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[zeltak]

Hi all

So a while back i posted this

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,119056.msg823302.html#msg823302

and got alot of great ideas from the JRiver truly awesome community

Sadly all the things i tried didnt really create a easy workflow or even an automatic one im looking

To be more clear let me try to explain the situation which im sure (at least i hope ) isnt unique to me.

So i have latest MC (25 currently) on my macbook pro. this is after coming from year of linux (where everything automatically just worked with audio switching..) 

The issue is that i change audio outputs ALOT during the day. i will be at home with a DAC connected via USB, then travel to work using BT headphones, then at work will use the internal macbook pro speakers and sometimes also use wired headphone out when visiting family.

Now it seems to me that each time i switch a output device there is NO other way currently to make MC start playing without going through the pain of tools>options>audio>manually configure the current output needed.

Now i have tried Zones as some fellow users suggested but this is just way to cumbersome..i have to manually rebuild the playlist each time, create many binds and there are many other issues

Also: and this may not be directly related it seems like each time after I disconnect my headphone in the BT headphone zone, I have to restart the music by first clearing the playlist before it will even play again (bug?)

just to compare on linux using Pulseaudio it was super east changing MC output using pulse.

im looking for any help and suggestions you guys have as this is really annoying me on daily level

Also: would love this time if some of the devs chime in...

best and thx in advance

Z
 

[blgentry]

First, I think I completely understand what you are trying to do and why:  Easy way to get audio to any of your 3 outputs at any time.

So I'll offer a few suggestions. 

1.  Have you tried setting your audio output to Default (Core Audio) ?  That should make MC's audio follow the Mac system Sound device.
1.A.  Are you aware that you can VERY easily switch the Mac Sound device?  See this article with some screen shots and things that describe it better than I can here with words only:

http://osxdaily.com/2013/05/04/use-hdmi-audio-output-mac-os-x/

2.  You mentioned that you tried Zones and that it's cumbersome.  I would agree for your use case.  If #1 above doesn't work for you, you should try Zone Linking.  Set up zones for all of your devices (or at least 2 to play with).  Then LINK them together using MC's zonelink feature.  Leave them linked all the time.  That should mirror your Playing Now to all devices simultaneously.  I haven't tried this, so not 100% sure how it will work. 

I am just remembering that MC seems to "forget" about audio devices that are not currently connected though.  So I'm not sure if this will work with you unplugging your USB DAC and then plugging it back in later after using MC with other outputs.

3.  Audio MIDI setup has a feature called Aggregate Devices.  It's a way of combining more than one sound device into a single sound device.  It's designed to take (for example) two stereo DACs and make them into one 4 channel device.  I'm not sure how this would work with MC trying to send output to all channels at once.  But it might be worth a try.

Sorry MC doesn't have an easy answer for you on the Mac.  Good luck.

Brian.

[zeltak]

thx so much @blgentry for your thoughtful response, really appreciate it!

1. I did try before and again yesterday to set the audio output to Default (Core Audio). this would be ideal if it worked yet it seems it dosent work in ANY case, not picking up the DAC, not the BT headphones and not even my mac speakers
im attaching the current chosen Core Audio and output chosen screenshot (in case im doing something stupidly wrong)
In this config sound dosent come out of anywhere (even internal MBP speakers).

1A. thx for the tips on switching devices very handy (although dosent help with MC )

2.when linking zones, doe you get audio coming out all inputs all the time or only the chosen zone?


3.

I am just remembering that MC seems to "forget" about audio devices that are not currently connected though.

EXACTLY! that a main issue as well, when the BT headphone is disconnected its a pain then to reconnect it

Again i really implore the developers to chime in, i must say im really disappointed that since the forum here is official JRiver support i havent heard anything from any of the mac developers...

thx again

Z

[blgentry]

1. I did try before and again yesterday to set the audio output to Default (Core Audio). this would be ideal if it worked yet it seems it dosent work in ANY case, not picking up the DAC, not the BT headphones and not even my mac speakers
im attaching the current chosen Core Audio and output chosen screenshot (in case im doing something stupidly wrong)

That looks correct to me.  You might need to restart MC for it to take effect (not 100% sure).  ...and of course you need to go into the Mac Preferences for sound and choose a device!  But you probably did that already...

2.when linking zones, doe you get audio coming out all inputs all the time or only the chosen zone?

I'll try this on my Mac when I get home and see if I can get internal speakers and external DAC linked and playing at the same time.  Pretty sure that will work, but I'll test it.

Brian.

[blgentry]

Ok, I just did some experiments with 3 audio devices on my mac:  Built in output, and two external USB DACs:

1.  Linked zones.  This worked ok, at first, but after unplugging one of the DACs, then restarting MC, MC pretty much refused to play at all.  It would play for a few seconds through the built in speakers, but then do the beachball and quit playing.  I fiddled with it for a few minutes, but couldn't get anything to work.  Interestingly, it *did* auto configure my DAC once I plugged it back in.  That is, I did not have to re-select it in the Audio > Output section.  I know I've had to do that in the past when unplugging and replugging DACs with MC.

2.  Aggregate Audio device:  I created a "Multi-output device" with Audio MIDI setup, which uses all 3 of these audio devices.  I made the built-in output the "master" since I knew it would never be unplugged (it's internal).  Then I made a new zone and set up MC to use this new "all 3" device.  At first MC refused to play to it saying that it couldn't start audio at the selected sample rate.  Changing sample rates didn't help.  Then I checked the audio device details:  It was set to exclusive access!  After unchecking exclusive access in MC, it played fine!

This seemed to work really well:  It played with one of my DACs unplugged.  That DAC started playing again when I plugged it in WITH MC ALREADY PLAYING.  It seemed to work after stopping MC and unplugging or re-plugging either DAC.  It worked with both DACs unplugged.   All 3 played again after I stopped MC and plugged both DACs back in.

The multi-output Audio device seems very robust and MC seems to have no issues with it.  I don't have any bluetooth devices to test.  I suggest you build your own device and give it a try.  It should *at least* work for your two regular devices.  If you get lucky, maybe it will work with the BT device too.

Good luck.

Brian.

[JimH]

Thanks, Brian.

[zeltak]

thx a lot Brian, cant tell you enough how i really appreciate your help here!

ok so this is indeed a step forward but a few things:

1. i can confirm it does indeed work with the dac, MBP speakers and BT headphones- yay!

2. the output comes out at once on all inputs- DAC, MBP and BT..that not ideal as i dont want on the train the music to blast through my MBP when on the speakers? How does one adjust that?

3. it seems that after pausing once MC then the playing gets messed up , ie unpausing dosent work..can you confirm this?

huge thanks again

Z

[blgentry]

2. the output comes out at once on all inputs- DAC, MBP and BT..that not ideal as i dont want on the train the music to blast through my MBP when on the speakers? How does one adjust that?

Go to Mac Preferences > Sound, select your internal speakers and move the volume slider.  Or go to the top bar with the speaker icon, select the internal speakers and move the slider there.  Voila'.

3. it seems that after pausing once MC then the playing gets messed up , ie unpausing dosent work..can you confirm this?

I just tried pausing for 1, 3, 5 seconds.  For 30 seconds.  Unpausing worked each time with sound coming out of all devices.

Hopefully we can get you past these few hurdles and it will be a decent solution for you. 

Brian.

[zeltak]

thx again

seems like after a MC/system restart the pause issue are gone, hooray!

this is almost perfect and good enough for me

thx so much for your help Brian you rock! will update if anything breaks

suggest to add this to the official JRiver wiki as i cannot believe other people dont have similar issues

[blgentry]

I'm very happy to hear this worked out for you. 

Brian.