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Author Topic: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted  (Read 4819 times)

dromski

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I am trying to play my library from latest MC15 Server (Win7) to my Android (running latest Gizmo).  The primary library files are encoded in APE and play great remotely.  But, files imported into library from my iTunes purchases (m4a) sound horrible (very distorted, scratchy, barely recognize the song).  These same m4a files play great directly from the server.

To isolate the problem, I tried connecting a laptop with MC15 Client to the same server and the ape sound good but m4a files also sound terrible.  On the server, I tried converting the m4a to mp3 (and others) and the converted files also sound horrible.  

I have read many postings/wiki and installing CCCP both on server and client, no luck.  I have tried to change the settings in the media server settings to always convert or never convert, no luck.

I'm stumped and welcome any suggestions.
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dromski

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Re: Playing iTunes files remotely from a Media Server
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2011, 11:56:51 am »

Which side is converting the file? 

When I have MC15 running as a client on my laptop (connecting to library on media center server), which side does the conversion from m4a (or ape) into mp3?  I am a bit confused on which settings I should be modifying (options in Media Network on client or server).

Please help me isolate where my problem is.  Thanks,
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dromski

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2011, 12:00:31 am »

Anyone?!?

Is this suppose to work?  Are my questions clear? Am I posting in the correct spot?
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dromski

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2011, 02:13:08 am »

Did a bit more isolation work tonight (sure feel alone on this and am anxious for help from the experts).

I was able to change my laptop (Dell Intel WinXP) into a MC15 server.  I can use this system to convert m4a into mp3, flac, ape.  All these files sounded good both on the server and when played remotely to Android or to my other systems.

However, my main music library (Intel 64bit Win7) has problems converting m4a into anything else.  If I try to convert to flac it aborts before getting started (at 0%).  If I convert into mp3 it sounds horrible (very scratchy and acts as if gain is turned up across the spectrum).  I tried to convert to ape and the application locked up with exception.

I turned on logging in MC15, repeated the test, and got messages below.  I can see exception at end but I need help decoding what led up to this:

