Topic: Re: No output to usb JDS Labs DAC (Read 10417 times)

charmerci · « **on:** September 11, 2014, 04:05:37 am »

Everything worked "fine" yesterday. (The only change was 1 of 1 Windows update when I close my computer last time.)

Under Playback Options, it's clicked on the proper DAC.

In the past, this would happen. I want to listen to a video on the internet, so generally I had to unplug the DAC so I could listen to the video since no sounds come out with the DAC plugged in. (A beeping noise sounds when I plug and unplug the DAC.) Then I have to plug the DAC back in to listen to MC19. Sometimes, I used to get no sound so I'd have to shut MC19 and then re-open it to listen again.

But this time, I hear the beep of the DAC being plugged in and then...nothing! I've shut it down, opened it up. I've changed the output options then reverted back. Everything that I've tried in the past to get the sound to come out through my DAC/stereo doesn't work! I have to uplug the DAC and the sound comes out fine through the crappy little speaker in my laptop. (Windows 7)

It was working fine yesterday. Once it actually played back the sound of the videos while MC19 was open!

charmerci · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2014, 05:51:50 am »

I shut down MC for the third time, then re-connected the USB DAC and now it works!

?

But of course, youtube doesn't work so I'll have to shut it off again.

JimH · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2014, 06:56:07 am »

Something at the hardware / driver level seems not to be working reliably.

Did you try another USB port?

How is MC set under audio?

Did you try the manufacturer?

charmerci · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2014, 08:21:16 am »

Manufacturer (JDS Labs) says it's unique.

It's set to WASAPI. Should I try it by disabling Event style? It's about a 4 year old DAC.

I could try another USB port.

charmerci · « **Reply #4 on:** September 12, 2014, 02:31:55 am »

Got it to work yesterday.

Having trouble again today.

Good features, best sound, decent support....but what good is it if I can't hear anything? I'm getting tired of spending 20 minutes (or more now) each time I turn on the computer trying to figure out how to make the darn thing play music. ?

charmerci · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2014, 02:59:20 am »

MC needs to be opened before the browser. If I open the browser first, in this case both Firefox and Chrome, there's no sound.

astromo · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2014, 03:16:33 am »

Quote from: charmerci on September 12, 2014, 02:59:20 am

Oh for f%$*&^@! chrissakes!

MC needs to be opened before the browser. If I open the browser first, in this case both Firefox and Chrome, there's no sound.

Jim, send this straight to the Weird Room.

JimH · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2014, 06:59:31 am »

Maybe a browser plug-in related to sound?

JimH · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2014, 07:01:56 am »

Similar problem:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=91678.msg631282#msg631282

charmerci · « **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2014, 12:34:25 pm »

Nothing really different. I've always had to disconnect JRiver when listening to videos on-line. It's only since I got v.19 that I've had this problem. Still can't watch youtube with JRiver open.

6233638 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2014, 12:44:39 pm »

Quote from: charmerci on September 12, 2014, 12:34:25 pm

Nothing really different. I've always had to disconnect JRiver when listening to videos on-line. It's only since I got v.19 that I've had this problem. Still can't watch youtube with JRiver open.

Sounds like you're using an exclusive output and Media Center is not properly releasing the device when playback is stopped. Switching to a non-exclusive output like DirectSound would probably "fix" it.

Since my DAC has multiple inputs, I send system audio to a different device from Media Center to prevent this from happening.
Alternatively you could use Loopback.

charmerci · « **Reply #11 on:** September 12, 2014, 12:48:19 pm »

Quote from: 6233638 on September 12, 2014, 12:44:39 pm

Sounds like you're using an exclusive output and Media Center is not properly releasing the device when playback is stopped. Switching to a non-exclusive output like DirectSound would probably "fix" it.

Sounds like a plan!

So if want high quality sound (WASAPI event sound) then I just switch to the DAC output? Or since the DAC output is already there it would do it automatically?

6233638 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 12, 2014, 01:04:48 pm »

If the DAC has multiple inputs (mine has USB, four S/PDIF connections, and two analog connections) then you would just set one of them to the default system output, and use another in Media Center.

That way both can be playing sound at the same time, and you just change input on the DAC to switch between them.

If that's not an option, to have system audio (web browser, games, other applications etc.) and Media Center able to play audio at the same time, you would have to disable Exclusive Mode in Media Center's device configuration or switch to a non-exclusive output like DirectSound.

