INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 16 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: pacwin on October 09, 2011, 06:07:03 am

Title: MC and Enhancing the native DSD support
Post by: pacwin on October 09, 2011, 06:07:03 am

Here are some thoughts on extending MC's support for DSD playback. While I understand the attraction of converting DSD to high bit rate PCM giving you all the advantages of DSP processing like room/speaker correction,  room modes and so on but some of us just want the option of plain vanilla DSD playback especially where we know the recording is originally recorded and/or mixed in DSD (or is an Analog to DSD capture).

I would encourage the MC developers to take the lead in the current race to support DSD64/DSD128 playback on consumer/prosumer DACS which are emerging every week or so but which are handicapped by immature software support especially on the Windows platform and do not and probably will not have the large collection /media management/touchscreen/remote control etc features of MC. This means a requirement support for DSD over ASIO 2.x as well as the recently announced proposal from dCS for its packed bitstream format.

There is also no reason not to consider charging a premium for DSD playback. Any computer audiophiles who have substantially quantities of DSD files to play are not going to balk at a reasonable premium to play back their files.

There is also a gap in the market for DSF file tagging support.  Writing tags back to DSD Stream files (DSF) is not a supported operation on JRiver but it could be. The file specs for DSF  files are widely available and it shouldn't be too hard to extend ID3v2 tagging support to DSF files. 

The MC managers should consider setting up some kind of polling to gauge interest in native DSD playback and also an open requirements gathering phase with its potential customers for features. If MC does not support native playback of DSD then a possible outcome for native DSD customers is a platform shift to the Apple Mac. The number of DSD capable DACS is still small but FPGA based DACS can process DSD without a lot of development pain and they are erupting everywhere. MC has an opportunity to capture and lead this new niche.

Title: Re: MC and Enhancing the native DSD support
Post by: Matt on October 09, 2011, 06:53:30 am

We plan to support bitstreaming of DSD over ASIO in the coming months.

And welcome to Interact.

Title: Re: MC and Enhancing the native DSD support
Post by: Radioart on November 08, 2011, 02:33:21 pm

Does MC16 or any MC support DSD over USB??  I would like to play DSD files on my PC to my DSD DAC via its USB2HS interface.  So can I do that? or is that capability planned?

OBTW, PURE MUSIC on the MAC can playback DSD files via USB to a DAC....

Thanks and keep up the good work, MC16 is GREAT!!

Radioart