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[whataboutbob1]

hi,

I have mc27. I recently have been having my music cut out a few times on each song. I've tried a number of different things but nothing seems to work. I was thinking maybe I need to uninstall and reinstall the software? Any thoughts on that? And if that does seem like the solution what is the best way to uninstall and reinstall but still save all your settings?

Thank you!

Bob

[JimH]

Lots of possibilities, but reinstalling isn't the answer.

Network bandwidth

CPU if doing conversion

Something interfering with reading data.  Antivirus, for example, or USB3 drive on USB2 port.

Google might help.

More details might help.

[whataboutbob1]

Hi.

Some details. I am using a 3.0 USB 6 TD Seagate storage drive hardwired with a 3.0 cable from the storage drive to a 3.0 USB jack. The computer is a Lenovo with a Intel Celeron CPU N3060 @1.60 GHz. It is a64-bit operating system with 8GB of RAM (7.86 usable). The DAC is a Marantz SA-10 SACD/CD player (internal DAC). The "Audio Device" setting is "Marantz XM ASIO Device (ASIO)". In the "Settings" section the "DSP Studio" is not enabled. "Bitsteaming" is set to "Yes (DSD)".

I use Norton Anti-virus. All other anti-virus software has been removed from the computer. The media center volume is set at 100%. The computer is used exclusively for media center.

It has been working fine up until recently.

[JimH]

Try something other than DSD.

Uninstall Norton and configure Windows Defender.

[MikeO]

A few thoughts

Is your storage drive excluded from Norton ?
The pc looks a bit “weak” ?
Does 44,1/16 give the problem as well
Is this Ethernet or WiFi

[whataboutbob1]

Hi. I removed Norton and turned on defender. No change, still haing cut outs. I haven't tried changing the DSD setting because when I initially set it up my main reason for having Media Center is to play DSD files and I was told that if I did not have the DSP studio set to not enabled and the Bitstreaming set to "Yes (DSD) I wouldn't get the full resolution out of those files. Is that not correct?

Also a reminder, these settings have worked well for years. The cut outs are a new development using the same computer and settings.

Yo MikeO: no wifi or internet in the chain. Hard wired from hard drive storage to computer, and from computer to DAC. I have been told the computer should be more than enough for media center. But is that not true?  Also it does this regardless of the output format 44.1/16, DSD and all high resolution outputs)

Any other ideas?

[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

I am continuing to have this problem. I did try removing the DSD Bitstreaming and found DSD files no longer played at their DSD resolution. I am lost on what to do next.

[JimH]

Turn off bitstreaming.  Turn off all DSP in DSP Studio and play a local FLAC file (from your hard drive, not from a NAS, etc.).  Does that work?

What are you playing to?  DLNA device?  Or DAC?  Or receiver?

Get it working with FLAC or MP3 first.  Don't try DSD until they work.  DSD files are huge so they require more bandwidth.

Compare your settings with those of your old version.

[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

I just tried turn off all settings and playing a regular file from the hard drive. I am still getting these brief cut outs.

The DAC is the internal DAC in a Marantz SA-10 SACD/CD player. The "Audio Device" setting is "Marantz XM ASIO Device (ASIO)".

Would an upgrade to the most current version of MC help or would it possibly make it worse (if the issue turns out to be my computer isn't powerful enough)?

[DJLegba]

Set Bitstreaming back to Yes (DSD). This takes almost no CPU power, and my 2014 Intel NUC with 4GB RAM (so "weaker" than yours) has no trouble (and had no trouble with version 27) bitstreaming DSD.

If I have read the thread correctly, things were working fine and suddenly with no software changes you started getting cut outs. This will probably turn out to be a hardware problem. Have you tried different USB ports for the external drive and the Marantz? Does the computer put the USB ports to sleep to save power? (Disable if yes.) Are you using a special USB cable to connect the Marantz, or do you have a so-called de-crapifier in the USB line? If yes to either, replace with a standard USB cable with no de-walletifier. If you're completely stumped, trying cleaning the fan intakes for the power supply and CPU cooler.

[JimH]

Hi,

I just tried turn off all settings and playing a regular file from the hard drive. I am still getting these brief cut outs.

The DAC is the internal DAC in a Marantz SA-10 SACD/CD player. The "Audio Device" setting is "Marantz XM ASIO Device (ASIO)".

Try Direct Sound.  That will tell you if the ASIO driver is the problem.

Try the 32 bit version of MC, since the ASIO driver might work better with it.

MC28 might be worth trying, but it's probably not MC.

[JimH]

Set Bitstreaming back to Yes (DSD). This takes almost no CPU power, and my 2014 Intel NUC with 4GB RAM (so "weaker" than yours) has no trouble (and had no trouble with version 27) bitstreaming DSD.

The problem with doing bitstreaming is that the huge file size may be bumping up against bandwidth limits.  That's why I said to get it working with MP3 or FLAC first.

