INTERACT FORUM
Devices => JRiver Id -- Hardware by JRiver => Topic started by: astromo on May 07, 2018, 07:47:23 am
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I'm not sure whether I should include this post under NEW: ZoneSync 2 (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,115328.0.html) or somewhere on that thread's parent board or here, so apologies if I've gone astray. FWIW, I've checked the advice there and searched the MC24 Windows board for relevant info. Again, apologies, if I've missed a post that would resolve my queries.
My opening question is, "How does Zone Switch work with a Zone Link Group?"
The relevant context is that I've got my main setup arranged that when I play an audio file it directs to a specified zone by default. Video is directed to HDMI (Zone=Player) but that's not workable for the system's DAC. Now, I'd like to widen audio playback to a Zone Link Group (see first pic). The reason being (in part), is that I want audio to be sent to all 3 inputs on the DAC to improve the WAF on my HiFi setup.
The logic is that if I send audio to all 3 inputs when music is played, then my other half doesn't have to select an input (note the DAC doesn't come with a remote - before anyone asks) and therefore I'm ahead on WAF.
So the PC (running MC 24.0.25) outputs are USB and S/PDIF Optical. The 3rd DAC input is S/PDIF RCA and that's being worked via a networked IdPi (RPi 3B, MC Version Details - Id:24.0.2 MC:24.0.24 Engen:1.0.69). The HTPC is set up to Zone Switch to S/PDIF Optical when audio is played (refer pic). In this case, S/PDIF RCA (Networked IdPi) lines up with the incoming audio track set by the PC S/PDIF Optical zone but it doesn't play. Not so for the USB DAC zone (PC output) - it cues the track and plays fine.
If I play to the USB DAC or IdPi zones, the other PC driven zones play back. However, the IdPi cues the audio file and then does nothing.
When I head over to the IdPi to check in on its status via Remote Desktop, the MC GUI has locked up. I can access the menu and the web browser but the MC GUI is dead. So, I run a 98 reboot to give it CPR. When it's fired back up, I can go into the IdPi MC GUI and play the cued audio file such that it's pulled from the PC MC24 server. So, the audio playback path appears to work. Just not when it's pushed from the server via Zone Link Group.
If I unlink the IdPi zone and play to it by itself where it's pushed out by the PC MC24 server, it plays fine and there's no lock up.
So, how can I make this work so that all 3 audio zones receive a signal when an audio file is played?
Also, I'd like to know why I haven't got the option to select the Zone Link Group as an available alternative in Zone Switch. I would have thought that that would be an appropriate selection. It appears that the Zone Link Group Zone Switch functions on a 3 Musketeers philosophy of "all for one and one for all", which is fine but it makes better sense in my head to refer to the group not one of its members.
Additionally, if I pick an audio track and I <right click> to bring up the context menu, I can send the track to the various individual zones but there's no option for the Zone Link Group. Same sort of 3 Musketeers thing but my first expectation is to see the group show as an option.
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I've upgraded to (as of the posted time / date) to:
Id:24.0.7 MC:24.0.28 Engen:1.0.69
on an IdPi Model 3B and there has been no change in the behaviour of MC (when driven from MC24.0.35 Win10x64 v1803 that's up to date) as noted above ... ?
So, I'm getting repeatability across versions with no suggestions from anyone for a fix or a cross check ... :'(
... and to be sure, I've double checked the setup details to match the advice at Post #1 (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,115328.msg797200.html#msg797200)
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Have you made any progress with this Astromo?
I have been playing with ZoneLink, and breaking it pretty easily, and decided to have a look at Zone Groups, since linked Zones seem to unlink on a restart of MC when the other MC installation isn't active, and in other circumstances. I was hoping groups would work just like linked Zones, but be permanent.
Zone Groups didn't even seem to get into the Release Notes that I can find. In fact, there isn't much I could find about Zone Groups at all, other than the original announcement: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,114618.0.html in which a very relevant question on ZoneSwitch went unanswered. I haven't tried to combine ZoneSwitch and Zonelink as yet, but it seems like they could work against each other. Then here you asking basically the same question. It seems that ZoneSwitch rule design needs to be done carefully with the Zone Groups in mind, so that ZoneSwitch doesn't switch MC out of a Group you want to use.
Did you find any other reference material, or a thread that promoted the development?
On your specific issue, as you have set everything as per Post #1 of the ZoneSync2 thread, are all your zones capable of playing the original audio format? Since MC locks up on the IdPi, I'm thinking it can't handle the original audio format.
I know you said If I unlink the IdPi zone and play to it by itself where it's pushed out by the PC MC24 server, it plays fine and there's no lock up.
, but I'm wondering if you tested with the exact same audio file.
Also, have you tried changing your ZoneSwitch rule to switch to the IdPi for all audio, and then checked if the USB DAC and S/PDIF Optical outputs work correctly? Being in the same group, they should all play, and selecting the IdPi may mean that it will work and the others follow.
Also, I agree that a Zone Group should be selectable in ZoneSwitch rules. I think users should also be able to select a Zone Group as the Zone to play to. I was looking for that in my testing.