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Author Topic: Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?  (Read 4703 times)

mediaphile

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Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?
« on: November 15, 2016, 12:29:17 pm »

I've spent time searching FAQs, Wikis and Forums (including JRiver's) but have not found a Best Practices Guide for Gapless playback.
If someone can point me to such a guide it would be much appreciated.

Here is the problem I hope to solve...

I'm evaluating JRiver MC and other than on my PC itself (despite all the setting changes) I haven't been able to get gapless playback.
 
I hope that gapless should be achievable using at least one of my DLNA compliant or other similar devices as a renderer. Is it possible to get gapless playback with any combination of the following:

Remote
- JRiver Media Center 22.0.32 on Windows 10
- JRiver’s Gizmo running on Samsung Galaxy S4 (preferred so I don’t have to keep my computer on)
 
Server
- JRiver Media Center on Windows 10 with local disk.
- NAS External (preferred): (WD - My Cloud, Seagate – Personal Cloud, or another affordable option - please specify)
 
Renderer (via local network WiFi or Ethernet connection)
- Onkyo Amplifier/Receiver TX-NR809
- Sharp Aquos TV LC-70LE845U
- Sony Blu-ray BDP-S590
- Google Chromecast Audio
 
I haven’t been able to get gapless working with any combination of my devices.
What configuration setup options might I have missed?
Where can I find recommended affordable NASs that would work (or the ones to avoid)?
If none of my renderers would work, where can I find recommendations on affordable options that I can plug into the optical or HDMI input of my amplifier/receiver? My hope is to avoid having to shell out $$$ for a network DAC because I realize that at my price point, I’d likely want to bypass the analog circuitry and use that of my amplifier.
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AndrewFG

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Re: Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?
« Reply #1 on: November 15, 2016, 03:28:42 pm »


You can download the Digital Media Renderer Analyzer DMRA from my sig. It will tell you which, if any of your renderers support gapless play.

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Author of Whitebear Digital Media Renderer Analyser - http://www.whitebear.ch/dmra.htm
Author of Whitebear - http://www.whitebear.ch/mediaserver.htm

mediaphile

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Re: Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?
« Reply #2 on: November 17, 2016, 06:22:09 pm »

Thanks for your reply Andrew, and thank you for your contribution to the community.

Your renderer_database.zip is a good start; based on it, I conclude that my older renderers are unable to play gapless. That leads me to the obvious next question:

Using the controlled case of a PC running JRiver Media Center, acting as Remote and Server, is there a list maintained by JRiver (or anyone else) of (WiFi or Ethernet) network renderers that do gapless playback? How about reference setups that have actually been tested and confirmed to work?

I would also still like to read a "Gapless for Dummies" like manual. Apparently there are many steps to get it working, from configuring setup options to choosing equipment to ripping into the right files formats...

Gapless should be easy... but isn't.
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JimH

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Re: Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?
« Reply #3 on: November 17, 2016, 06:28:53 pm »

Using the controlled case of a PC running JRiver Media Center, acting as Remote and Server, is there a list maintained by JRiver (or anyone else) of (WiFi or Ethernet) network renderers that do gapless playback?
The best renderer may be JRiver Media Center on an Id:
http://jriver.com/Id/
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MikeO

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Re: Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?
« Reply #4 on: November 22, 2016, 01:24:32 pm »

I use a Cambridge audio CXN gapless no problem

I have MC on Desktop as sever controlled by JRemote connected by wi fi

Maybe pricey but good !!

Mike
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blgentry

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Re: Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2016, 06:02:24 pm »

Some people seem really satisfied with DLNA renderers.  Others have various issues with JRiver playback over DLNA.

If you want the maximum chance of reliability and all standard features to "just work", avoid DLNA altogether.  Just direct attach via USB, toslink, coaxial, or perhaps even AES/EBU.

As for "best practices", I don't think you'll find a document that details very many specifics.  If you follow my advice above and choose gapless in the Audio Options, you should get what you're looking for.

Or you can certainly try to use various DLNA devices and you may be totally happy with them.  But that's not my recommendation.

Whichever way you go, good luck.

Brian.
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sskings

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Re: Gapless - Best Practices Guide - Where can I find one?
« Reply #6 on: January 31, 2017, 01:32:31 pm »

The good news is that Gapless is becoming important to equipment manufacturers.  Most Yamaha equipment now beautifully supports gapless with MC !
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