Slow run up time with large library & problems in playback /w WASA Options

[Masza]

Hi,

I'm having two problems:

1) I have the newest version of the foobar2000 and quite a large music library. All of my music are FLAC files. I have also made autoplaylists of all my albums. My problem is that foobar runs up very slowly when I start it. I have already deleted the mark on the "rescan on startup" option in library settings but that didn't help. It takes 36 seconds from starting that I can use foobar!

2) I'm listening music with Audiolab 8200CD via USB with WASAPI plugin. I have the newest version of that plugin. Sometimes when I start to listen music, click a track I want to listen, my Audiolab CD/DAC plays it for about one second and then it just crashes (stops playback). The foobar2000 doesn't crash itself, VU meter and playback time just stops running. There's nothing in console either after the crash. When listening with DirectSound the playback works perfectly. I don't have problems with Audiolab with any other software.

I've tried to change the buffer but it doesn't help. I have Windows Vista Home Premium SP2 32 bit and I want to use the WASAPI for optional sound quality

Help me

[Canar]

Autoplaylists make foobar2000 slow to start. This is known.

Your playback problem will probably go away when you disable WASAPI. WASAPI is experimental and although it works for most users, there are still rough edges. I recommend you read the WASAPI beta thread and try some versions out if you're having difficulties. Peter is attempting to fix it so it works for everyone.

This post has been edited by Canar: Jul 18 2012, 20:48

[Masza]

Your playback problem will probably go away when you disable WASAPI. WASAPI is experimental and although it works for most users, there are still rough edges. I recommend you read the WASAPI beta thread and try some versions out if you're having difficulties. Peter is attempting to fix it so it works for everyone.

I found this http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?ti.../foo_out_wasapi

Maybe I should set the buffer very low.. let's test

EDIT: 180ms seems to work fine. Can buffer that low cause other problems?

This post has been edited by Masza: Jul 18 2012, 21:01

[Kohlrabi]

I want to use the WASAPI for optional sound quality

There is no audible advantage of WASAPI over DirectSound, its main use is the ability to stream data bit-perfectly to external receivers for decoding.

EDIT: 180ms seems to work fine. Can buffer that low cause other problems?

A small buffer can lead to dropouts and glitches during playback, especially in cases where the data rate varies a lot, e.g. when the audio files are served on a slow network or NAS.

This post has been edited by Kohlrabi: Jul 18 2012, 23:10

[db1989]

I want to use the WASAPI for optional sound quality

There is no audible advantage of WASAPI over DirectSound, its main use is the ability to stream data bit-perfectly to external receivers for decoding.

Which is not to imply that DS always alters the bitstream. WASAPI simply precludes the possibility of this occurring via Windows’ volume control, automatic resampling, etc. In any case, any difference that might occur would be insignificant both to your ears (as Kohlrabi said) and numerically.

Please refer to #8 of the Terms of Service, to which you agreed upon registration. Also see the last item of the official FAQ on foobar2000’s website. In short: (1) statements about sound quality are not welcome here unless they are corroborated by objective evidence; (2) different output methods do not result in playback of differing quality, and that is not why they exist.

[Masza]

Please refer to #8 of the Terms of Service, to which you agreed upon registration. Also see the last item of the official FAQ on foobar2000’s website. In short: (1) statements about sound quality are not welcome here unless they are corroborated by objective evidence; (2) different output methods do not result in playback of differing quality, and that is not why they exist.

If I want the best playback technically and numerically, why shouldn't I use WASAPI? And why can't I ask about the problems with it? It can be downloaded also from foobar2000 web site.

I didn't say that music sounds better with WASAPI, you got it wrong

This post has been edited by Masza: Jul 19 2012, 12:33

[dhromed]

I have also made autoplaylists of all my albums.

One autoplaylist per album? If so, it's probably a good idea to browse albums with a library viewer (e.g. Facets or Album List), rather than having tons of autoplaylists that never change.

This post has been edited by dhromed: Jul 19 2012, 12:59

[db1989]

And why can't I ask about the problems with it? It can be downloaded also from foobar2000 web site.

Who said that you cannot ask about the component or valid issues? No one, by my count.

I didn't say that music sounds better with WASAPI, you got it wrong

See:

I want to use the WASAPI for optional sound quality

[Masza]

And why can't I ask about the problems with it? It can be downloaded also from foobar2000 web site.

Who said that you cannot ask about the component or valid issues? No one, by my count.

I didn't say that music sounds better with WASAPI, you got it wrong

See:

I want to use the WASAPI for optional sound quality

I was talking about the best sound quality in technical terms, it has nothing to do with subjective opinnions. My Vista changes 16 bit to 24 bit when using USB, that's why I want to use WASAPI

I have also made autoplaylists of all my albums.

One autoplaylist per album? If so, it's probably a good idea to browse albums with a library viewer (e.g. Facets or Album List), rather than having tons of autoplaylists that never change.

Thank you very much! How could I be so stupid that I didn't even think about that. Now it starts like a thunder from the skies

This post has been edited by Masza: Jul 19 2012, 13:47

[dhromed]

I was talking about the best sound quality in technical terms

The thing is, thinking like that is meaningless. If a table has four legs, and it is stable, and you add a fifth leg... is it more stable?

But it's clear now that you didn't mean subjective quality, so I think we can let this go and focus on the real problems i.e. the stops and slow startup.

Edit
Edit-Ninja'd

This post has been edited by dhromed: Jul 19 2012, 13:50

[Kohlrabi]

I think we can let this go and focus on the real problems i.e. the stops and slow startup.

When listening with DirectSound the playback works perfectly.

Fixed.

[Masza]

When listening with DirectSound the playback works perfectly.

Fixed.

I lowered the buffer to 120 ms and now it works fine. So, you can close this if you want.

[Case]

Lowering the playback buffer will cause audible issues if your system does anything time consuming while playing. Canar mentioned there's a newer WASAPI plugin but he neglected to mention that it works better with USB devices. You can get it from here.

[db1989]

Re quality: no problem, then, but I hope you understand where Kohlrabi and I got misled by your wording!

We leave threads open unless the starter requests that they be closed or (more rarely) the thread becomes problematic, partly in case (heh, get it?) they might play host to additional pertinent information in the future; this one is fine, but you can still ask a member of staff if you do want it locked for whatever reason.