…3397)

## What

First, **pure-addition** step of the consolidated audio sink factory
(#3306): a single shared, OS-parameterized format/rate **negotiation
policy** that every audio sink and source will migrate onto, replacing
the ~9 divergent per-sink fallback ladders and per-OS `#ifdef` branches
that are the root of a recurring class of platform audio bugs.

Zero behaviour change — this is the maintainer-endorsed *"land the
helper first, migrate sinks incrementally"* approach (#3306, and the
#3194 thread's "sensitive audio-stack changes must be separate PRs with
soak time").

## Why this shape

The historical bugs escaped CI because the per-OS rate ladders were
compiled behind `Q_OS_*`, so a Linux runner could only ever exercise the
Linux path. The new policy is a **pure function over an injected
`DeviceCaps` snapshot with `TargetOs` as a parameter, not an `#ifdef`**
— so one headless, hardware-free test binary exercises the Windows,
macOS *and* Linux ladders on any runner.

## Contents

- **`src/core/AudioFormatNegotiator.{h,cpp}`** — dependency-free policy
(links only `Qt6::Core`). One ladder owns:
- Windows force-48k + r8brain (#2120/#2123), macOS 48k/A2DP (#1705),
Linux native-24k — divergences preserved as **data**, not `#ifdef`.
- The **universal 44.1 kHz rung** that RX/Quindar/QSO are missing today
(#3385).
- `Int16`↔`Float32` + `preferredFormat()` catch-all (#2669 / #1090 /
#3231).
- macOS mic preferred-rate-first (#2930) and Bluetooth-HFP native rate
(#2615); Windows probe-at-open (#2929).
- The two stereo resampler strategies — **PreservePan** (RX/QSO) vs
**MonoCollapse** (TCI-TX/RADE) — kept deliberately distinct
(#2403/#2459).
- **`tests/audio_format_negotiation_test.cpp`** — table-driven golden
matrix, registered under CTest. **25/25 pass**, including the
44.1k-only-device regression guard.
- **`docs/audio-sink-factory.md`** — the full three-layer design (pure
policy → live Qt wrapper → device-ownership router), the
device-following **"uncoupling"** fix (CW / RADE / Aetherial-Audio
"Pudu" recorder following the selected output), the regression-guard
invariants, and the one-sink-per-PR migration plan.

## Test

```
$ ./build/audio_format_negotiation_test
...
25/25 checks passed
```

## Follow-ups (per the migration plan in the doc)

Live Qt wrapper → migrate RX speaker → migrate PC mic →
`AudioOutputRouter` (closes the uncoupling class) → TCI-TX client-rate →
PipeWire DAX shared resampler. Each a separate, soakable PR.

Refs #3306

💻 Generated with Claude Code (Opus 4.8) with architecture by @jensenpat

Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>

…dr#3306)

Replace the two forked per-OS #ifdef negotiation blocks in
AudioEngine::startRxStream() with a single walk of the factory's Float format
ladder (AudioDeviceNegotiator), trying each rung with a real start() so
reliable backends and WASAPI probe-at-open behave identically. Net -87 lines.

Behaviour is identical for normal devices: Windows/macOS still open 48k (dodging
the WASAPI 24k resampler artifacts aethersdr#2120 and keeping macOS A2DP devices off the
HFP/telephony route), Linux still opens native 24k. New, strictly-additive wins:
- a 44.1 kHz-only output now works (24k->44.1k resample) instead of failing —
  the aethersdr#3306 / aethersdr#3385 regression the golden matrix guards;
- the Quindar local monitor now opens on Windows too (the old Windows branch
  returned before startQuindarLocalSink()).

To support a non-48k device rate, the m_resampleTo48k bool is generalized to an
m_rxOutputRate int. resampleStereo() now targets that rate with its two
independent L/R r8brain instances (PreservePan — VITA-49 pan preserved, never
mono-collapsed here, aethersdr#2403/aethersdr#2459); the RADE decoded-speech path (MonoCollapse)
and both TX-scope rate sites follow suit. Cached resamplers rebuild when the
device rate changes (e.g. a 48k->44.1k device swap).

