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[ikoiko]

I am experiencing gaps in playback of a DSD album streamed to a DLNA DAC. I have set up the device according to the JRiver wiki page. Playback works fine on other inputs. The DAC does support SetNext, and "disable SetNext" option is not enabled. The gap issue is resolved if I disable "Bitstream DSD" as shown below:



I was under the impression that without "Bitstream DSD" checked, MC won't stream DSD, but the DAC display indicates it is still receiving DSD data. What's going on here? Ideally, I'd like some way to resolve this gap issue without changing the "Bitstream DSD" option, but perhaps this provides a hint as to the underlying issue.

[thecrow]

I may be wrong but the "Bitstream DSD" option is confusingly named.
I believe with it ticked MC packs DSD into a PCM stream as DoPE which requires a renderer that supports DoPE to unpack it and play as DSD.
Without it ticked it sends DSD as a native stream.

So as you have discovered in your setup it works gaplessly without this option then I would suggest you stream in that mode and enjoy Gapless DSD.

[ikoiko]

Thanks for the reply. I did not explain the full extent of my issue.

I'm eager to understand why the device is working, rather than just be content that it works, because I have two DLNA devices with the same capabilities (I'll call them 1 and 2). Both 1 and 2 experience the same gaps in playback of DSD. The issue is resolved for device 1 if I disable "Bitstream DSD", but not resolved for device 2. With this option disabled, device 2 indicates it is receiving PCM data and becomes unlistenable due to stuttering. I was hoping that if I can better understand the "Bitstream DSD" option and what causes MC's audio engine to kick in and do the conversion to PCM, then it may lead me to a consistent setup where both devices can stream gapless DSD.

This section from the DSD - JRiverWIKI (https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DSD#Bitstreaming)...

With a DAC that supports native DSD playback, it is possible to bitstream DSD and bypass MC's audio engine (and, therefore, the DSD to PCM conversion). There are multiple DSD bitstreaming technologies:

    ASIO 2.2
    DSD over PCM (DoP)
    DSD over DLNA (DoPE)

...seems to imply that if DSD cannot be streamed with one of these three technologies, then MC's audio engine will convert it to PCM. A bit further down in the wiki (the DSD over DLNA section)...

If you have a DAC that supports DoPE (the DLNA version of the DoP standard), Media Center can control the device and bitstream native DSD content directly to it over the network.

...makes me think that the only way to send DSD content directly over the network is through the DoPE technology, which is enabled by the "Bitstream DSD" option in DLNA servers. Which makes me think if that option is not enabled, MC's audio engine should be kicking in and converting the DSD to PCM. This is what appears to be happening for device 2, but not for device 1 which still indicates it is receiving DSD data.

@thecrow , I'm confused by what you mean by "native stream." Is there another way JRiver sends native DSD data besides the technologies mentioned above?

[bob]

In DLNA the Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE ...)
Interacts with the other options in DLNA.

First, since you have more than one DLNA server, you need to see which one your 2 renderers are using.
You do this by right clicking on the zone in the Playing Now tree and checking the option "Associate with DLNA Server"

Once you discover this you know where to look for how things are being packaged/converted.

There are 3 options for Audio formats under the DLNA server settings.
1) Original means to change nothing.
2) Specified output format means to always use the selected format
3) Specified output format when necessary uses the matrix under Audio->Advanced to decide which formats to convert.

The conversion to DoPE will only happen if option 2 is selected or option 3 is selected AND the file extension is dsf or dff or sacd

[ikoiko]

Thanks, Bob, this helps.

I'm still a little confused about the "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" option.

Under the DLNA server settings I have option 1 selected (Original). With "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" enabled, my device plays back DSD. With "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" disabled, my device plays PCM. If as you say:

The conversion to DoPE will only happen if option 2 is selected or option 3 is selected AND the file extension is dsf or dff or sacd

Then shouldn't there be no difference between enabling and disabling "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" in conjunction with option 1?

[bob]

Thanks, Bob, this helps.

I'm still a little confused about the "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" option.

Under the DLNA server settings I have option 1 selected (Original). With "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" enabled, my device plays back DSD. With "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" disabled, my device plays PCM. If as you say:

Then shouldn't there be no difference between enabling and disabling "Bitstream DSD (requires DoPE...)" in conjunction with option 1?

Yes that's correct.
Let me take another look at it...

[bob]

Looking at this again, I see that it will send dsd as  DoPE regardless of the conversion settings when that option is enabled under advanced.

If that option is NOT enabled, it will be sent depending on the rest of the audio format settings.

[thecrow]

Hi Bob

So if I have only one DLNA server and it is set to Original audio format (no conversions) and I do NOT have the Bitstream DSD box ticked, when I play a DSF file what will it send to the renderer (my Oppo 203)?

What I find in practice is with the DoPE box ticked my Oppo receives a 176.4kHz 24bit signal but produces no audio. I assume this is the DoPE signal but that my Oppo does not understand it, hence no sound.
Without the DoPE box ticked my Oppo receives a 2.8224MHz signal and passes on DSD to my amplifier over HDMI and works both with stereo and mulitchannel formats.

My assumtion is that without the DoPE box ticked MC is sending the original DSD signal over DLNA WITHOUT using DoPE is that correct?

[bob]

Hi Bob

So if I have only one DLNA server and it is set to Original audio format (no conversions) and I do NOT have the Bitstream DSD box ticked, when I play a DSF file what will it send to the renderer (my Oppo 203)?

What I find in practice is with the DoPE box ticked my Oppo receives a 176.4kHz 24bit signal but produces no audio. I assume this is the DoPE signal but that my Oppo does not understand it, hence no sound.
Without the DoPE box ticked my Oppo receives a 2.8224MHz signal and passes on DSD to my amplifier over HDMI and works both with stereo and mulitchannel formats.

My assumtion is that without the DoPE box ticked MC is sending the original DSD signal over DLNA WITHOUT using DoPE is that correct?

Yes that is correct!