0055880: 692: Database: CMJSearchHelper::GetResults: Search: [Name]=[Free Fallin' /(Live/)] ~sort=[Name],[Artist],[Album]; Elapsed ms: 0.418
0055880: 692: General: CPanesWnd::UpdatePanes: Finish (110 ms)
0055880: 692: General: CMJFileListCtrl::StartFileInsertion: Start
0055880: 692: General: CMJFileListCtrl::StartFileInsertion: Finish (0 ms)
0055880: 692: General: CMJFileListCtrl::FinishFileInsertion: Start
0055895: 692: General: CMJFileListCtrl::FinishFileInsertion: Finish (15 ms)
0057190: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Created feeder helper for type m4a (native: 1)
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter: Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter: Failed to add user selected filter to graph
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter: Finish (0 ms)
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: LoadSourceFilter returned 0x80004005
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadTransformFilters: Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadTransformFilters: Finish (0 ms)
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: LoadTransformFilters returned 0x1
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter(2): Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter(2): Failed to add filter MP4 Source to graph
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter(2): Finish (0 ms)
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter(2): Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter(2): Added filter Haali Media Splitter to graph
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadFileUsingSourceFilter: Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadFileUsingSourceFilter: Load returned 0x0
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadFileUsingSourceFilter: Finish (0 ms)
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter(2): Finish (0 ms)
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFilterGraph::RenderOutputPins: Start
0057190: 3468: Playback: CDShowFilterGraph::RenderOutputPins: Rendering pin Audio
0057221: 3468: Playback: CDShowFilterGraph::RenderOutputPins: Finish (31 ms)
0057221: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: CDShowFilterGraph::RenderOutputPins returned 0x0
0057221: 3468: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: Finish (31 ms)
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph: Start
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph: DumpGraph [351d838]
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:     Filter [786edbc]  'JRiver Audio Renderer'
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         CLSID: {EC1F74A8-7E55-4814-9F9F-D417489075CA}
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         Host:
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:           Pin [786f43c]  'In' [Input]  Connected to pin [3543cb4]
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:     Filter [351fa3c]  'Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio Decoder'
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         CLSID: {E1F1A0B8-BEEE-490D-BA7C-066C40B5E2B9}
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         Host: c:\windows\syswow64\msmpeg2adec.dll
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:           Pin [35250a4]  'XForm In' [Input]  Connected to pin [b6cd8fc]
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:           Pin [3543cb4]  'XFrom Out' [Output]  Connected to pin [786f43c]
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Connection type  M type MEDIATYPE_Audio  S type MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Subtype description UNKNOWN
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Not temporally compressed
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Sample size 1
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:      Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:      Subtype MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: wFormatTag 65534
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nChannels 6
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nAvgBytesPerSec 1058400
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nBlockAlign 24
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: wBitsPerSample 32
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: cbSize 22
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Extensible:
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:     Samples 32
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:     Channel Mask 63
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:         FL
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:         FR
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:         FC
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:         LF
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:         BL
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:         BR
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:     SubFormat {00000003-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:     Filter [80507f4]  'Haali Media Splitter'
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         CLSID: {55DA30FC-F16B-49FC-BAA5-AE59FC65F82D}
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         Host: c:\program files (x86)\combined community codec pack\filters\haali\splitter.ax
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:           Pin [b6cd8fc]  'Audio' [Output]  Connected to pin [35250a4]
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Connection type  M type MEDIATYPE_Audio  S type Unknown GUID Name: {000000FF-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71}
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Subtype description UNKNOWN
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Not temporally compressed
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Variable size samples
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:      Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:      Subtype Unknown GUID Name
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: wFormatTag 255
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nChannels 2
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nAvgBytesPerSec 176400
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nBlockAlign 4
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: wBitsPerSample 16
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: cbSize 2
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph: Finish (0 ms)
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Play succeeded
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Result: 1
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Finish (47 ms)
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Start: Thread: 0xd8c, Graph: 0x351d838
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Event 30 param1 0, Param2 0
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Event 13 param1 0, Param2 0
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Event 34816 param1 0, Param2 455939485
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Audio out MediaType  M type MEDIATYPE_Audio  S type MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Subtype description UNKNOWN
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Not temporally compressed
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Sample size 1
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:      Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx:      Subtype MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: wFormatTag 3
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nChannels 2
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nAvgBytesPerSec 352800
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: nBlockAlign 8
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: wBitsPerSample 32
0057237: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: cbSize 0
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Start
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Using input format
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wFormatTag 3
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nChannels 2
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nAvgBytesPerSec 352800
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nBlockAlign 8
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wBitsPerSample 32
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: cbSize 0
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Finish (0 ms)
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Start
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Using input format
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wFormatTag 3
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nChannels 2
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nAvgBytesPerSec 352800
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nBlockAlign 8
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wBitsPerSample 32
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: cbSize 0
0057237: 3468: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Finish (0 ms)
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: End: Thread: 0xd8c, Graph: 0x351d838, 0ms
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Start: Thread: 0xd8c, Graph: 0x351d838
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: End: Thread: 0xd8c, Graph: 0x351d838, 0ms
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Start: Thread: 0xd8c, Graph: 0x351d838
0057237: 3468: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: End: Thread: 0xd8c, Graph: 0x351d838, 0ms
0057237: 168: Playback: CWaveOutBinPlayThread::Thread: Start
0057284: 168: General: TopLevelExceptionFilter: Unhandled exception -- program crashing
0057284: 168: General: TopLevelExceptionFilter: Message: 0, wParam: 0, lParam: 0, Window class:

Could this be an issue with 64bit (although I thought everything was running as a 32bit application)?
Could this be an issue with CCCP (I just did a fresh install with all settings reset and it appeared well)?