The macOS telephony/HFP output substitution (aethersdr#1705) is unchanged — it is
device selection, applied before the format ladder.

Builds clean into the full app; audio_format_negotiation_test (25/25) and
audio_device_negotiator_test (8/8, real macOS devices -> 48000/PreservePan) pass.

Refs aethersdr#3306

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>

…dr#3306)

Replace the two forked per-OS #ifdef negotiation blocks in
AudioEngine::startRxStream() with a single walk of the factory's Float format
ladder (AudioDeviceNegotiator), trying each rung with a real start() so
reliable backends and WASAPI probe-at-open behave identically. Net -87 lines.

Behaviour is identical for normal devices: Windows/macOS still open 48k (dodging
the WASAPI 24k resampler artifacts aethersdr#2120 and keeping macOS A2DP devices off the
HFP/telephony route), Linux still opens native 24k. New, strictly-additive wins:
- a 44.1 kHz-only output now works (24k->44.1k resample) instead of failing —
  the aethersdr#3306 / aethersdr#3385 regression the golden matrix guards;
- the Quindar local monitor now opens on Windows too (the old Windows branch
  returned before startQuindarLocalSink()).

To support a non-48k device rate, the m_resampleTo48k bool is generalized to an
m_rxOutputRate int. resampleStereo() now targets that rate with its two
independent L/R r8brain instances (PreservePan — VITA-49 pan preserved, never
mono-collapsed here, aethersdr#2403/aethersdr#2459); the RADE decoded-speech path (MonoCollapse)
and both TX-scope rate sites follow suit. Cached resamplers rebuild when the
device rate changes (e.g. a 48k->44.1k device swap).

The macOS telephony/HFP output substitution (aethersdr#1705) is unchanged — it is
device selection, applied before the format ladder.

Builds clean into the full app; audio_format_negotiation_test (25/25) and
audio_device_negotiator_test (8/8, real macOS devices -> 48000/PreservePan) pass.

Refs aethersdr#3306

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>

…ry (#3306) (#3398)

> **Stacks on #3397** (the pure foundation). The first two commits here
are #3397's (foundation + live wrapper); the last two are the RX and
TX-mic migrations. Merge #3397 first and this collapses to just those
deltas. Kept as separate commits per the maintainer's
one-change-at-a-time / soak rule (#3194 thread).

## What

Layer 2 + the first two sink migrations of the consolidated audio sink
factory (#3306):

1. **Live Qt-Multimedia wrapper** `AudioDeviceNegotiator` — the thin,
and only, platform-specific bridge. `probe(QAudioDevice)` → pure
`DeviceCaps`; `negotiate()`/`formatLadder()` → openable `QAudioFormat`s.
Smoke-tested against the real default devices
(`audio_device_negotiator_test`, 8/8).
2. **RX speaker** — `startRxStream()` walks the factory's Float ladder
with real `start()` attempts instead of two forked per-OS `#ifdef`
blocks (**net −87 lines**). `m_resampleTo48k` (bool) → `m_rxOutputRate`
(int).
3. **PC mic (TX), macOS + Linux** — `startTxStream()` drives mic
rate/format from the factory's Int16 Input ladder (stereo-then-mono),
removing the per-OS rate lists and the bespoke
`macTxInputRateCandidates()` helper.

## Behaviour (preserved)

- **RX:** Windows/macOS → 48k (WASAPI 24k-resampler artifacts #2120;
macOS A2DP off HFP), Linux → 24k native. New strictly-additive wins: a
44.1k-only output now works (#3306/#3385); the Quindar local monitor now
opens on Windows (old branch `return`ed before
`startQuindarLocalSink()`).
- **TX mic:** standard macOS mic → 48k; Linux → 24k native;
**Bluetooth-HFP mic → native low rate first (#2615)**, fed in via
`macBluetoothNativeInputRate()` + the wrapper's new
`preferredRateOverride`; preferred-rate-first avoids the silent-48k-open
trap (#2930).

