+- Forum Home (http://shark007.net/forum)
+-- Forum: Forum Listing (/Forum-Forum-Listing)
+--- Forum: Win7codecs (/Forum-Win7codecs)
+--- Thread: Flac decoding issue (/Thread-Flac-decoding-issue)
Pages: 1 2
Flac decoding issue - ns01 - 02-13-2012 10:32 AM
I've recently upgrade a machine to use ATI 4000 series graphics which supports a variety of sound format outputs, including 7.1 channels @ 192 KHz over HDMI. This has created a strange problem with FLAC playback. If I set the sample rate to anything higher than 48KHz, FLAC playback starts to breakup when listening through either Windows Media Center or WMP. If I use a standalone player such as VLC, there is no problem, so it's not a performance problem with PC not being able to handle the upconversion. So I assume that this is a problem with the FLAC Codec being used in WMC/WMP. Is there a way to disable the FLAC codec delivered with the Sharky packages so that I can try a different FLAC Codec such as MadFlac?
RE: Flac decoding issue - Shark007 - 02-13-2012 10:44 AM
The problem you are experiencing is caused by the bitstreaming setup in Control Panel | Sound
under you active HDMI device, properties, advanced tab, uncheck the 2 exclusive mode boxes
you will lose bitstreaming and have proper flac playback in the Windows players.
This is Microsofts design, not mine.
A better solution and to retain bitstreaming for the Windows players would be to use MPC-Homecinema acquired from my tools page.
This player is preconfigured to use the installed codecs and like vlc, will play your flac files properly without destroying bitstreaming in the Windows players.
RE: Flac decoding issue - ns01 - 02-13-2012 10:46 AM
I really appreciate the quick response, I'll try your suggestions. BTW, keep up the good work, my Windows Media Center would be a much darker place without you ;-)
One other thing, I see there are 32- and 64-bit versions of the MPC-Homecinema tool. Do I need to install both on the 64-bit version of Windows?
OK, so how do I use MPC Homecinema to solve the this problem? Is there some setting somewhere to tell WMC or WMP to use this player for FLAC files, or is it just another standalone player that I use as an alternative to WMC/WMP?
Thanks.
RE: Flac decoding issue - Shark007 - 02-13-2012 11:24 AM
(02-13-2012 10:46 AM)ns01 Wrote: One other thing, I see there are 32- and 64-bit versions of the MPC-Homecinema tool. Do I need to install both on the 64-bit version of Windows?
just get the 32bit version.
(02-13-2012 10:46 AM)ns01 Wrote: OK, so how do I use MPC Homecinema to solve the this problem? Is there some setting somewhere to tell WMC or WMP to use this player for FLAC files, or is it just another standalone player that I use as an alternative to WMC/WMP?
rightclick a flac file, choose open with... select MPC Homecinema and leave the always use checkbox checked.
RE: Flac decoding issue - ns01 - 02-13-2012 12:11 PM
(02-13-2012 10:46 AM)ns01 Wrote: OK, so how do I use MPC Homecinema to solve the this problem? Is there some setting somewhere to tell WMC or WMP to use this player for FLAC files, or is it just another standalone player that I use as an alternative to WMC/WMP?
rightclick a flac file, choose open with... select MPC Homecinema and leave the always use checkbox checked.
[/quote]
Does that mean that MPC Homecinema will be used as the player when I play files from Windows Media Center? BTW, I tried the approach you suggested of unchecking the exclusive mode boxes in the sound setup, it didn't do anything.
RE: Flac decoding issue - Shark007 - 02-13-2012 12:17 PM
(02-13-2012 12:11 PM)ns01 Wrote: Does that mean that MPC Homecinema will be used as the player when I play files from Windows Media Center?
No. It will mean that when you doubleclick a flac file from Explorer, it will open the MPC-HC player.
(02-13-2012 12:11 PM)ns01 Wrote: BTW, I tried the approach you suggested of unchecking the exclusive mode boxes in the sound setup, it didn't do anything.
sorry about that. I answered without testing personally
I am away from my development machine.
Unchecking those boxes should disable bitstreaming and in turn, allow flac files to playback correctly. (untested though)
Check back in an hour. By then I will have had time to test for a solution that works in Media Center.
RE: Flac decoding issue - ns01 - 02-13-2012 12:25 PM
(02-13-2012 12:17 PM)Shark007 Wrote:(02-13-2012 12:11 PM)ns01 Wrote: Does that mean that MPC Homecinema will be used as the player when I play files from Windows Media Center?
No. It will mean that when you doubleclick a flac file from Explorer, it will open the MPC-HC player.
(02-13-2012 12:11 PM)ns01 Wrote: BTW, I tried the approach you suggested of unchecking the exclusive mode boxes in the sound setup, it didn't do anything.
sorry about that. I answered without testing personally
I am away from my development machine.
Unchecking those boxes should disable bitstreaming and in turn, allow flac files to playback correctly. (untested though)
Check back in an hour. By then I will have had time to test for a solution that works in Media Center.
Thanks, I need something that works in WMC as a I use an iPhone app called VMCMote to control music playback via WMC.
RE: Flac decoding issue - Shark007 - 02-13-2012 12:31 PM
(02-13-2012 12:25 PM)ns01 Wrote: I need something that works in WMC as a I use an iPhone app called VMCMote to control music playback via WMC.
I have no issies with multichannel flac playback what-so-ever with default settings and bitstreaming enabled.
I think the fact that you are changing the sample rate is your issue.
Leave it on the default setting of 48khz and start enjoying your music collection.
I also have no issues changing the sample-rate so possibly your hardware is the issue here. My hardware shows the following...
[attachment=1289]
RE: Flac decoding issue - ns01 - 03-26-2012 09:30 AM
Updating to the latest Codecs and enabling LAV to handle FLAC decoding solved the problem. I can now set the sampling rate to 24-bit*192Khz and speakers setup to 7.1 without problems
RE: Flac decoding issue - Shark007 - 03-26-2012 09:33 AM
thanks for the followup post. I'll do some testing with flac using LAV.
If results are favourable, I'll set LAV as the default flac decoder in the next release.