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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 19 for Windows => Topic started by: Wungun on October 16, 2013, 11:37:54 am

Title: Is Kernel Streaming the better option in Windows 8?
Post by: Wungun on October 16, 2013, 11:37:54 am

I've read they designed the audio drivers with hardware offloading capability...
From what I understand, this only works in KS mode, and the soundcard drivers also have to have implementation...?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh439707(v=vs.85).aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/hh450902(v=vs.85).aspx

Title: Re: Is Kernel Streaming the better option in Windows 8?
Post by: JimH on October 16, 2013, 12:16:36 pm

Here's what JRiver recommends:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Output_Modes

Title: Re: Is Kernel Streaming the better option in Windows 8?
Post by: Wungun on October 26, 2013, 06:48:18 am

I would have to think for Win8, KS would come before WASAPI as the better choice...?

Title: Re: Is Kernel Streaming the better option in Windows 8?
Post by: glynor on October 27, 2013, 09:14:48 pm

Quote from: Wungun on October 26, 2013, 06:48:18 am

I would have to think for Win8, KS would come before WASAPI as the better choice...?

Kernel Streaming is only preferable for systems that do not have WASAPI or ASIO natively.  This means, basically, Windows XP with non-pro hardware (any sound device that doesn't have a well behaved ASIO driver).

That's it.

In all other cases, you'll have better results with WASAPI.  MC19 now, pretty much, makes that choice for you properly.

Title: Re: Is Kernel Streaming the better option in Windows 8?
Post by: 6233638 on October 28, 2013, 05:08:14 am

I could be mistaken, but it sounds like Windows 8 adds back support for hardware accelerated audio devices via this Kernel Streaming mode.
You would of course require hardware which supports this, which is currently non-existent. (perhaps the new AMD cards with TrueAudio?)

Makes me wonder if this is something else that will "obsolete" current DACs which use the CPU for audio decoding & processing, which is why you typically need to use very large buffers with them.
Fine for music playback, problematic for things like gaming or audio monitoring.