Playback stops too early if streaming via chromecast and using repeat mode single song

[GeilerHeinz]

I'm experiencing cropping of playback close to the end of a song if streaming via chromecast and using the repeat mode single song.

This especially is noticeable if casting a song with a abrupt ending (e.g. The Foo Fighters - Alone + Easy target).

I tried to get it fixed in adjusting the buffer size, but there's no difference whether I use 1000ms or 4000ms.

Did anybody facing the same problem?

Regards

[andrewilley]

Have you tried eliminating any crossfade options?

Andre

[GeilerHeinz]

Yes, Auto-advance Fading is set to No fading. I also disabled Manual Track Change Fading and Fade Play/Pause/Stop, although this isn't applied to chromecast output anyway, but the problem still exists.

Regards

[GeilerHeinz]

If I choose another output device like the tablets internal speakers no cropping occurs.

Did I miss any setting or is it a bug?

Regards

[GeilerHeinz]

I have to correct myself. There is a difference regarding the buffer size in the chromecast output settings.

With buffer size set to 4000ms songs are getting cropped a lot more. But even with a buffer size of 1000ms playback stops too early and songs are getting cropped.

Regards

[andrewilley]

I'm guessing that something is happening to cause the connection to be severed when PA finishes with the audio data, but before everything has spooled out to the BT device. You say this only happens when PA fully stops at the end of a track, with nothing else left to follow on afterwards? What does the latency line show in Audio Info?

Andre

[GeilerHeinz]

On 3/27/2022 at 7:53 PM, andrewilley said:

You say this only happens when PA fully stops at the end of a track, with nothing else left to follow on afterwards?

Yes, exactly. The track isn't cropped if playback automatically goes on with a following track.

On 3/27/2022 at 7:53 PM, andrewilley said:

What does the latency line show in Audio Info?

The latency is 1200ms.

Regards

[andrewilley]

I strongly suspect the connection is getting closed before the output buffer has been completed, but @maxmp might be able to comment further. 

Andre

[GeilerHeinz]

Aside from the original reported behaviour in combination with repeat mode single song there's always a delay between track progress (position in seekbar) and progress of actual audio playback if streaming via chromecast.

The bigger the output buffer is set the longer the delay is.

Regards

[andrewilley]

@GeilerHeinz Yes, that's pretty much what Latency means - the delay between the app cursor position as the file is read, versus the sound hitting the speakers.

Andre

[GeilerHeinz]

Okay. Thanks @andrewilley for enlighten me.

How big is the influence of my network connection or the output device on the latency?

Can I affect the latency anyhow besides the setting of buffer size?

Is a latency of 1200ms at a buffer size of 1000ms or a latency of 4200ms at a buffer size of 4000ms a normal value?

Regards

[MotleyG]

1 hour ago, GeilerHeinz said:

Okay. Thanks @andrewilley for enlighten me.

How big is the influence of my network connection or the output device on the latency?

Can I affect the latency anyhow besides the setting of buffer size?

Is a latency of 1200ms at a buffer size of 1000ms or a latency of 4200ms at a buffer size of 4000ms a normal value?

Regards

Every link in the chain affects latency. Especially anything where DSP is added, conversion or on-the-fly transcoding, etc. This could be on your device, the And yes network speed too.

[GeilerHeinz]

Thanks @MotleyG.

I don't know how much DSP is taking place in my device/output device and if I would be able to change any setting.

Anyway it would be nice if PA could leave the connection to the chromecast device open until the output buffer is completed to avoid cropping of audio playback.

Regards

[GeilerHeinz]

I'm wondering if really nobody except me is having this problem.

If it's not a bug, could this thread be moved to feature requests?

Regards

[andrewilley]

It is a minor bug, but I suspect most people won't have come across it unless they happen to use the combination of Chromecast and Play Single Song mode (default playback is Advance Category, to carry on playing music)

Andre

[GeilerHeinz]

Strictly speaking it also appears if any list is finished (using mode repeat off ) and if using sleep timer with the option play last song to end.

Regards

[GeilerHeinz]

@maxmp What are the odds, that this will be adapted in the near future?

Regards

[GeilerHeinz]

Please fix this bug!

Regards

[maxmp]

I will definitely look into this issue for the next Poweramp builds. The last seconds are lost probably due to the very large latency Chromecast has (seconds) and related buffering. But I guess single repeat/single song modes could be polished further. Thanks for the request!

[GeilerHeinz]

@maxmp Thanks.

[andrewilley]

I suspect this is a buffering/latency issue too. I'm guessing the final few seconds of audio have been created in PA and sent, but the CC playback device is stopping before it fully plays that buffer.

Andre

[GeilerHeinz]

On 5/26/2022 at 2:08 PM, maxmp said:

I will definitely look into this issue for the next Poweramp builds. The last seconds are lost probably due to the very large latency Chromecast has (seconds) and related buffering. But I guess single repeat/single song modes could be polished further. Thanks for the request!

I can't see any improvement since the last builds. The described behaviour still exists.

Regards

[maxmp]

@GeilerHeinz there were no changes in this regard yet. Thanks for the reminder.