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Author Topic: Bitstream Audio Dropout  (Read 6380 times)

thrang

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Bitstream Audio Dropout
« on: September 29, 2012, 09:28:36 pm »

Just downloaded MC18 to evaluate - love the image quality, but am having momentary audio dropouts when bitstreaming my Blu Ray rips - set to WASAPI, either 24 or 24 padded to 32. Not issues with such dropouts via TMT5, XBMC, Micca 950...is this a known beta issue?

I am using the auto refresh change option as well, if there is any connection to this behavior

Thanks
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Matt

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2012, 10:34:16 pm »

Try 'WASAPI - Events Style' if you're not using it, and also try adjusting the buffering in Options > Audio > Output mode settings...

Also, you'll normally get better audio quality and more audio features by not bitstreaming, so you might try PCM output instead.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

thrang

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2012, 10:41:09 pm »

Try 'WASAPI - Events Style' if you're not using it, and also try adjusting the buffering in Options > Audio > Output mode settings...

Also, you'll normally get better audio quality and more audio features by not bitstreaming, so you might try PCM output instead.

Thanks for the reply - I did try both WASAPI modes - I adjusted the buffering fairly high as well (to the left - .90 I think), if this is what you are referring to...

I shut down for the evening, but will try again tomorrow.

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InflatableMouse

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2012, 01:41:11 am »

Bitstreaming is basically just passthrough it shouldn't experience dropouts.

I'm wondering if your machine can handle MC18 at all, are you using Red October HQ? Can you list your machine specs?
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thrang

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2012, 07:10:55 am »

Bitstreaming is basically just passthrough it shouldn't experience dropouts.

I'm wondering if your machine can handle MC18 at all, are you using Red October HQ? Can you list your machine specs?

Yes, I thought bitstreaming should not be a big deal - when the loss of audio occurs, you can see on my processor (Integra 80.3) that for that moment, it does not even see any audio signal.

System is dedicated for HTPC use and fairly robust I would think - an Intel Core i7 2.66 GHz, 6 GB of RAM, AMD 7700 series graphic card, Windows 7 Home Premium. OS and AMD software up-to-date, I use Microsoft Security Essentials manually a few times a week, system clean. No issues with bitstream audio from TMT5 or XBMC on the same computer. File are mostly BDMV, some ISO, ripped with ANYDVD HD, stored on a Synology NAS (gigabit network)



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InflatableMouse

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2012, 10:03:25 am »

Which output are you using to bitstream over?

Can you try copying the entire BDMV structure over to your HTPC and play it locally, just to make sure its not some network/buffering issue?
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thrang

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2012, 10:22:32 am »

Which output are you using to bitstream over?

Can you try copying the entire BDMV structure over to your HTPC and play it locally, just to make sure its not some network/buffering issue?

HDMI - no other way...

I have already tried local folders. I uninstalled completely and reinstalled this morning.

I'll leave everything at default except for the bitstream option and try again...I won't enable refresh rate switching specially to see if there's a correlation...that the only other option other than buffering I adjusted the first time

Thanks for the assistance...
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InflatableMouse

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2012, 10:43:20 am »

Once you get that working consider letting your pc do the decoding and send multichannel PCM to your receiver. Your pc is more than capable and it typically does a better job. And you get to use all the DSP goodies :P.
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thrang

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2012, 12:02:01 pm »

Once you get that working consider letting your pc do the decoding and send multichannel PCM to your receiver. Your pc is more than capable and it typically does a better job. And you get to use all the DSP goodies :P.

So I would say there is a bug here, relating to auto refresh rate switching and bitstream dropouts.

After reinstalling, I left auto refresh rate switching off, launched a local bdmv folder, and bitstream was fine, no drops. Stopped the movie, set the refesh rates setting on (23 hz for blu ray, which gives me the correct 23.98 farm rate), played the same movie, and the dropouts (about every three minutes, lasting for two seconds) occurs. Buffering settings have no affect.

I prefer bitstreaming, as it sounds better than PCM to my integra, so hopefully this can be confirmed and fixed.

I am now having an issue with PCM which I didn't have before - when I start a dts a movie, mc18 says "playback could not be started using 48khz 24 bit 6 ch. This format would work: 48khz 24 bit 2 ch"

Makes no sense - windows sound correctly shows a 5.1 sound setup...
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thrang

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2012, 12:05:53 pm »

Well, I disabled and reenabled auto fresh rate switching, and at least it is respecting 5.1 PCM out now...
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InflatableMouse

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2012, 12:49:07 pm »

You say you have auto refresh rate switching enabled, do you also have VideoClock enabled?

So the message that playback could not be started is gone?
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thrang

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2012, 01:22:35 pm »

You say you have auto refresh rate switching enabled, do you also have VideoClock enabled?

So the message that playback could not be started is gone?

I am not in front of it now, but I didn't touch video clock, so whatever the default for the setting is is what it's at.

To be clear, the playback issue was when I switch to PCM - it was forcing me to choose two channel. I cancelled playback, went back into the video options, disabled and reenabled auto refresh rate switching, launched the movie, and it played 5.1 without a problem

The bitstream dropout issues remains when auto refresh rate switching is enabled. When disabled, there are no dropouts.

I have to check if its precisely the auto switching or just the refresh rate in general. I'll leave it off, but set the desktop refresh to 23 and see if the same dropout persists.

Thanks
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gvanbrunt

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #12 on: September 30, 2012, 06:41:56 pm »

On my setup when I get an error message about trying to switch to a 2 channel format, it is usually because the computer "stops seeing" my HDMI audio out. It then defaults to some other device that is only stereo. I finally disabled all the other unused junk so the only choice is my HDMI out and I never see that anymore.

Right click on your speaker icon and look at the devices. Disable anything you don't use. You can disable them on the properties page.
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thrang

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Re: Bitstream Audio Dropout
« Reply #13 on: September 30, 2012, 07:41:18 pm »

Thanks, yes i've long since disabled other output devices except the HDMI one, so that was not it for me...I also am only playing multichannel sources in my testing (no two channel music...)

Going to do some more testing in a bit...
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