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Author Topic: System Volume Control  (Read 3006 times)

6233638

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System Volume Control
« on: September 30, 2013, 01:59:24 pm »

Would it be possible for Media Center to respect the system volume controls?

Volume Up/Down adjusts volume in 1% (0.5 ㏈) steps which is very different from Apple's scale.
The fine controls also adjust volume by 1%.

Apple use:
      0.0 ㏈
    − 2.0 ㏈
    − 3.5 ㏈
    − 5.5 ㏈
    − 7.5 ㏈
    −10.0 ㏈
    −12.0 ㏈
    −14.5 ㏈
    −17.0 ㏈
    −19.5 ㏈
    −22.5 ㏈
    −25.5 ㏈
    −28.5 ㏈
    −32.5 ㏈
    −37.0 ㏈
    −43.0 ㏈
    −57.5 ㏈ (mute)

And the fine controls adjust by 0.5 ㏈ up to −10 ㏈ or so.
Perhaps Media Center should use something similar?
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Matt

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Re: Volume Control
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2013, 02:19:36 pm »

I'm not sure what the question is.

You can read about the development of our current scale here:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=69939.0

I'm happy with the result.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

mwillems

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Re: Volume Control
« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2013, 02:35:37 pm »

I'm not sure what the question is.

You can read about the development of our current scale here:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=69939.0

I'm happy with the result.

Me too.  The volume scale (on the windows version at least) is one of my all-time favorite features of JRiver.  Because I have my DAC connected to power amps, I need a lot more "space" at the bottom of the volume slider because that's where I spend most of my time.  

Windows media player (and windows system) volume was terrible for me because my normal listening setting is between -30 and -40 dB (around 5 or 6% on WMP), which meant I had very little downward control over my volume and was constantly fiddling around with very fine changes at the bottom of the scale.  In JRiver, I can safely park at 20% (-40) and move a good ways up or down as needed.

The non-linear volume scale is seriously something I mention when recommending the program to friends.
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6233638

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Re: Volume Control
« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2013, 03:05:09 pm »

Sorry, to be clear, what I meant was that when Media Center is set to use "System Volume" it does not use the normal system volume behavior, which is to use the 16 steps mentioned in my original post.
Media Center is only making adjustments in 0.5 ㏈ steps whether you are using the coarse (16-step) or fine (64-step) volume control.

Perhaps a good compromise would be to respect the system scale when using the coarse controls, and use the same scale as internal volume (mostly 0.5 ㏈) when using the fine controls?
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hoyt

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Re: System Volume Control
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2013, 04:54:54 pm »

This was never addressed in MC18 for Mac, one of my pet peeves, and primary reason for not paying to upgrade to another development version:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=81763.0

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johnjen

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Re: System Volume Control
« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2013, 07:40:28 pm »

I'm curious about this.

How do you use MC so that this difference between a fine step (64) volume control and a 16 step one is of importance?  I don't mean to come across as anything but curious but how are you using the player where this is important?

JJ
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Matt

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Re: System Volume Control
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2013, 10:07:35 am »

Next build:
Changed: Volume up / down commands from hot keys (volume keyboard buttons, remote, etc.) work in 5% increments instead of 1% increments.
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Matt Ashland, JRiver Media Center

hoyt

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Re: System Volume Control
« Reply #7 on: October 10, 2013, 12:20:46 pm »

I'm curious about this.

How do you use MC so that this difference between a fine step (64) volume control and a 16 step one is of importance?  I don't mean to come across as anything but curious but how are you using the player where this is important?

JJ

Just as a day-to-day media player.  I hit the volume up/down buttons on my keyboard and it takes forever to make a difference in the sound.  I may turn the volume up to take a phone call on Google Voice, then go back and hit play in MC, the music is really loud, so I hit the volume down button and it takes 5 seconds to go from 100% to 50%.  Where as with VLC open, I go from 100% to 50% in 1 second. 
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johnjen

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Re: System Volume Control
« Reply #8 on: October 10, 2013, 04:53:58 pm »

Just as a day-to-day media player.  I hit the volume up/down buttons on my keyboard and it takes forever to make a difference in the sound.  I may turn the volume up to take a phone call on Google Voice, then go back and hit play in MC, the music is really loud, so I hit the volume down button and it takes 5 seconds to go from 100% to 50%.  Where as with VLC open, I go from 100% to 50% in 1 second. 

I see. 
Yeah I can see where that could be a source of frustration.

Thanks  :thumb
JJ
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