Any other steps I can do to get some traction on this.  Still anxious to get this working.  There is a lot of music purchased from iTunes that my kids are anxious to play and Dad is currently letting them down  :'(.

Thanks,

 
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Scolex

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2011, 05:06:32 am »

Sorry I can't be of any help, all I can do is give you my own experience. I copied several m4a files from an iPod to my computer (w7x64) and I experienced the same as you are. After fighting it for several days I moved the files over to my XP SP3 x86 machine and converted them and they worked perfectly. I have no clue what causes the issue all I know is everything I tried in the x64 realm was a waste of time. After discovering that conversion worked on my old laptop I pulled all music from my iPod converted it and sold my iPod. I will never run into that problem again my phone makes a nice iPod replacement for music on the go.
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Sean

Alex B

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Re: Playing iTunes files remotely from a Media Server
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2011, 06:37:39 am »

Which side is converting the file?

When I have MC15 running as a client on my laptop (connecting to library on media center server), which side does the conversion from m4a (or ape) into mp3?  I am a bit confused on which settings I should be modifying (options in Media Network on client or server).

Please help me isolate where my problem is.  Thanks,

The server does the conversion.

Can you play the files on the server without problems? If yes, right-click the main display in standard view during playback and look for the "DirectShow filters" menu item. If it shows up what filters does it list? (You can copy graph info to clipboard and paste it to your reply.)

Quote
However, my main music library (Intel 64bit Win7) has problems converting m4a into anything else.  If I try to convert to flac it aborts before getting started (at 0%).  If I convert into mp3 it sounds horrible (very scratchy and acts as if gain is turned up across the spectrum).

If this happens on the server the problem must fixed before the server/client conversion can work.

The likely cause of the problem is this filter and its output format:
Quote
Filter [351fa3c]  'Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio Decoder'
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         CLSID: {E1F1A0B8-BEEE-490D-BA7C-066C40B5E2B9}
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:         Host: c:\windows\syswow64\msmpeg2adec.dll
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:           Pin [35250a4]  'XForm In' [Input]  Connected to pin [b6cd8fc]
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DumpGraph:           Pin [3543cb4]  'XFrom Out' [Output]  Connected to pin [786f43c]
0057221: 3468: Playback: 0xd8c DisplayTypeEx: Connection type  M type MEDIATYPE_Audio  S type MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT

If the output is transmitted to the encoder in the float format the conversion will not work.

I have my server configured to use the DC-Bass Source filter for m4a splitting and decoding (it is a combined splitter/decoder filter). I just tried playing aac/m4a files through a server/client connection. Without conversion I experienced various problems which were caused by the problems with DirectShow filters on the client (I tried a few filters combinations), but playing with conversion worked fine. I tried "uncompressed" and "MP3 high bandwidth". (In general I recommend using "uncompressed" if that doesn't cause bandwidth problems. Lossy to lossy transcoding may produce unnecessary encoding artifacts.)

To use DC-Bass Source you must have it installed and then set the m4a file type to use it. See the attached screenshot. The DC-Bass Source filter is available here: http://www.dsp-worx.de/?n=15

Log in to the forum if you can't see the attachment.
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JimH

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2011, 07:57:29 am »

Did you find the "M4P and M4A" article on our wiki?
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Alex B

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2011, 08:32:41 am »

Here is the server log of a "successful play"  (aac/m4a > mp3 conversion)

