Batch conversion of IR files to Helix format

[zooey]

As I understand it, Helix Edit automatically converts IRs to 16-bit, 48kHz mono, and shortens (or lengthens) them to 2,048 samples. It also doesn't support very long IR file names, especially considering that you need to add a 3-digit slot number prefix to be able to export and import them reliably, and probably a short vendor prefix to (try to) avoid randomly duplicated names (except for the slot number).

 

I have multiple IRs loaded that have the exact same file name if you ignore the slot number, but since Helix alters both the file name and the contents of the file, there's no straight-forward way to correlate an exported IR with its original source file. Very frustrating.

 

While we all hope for and will no doubt eventually get better IR management tools, I'm trying to figure out how to best deal with this now.

 

What I'd like to try is batch converting all my IRs into Helix format first. At that point, you could use a generic duplicate-file checker to connect exported IRs back to the (converted) original file. I'm a programmer, so I have some other possibilities in mind too, possibly as enhancements to Jason's IR Manager on the Helix Help site, but first steps first.

 

 

All of which is a very long preface to my actual question: Does anyone know of any tools that can convert IRs in different formats to Helix format, exactly like Helix Edit does it, so the contents would be bit-for-bit identical? Voxengo's free r8brain seems like it'll do everything but truncate/lengthen to 2048 samples. (It's possible it can do that too, haven't tried it yet, but I'd think they'd mention if it had that feature.)

[jbuhajla]

It would seem that you would need the specific algorithm that Helix uses to alter the wav files. Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll include file conversion as part of the new and improved IR file handling in future EDIT updates. 

 

It might be something that can be reverse engineered by comparing an original wav file and one that has been imported/exported with the Helix. That's a data/digital engineering topic though, and not my forte.