Possible Bug - Stopping stream at end of track

[Jamesk5]

I'm currently trying to stream a Windows Media Stream (generated by Windows Media Services on a Win 2k8 R2 server) through a Logitech Media Server to a Squeezebox Touch.

At the end of *some* tracks, the SBT will stop playing the stream (or try and rebuffer and take a long time to do so), and I have to manually hit the 'play' button and it will resume playing. This doesn't appear to be a problem with the stream, as I've done some (limited) testing with VLC running on a laptop and it doesn't appear to have the same problem.

The source files are MP3's at 256kbps and I'd expect them to be converted on the fly to WMA by WMS on the server side (I've got limited experience with this, it's just something I'm trying at this point in time, previously I've used an icecast/ices combination).

To get the stream working at all I have to disable 'Windows Media' as a codec under the Logitech Media Server 'Advanced' -> 'File Types' settings section.

Anyone got any ideas on how to prevent the SBT from pausing at the end of a track? We've hit the button on the 'Now Playing' screen which, in iTunes, would mean loop playback (not sure what you'd call it on a SBT), which hasn't really helped.

Thanks in advance

[finnbrodersen]

hi

From time to time (totally random), I have the same problem with my SBReceiver setup.

The first track in the current playlist plays a-ok, but the next track does not start when the first is done.

The bug is rare, max 2% if I should guess.

[bpa]

It's been a few years since I played around with Windows Media streaming - it used to be WME on XP.

Have you tried turning on "Repeat" to restart stream automatically ?

WME never used to transcode and transcoding WMA into MP3 is not good besides being processor intensive, it loses quality converting one lossy format into another lossy format. You should check the transport protocol and codec used by playing with VLC and looking under the Tools/Codec Information and Tools/Media Information.

By default the streaming protocol used to be MS proprietary transport protocol MMS (or possibly rtsp nowadays) which is not supported by SB devices. You should enable the use of HTTP (and uncheck MMS or RTSP) as the transport protocol and that could enable you to use "native".

If you had to disable "native" Windows Media - it means that a transcoding support application is handling the stream and the stopping / rebufffering is originating from this application. On Windows systems - this application (wmadec) is small and uses a Windows library for stream handling in which case there may be little that can be fixed if the stream is the source of the problems.

The LMS transcoding (which will occur if "native" is disabled) will convert the stream into Flac by default so your rebuffering may be due to local network or server problems unable to stream Flac or transcoding process is overloading your server or both.

If you're streaming MP3 - I think it is better to stick to icecast or possibly just VLC rather deal with MS stuff with all the proprietary baggage.

[Jamesk5]

Sorry for bringing up a dead post. I've enabled the native WMA codec and the stream plays, but I'm still having the same issue with the stream pausing, and then 'buffering' and starting to play the track a few (up to 15-20 seconds sometimes) into the song.

RTSP has been disabled (was never enabled), and I'm still getting the problem. I've also dropped the files back to 128kbps WMA files, to double check it wasn't a bandwidth problem (though it shouldn't be, everything is connected via cable ethernet (as opposed to 802.11a/b/g/n), or a problem with the transcoding by WMS.

I've tried upgrading to that latest available software/firmware which hasn't solved the problem. Any further advice/tips to try?

[pippin]

Stupid question: why on earth do you want to use WMA? Why not stream mp3 or PCM?

[bpa]

Sorry for bringing up a dead post. I've enabled the native WMA codec and the stream plays, but I'm still having the same issue with the stream pausing, and then 'buffering' and starting to play the track a few (up to 15-20 seconds sometimes) into the song

What is the LMS Radio Station Buffer setting ?
Is LMS on the same system as the WMA stream ?
Is there security s/w on the WMA stream source ? if yes does the proiblem still happen with security s/w disabled.