## Scope notes / invariants

- Two stereo resampler strategies kept distinct: **PreservePan** (RX,
dual L/R, VITA-49 pan #2403/#2459) vs **MonoCollapse** (RADE/TCI-TX).
- macOS telephony/HFP **output** substitution (#1705) unchanged (device
selection, before the ladder).
- **Windows mic left as-is** — already matches the factory's force-48k +
probe-at-open policy and carries the mono-only USB-mic channel clamp
(#2929) that needs its own soak. That + the device-following
`AudioOutputRouter`, TCI-TX client-rate, and PipeWire DAX are the
remaining increments (see `docs/audio-sink-factory.md`).

## Test / build

- `audio_format_negotiation_test` 25/25, `audio_device_negotiator_test`
8/8.
- Full macOS app builds & links clean (RelWithDebInfo); deployed to the
macOS test box. Soak on Windows/Linux requested before un-drafting.

Refs #3306

💻 Generated with Claude Code (Opus 4.8) with architecture by @jensenpat

---------

Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
Co-authored-by: Jeremy [KK7GWY] <kk7gwy@aethersdr.com>

…#3306) (aethersdr#3397)

## What

First, **pure-addition** step of the consolidated audio sink factory
(aethersdr#3306): a single shared, OS-parameterized format/rate **negotiation
policy** that every audio sink and source will migrate onto, replacing
the ~9 divergent per-sink fallback ladders and per-OS `#ifdef` branches
that are the root of a recurring class of platform audio bugs.

Zero behaviour change — this is the maintainer-endorsed *"land the
helper first, migrate sinks incrementally"* approach (aethersdr#3306, and the
aethersdr#3194 thread's "sensitive audio-stack changes must be separate PRs with
soak time").

## Why this shape

The historical bugs escaped CI because the per-OS rate ladders were
compiled behind `Q_OS_*`, so a Linux runner could only ever exercise the
Linux path. The new policy is a **pure function over an injected
`DeviceCaps` snapshot with `TargetOs` as a parameter, not an `#ifdef`**
— so one headless, hardware-free test binary exercises the Windows,
macOS *and* Linux ladders on any runner.

## Contents

- **`src/core/AudioFormatNegotiator.{h,cpp}`** — dependency-free policy
(links only `Qt6::Core`). One ladder owns:
- Windows force-48k + r8brain (aethersdr#2120/aethersdr#2123), macOS 48k/A2DP (aethersdr#1705),
Linux native-24k — divergences preserved as **data**, not `#ifdef`.
- The **universal 44.1 kHz rung** that RX/Quindar/QSO are missing today
(aethersdr#3385).
- `Int16`↔`Float32` + `preferredFormat()` catch-all (aethersdr#2669 / aethersdr#1090 /
aethersdr#3231).
- macOS mic preferred-rate-first (aethersdr#2930) and Bluetooth-HFP native rate
(aethersdr#2615); Windows probe-at-open (aethersdr#2929).
- The two stereo resampler strategies — **PreservePan** (RX/QSO) vs
**MonoCollapse** (TCI-TX/RADE) — kept deliberately distinct
(aethersdr#2403/aethersdr#2459).
- **`tests/audio_format_negotiation_test.cpp`** — table-driven golden
matrix, registered under CTest. **25/25 pass**, including the
44.1k-only-device regression guard.
- **`docs/audio-sink-factory.md`** — the full three-layer design (pure
policy → live Qt wrapper → device-ownership router), the
device-following **"uncoupling"** fix (CW / RADE / Aetherial-Audio
"Pudu" recorder following the selected output), the regression-guard
invariants, and the one-sink-per-PR migration plan.

