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[glynor]

I have a set of 24-bit FLAC files. They play just fine when MC has direct access to the files on disk. However, all of them in the album cut off exactly half-way through when you play them back via Media Network with any of the following methods:
* MC Client (no direct access to file-share) - Conversion: Original and MP3 (128k at least)
* JRemote (iOS) - Conversion: Original and MP3 (High Bandwidth at least)

If the client is on the same OS and has direct access to the files, then they play fine. If I'm connected to the Library Server and I choose Download File from Library Server first, then they play fine. But, if you play them straight off the server, they cut off at basically exactly 50%. If you seek the playhead past 50%, MC immediately advances to the next track in Playing Now. Server and clients are all on MC27 latest.

All of the affected files test fine with AudioTester. I tried, with one of the files, to "repackage" it via both MC's Convert Format and separately with flac.exe --verify --force. Neither recompression made any difference.

I do not know if it only impacts these files, or other 24-bit FLAC files. Here is a sample:
http://glynor.com/files/jriver/Issues/broken24b_flac-samples.zip

Of the two files within, 02 - champagne problems.flac was repacked with FLAC, the other is the original file.

[glynor]

I tested a few other 24-bit FLAC files and they don't seem to be impacted. But this entire album seems to be.

[glynor]

Ok, I redownloaded the album from HD Tracks. They still do it.

However, I've now found that I am able to get the tracks to play correctly in Original mode (without transcoding enabled). I'm fairly certain I tested that this afternoon though (but the clients I was using I do typically keep in converting mode). So maybe a broken MP3 or something is stuck in a cache somewhere? But if so, I can't find them anywhere. I had, until a moment ago, conversion cache turned off on my server. I turned it on and pointed it at a new empty directory to make sure that setting wasn't mucked up somehow (and the folder it is pointing to is still empty). I also went in and, with MC closed out, cleared out cache folders in AppData and my Library folder for good measure. Nothing helped.

So, maybe I failed when I tested in "original" mode somehow? But I clearly remember switching both MC and JRemote to Original mode earlier and testing (as I was writing my original post, in fact).

I also tried re-importing them completely from scratch in case it was some crazy behavior of the particular file tracks in my Library. No change in behavior. So now, with Conversion disabled, they work right on both JRemote and MC clients, but if I enable Conversion, they still cut off half-way through.

I'm stumped.

[glynor]

Actually, somehow the two files I was testing DIDN'T get fully removed and re-imported when I re-imported them. The rest of the album did, but the two tracks I was testing the most, somehow didn't (maybe I missed them in the Removed Items database?)

Anyway, it is now fixed, but I had to totally re-import them.

So it must have been something sideways in the Library Entries for the files. I'm not sure what though, and I didn't (unfortunately) save a Library Backup before trying to remove and re-import them.

I did replace these tracks in my Library with new versions earlier today. (I discovered I had bunk "clean" copies, and got the real versions.) But that was just replacing one FLAC file with another, nearly identical version. I don't know, unfortunately, if they had the issue previously or not. My daughter would have probably complained? But she shrugged and said I don't know.

It is a mystery, and will likely remain thus. I'm just glad it is fixed.