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More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 19 for Windows => Topic started by: Goalline on April 01, 2014, 09:22:58 pm

Title: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: Goalline on April 01, 2014, 09:22:58 pm
Odd, I can only play the Hi-Res FLAC files I downloaded from 2L over HDMI. I cannot play the FLAC files I ripped from CD's or MP3 files. The file actually plays, and the signal generator seems to suggest there is a signal, but no sound is played on the Pioneer SC67.

I can play all my files on the Oppo 103 over DLNA however. I am using WASAPI Event Style.

In short, 192khz 24bit FLAC? No problem. All other files, no sound.
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: astromo on April 02, 2014, 03:58:29 am
Well that sure ain't the plan.

Apologies if I'm back-tracking you but it would help if you explained how you travelled in your journey to set up your audio. Please refer to the Wiki entry:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Setup (http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Setup)
There are an array of entries to work through, not least of which is this one:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Playback_Problems (http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Audio_Playback_Problems)

I've normally found it's a simple configuration issue, the trick is working through all the places to look. As I discovered here:
http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20131205172707381&board_id=1&model=H87I-PLUS&page=1&SLanguage=en-us (http://vip.asus.com/forum/view.aspx?id=20131205172707381&board_id=1&model=H87I-PLUS&page=1&SLanguage=en-us)
some Motherboards have settings that influence operation.

The other issue to check through are relevant drivers. HDMI is rolled up with the display driver, so it is (in my experience) easy to get right. Although it never hurts to check for HDMI driver updates - I've found the Intel site with it's update tool quite handy Intel Driver Update Utility (http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect?iid=dc_iduu).

DAC's are vendor specific, so check out out the OEM's support page for relevant updates.

It would also help if you explained what you've got piped into where. Apparently, this is your unit:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/SC-67 (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/SC-67)
and this image shows that you've got a vast range of input options:
(http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/StaticFiles/PUSA/Images/Product%20Images/Home/SC-67_Back_large.jpg)
It would help if you could narrow things down a bit to help the collective understanding.

All the best ..  ;)
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: Goalline on April 02, 2014, 07:12:32 pm
Actually, you helped me to solve this. My device does not support WASAPI Event Style. Dammit, I was really looking forward to bit perfect sound. Thanks a great deal. It works fine on Direct Sound.
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: 6233638 on April 02, 2014, 11:00:05 pm
Actually, you helped me to solve this. My device does not support WASAPI Event Style. Dammit, I was really looking forward to bit perfect sound. Thanks a great deal. It works fine on Direct Sound.
You can disable Event Style and still use WASAPI for bit-perfect playback.
 
Tools → Options → Audio → Audio Device → Device settings…
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: glynor on April 03, 2014, 06:12:52 am
Actually, you helped me to solve this. My device does not support WASAPI Event Style. Dammit, I was really looking forward to bit perfect sound. Thanks a great deal. It works fine on Direct Sound.

I don't think that's the problem.

When you were trying with WASAPI turned on, was Exclusive Mode enabled?

(http://glynor.com/img/screenshots/MC19/MC19-Audio-WASAPI_Device_Settings.png)

If not, and you have the Windows Sound control panel's output setting set "high" then this is the exact behavior that would be expected.  In WASAPI mode (either Event style or legacy), if Exclusive mode is NOT enabled, then you MUST set MC's DSP to resample all output to match the current setting in the Windows Sound control panel's Properties dialog here:
(http://glynor.com/img/screenshots/windows/Windows-Sound_Properties_Advanced.png)

So, if I have my sound card set in Windows as is shown above, and in MC Tools > Options > Audio > Audio Device > Device Settings, Open device for exclusive access is NOT enabled, I'd have to set MC's DSP to resample ALL audio to 48kHz.

With Exclusive mode enabled, then all formats will work that the device supports, without resampling, because in exclusive mode, MC can control the format of the Sound device.  In non-exclusive WASAPI, it has to follow the setting set in Windows.

As 6233638 indicated, you can also disable Event Style in the same dialog, but I would not (at first, at least) as it wouldn't typically cause that kind of behavior.  I think you had Exclusive mode disabled accidentally.
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: astromo on April 03, 2014, 09:01:17 am
Goalline, I'd strongly recommend you heed the advice from 6233638 and glynor. They know there stuff and very helpful to boot.

I went and had a look at the manual:
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/StaticFiles/Manuals/Home/SC-67_OperatingInstructions061512.pdf (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/StaticFiles/Manuals/Home/SC-67_OperatingInstructions061512.pdf)
The SC-68 has USB In but not the SC-67 (refer p.8 Features - 5th bullet point, USB DAC : SC-68 Only).

That leaves the digital options down to:


Again what input are you trying to connect to that you're having problems with?

The other thing to check off is, have you got the latest firmware loaded?
http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/SC-67?tab=firmware (http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/AV-Receivers/Elite+Receivers/SC-67?tab=firmware)
I ask because I forgot to mention this previously and you haven't offered it up.

From keyword searching the manual I can't find reference to ASIO or WASAPI, so it's not clear to me how the SC-67 does its thing. A query to the OEM might bear fruit as well.
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: glynor on April 03, 2014, 11:45:28 am
Again what input are you trying to connect to that you're having problems with?

He said via HDMI (in the subject of the post).

The capabilities (WASAPI, etc) are all controlled via the video card then and have nothing to do with the amp.
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: astromo on April 03, 2014, 05:05:20 pm
The capabilities (WASAPI, etc) are all controlled via the video card then and have nothing to do with the amp.

 :-[  *embarrassed* - Apologies, I must need to get my eyes checked.

Even so, I'd personally be doing some cross checking against S/PDIF. Many motherboards have S/PDIF optical out (but we don't know what Goalline's working with) and for the sake of a suitable cable, it could be enlightening to try that audio path and see whether Lower-Res plays via that route.

Mentioning cable also prompts me to suggest that it never hurts to rule this one out. Although I'd admit it would be quite strange if that was the source of the problem, given that some HDMI sound is getting through.


The capabilities (WASAPI, etc) are all controlled via the video card then and have nothing to do with the amp.
Noted. Again, it would be worthwhile to know that Goalline has updated the firmware for whatever audio output device(s) being used. Currently, that's unclear and it's an obvious potential problem area to rule out.
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: glynor on April 03, 2014, 05:09:43 pm
Noted. Again, it would be worthwhile to know that Goalline has updated the firmware for whatever audio output device(s) being used. Currently, that's unclear and it's an obvious potential problem area to rule out.

Maybe.  Anything is possible, and doing the firmware update probably won't hurt.

But... The behavior described (playing one specific format, all others failing) sounds very much like the expected behavior if:

* He turned the Windows Sound control panel way up to the max (turning all settings to 11).
* He didn't have Exclusive mode enabled (accidentally, one would presume, or because he misunderstood how it worked)
Title: Re: Can only play Hi REs Files over HDMI.
Post by: Goalline on April 03, 2014, 08:50:49 pm
Maybe.  Anything is possible, and doing the firmware update probably won't hurt.

But... The behavior described (playing one specific format, all others failing) sounds very much like the expected behavior if:

* He turned the Windows Sound control panel way up to the max (turning all settings to 11).
* He didn't have Exclusive mode enabled (accidentally, one would presume, or because he misunderstood how it worked)

Nailed it! Thank you so much, you and 6233638. I did have exclusive mode on, but the reason it wasn't working? I had set Windows Sound at its max setting without making the necessary adjustments to the DSP. It sounds fantastic. I am so thrilled, and I have gained a much greater understanding of how MC's DSP works.