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[shp]

I was playing around with the settings on my JRiver for Mac.

There was an option of something like "on launch, load:  1. Everything, 2. Client, 3. Server" I thought it meant on computer launch and choose server.

Now I realize it was on application launch.

But I don't know how to launch the client app to change the setting.  I don't know if there are command line options for launching the client despite the setting.

Anyone know how to solve this?

Thanks

[robertus3]

Click on the MC icon on the upperside of your screen and select Show Media Centre

[shp]

Thank you


One more question.  The MacMini occasionally changes the audio out to HDMI or the headphone port instead of USB.

Is there anyway to make it so that JRiver is ALWAYS USB?

Thanks

[robertus3]

You're welcome. I hope you will enjoy MC as much as I do!

Your next question is a difficult one. The Mini loses the USB direction when the connected USB apparatus is fully turned off. I haven't found a solution to this, perhaps minor, problem.

Perhaps another member has a solution . . . ?

[shp]

Hopefully someone has a fix.  I'm running the mac mini headless, so connecting to "revive" the USB connection requires a remote desktop session.

[blgentry]

Maybe don't turn off the USB device?

Brian.

[shp]

Actually the problem is JRiver.

Other audio sources don't have this problem (e.g., Spotify, Tidal, iTunes).  Clicking play/stop/play/stop enough times in JRiver resolves it.  But if it was the Mac shutting off the USB then I'd have to recycle the OS or the hardware.  It seems JRiver isn't properly reporting the need to wake up the USB connection.

On a totally unrelated note, if I add songs to a playlist from the remote app, the songs aren't actually saved to the playlist.  Has anyone else experienced that?

[blgentry]

I guess I"m not clear on when the USB connection is dropped.  I (wrongly) assumed this happened when you shut off the USB device (and maybe the Mac mini also).

What sequence of events causes the mini and/or JRiver to lose the USB DAC connection?

Brian.

[shp]

Hi Bigentry

It seems like a long period of idle causes it.

But every other player I have (now including Roon) works just fine when I turn the DAC back on and press play from the remote app.  Only JRiver has the problem.

[blgentry]

It seems like a long period of idle causes it.

But every other player I have (now including Roon) works just fine when I turn the DAC back on and press play from the remote app.  Only JRiver has the problem.

That's a confusing reply.  "Turn the DAC back on..."  Are you turning it off to reset it, or is it turning itself off after a time out?

The core of this problem is that OSX is losing connection to your DAC, thus making it unavailable to the players on your system, including MC.  You are right that MC will revert back to the default audio device when it can't find the last one you configured for it.  I don't know of a way to make MC try to use a device that's not there, or to not switch when it can't find the device you configured.

The solution to this problem is to make the DAC stay recognized by OSX.  If we knew more about the DAC and *why* it's disconnecting from OSX, we might be able to find a solution.  Perhaps the manufacturer of the DAC can help?

Good luck.

Brian.

[shp]

Hi Big

It's a McIntosh C47.  Technically it's in standby mode but it does disappear from OSX's Sound configuration.  

When I want to use it, I walk over to turn on the McIntosh and my amp.  Then I pick up the iPad, unlock it, open JRemote and press play.  

And it fails.

Every other music player I have works just fine so I don't think this is a bug I can take to McIntosh.  Whatever the other app writers are doing to notice that the DAC is now available again is what JRiver should be doing.

(Roon allows you to configure each audio output whereas JRiver seems to rely on whatever is currently selected by the OS.)

(I feel like Andy Bernard in The Office episode when he falls into the river wearing a sumo costume and implores Angela, "look at what I'm doing and go tell somebody it.")

[blgentry]

Ok, a few thoughts:

I get what you're saying about other players and how they work.  I don't represent JRiver, nor am I a developer.  Just trying to help you out.  Maybe a developer will have something to say on this.  Maybe not.

It sounds like you're doing something very normal:  You're turning your preamp "off", which puts it in standby; and this preamnp has the DAC in it and that makes the Mac not see the DAC any more.  You could leave the preamp on all the time instead and this would mask the problem.  I'm guessing you're very much not happy with that idea.

Another way to do this is to shut the Mac down before the C47 preamp/DAC.  Then power up the C47 before the Mac.  Or, simply put the Mac to sleep before turning the C47 off.  Then, later, turn the C47 on, and then wake the Mac.  These should all allow the Mac to keep "seeing" the DAC and not lose it.  Macs wake from sleep very quickly.  Probably less than 30 seconds for most models.

Brian.

[shp]

Hi Big

I appreciate the help. 

I'm new to JRiver and after 30+ years of working in the Microsoft world, I suddenly find myself having to use Macs everywhere. 

I'm running the system headless so turning the Macintosh on/off every time wouldn't work. But the McIntosh does have a setting to prevent it from going into standby after 30 minutes without a signal that I could try.

I'll look for a way to submit the issue to JRiver.  What I think is happening is that when the DAC goes to standby, JRiver outputs the audio stream to the "next" audio out configured in OSX.  But it does not poll properly to notice when the DAC has been turned back on and you can't configure JRiver to have a "preferred" output target (so even if it was polling properly it wouldn't have a reason to stop using "internal speakers" in favor of USB).

[shp]

Ok - I figured out something helpful.

In the JRemote app, when you change the playing target device (the iphone vs. the server for example) there is an additional menu. And from that menu I can force it to play through the McIntosh.

I still am not sure why playlists aren't being saved, but this was a big hurdle to get past.

[shp]

...and actually that doesn't fix it.

MC ignores the specified output device.