Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`audiorecord(1)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, audiorecord is the illumos /usr/bin/audiorecord, which records from /dev/audio to an .au, .aif/.aiff or .wav file. The bundle has only a NetBSD counterpart. It differs from Solnix in the header-format option (-F instead of -T), the volume range (0-255 instead of 0-100), the device default and the environment variable names.

The manual pages

Solnix: audiorecord(1) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
NetBSD: audiorecord(1) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos audiorecord at /usr/bin/audiorecord. No other variants are shipped. The bundle has no Linux, FreeBSD or OpenBSD counterpart page, so nothing is claimed about those systems.

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
NetBSD	output file type option	Solnix chooses the file type with `-T` au\|aif[f]\|wav, or from the file suffix, falling back to .au for an unknown suffix. NetBSD uses `-F` sun\|wav\|none, defaults to Sun/NeXT, and writes WAV when the name ends in .wav. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) -T, OPERANDS; NetBSD audiorecord(1) -F, DESCRIPTION
NetBSD	AIFF and headerless output	Solnix lists AIFF (aif/aiff) as an output type and documents no headerless mode. NetBSD documents a headerless mode (`-F` none) and no AIFF type. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) -T; NetBSD audiorecord(1) -F
NetBSD	default audio device	Solnix records from /dev/audio unless `-d` or AUDIODEV is set. NetBSD defaults to /dev/sound. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) -d, ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES; NetBSD audiorecord(1) -d
NetBSD	environment variables	Solnix reads AUDIODEV. NetBSD reads AUDIODEVICE for the audio device and AUDIOCTLDEVICE for the control device. A script that exports one name does nothing on the other system. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES; NetBSD audiorecord(1) ENVIRONMENT
NetBSD	`-v` volume range	Solnix `-v` takes an integer from 0 to 100 and restores the previous gain when audiorecord exits. NetBSD `-v` takes 0 to 255, and its page does not say the gain is restored. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) -v; NetBSD audiorecord(1) -v
NetBSD	standard output and file operand	On Solnix the file is optional. With no file, output goes to stdout if it is not a tty, and audiorecord exits with an error if stdout is a tty. The NetBSD synopsis requires file, and the name - selects stdout. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) DESCRIPTION, OPERANDS; NetBSD audiorecord(1) SYNOPSIS, DESCRIPTION
NetBSD	options missing on Solnix	Solnix has no `-B`, `-b`, `-m`, `-P`, `-p`, `-q` or `-V`, and no `-h`. Help is `-?`. NetBSD uses `-h` for help, `-V` for verbose and `-q` for quiet, and has options for input port, precision, balance and monitor volume. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) SYNOPSIS, -?; NetBSD audiorecord(1) SYNOPSIS, OPTIONS
NetBSD	`-s` rate and `-t` time syntax	Solnix `-s` accepts a k suffix (44.1k = 44100) and defaults to 8 kHz. Solnix `-t` takes plain seconds or hh:mm:ss.dd. NetBSD documents no k suffix, and gives `-t` as [hh:]mm:ss[.dddddd] with no plain-seconds form. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) -s, -t; NetBSD audiorecord(1) -s, -t
NetBSD	channels and encoding	Solnix `-c` accepts 1, 2, mono or stereo (default mono) and `-e` accepts ulaw, alaw or linear. NetBSD `-e` also accepts other values reported by audioctl encodings, and file samples are slinear_be (sun) or slinear_le (wav) whatever `-e` says. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) -c, -e; NetBSD audiorecord(1) -e
NetBSD	`-i` with append	Solnix does not allow `-i` together with `-a`. The NetBSD page states no such restriction. It says `-i` adds the string only if the `-F` format supports it. Source: Solnix audiorecord(1) -i; NetBSD audiorecord(1) -i

Standards

POSIX: audiorecord is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: The Solnix page cites no standard. It refers to largefile(7) for files of 2 Gbyte or more.

Writing portable scripts

Pass -d explicitly instead of relying on AUDIODEV, AUDIODEVICE or the default device, which differ between Solnix (/dev/audio) and NetBSD (/dev/sound).
Avoid -v, -T and -F in portable scripts: -v has different ranges, and -T and -F select the file type differently on Solnix and NetBSD.

Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.