JLP music player

[sbgk]

Aleg said it sounded a bit forward, which I think was true

 

uploaded v27, less forward than v26 plus more stuff removed from portaudio for improved clarity and detail

[cvrle59]

managed to get squeezeserver running as a service, need to change the properties of squeezesvc.exe to run as admin in the compatability tab, also set it to run in reduced color mode and run in 640x480. Also set these for squeezesvr.exe.

I've done these, but I still don't understand how you made it to run as service. I can only set it up inside that panel to run on start-up, that doesn't mean it is a service?

[sbgk]

I've done these, but I still don't understand how you made it to run as service. I can only set it up inside that panel to run on start-up, that doesn't mean it is a service?

 

Logitech Media Server as a Service - SqueezeboxWiki

[cvrle59]

I've done these, but I still don't understand how you made it to run as service. I can only set it up inside that panel to run on start-up, that doesn't mean it is a service?

Got it...no worries!

[cvrle59]

Both running now as services. V27 is the best SqueezeLite so far. I noticed that SqueezeLite is sitll running even if you stop service. I guess you need to kill it in Task Manager if you change version or some of the parameters associated with it, then restart the service.

[cvrle59]

I made mistake a few times being too fast in my conclusion, so this time I wouldn't comment much except, that I would advice all the "big guns" ( guys with good equipment and ears) to install LMS and SqueezeLite as services and to give a try to V27. The rest will be self-explanatory.

[sbgk]

I made mistake a few times being too fast in my conclusion, so this time I wouldn't comment much except, that I would advice all the "big guns" ( guys with good equipment and ears) to install LMS and SqueezeLite as services and to give a try to V27. The rest will be self-explanatory.

 

It's frustrating how much lms and squeezelite is affecting the sq, I guess the ideal would be to load the music into ram and then suspend the lms and squeezelite decode/stream etc threads. Think the next thing to do is a standalone MQn type version.

[2channelaudio]

Logitech Media Server as a Service - SqueezeboxWiki

 

Hi SBGK

 

I appreciate the latest versions of squeezelite.

 

I have squeezelite already loaded as a service.... as you are aware, and I have just followed the instructions you highlighted ---- Logitech Media Server as a Service - SqueezeboxWiki

To load slim server as a service.....

 

I have a similar question set to cvrle59....

 

I right clicked logitech control panel (in admin mode), enabled automatically run at system start.

LMS now starts automatically on boot and music plays (sounding ridiculously good I may add), but I am not seeing LMS as a service?!

 

1. Should I be?

2. What name should I be seeing in services, I can only see LMS has loaded as a background process "logitech media server (32 bit)".... in the win 8 processes tab...

3. Is this correct or do I need some assistance...

 

Cheers

2CA

[sbgk]

Hi SBGK

 

I appreciate the latest versions of squeezelite.

 

I have squeezelite already loaded as a service.... as you are aware, and I have just followed the instructions you highlighted ---- Logitech Media Server as a Service - SqueezeboxWiki

To load slim server as a service.....

 

I have a similar question set to cvrle59....

 

I right clicked logitech control panel (in admin mode), enabled automatically run at system start.

LMS now starts automatically on boot and music plays (sounding ridiculously good I may add), but I am not seeing LMS as a service?!

 

1. Should I be?

2. What name should I be seeing in services, I can only see LMS has loaded as a background process "logitech media server (32 bit)".... in the win 8 processes tab...

3. Is this correct or do I need some assistance...

 

Cheers

2CA

 

think it comes up as squeezebox something in services, you need to set the run as administrator on the properties/compatability of squeezesvc.exe as described above or in the blog.

[2channelaudio]

think it comes up as squeezebox something in services, you need to set the run as administrator on the properties/compatibility of squeezesvc.exe as described above or in the blog.

 

Ok thanks SBGK....

With all due respect and courtesy, the explanations are confusing for PC users with less than admin experience.

A little more detail specific to each task would be very helpful.

 

Here's what I did for everyone else's benefit.

I am assuming this is correct until told otherwise.

 

1. Firstly follow these steps, as per SBGK's link.

Logitech Media Server as a Service - SqueezeboxWiki

2. Whilst in logitech control panel as an administrator, Select the Status Tab.. Select run with no user extensions, Hit apply.

4. Reboot PC.

5. Goto task manager check services for squeezesvc....

If present squeezeserver is loaded successfully as a service.

6. Then click processes tab in task manager

Right click the logitech media server process (squeezesvr), select properties.

Then select the compatibility tab at the top.

Tick run in 640x480 screen resolution

Tick run this program as an administrator.

Hit apply.

6. Reboot PC

 

You be done

[cvrle59]

2channelaudio,

I assume that you are fine now, but anyway I wanted to answer your first question. I didn't see LMS in service list until I rebooted computer.

[cvrle59]

It's frustrating how much lms and squeezelite is affecting the sq, I guess the ideal would be to load the music into ram and then suspend the lms and squeezelite decode/stream etc threads. Think the next thing to do is a standalone MQn type version.

I know that you won't stop until you squeeze that "last drop of blood" from LMS+SqueezeLite, but V27 is the first version that it reminds me a lot to MQn being so relaxed, but detailed at the same time, with excellent definitions throughout frequency range.

[sbgk]

I know that you won't stop until you squeeze that "last drop of blood" from LMS+SqueezeLite, but V27 is the first version that it reminds me a lot to MQn being so relaxed, but detailed at the same time, with excellent definitions throughout frequency range.

 

There seems to be a thinness about the sound though, maybe need to revisit the changes. Have started using -a 10 ie 10ms as that is equivalent to MQn 448, shall try 23 as well as that is near 1024 samples at 16/44. In theory KS should be better than wasapi because wasapi is a wrapper for ks, but maybe need to get nearer to the core ks code to hear it.