With WASAPI in a non-exclusive output mode, the player must resample the audio to match the device settings in the Windows Sound Control Panel.
If you use DirectSound, Windows will automatically do this resampling itself, rather than the player.

So you get "bit-perfect" audio at which ever sample rate the device is configured to, but any other sample rate must be converted. DirectSound is easier to set up, but I'd rather have MC handle the resampling.

charmerci · « **Reply #13 on:** September 12, 2014, 01:21:10 pm »

Dude, thanks for the info!

Btw, no, it's just a single DAC input/output.

That's a lot to sink in, I'll look into it when I have some more time. Gotta run!

charmerci · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2014, 03:26:59 am »

Well, it didn't work again. This time nothing I did gets an output.

I put in my Nuforce UDAC and everything works fine.

It's the JDS Labs ODAC.

6233638 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 13, 2014, 04:21:12 am »

1. Are you sure that you were using a non-exclusive output?
2. When you say "nothing gets an output" do you mean that nothing can play audio while MC is playing? I assume it works without MC running, and you have the DAC set as the default audio device.

charmerci · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2014, 04:47:15 am »

Quote from: 6233638 on September 13, 2014, 04:21:12 am

1. Are you sure that you were using a non-exclusive output?
2. When you say "nothing gets an output" do you mean that nothing can play audio while MC is playing? I assume it works without MC running, and you have the DAC set as the default audio device.

Laptop>usb ODAC>RCA inputs to stereo = nothing! No sound.

No problems with the Nuforce. Even on-line videos are heard through the stereo. With the ODAC, on-line videos' sounds come out through the crappy laptop speaker - when they come out.

I tried all the output options in MC. When looking at the Windows interface mixer, it shows the output (going up and down) but still no sound. When I unplug the DAC, sounds come through the laptop speaker.

6233638 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2014, 05:20:35 am »

Quote from: charmerci on September 13, 2014, 04:47:15 am

I tried all the output options in MC. When looking at the Windows interface mixer, it shows the output (going up and down) but still no sound. When I unplug the DAC, sounds come through the laptop speaker.

Sounds like the DAC is faulty.

charmerci · « **Reply #18 on:** September 13, 2014, 06:06:42 am »

Yeah it was a bad/loose connection. I've been moving/traveling with the thing.

Nonetheless, it still stands that the Nuforce plays on-line videos' sound and the ODAC doesn't when MC is on.

mwillems · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2014, 10:40:44 am »

Quote from: charmerci on September 13, 2014, 06:06:42 am

No problems with the Nuforce. Even on-line videos are heard through the stereo. With the ODAC, on-line videos' sounds come out through the crappy laptop speaker - when they come out.

System/web sounds coming out of the laptop speakers suggests that you just haven't set the ODAC as your windows defaut audio device. I have two ODACs around and have no problem getting system sounds through them provided that they're set as the windows default audio device and I'm not actively using an exclusive output mode in JRiver. Open up your windows mixer and a) ensure that the ODAC is the system default output device, b) (for troubleshooting purposes) open up the ODAC properties in the system tray and uncheck the box that says "allow programs to take exclusive control of this device," then c) (also for troubleshooting purposes) try using direct sound as your output method in JRiver.

If those three steps don't allow simultaneous web video and JRiver playback than your device is almost certainly faulty (I can confirm that those steps work with my ODACs, and my ODACS even allow simultaneous playback with certain WASAPI settings).

What is confusing the issue is that many DACs will automatically make themselves the windows default soundcard when plugged in (Which is what the Nuforce is doing), but in my experience the ODAC does not do that (i.e. you need to change it to the default if you want it to be the default). That can be a bug or a feature depending on how you feel about plug and play hardware altering your system configuration without telling you that it's doing so.

charmerci · « **Reply #20 on:** September 13, 2014, 04:33:18 pm »

I think I set the ODAC as the default device somewhere in Control Panel/Hardware and Sound.

charmerci · « **Reply #21 on:** September 17, 2014, 01:18:25 pm »

Well, Default Output Device [Direct Sounds] seems to have made things work fine - meaning internet video are also now coming through my stereo also with MC open and even finally! youtube videos play with sound! and don't cut off either. Wow.

The only (I guess rhetorical) question is - why didn't it work for the last three days? I haven't changed anything but it just suddenly started working correctly. Weird.

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Author Topic: Re: No output to usb JDS Labs DAC (Read 10417 times)