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[HamishNorton]

I have hardware (Silex DS600 ethernet LAN to USB) that allows use anywhere on my LAN of a USB audio interface (or almost any other type of USB device) almost as if it were plugged in to the computer. The "almost" is because whenever the DS600 sits idle for a few seconds it then takes 2-10 seconds to re-synchronize when it again is asked to pass audio data, while in the meantime producing hash. The DS600 is potentially great but needs silence to be played every time the play button is pushed, even if the sample rate does not change. This behavior is not caused by the USB audio interface which does not do this when plugged into the computer, and the behavior is consistent across other USB audio interfaces. I realize that this is something that should be fixed by Silex, but I think they don't know how. Does anyone else have equipment that would be happier with a short segment of silence every time "play" is pushed? Could it be an option?

[JimH]

The option exists.  It's called "Play Leading Silence".  Search window at bottom of options page.

It sounds like it's going into a power saving mode, so anything that uses it might work to power it up.  You could ask the manufacturer.

[HamishNorton]

I am afraid I cannot find the option to "play leading silence". I find (see screenshot) "play silence at startup for hardware synchronization", which I understand plays silence when the first track is played and then if the sample rate changes, and then "do not play silence (leading and trailing), which I leave unchecked, and then there is the gapped playback between tracks, but this does not seem to actively play silence but it appears just to wait before starting the next track. Where have I not looked?

Thanks!

[JimH]

Try them.  The first is the one I meant.

Also try using DSP Studio > Output Settings to force everything to 16/48 or 16/44.  The problem may occur on format change.

And ask the manufacturer.

[HamishNorton]

I just tried playing everything at 44.1, but that did not fix the problem, and in fact sample rate change does not seem to cause a problem at all - the would be a USB audio interface problem, and my audio interface is fine with sample rate changes. It seems, as you say, that the DS600 goes into power saving mode after a short period of non-use. What I would need is a few seconds of silence played at the beginning of any playlist.

[JimH]

You could make an audio track for that purpose.

[HamishNorton]

I could indeed make such a track. It would be tedious to always make it the first track "Playing Now" - would there be any way to automate that?

[JimH]

Would you need to play it every time?  Or just once per session?

The device probably has a mode the maintains power on.  Ask the mfr?

[Hendrik]

I find (see screenshot) "play silence at startup for hardware synchronization", which I understand plays silence when the first track is played and then if the sample rate changes, and then "do not play silence (leading and trailing), which I leave unchecked, and then there is the gapped playback between tracks, but this does not seem to actively play silence but it appears just to wait before starting the next track. Where have I not looked?

"play silence at startup for hardware synchronization" should actually play silent audio at the start of playback.

[HamishNorton]

I think it should also, but I think what is actually does is play silence the first time the program is asked to play audio after being started, and then again when and if the sample rate changes. I agree that playing silence at the start of each playback would be better.

[HamishNorton]

I have diagnosed and fixed the issue, which may be of help to anyone who wants to use a Silex USB server. The problem was an unmanaged switch in the network between the computer and the Silex box. The unmanaged switch, like almost all unmanaged switches, tries to save power when ports are idle, and the powers the ports back up when there is traffic. In the process of powering up, there can be large ad variable latency. The fix is to spend $10 more and get a managed switch that allows energy saving technology to be switched off. So my immediate need for silence before every playback has gone away, although I continue to think that it would be a useful option.