As usual I'm probably missing something, but, I've been (trying) to load .wav files into audio, both with file in chops and file in the audio panel. When I load the file houdini just sits, no ‘houdini not responding’ in the task manager, and no memory activity, but it goes away and doesn't come back - is there some kind of cook that needs to be done, am I using the correct file format (my wav files play okay in media player and I've edited them down for testing okay in creative audio editor, so they do make a noise. Any ideas?

Shouldn't I be able to just load the file and go?

It seems to work for me. Here's what I tried on WinXP:
- Start up Houdini 8.1.704
- Click on the audio panel button on the playbar to bring it up
- Click on Time Line
- Click on File:
- Choose the WinXP startup .wav file: CWINDOWS/Media/Windows XP Startup.wav
- Turn on realtime playback in the playbar
- Hit Play

Is your .wav file less than or equal to 44.1 KHz? Houdini doesn't support any higher frequencies for audio playback.

That works okay. Still get the same thing. My attachment wasn't allowed (.wav) Craig Zerouni has a copy of the problem file.

Is your .wav file less than or equal to 44.1 KHz?

How do I tell? ainfo won't read it either…

I would recommend downloading the free version of Goldwave and use that to create your audio files. It is easy to use and gives you complet control over creating your file. As said before keep it at 44.1Khz and you should be just fine.

craig
How do I tell? ainfo won't read it either…

It works for me:
C:\WINDOWS\Media>ainfo “Windows XP Startup.wav”
Windows XP Startup.wav:
Sample Rate: 22050 Hz
# Channels: 2
# Samples: 106150 (4.81406 seconds)

If your audio came from a DAT player, then it's likely to be 48KHz (not 44.1KHz).
Not sure if anyone mentioned setting the green (audio) flag on the chop. That helps.

Ed:

Not to air this all out in public, but what I meant was that ainfo won't work on Harry's specific file, which he sent me privately. What's interesting is that WMP will play it just fine. but when I ask that program what the sampling rate is, it says ‘0’. I don't know if that's relevant.

I think it be due to the fact that Houdini only supports PCM .wav files then. Specifically, PCM .wav files that have no more than 2 channels and no more than 16-bits per sample.