If I have read the thread correctly, things were working fine and suddenly with no software changes you started getting cut outs. This will probably turn out to be a hardware problem. Have you tried different USB ports for the external drive and the Marantz? Does the computer put the USB ports to sleep to save power? (Disable if yes.) Are you using a special USB cable to connect the Marantz, or do you have a so-called de-crapifier in the USB line? If yes to either, replace with a standard USB cable with no de-walletifier. If you're completely stumped, trying cleaning the fan intakes for the power supply and CPU cooler.

Good ideas.

Using Directsound should tell you something.

[whataboutbob1]

Set Bitstreaming back to Yes (DSD). This takes almost no CPU power, and my 2014 Intel NUC with 4GB RAM (so "weaker" than yours) has no trouble (and had no trouble with version 27) bitstreaming DSD.

If I have read the thread correctly, things were working fine and suddenly with no software changes you started getting cut outs. This will probably turn out to be a hardware problem. Have you tried different USB ports for the external drive and the Marantz? Does the computer put the USB ports to sleep to save power? (Disable if yes.) Are you using a special USB cable to connect the Marantz, or do you have a so-called de-crapifier in the USB line? If yes to either, replace with a standard USB cable with no de-walletifier. If you're completely stumped, trying cleaning the fan intakes for the power supply and CPU cooler.

I am using regular USB cables. How do I check if the USB ports are going to sleep? I did find in th "power options" a USB setting titled "USB selective suspend setting". The two options are enabled or disabled. Is this the item you are suggesting?

[whataboutbob1]

I think I found where to turn off power saving for the USB ports, and I turned off the power saving. I will see if that changes anything.

[whataboutbob1]

Still getting some cut outs. How do I use the 32 bit version of MC?

[JimH]

Still getting some cut outs. How do I use the 32 bit version of MC?

Is it getting better? 

The 32 bit version of MC is on the Download Page.

Did you try Directsound?

[whataboutbob1]

Hi,

I did try direct sound and it still has the cut outs. I also tried re-downloading the Marantz driver. The download included an option for "XM ASIO Device" or "Digital Audio Interface (WASAPI). Which is the best option?

[whataboutbob1]

This may help:

I found the area whereI can see the CPU usage. I see that when Media Center is playing the CPU usage stays around 10% but once in awhile it's spikes to100% and that is when the cutouts happen. Whenever the cutout happen it goes to 100% and stays there for a moment and it hard lines on the top of the graph. Sounds like this is the issue?

[Dawgincontrol]

Are the cut-outs in random places or about the same time period of each file (i.e.towards the end or beginning of playback)?

[JimH]

I found the area whereI can see the CPU usage. I see that when Media Center is playing the CPU usage stays around 10% but once in awhile it's spikes to100% and that is when the cutouts happen. Whenever the cutout happen it goes to 100% and stays there for a moment and it hard lines on the top of the graph. Sounds like this is the issue?

That could be antivirus.

[whataboutbob1]

Are the cut-outs in random places or about the same time period of each file (i.e.towards the end or beginning of playback)?

Pretty random.

[whataboutbob1]

That could be antivirus.

I removed my Norton anti virus and now am running windows/Microsoft? Defender.

[JimH]

Hi,

I did try direct sound and it still has the cut outs. I also tried re-downloading the Marantz driver. The download included an option for "XM ASIO Device" or "Digital Audio Interface (WASAPI). Which is the best option?

Try both.   I don't understand why it needs a driver for WASAPI.

[whataboutbob1]

Try both.   I don't understand why it needs a driver for WASAPI.

I tried both. No change.

[whataboutbob1]

That could be antivirus.

Is it safe to turn off Wi-Fi, turn off anti virus, and see if that fixes it?

[JimH]

Yes, if that's your only connection to the Internet.

But if it is an antivirus problem,  you may need to uninstall it.

[whataboutbob1]

Yes, if that's your only connection to the Internet.

But if it is an antivirus problem,  you may need to uninstall it.

OK. I will give it a try. I have never tried to uninstall "defender" before. I imagine it is included in windows software. Is there a way to do that?

[JimH]

OK. I will give it a try. I have never tried to uninstall "defender" before. I imagine it is included in windows software. Is there a way to do that?

Don't uninstall Windows Defender.  Make sure you've configured it correctly, according to Awesome Donkey's thread here.  It's all you need.

[whataboutbob1]

Don't uninstall Windows Defender.  Make sure you've configured it correctly, according to Awesome Donkey's thread here.  It's all you need.

Are you referring to this?

[JimH]

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,114101.0.html

When you need help, try a Google search.  Ask the question and add "JRiver".

[whataboutbob1]

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,114101.0.html

Hi.

I went through all of the exclusions and that has almost eliminated the cut outs. They are now only occasional. I am going to go back and make sure I didn't miss any of the exclusions.

Any other things to try?

Thank you so much for your help with this. I was really getting frustrated with the whole thing!

Bob

[whataboutbob1]

Hi all,

I am very close to solving this issue. But I am still having occasional cut outs, maybe one per "album". Any other final ideas?

I also want to thank all of you who have contributed ideas to get me to this point!

Bob

[codecode]

Check out this i replied to in a duplicate post, here