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[glynor]

For quite some time (maybe ever since I started using MC 10) I have not been able to get the crossfade option to work correctly.  I always assumed it had something to do with my "Output" options, but I tested that thoroghly today, and wasn't able to fix it.  I did also discover two odd things ...

1.  The "Seeking" crossfade works fine.  It also seems to work when I manually switch from one track to another.  When MC switches tracks itself, though (when one song ends and the next starts) the crossfade settings have no effect (other than "standard" which does correctly add the specified gap).

2.  When I go into the Options panel and set the crossfade settings, I noticed today that as I click the OK button and the form is closing, the crossfade settings switch to "Standard" with a Gap of 0.1 very briefly just as the form is closing.  I only see this sometimes, though it probably happens every time, but too quickly for me to see.  This appears to be exactly what the crossfade is doing as well, as it switches to the next track quickly, but not quite gapless and certainly not crossfaded.

If anyone has any ideas, I would be happy to try them, as I would really like to have this function.

Two other notes ...

I have a Creative Audigy 2 Souncard.  (I have tried setting the Output options to basically everything in there, though if someone has a real specific setting for this card I'd be happy to listen.)

Also, most of my files are located on another machine and shared over the network (mounted as a network drive on the local machine).  I seriously doubt that this is the problem because (1) it works when I manually switch tracks, and (2) it works fine with other media players.  I don't really have any other network related problems (I worked hard to build a reliable network with reliable equipment).

Here is the system info:

Media Center Registered 10.0.127 -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center\

Microsoft Windows XP 5.1 Service Pack 1 (Build 2600)
Intel Pentium III 1001 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 1048 MB, Free - 670 MB

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2800.1106 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82 (xpsp1.020828-1920) / Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2800.1400 / Shell32.dll: 6.00.2800.1233 (xpsp2.030604-1804) / wnaspi32.dll: 4.71 (0002) , ASPI for Win32         DLL, Copyright © 1989-2002 Adaptec, Inc. / Aspi32.sys: 4.71 (0002)

Ripping /   Drive D: AOpen   DVD-1640 PRO      Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Drive E:   Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Digital playback: Yes /  Use YADB: Yes /  Get cover art: Yes /  Calc replay gain: Yes /  Copy volume: 32767
  Eject after ripping: Yes /  Play sound after ripping: No  

Burning /  Drive E: LITE-ON  LTR-48246S         Addr: 0:1:0  Speed:40  MaxSpeed:48  BurnProof:Yes
  Test mode: No /  Eject after writing: Yes /  Direct decoding: Yes /  Write CD-Text: Yes
  Use playback settings: Yes /  Normalization: None

[Matt]

Turn on the trim silence option because your songs may having leading and trailing silence you're not accounting for.

Also, if a file is slow to start going, the cross-fade length will get shortened from what you set it at, so try bumping it up a ways.  For example, if you set to 16 seconds (with trim silence on), you get some cross-fade always, right?

[glynor]

Thanks for the quick reply Matt.  Unfortunately no.  That's not it.  I get no crossfade at all, even with tracks from albums that have no silence "leader" (such as Dark Side of the Moon and many of my classical albums) ...  And even if I set it to 16 seconds (with the trim silence option on).

I really think that for some weird reason my selections in the options dialog aren't "sticking" (just the crossfade settings, the others seem to work fine).

Just for good measure, I just tried deleting all of the MC registry keys and re-installing.  The issue, however, remains ... (BTW, does anyone know what keys I need to keep in the registry to retain all of my "Customize Current View Settings" but reset everything else?)

One other thing I didn't mention before, most of my music tracks are MP3's.  I suppose I could rip some of my CD's to APE and see if it works with that, but I doubt that is the issue ...

[Matt]

Just to be sure you know: those setting changes only take effect after playback is restarted.

As a test, could you put a couple of MP3's on a local drive and test them there.

This isn't a common problem, and the network drive is the only thing that jumps out at me.

Thanks.

[RemyJ]

I't working for me with a SB Audigy 2 and with all my MP3s networked.    It IS pretty subtle even at 16 seconds for most music.  That being said, it's VERY noticable on Dark Side of the Moon.    

Here are my test settings...
Crossfade Agressive, 16.0 Seconds
Direct Sound, default channels with a 0.20 second buffer.
"Do not play silence..."  is not checked.

What settings are you using?

Don't worry about the "snap back".  It does that for me too but the settings stick.

[Matt]

Any more info on this?

[glynor]

Yes, actually I do have some word on it ... It's working now.

After testing out playing files on a local drive with no effect (still no crossfade), I decided to take the plunge and purge MC from my system (registry and all) and then reinstall.  Who knows what was breaking it, but it worked.  The only thing I didn't "purge" was my library, so the problem wasn't there.  

The effect is quite subtle, even at 16 sec, but it definately wasn't working before, now that I hear it.  It also is slightly different (a tiny bit more delayed) on the network drive compared to local files (now that it works at all that is), but is roughly the same.

Now, that I have a long task ahead of me of re-creating my "view schemes" ahead of me, I wonder if in some future version the view settings could be saved inside of the library, rather than in the registry.  One question related to this though ... Are the settings for the "view schemes" (columns shown, sizing, order, etc) all contained within the:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\JRiver\Media Jukebox\View Info
key in the registry?  This would simplify my life greatly... (I might just try it, but it would be nice to know).

[glynor]

What settings are you using?

Same as you, though in testing it I did try out most of the other settings.  I may go back to the AISO settings, but using direct sound for now.

Don't worry about the "snap back".  It does that for me too but the settings stick.

That's good to know!  I see that now that I have it working.

One other thing I wanted to mention ... Should the effect really be that subtle with it set to 16 seconds?  I'd say the net overlap between "Breathe" and "On The Run" (on Dark Side) is about 1-2 seconds with the exact settings that Remy listed above (just really during the last words he says in "Breathe" can you hear the next track).  I've tried tweaking the buffer, but this seems to have no effect.

I would expect 16 seconds to be (at least roughly) 16 seconds of overlap, as it is in other applications ...

[RemyJ]

It is subtle if set to "smooth" and 16 seconds on most music.  Like I said though, it's very apparent on Dark Side.

Set to Agressive and 16 seconds, I get a full 16 seconds of overlap.  16 seconds before the end of "Breath", the first note of "On The Run" starts and "Breath" starts fading out.  

The only other thing I can think of is...Are your files CBR or VBR?  Mine are all CBR.