Quote
0225750: 3680: Sharing Plugins: JRWebService::Process: Start
0225750: 3680: Sharing Plugins: JRWebService::Process: URL: /MCWS/v1/File/GetFile?File=21729106&conversion=4
0225750: 3680: Sharing Plugins: CMediaFileServer::RespondToFileRequest: Start
0225750: 3680: Reader: CMediaTranscoderReader::CMediaTranscoderReader (settings): Start
0225750: 3680: Reader: CMediaTranscoderReader::CMediaTranscoderReader (settings): Finish (0 ms)
0225750: 3680: Reader: CMediaTranscoderReader::Open: Start
0225750: 3680: Reader: CMediaTranscoderReader::Open: Finish (0 ms)
0225766: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Start
0225766: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Created feeder helper for type m4a (native: 1)
0225766: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: Start
0225766: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter: Start
0225766: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter: Added the filter to graph
0225766: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadFileUsingSourceFilter: Start
0225797: 2272: Sharing Plugins: CHTTPListenerWorker::HandleConnection: Start
0225797: 2272: Sharing Plugins: CHTTPListenerWorker::HandleRequest: TCP: 62.142.XXX.XX5: GET: http://62.142.XXX.XX7:53333/MCWS/v1/File/GetImage?File=21729106&Type=ThumbnailsBinary
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadFileUsingSourceFilter: Load returned 0x0
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadFileUsingSourceFilter: Finish (31 ms)
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadSourceFilter: Finish (31 ms)
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: LoadSourceFilter returned 0x0
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadTransformFilters: Start
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::LoadTransformFilters: Finish (0 ms)
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: LoadTransformFilters returned 0x1
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFilterGraph::RenderOutputPins: Start
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFilterGraph::RenderOutputPins: Rendering pin Output
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFilterGraph::RenderOutputPins: Finish (0 ms)
0225797: 3616: Playback: CDShowFileRenderer::RenderFile: Finish (31 ms)
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph: Start
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph: DumpGraph [36d460]
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:     Filter [7ab152c]  'JRiver Audio Renderer'
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:         CLSID: {EC1F74A8-7E55-4814-9F9F-D417489075CA}
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:         Host:
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:           Pin [7aba534]  'In' [Input]  Connected to pin [efae650]
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:     Filter [eff6790]  'DC-Bass Source'
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:         CLSID: {ABE7B1D9-4B3E-4ACD-A0D1-92611D3A4492}
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:         Host: c:\program files\directshow filterpack\dcbasssourcefilter\dcbasssource.ax
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph:           Pin [efae650]  'Output' [Output]  Connected to pin [7aba534]
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Connection type  M type MEDIATYPE_Audio  S type MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Subtype description UNKNOWN
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Not temporally compressed
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Sample size 4
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx:      Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx:      Subtype MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: wFormatTag 1
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nChannels 2
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nAvgBytesPerSec 176400
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nBlockAlign 4
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: wBitsPerSample 16
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: cbSize 0
0225797: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DumpGraph: Finish (0 ms)
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Play succeeded
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Result: 1
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::Play: Finish (47 ms)
0225813: 3616: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Start: Thread: 0xe20, Graph: 0x36d460
0225813: 3616: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Event 13 param1 0, Param2 0
0225813: 3616: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Event 34816 param1 0, Param2 455939485
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Audio out MediaType  M type MEDIATYPE_Audio  S type MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Subtype description UNKNOWN
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Not temporally compressed
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: Sample size 4
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx:      Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx:      Subtype MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: wFormatTag 1
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nChannels 2
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nAvgBytesPerSec 176400
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: nBlockAlign 4
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: wBitsPerSample 16
0225813: 3616: Playback: 0xe20 DisplayTypeEx: cbSize 0
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Start
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Using input format
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wFormatTag 1
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nChannels 2
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nAvgBytesPerSec 176400
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nBlockAlign 4
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wBitsPerSample 16
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: cbSize 0
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Finish (0 ms)
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Start
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Using input format
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wFormatTag 1
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nChannels 2
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nSamplesPerSec 44100
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nAvgBytesPerSec 176400
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: nBlockAlign 4
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: wBitsPerSample 16
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: cbSize 0
0225813: 3616: Playback: CMJPlayerCore::GetOutputFormat: Finish (0 ms)
0225828: 3616: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: End: Thread: 0xe20, Graph: 0x36d460, 15ms
0225828: 3616: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: Start: Thread: 0xe20, Graph: 0x36d460
0225828: 3616: Playback: CDXWaveFeeder::OnGraphNotify: End: Thread: 0xe20, Graph: 0x36d460, 0ms
0225828: 376: Playback: CWaveOutBinPlayThread::Thread: Start

To JRiver: I wonder if the server should change the stream's bit format to max 24-bit integer (before the actual file format conversion) if the DirectShow decoder happens to output float.
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dromski

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2011, 11:03:20 am »

I don't see the "DirectShow Filters".  Where on the main display did you want me to click?

