTHOR 👑

Matthew W. S. Bell <matthew (at) bells23.org.uk>

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• faac(1)

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that's the whole page, bestie. go forth and decode. 🧚

faad 2.5 — October 2006 — mwah, sending you off with a kiss and a clean exit status 💖✨