More > JRiver Media Center 26 for Mac
Playing Nows Delete for Unknown Reason
dichotomous1:
So it just occurred and I was on the computer working in a different app. No one else home that could have interfered. I wasn't using JRemote, only the Music Cast app was open on my phone and in another room. This time playback stopped at the end of a track (title: Orchid), the Playing Now list for that zone cleared out except for not the last track played, but the one before it (title: Gentle Kind). Player only shows Gentle Kind. When I look at the Recently Played smartplaylist, the list is correct and has the last track played as Orchid.
So if something is awry with the handoff of the next track, this is where I get a bit confused with the MC interaction between Music Cast and the amp/zone.
I don't understand why MC isn't considered the music engine in this scenario when it's MC that I am using to create the playlist and play the tracks, as well as apply DSP. So if MC isn't the engine then the amp is, correct? So is MC processing the audio file with DSP then handing off the complete track file to the amp or streaming it in real time as processed? (I don't have any bit streaming options checked or on) Then it's some sort of hand off error between the amp and MC ?
I don't know if this is related, but I just realized that every time this has occurred, the linked group of zones I'm playing to has included a zone I don't always include. Its a Yamaha amp connected to my network via Powerline Ethernet in my back yard. I only include it when I'm going to be outside. And I think this playback stopping has only occurred on those days. If I only play MC to the main zone in the link and let the Music Cast app do the link/sync of the additional zones.
I have added the log for todays event to the dropbox. https://www.dropbox.com/s/l0h53ldh0axv2yk/JRiver%20Log%202020-09-21%2014-30-00.zip?dl=0
Thanks. J
RoderickGI:
The appearance of the second last track in the Player Zone is a little strange. But I have seen strange things happen like that when DLNA zones drop out during playback. I can't explain it, but know it happens. Well, I could guess as to what is happening, but I can't validate from afar. But it could be related to network issues, or DLNA connectivity from the Server to the Renderer.
Regarding the use of MC as the "Music Engine", do you mean that the MC Audio Path says "Not using the JRiver audio engine"?
When MC is playing to a non-DLNA output device, DSP is set up in "Options > Audio > Settings > DSP & output format". The DSP used will show in the MC Audio Path.
When MC is playing to a DLNA output device, DSP is set up in "Options > Media Network > Add or configure DLNA servers > {select the DLNA server} > Audio > Advanced > DSP Studio". Again, the DSP set up here will show in the MC Audio Path.
If you play to a DLNA device without setting up DSP in the DLNA server settings, then the MC Audio Path will say "Not using the JRiver audio engine". In that case, any DSP will be done on the AMP, not MC. In all cases, when playing to a DLNA device, MC just sends the whole file, whether it has added DSP or not. DLNA is a file based protocol, rather than a streaming protocol.
I have been assuming that you send music via this path:
MC -> Playback via a MC Zone -> DLNA Server -> Music Cast -> linked playback devices (AMPs) defined in Music Cast
Please clarify if you are actually doing this:
MC -> Playback via Linked Zones in MC -> Zone 1 in MC -> DLNA Server -> Music Cast instance for each MC Zone -> playback device (AMP) defined in Music Cast
\> Zone 2 in MC -> DLNA Server -> Music Cast instance for each MC Zone -> playback device (AMP) defined in Music Cast
\> Zone 3 in MC -> DLNA Server -> Music Cast instance for each MC Zone -> playback device (AMP) defined in Music Cast
Or if you are doing this when using the Backyard AMP:
MC -> Playback via Linked Zones in MC -> Main Zone in MC -> DLNA Server -> Music Cast instance for Main linked Zones -> Main AMP 1 defined in Music Cast
\> Main AMP 2 defined in Music Cast
\> Main AMP 3 etc. defined in Music Cast
\> Backyard Zone in MC > DLNA Server -> Music Cast instance for Backyard Zone -> Backyard AMP defined in Music Cast
Or maybe you are always linking the Backyard AMP in Music Cast:
MC -> Playback via a MC Zone -> DLNA Server -> Music Cast linked Zones -> Main linked playback devices (AMPs) defined in Music Cast -> Main AMP 1
\> Main AMP 2
\> Main AMP 2 etc.
\> Backyard AMP defined in Music Cast
Basically, are you linking AMPs via linked Zones in MC, or via Linked devices in Music Cast, or via a combination of both?
If you are using a mixture of Linked Zones in MC and Linked device in Music Cast to support the Backyard AMP, it would be good if you could test only using Music Cast to play to all Zones, and not use Linked Zones in MC.
As you are using a Powerline device for the Backyard AMP, is it a recent model? Reliable? Good throughput and no dropouts? Early models weren't very good. It could be that the Powerline can't support the network stability required for DLNA playback. It would be good if you could confirm that the issue only happens when the Backyard AMP is in use.
dichotomous1:
It just occurred while I was adding songs to the Playing Now list, so I got to see more of what is going on. (Note: I'm typing this out before reading your last response so that I can get it down quickly)
A new track started playing from the Playing Now list I had created yesterday and had been listening to for the past hour or so. I added tracks to that list prior to playing and Reshuffled the Remaining Tracks. I was adding more tracks to the zone Playing Now list, then the spot in the file list view I was choosing from (The Rolling Stones) disappeared and the view changed back to the top of the file list alphabetically at A. I looked at the tree and the zone I was playing (Media Room) was no longer listed (but my other zones were still listed but the track was still playing(note: almost off of the other zones including the one connected via power ethernet are linked to the Media Room zone via the Music Cast app so shouldn't they all have disappeared?). The zone appeared for a second then disappeared again. Play was still uninterrupted. And now as I type, the track that has been playing ended and playback of the list stopped. The entire playing now list is gone from that zone. Looking at the Recent Playing Now's smartest, there were 6 tracks I added before the library list disappeared and they are not included in the Recent Playing Now's list.
RoderickGI:
The track kept playing because the full file had already been sent to the Renderer, Music Cast.
If the Media Room Zone in MC disappeared and the other Zones remained, MC can see them as DLNA Renderers regardless of the Music Cast status, and shows them as Dynamic Zones. Unless you have them set up as individual Zones in MC.
So Music Cast is dropping off the MC Dynamic Zone list, but the individual AMPs are not. The problem could be Music Cast, or MC's tracking and management of Dynamic Zones like Music Cast, which may not (probably isn't) fully DLNA compatible. I have certainly had some trouble with DLNA Renderer that don't appear in MC as Dynamic Zones when they should, or appear inconsistently, and unreliably.
When Music Cast is dropped as a Dynamic Zone, the Playing Now list disappears with it. When Music Cast comes back its Playing Now list will be empty. Playing Now's are attached to the Zone they are playing to, so if the Zone disappears MC has no place to store the list.
Anyway, read my previous post and see if you can clarify your setup further. Although You have a bit already by saying the all of the other zones are linked to the Media Room zone via the Music Cast app.
dichotomous1:
That makes sense that Music Cast is suspect. I have no idea exactly how any of that functions in the background.
You mentioned how I set up the zones. I never did any setup of the zones in MC. I just enabled DLNA and they all appeared. I got a new Mac a couple of days ago and am trying to set up MC 27 on it and same thing, all my amps show up as zones.
If I link them in MC, will that sync playback of all the zones the same as Music Cast? If so, I'll just do it that way, leaving Music Cast out of it and see if that solved the issue.
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