[sbgk]

not sure making pa a static library worked that well, so have uploaded squeezelite-win.exe v28 and portaudio_x64.dll v21 - note requires portaudio_x64.dll to be in the same directory as squeezelite-win.exe.

[John Dot]

Sounds excellent (like previous version).

[jrling]

Sounds excellent (like previous version).

 

+1

[John Dot]

+1

 

But... I can't switch devices.

[sbgk]

But... I can't switch devices.

 

I uploaded v28 twice because there was an issue changing from 16/44 to hirez, can you try downloading v28 again.

[John Dot]

I uploaded v28 twice because there was an issue changing from 16/44 to hirez, can you try downloading v28 again.

 

Thank you. All is ok now.

[jrling]

There seems to be a thinness about the sound though, maybe need to revisit the changes. Have started using -a 10 ie 10ms as that is equivalent to MQn 448, shall try 23 as well as that is near 1024 samples at 16/44. In theory KS should be better than wasapi because wasapi is a wrapper for ks, but maybe need to get nearer to the core ks code to hear it.

 

Hi Gordon

 

I am keen to try other settings, as some can have distinct effects - better and worse - on SQ.

 

However, I feel that I am really just staggering around in the dark guessing what to try and would much prefer to have some logical empirical reasoning behind settings. As I sure that you do from the sound of this post.

 

Not knowing how your code works, would you be able to elucidate further on both -a and -b recommended settings.

 

I have a nasty feeling though that system-specific factors will come into play.

 

Thanks as always

 

Jonathan

[sbgk]

Hi Gordon

 

I am keen to try other settings, as some can have distinct effects - better and worse - on SQ.

 

However, I feel that I am really just staggering around in the dark guessing what to try and would much prefer to have some logical empirical reasoning behind settings. As I sure that you do from the sound of this post.

 

Not knowing how your code works, would you be able to elucidate further on both -a and -b recommended settings.

 

I have a nasty feeling though that system-specific factors will come into play.

 

Thanks as always

 

Jonathan

 

these are squeezelite settings, -a is latency in ms so the end device uses this latency which affects the no of samples in the buffer. -b has 2 parameters -b x:y eg -b 1000:2000, x is the decode buffer in kb and y is the output buffer in kb. Triode gave some information recently in the slimforums squeezelite thread about the interaction between the buffers. Best to try your own experimental settings or see what others are using.

[jrling]

these are squeezelite settings, -a is latency in ms so the end device uses this latency which affects the no of samples in the buffer. -b has 2 parameters -b x:y eg -b 1000:2000, x is the decode buffer in kb and y is the output buffer in kb. Triode gave some information recently in the slimforums squeezelite thread about the interaction between the buffers. Best to try your own experimental settings or see what others are using.

 

Thanks for the clear explanation, which I was sort of aware; I will check Triode's post.

 

But it is the understanding of how your render loop interacts with those settings that I don't have any clue. Have tried -a 10 and 23 and they both sound good, but not any discernable difference between the two. WaveIO (TheSycon driver) quotes its latency as xx ms per 2 buffers - do you think therefore that your -a 10 and 23 should be halved or is it doubled?!

 

Do you have any pointers as the best decode buffer size from your render loop?

 

Trouble is with experimenting with three settings, is that they can all interact with each other and the possible permutations are endless - unlike my time unfortunately.

[jrling]

For others' benefit - here is Triode's helpful clarification of the -b buffer settings, although he was talking about the Linux version of Squeezelite and not Windows -

 

There are two buffers - the first one stores the raw stream (compressed) audio, the second the decode audio. PCM is a special case as the process of decoding is just unpacking samples into the second buffer so they are in 32bit format which is used in the output thread, but this is only a special case of decoding. The decode process thread runs whenever there is enough data in the first buffer and enough free space in the second one.

 

So if you want to stream the whole file at the start then probably make the first one big and keep the second one smaller (defaults at 10 seconds). If you want to stream and decode the whole file at the start then make the second one big.

 

The second buffer is really only needed to allow crossfade to happen and to separate the high priority output thread from the rest of the processing. Note that it uses 8 bytes per sample (2x32bits) whereas the first buffer uses the native sample rate and so will use less memory for the same amount of audio.

 

It does however raise a number of questions that I cannot answer. First off, I think JLP is basically Local Player based and so streaming is not being processed. Secondly, the settings could easily need to be quite different depending on whether one is playing PCM (WAV files) or FLAC (being decoded by JLP). Thirdly, I doubt that many JLP users are using Crossfade and I doubt Gordon would let them in his code!

 

Plenty for me to experiment with then. I play WAV files mostly. I would be happy to load the whole track before playing (Memory Player) even if it delays play slightly, as I guess that is going to give better SQ than loading the buffer continuously.

 

Lastly, I suppose that having very large -b settings, and assuming one has sufficient RAM to hold the data in memory, might place more strain on the CPU, but if that is only taking place once before play commences, then that's fine if it reduces CPU activity during actual play itself. I will try.

[jrling]

Well I tried -b 100000:100000 and wow. It was as though everything snaps into focus. Lovely taut bass and beautifully relaxed but detailed. Full harmonic richness brought out. Definitely the best yet for me. Using -a 10.

 

I am guessing that this setting does mean it is a full memory load before play, as the SSD red light did not come on once during the track.

 

Of course YMMV. I have a low powered Atom PC, so it may not be the same for others.

 

Would be interested if others have tried that setting and their findings.

 

Thanks again Gordon.

[cvrle59]

I listened to 21/28 for some time then I switched back to MQn. The JLp is getting closer, but MQn is still the king, at least in my system.