## Test

```
$ ./build/audio_format_negotiation_test
...
25/25 checks passed
```

## Follow-ups (per the migration plan in the doc)

Live Qt wrapper → migrate RX speaker → migrate PC mic →
`AudioOutputRouter` (closes the uncoupling class) → TCI-TX client-rate →
PipeWire DAX shared resampler. Each a separate, soakable PR.

Refs aethersdr#3306

💻 Generated with Claude Code (Opus 4.8) with architecture by @jensenpat

Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>

…ry (aethersdr#3306) (aethersdr#3398)

> **Stacks on aethersdr#3397** (the pure foundation). The first two commits here
are aethersdr#3397's (foundation + live wrapper); the last two are the RX and
TX-mic migrations. Merge aethersdr#3397 first and this collapses to just those
deltas. Kept as separate commits per the maintainer's
one-change-at-a-time / soak rule (aethersdr#3194 thread).

## What

Layer 2 + the first two sink migrations of the consolidated audio sink
factory (aethersdr#3306):

1. **Live Qt-Multimedia wrapper** `AudioDeviceNegotiator` — the thin,
and only, platform-specific bridge. `probe(QAudioDevice)` → pure
`DeviceCaps`; `negotiate()`/`formatLadder()` → openable `QAudioFormat`s.
Smoke-tested against the real default devices
(`audio_device_negotiator_test`, 8/8).
2. **RX speaker** — `startRxStream()` walks the factory's Float ladder
with real `start()` attempts instead of two forked per-OS `#ifdef`
blocks (**net −87 lines**). `m_resampleTo48k` (bool) → `m_rxOutputRate`
(int).
3. **PC mic (TX), macOS + Linux** — `startTxStream()` drives mic
rate/format from the factory's Int16 Input ladder (stereo-then-mono),
removing the per-OS rate lists and the bespoke
`macTxInputRateCandidates()` helper.

## Behaviour (preserved)

- **RX:** Windows/macOS → 48k (WASAPI 24k-resampler artifacts aethersdr#2120;
macOS A2DP off HFP), Linux → 24k native. New strictly-additive wins: a
44.1k-only output now works (aethersdr#3306/aethersdr#3385); the Quindar local monitor now
opens on Windows (old branch `return`ed before
`startQuindarLocalSink()`).
- **TX mic:** standard macOS mic → 48k; Linux → 24k native;
**Bluetooth-HFP mic → native low rate first (aethersdr#2615)**, fed in via
`macBluetoothNativeInputRate()` + the wrapper's new
`preferredRateOverride`; preferred-rate-first avoids the silent-48k-open
trap (aethersdr#2930).

## Scope notes / invariants

- Two stereo resampler strategies kept distinct: **PreservePan** (RX,
dual L/R, VITA-49 pan aethersdr#2403/aethersdr#2459) vs **MonoCollapse** (RADE/TCI-TX).
- macOS telephony/HFP **output** substitution (aethersdr#1705) unchanged (device
selection, before the ladder).
- **Windows mic left as-is** — already matches the factory's force-48k +
probe-at-open policy and carries the mono-only USB-mic channel clamp
(aethersdr#2929) that needs its own soak. That + the device-following
`AudioOutputRouter`, TCI-TX client-rate, and PipeWire DAX are the
remaining increments (see `docs/audio-sink-factory.md`).

## Test / build

- `audio_format_negotiation_test` 25/25, `audio_device_negotiator_test`
8/8.
- Full macOS app builds & links clean (RelWithDebInfo); deployed to the
macOS test box. Soak on Windows/Linux requested before un-drafting.

Refs aethersdr#3306

💻 Generated with Claude Code (Opus 4.8) with architecture by @jensenpat

---------

Co-authored-by: Codex <noreply@openai.com>
Co-authored-by: Jeremy [KK7GWY] <kk7gwy@aethersdr.com>