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[Pjotr]

Usually this works fine with 16/44.1 audio but when I want to play a large 24/96 file (Flac encoded). The file starts playing and then after a second the sound holds and I get the message “buffering” in the top info window. This will take a while through a wireless network for a 200 MB file.

Only when the file is completely read into memory playing continues. Is seems reading in the file keeps the CPU (a 1600 MHz one, 2 GB ram) that busy that it blocks playback.

Any suggestions?

[Matt]

Over a wireless network, I would not use this option.

[Pjotr]

It is the same with wired (Gigabit in my case) only the silence is shorter then.

[Pjotr]

I understand that there is no hope?

Just with (wireless) streaming through a network, playing from memory is an advantage because it relaxes network traffic a lot and perevents drop-outs.

I have put playing from memory off and looked at the processor/memory load with playback of 24/96 Flac files. With my laptop it is under 12% processor load and an average 45% memory load. Playing from memory drops memory load to a few % except during loading the memory from disk, also processor load drops then during playback.

IMHO this should/can be working more smoothly at starting a track.

[gvanbrunt]

Don't confuse playing from memory with buffering. Playing from memory reads the ENTIRE file and in your case requires reading the entire file over the network. To make this as seemless as possible it starts playing the file immediatly after reading in a small bit. If it runs out, it will stop and load the whole file.

Without the option unchecked, MC will still buffer the file using memory. Your problem is it isn't buffering enough. Go to Tools->Options and Select Audio. Then click on Output Mode Settings. Move the buffer slider more to the left until the skips stop happening.

[Matt]

Don't confgure playing from memory with buffering. Playing from memory reads the ENTIRE file and in your case requires reading the entire file over the network. To make this as seemless as possible it starts playing the file immediatly after reading in a small bit. If it runs out, it will stop and load the whole file.

Without the option unchecked, MC will still buffer the file using memory. Your problem is it isn't buffering enough. Go to Tools->Options and Select Audio. Then click on Output Mode Settings. Move the buffer slider more to the left until the skips stop happening.

This is all correct, except for what buffering slider to use.  Adjust "Prebuffering" in Options > Audio.

The buffering slider for WASAPI, ASIO, etc. should only be increased if you're getting pops or hiccups during playback.

[gvanbrunt]

Whoops. You are of course correct. I think I need to spend some more time verifying my answers before posting.

[Pjotr]

That is correct Matt, there are no problems with the output buffers. When starting a track also the buffer indicator in the top window freezes until the whole track is read into memory and sometimes it starts over again then.

Changing the prebuffer time doesn’t make much difference. It appears to me that reading the data into memory process takes all the processor time or something like that, not leaving enough for playback.

Anyway is there still a need for a pre buffer when using playing from memory? That memory in fact is already a buffer.

[gvanbrunt]

I think you are missing the point. Matt was agreeing with my assessment of the situation. He was only stating I told you the wrong setting to change. The setting to "play from memory" is not for fixing network hickups. It is for audiophiles who believe they can hear the judder when the playback stops then jumps forward for 1/10,000th of a second... All joking aside though you are not using it as it is intended. It is supposed to read in the entire file into memory. What you are reporting is the exactly the way it is was designed to be.

If the pre-buffering setting is not working, you likely have other issues at play. I can easilly playback 200MB 24/96 Flac file over my 100Mbs network with the default pre-buffer setting. If you have Gigabit and things are jamming up, you have either network or local computer problems that are causing the issue.

If you are trying to stream over wireless, that is no surprise. Wireless doesn't work well for streaming except under perfect conditions. You need 802.11n based network for starters and placement of the access point and wireless card can have a big effect on speed. I would try transfering a file using windows and see what kid of speeds you get.

[HiFiTubes]

Somewhat related maybe:

I used to be able to play 24/96 over WAN to my office no problem. Then it started to flake. Network looked fine 8-12mbps upload.

Never got an answer when I asked why I was gettting buffering dropouts; isn't that the point of buffering 

I tried every single option to no avail, tweaking buffers and pfm.

[gvanbrunt]

I have a lot of experience with VoIP and QoS (Quality of Service) and using them over internet connections. I can tell you from experience that buffering and high bandwidths alone will not be enough to maintain the "low" data rates of VoIP. Streaming and VoIP are related in a lot of ways, although you can buffer more with streaming. The point is that unless these packets have priority, you can (and usually will) still get dropouts.

[Pjotr]

Thanks Gvanbrunt,

I already pointed out that with playing from memory is off doesn’t give problems when playing over WAN, even if my wife is surfing the internet over the same WAN with her own laptop. Dropouts occur when  WPA2 is doing the key refresh at regular intervals.

I don’t think the speed of the WAN by itself is a problem here. But anyway streaming over wire gives the same problem. I noticed that playing from memory gives much lower overall system load. That means also the fan in my laptop doesn’t come in then, which is an audible advantage.

I don’t think playing from memory has to be an audiophile gimmick only.

[HiFiTubes]

The point is that unless these packets have priority, you can (and usually will) still get dropouts.

Good pint I have tried to disable/enable QoS; not sure what changed.

 I played 24/96 over WAN for 3 months. Recently (last 15 builds) it stopped working (e.g. buffering).

I just checked and have about 11Mbps upload and 25Mbps download; at work where I'm receiving from LS, I see 54Mbps download and 25Mbps up.

Any tips on DLink QoS?

thanks
hifi