pw-cat Command Examples in Linux

Pw-cat is a command-line tool for playing and recording audio files using the Pipewire multimedia framework. Pipewire is a modern, low-latency audio and video processing framework designed to replace the aging JACK and PulseAudio systems.

The Pw-cat tool allows users to play and record audio files in a variety of formats, including WAV, FLAC, MP3, and OGG Vorbis. It supports a range of audio devices and outputs, including sound cards, Bluetooth devices, and network audio streams.

pw-cat Command Examples

1. List all available playback targets:

# pw-cat --playback --list-targets

2. Play a WAV file over the default target:

# pw-cat --playback {{path/to/file.wav}}

3. List all available record targets:

# pw-cat --record --list-targets

4. Record a sample recording at a different volume level:

# pw-cat --record --volume={{0.1}} {{path/to/file.wav}}

5. Record a sample recording using a different sample rate:

# pw-cat --record --rate={{6000}} {{path/to/file.wav}}

Summary

Overall, Pw-cat is a useful tool for playing and recording audio files using the Pipewire multimedia framework, and can be a powerful addition to a Linux-based audio production or editing setup.