More > JRiver Media Center 23 for Windows

MC doesn't behave nicely doing resource intensive tasks

<< < (6/13) > >>

RoderickGI:
Ah I missed that, and I was testing using MC23.0.96, so I had that fix.

I wonder if that is the issue here though, as I still see some of the symptoms.

23.0.96 (1/24/2018)
6. Fixed: The option to load a non-decoded file to memory wasn't working properly for FLAC files.
https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Release_Notes_MC23

steff:
I am resuming here a test case that I am able to reproduce anytime on 3 different PC (Intel CoreM, Atom and i7)
all of them running Windows 10, Home or Pro, Windows updated and MC23

Environment:
FLAC or DSF files hosted on remote NAS or another PC using CIFS\SAMBA mapped network drive
Windows taskbar is not hidden
MC23 windows is expanded to the maximum
Load file into memory option enabled

1) start playing xxx FLAC\DSF file
2) xxx begins to be loaded into the memory, no sound so far, ok
3) xxx is fully loaded and it starts to be played, sounds good
4) without stopping xxx, switch to play yyy file
5) let me assume it takes 10 seconds to load yyy into memory (my FLAC or DSF are quite huge, 24\352 or 11 MHz)
6) while xxx is still being played, MC23 starts to load yyy into memory
7) when yyy is fully loaded into memory, then xxx stops and yyy begins

Problem A
During the above step 6):
- MC23 window expands over the Windows taskbar, overlapping it
- MC23 becomes no more responsive
- you can see the mouse pointer becomes a spinning circle
- MC23 window becomes totally blurry
- sometimes, not always, depending on how long it takes to complete the step 6), a Windows pop-up appears saying that MC23 is not responding and asking to choose to wait or to close the program.
Considerations:
- stop playing xxx file before moving to file yyy is a workaroud to avoid above problems
- the fastes is the network, the shortest is the problem lasting, but MORE INTENSE
If the theatre view is enabled, then the bahviour is a little bit different: the Windows taskbar appears on the Theatre View.

Problem B
- Playback from memory is something choose by audio purists to avoid (as much as possible) disk and network activities during the playback
- If a MC23 end user choose to play from memory, having in step 6) xxx being played and yyy being loaded from network is TOTALLY WRONG
- MC23 needs to be modified in this way: if memory playback is enabled, then xxx must be stopped before yyy starts to be loaded. Alternative solution: put a switch to control the behaviour

flac.rules:
Not a very critical case, and I only tested it once, but its easy, so worth a try.

Advanced-tools, audio calibration - > Create test files (let them be written to a network-connected area), it takes a little while, if you click on the main window while its working, the window maximizes and taskbar is hidden. It is "not responding" until the task is finished. (you have to click pretty fast, the task doesn't take that long)

RoderickGI:
Okay, that is a clearer description. It seems that what I saw is what you are seeing, except what I call "bleaching" you call the MC interface becoming blurry.

Problem A:
Honestly, I don't think it is good that MC interface becomes unresponsive while it is loading a file or album to memory. A user should still be able to switch views and do some other activities while audio files are loading.

The expansion of a maximised application over the Task Bar when it does become unresponsive I think is a Windows issue. If you didn't have MC maximised it wouldn't happen. You could just size MC to fill most of the screen as if it was maximised and you wouldn't lose access to the Task Bar. I did that and it worked fine. MC will remember its size and position each time you start it. I was able to use other applications while MC was unresponsive. Alt-Tab is still available to you, and maybe Ctrl-ESC.

Problem B:
How MC works here is personal preference. If you can hear an impact on the audio quality while the second file is being loaded, then maybe a setting to stop playback of the first file while the second is loading would make sense. I certainly don't need that setting, and I suspect many other users don't either.

But as an audio purist, when you decide to stop playing the first file and start playing the second file, and you are willing to wait in silence while the second file loads, the simple answer, as suggested above, is to hit Stop before loading the second file. It isn't a big ask to do that.



Anyway, the issues you have are now clearly documented. No doubt the JRiver developers have seen the discussion. They will decide to do something about it, or not, just like any software developer no matter the size and cost of the application.

steff:
added a note to my test case

If the theatre view is enabled, then the bahviour is a little bit different: the Windows taskbar appears on top to the Theatre View.

Regarding problem B)
What should be the reason to enable the memory palyback?
Why some people need memory playback?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page