I did find and try to follow the M4A wiki page.  This prompted the install of CCCP, but so far this has not helped (although I don't fully understand internals or best setup for CCCP yet).

I agree the server is the culprit and am suspecting issue with x64 or Win7.  It does play m4a fine.  I am focused now on just converting files and the resulting mp3 has very high distortion and gain.  The conversion from m4a into ape/flac will fail.  With logs similar to above.

The current file type option for m4a is associated with "Automatic" playback method.  I tried switching this to "J River Audio Engine (Using DirectShow filter)" and source filter is Automatic.   Same distortion to mp3 and failure to convert into ape.  Looking at the logs it is still using "MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT". 

I need to get into work but this helped me find the playback decoding options.  I will try more in this area tonight (including DC-Bass filter). 

Thanks for the help!
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Alex B

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #9 on: February 25, 2011, 11:24:01 am »

Play an m4a file on the server. During playback, right-click the main display to open the menu. It will not show the "DirectShow Filters" item if MC uses the QuickTime playback engine, but otherwise you should see it.

However, I am pretty sure that the "Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio Decoder" filter is causing the problem.

To use the DC-Bass Source filter, download and install it (you probably need to be logged in with administrator rights) and configure the file type specific settings as in my screenshot above.
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Alex B

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #10 on: February 25, 2011, 11:34:33 am »

To keep this in sight:

To JRiver: I wonder if the server should change the stream's bit format to max 24-bit integer (before the actual file format conversion) if the DirectShow decoder happens to output float.

... and also when a standalone MC instance converts local files.
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ckewinjones

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2011, 09:08:22 pm »

I was experiencing the same problem.  The DC-Bass Source filter referred to above was the answer for me.

This is what worked for me (all of these steps are to be done on the server, not the client):

  • Download and install the DC-Bass Source filter
  • Select Tools->Options
  • On the left-hand list of  option categories, choose "File Types"
  • On the list of file types in the right-hand pane, select "Audio->AAC Audio (m4a, aac)"
  • In the lower pane, from the "Playback Method" drop list, choose "j. River Audio Engine (using Direct Show filter)"
  • From the "Source Filter" drop list, choose "DC-Bass Source" (this will appear in the drop list if this filter is properly installed)
  • Click OK to dismiss the Options dialog

On my server, the "Other filters" drop list has selected "JRiver Bitrate Monitor filter", but I don't recall choosing that explicitly.  I think this is the default when the "JRiver Audio Engine" is chosen.  Also, I think it best to stop and restart the Library Server to ensure that the new filter configuration for AAC takes effect (though I am not sure that it is absolutely necessary).

Good luck and let us know whether this works for you (or anything else works, either).

Chris Jones

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Alex B

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2011, 06:57:54 am »

Just posting my attachment as a linked image:



It illustrates the above mentioned "File Type" settings.
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dromski

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Re: Playing iTunes (m4a) files remotely from Media Server sound very distorted
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2011, 01:19:58 am »

You guys are great!  I would not have found this without you.  The DC-Bass Source now allows me to convert from m4a into flac, ape, mp3 and play without distortion.  I can also remotely play from Android using Gizmo.

Sounds like a few others have run into this, but my searches didn't find this answer anywhere (hard topic to search).  I suggest putting a note on the wiki M4A page with reference to this solution. 

Thanks again!
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Alex B

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Bump

To JRiver: I wonder if the server should change the stream's bit format to max 24-bit integer (before the actual file format conversion) if the DirectShow decoder happens to output float.

... and also when a standalone MC instance converts local files.
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