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[dean70]

What is the purpose of the Startup Volume option under the Startup section? If you set it to say 60%, it is set when MC loads to this value, but the moment you start playing something from a zone, it completely ignores this value and starts playing at 20% volume.

It is the same if you change volume before playing anything, it will reset back to 20% when the first item is played for a given zone.

I should be able to set a desired volume before I start playing something, rather that miss the first few seconds with ridiculously low volume as I try to adjust it.


Can this be addressed? - it was the same through v17 as well.

[gappie]

i think 'volume protection' does that. when you disable that it works? not sure though if that is how it was ment to work.

 
gab

[Trumpetguy]

I also have some problems to understand the what startup volume should do. What I would think it should was to protect your gear and ears during startup. Thus I have all zones set to 30% startup volume, but MC ignores all this and starts at the same volume (pr zone, which is good) as when it was last shut down.

The explanation I have gotten so far is that - if MC media server is running - it ignores startup volume. Well, the server is running 24/7, which means startup volume will never work. I really do not see the link between the two, but it is there.

[JimH]

Media Server is a small footprint version of Media Center. 

You're probably right that this should be handled differently in the case where Media Server is running.

[dean70]

Im my case, I run it stand-alone directly on a HTPC and use the run on Windows startup option.

It may be worthwhile to set the default startup volume to 20%, so that each zone starts playing at this level by default, but let the user change it to something more suitable in the HTPC or stand-alone Music player cases. I prefer to have it around -25db as I usually listen at -20 to -15db. It saves having to go through such large volume adjustments each and every time MC is started.


re: Volume protection - I prefer to leave this enabled. Running through 300w amps would be disasterous if you accidently clicked 100% with the mouse 

[Trumpetguy]

re: Volume protection - I prefer to leave this enabled. Running through 300w amps would be disasterous if you accidently clicked 100% with the mouse 

Yep, been there 

I agree with Jim that how Startup volume works should be re-considered. There may be some very good reason for how it is implemented, but it is a big deal to me that you cannot trust which volume a zone is set at when powering up. After all MC is all about media networking (well, not all, but anyway), and the main HTPC should not be affected by having a server running.

[gappie]

re: Volume protection - I prefer to leave this enabled. Running through 300w amps would be disasterous if you accidently clicked 100% with the mouse  

i agree, the question is, when you turn it off, as a test, does it work as you want.

i too like volume protection, there is a story somewhere on these boards about how i killed my neighbours. but pumping up my volume from 20 to something more audible every time is no protection, just a nuisance.

 
gab

[Matt]

Volume protection is what you should use to ensure a low, safe startup volume when beginning playback.

The startup volume option is an older option.  It is run one time when the program first launches. 

It's possible we might merge the options someday.

More here:
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Volume#Volume_Protection

[dean70]

Looking the Wiki - "3.Makes it so that starting playback if nothing has played for 30 minutes sets the volume to 20% (unless the volume is already lower)"

Is this the same function that sets the inital play volume to 20%?

Maybe a field could be next to the Volume Protection checkbox to specify this value? 20% is -40db which is barely audible.

[Matt]

Maybe a field could be next to the Volume Protection checkbox to specify this value? 20% is -40db which is barely audible.

Mojave would say you just need a bigger amplifier 

But seriously, it would probably make sense to allow volume protection to be adjustable.  But for now, just plan on turning the volume up when you first start playback.  No matter what low point you pick, it's likely you'll have to adjust the volume some to find your comfortable listening level.

[mojave]

Mojave would say you just need a bigger amplifier 

I just kept changing out speakers until I found ones with a sensitivity so that 20% was just right! 

I think you should just get rid of any mention of volume in Startup and add Audio > Volume > Startup. This amount is set at startup for a zone and also used by Volume Protection. This will work well with the new ZoneSwitch feature.

What happens currently if I set a zone's maximum volume to 15% and have Volume Protection on? Which wins?

[gappie]

But seriously, it would probably make sense to allow volume protection to be adjustable.  But for now, just plan on turning the volume up when you first start playback.  No matter what low point you pick, it's likely you'll have to adjust the volume some to find your comfortable listening level.

it would indeed be nice if volume protection could be adjustable.  for my setup 20 % is fairly low.

i think the behaviour if music is paused is not as intended. when i pause a song more then 30 minutes, 2 things could happen. or the volume jumpes at 20 % like when music would have been stopped, or it would continue on the level where it was. atm the song will continue at the level it was set on, but some seconds for the end (6? the prebuffer) the volume suddenly falls back to 20 %.

 
gab