Poweramp Bluetooth weird problem in my car

[sebaz]

I recently learned to appreciate Poweramp much more than before because not only it has an amazing sound quality with headphones, but recently I got a 2014 Ford Focus and the Bluetooth streaming turns the crappy factory stereo into at least a mid level Pioneer stereo. Of course this is with the help of a new set of Pioneer speakers to replace the factory ones that are terrible. But every time I show people the difference between the sound of the base factory stereo and the change when I enable the EQ and Tone controls in Poweramp, their jaws drop and their eyes go out of their sockets like in a cartoon.

 

But I have this really weird problem. My phone is an LG L39C, which is a cheap Android phone made for Tracfone, however, I have the same exact problem with my older Motorola Droid 3, which is much better quality, not to mention faster.

 

Here's the problem on either phone: I copy files to the phone in Windows Explorer (or File Explorer as it is called in Windows 8.1). When I play them in the car connected by Bluetooth, every few seconds there is a short pause. This can happen with all sorts of compressed audio files, MP3, iTunes M4A, WMA, etc. As long as I copy them with File Explorer, it happens. It's random, it can happen every five seconds, or every twenty.

 

This only happens when played with Poweramp, however it never happens when played with the phone's own music player. I think I also tried the Google Music player and it didn't have this problem either, all while connected through Bluetooth.

 

The only way to get audio files to play without these skips is to transfer them using Windows Media Player. Here is the problem: WMP recompresses all the files into WMAs. But then they play without a hitch. However, this is obviously not the optimal method, since I will listen to a recompressed file made from an already compressed file.

 

What's even weirder is that you might think WMA is the format that will always work, but no. I tried saving vinyl rips from Audition into WMA at two different bitrates, 192 and 256, and when copied with File Explorer, they have the short pauses as well.

 

And here's the weirdest of them all: you might think that perhaps the phone is slow and it can't keep up with even 256 kbps audio files, but to test that I copied (also with File Explorer) a few vinyl rips at 16 bit 44.1 KHz, meaning they are uncompressed at 1411 kbps. Well, those played from Poweramp without a hitch. Four entire albums, not a single pause.

 

So to recap:

 

- Compressed files such as MP3, M4A and WMV, copied with File Explorer, phone connected by Bluetooth, produce short pauses

- These files play without a hitch using the phone's own music player, or Google Music player.

- Music transferred using Windows Media Player plays without a hitch but WMP recompresses it before transferring.

- Uncompressed WAV at 16bit 44.1 KHz plays without a hitch.

 

I played with as many settings in Poweramp as I could think of. High priority, Bluetooth settings, everything, but it still happens. The Droid 3 does the same thing. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

 

Sebastian

[ulao]

have you increased the buffer size? (advanced settings menu)

[sebaz]

Yes, I did that last week and thought it might work, it was on Auto and I set it to +750ms, but tracks that are copied using File Explorer still have the pause. For example, I recorded an album from the vinyl record using Adobe Audition, to a 44.1 KHz 16 bit WAV. Then I also saved it as a 320 kbps MP3. I copied both to the phone's SD card (last week I had tried the internal memory with the same result). The WAV version plays absolutely perfect, while the MP3 version has the pause every few seconds. It's the weirdest thing.

[rpomygal]

Different issues, but also with Poweramp Bluetooth. At first I just thought it was the phone or the car, but it's Poweramp.. and how it is handling Bluetooth...

 

Both the BT headset and the Car, changing tracks will sometimes work, and sometimes not. When it stops working, I have to change a track on the phone manually, and then it may work again for a while. The car is even worse... almost always fails to change tracks using the controller on the console, or, the sterring wheel control....neither work Additionally, track info is not shown on the car display at all.. just shows UNKNOWN. Phone is a Galaxy Note 3. Car is a 2013 BMW.  If I use the Amazon Player... everything works perfectly, tracks are displayed, and no issues with changing tracks in the car, or with the headset. Also tried downloading GoneMAD player... it also works perfectly with both car and headset.

 

What's going on wit Poweramp's bluetooth? Something is just not implemented correctly with it! If other players work fine and PA does not, it's pretty obvious that it's a PA issue and needs to be corrected!

[rancur3p1c]

Yes, I did that last week and thought it might work, it was on Auto and I set it to +750ms, but tracks that are copied using File Explorer still have the pause. For example, I recorded an album from the vinyl record using Adobe Audition, to a 44.1 KHz 16 bit WAV. Then I also saved it as a 320 kbps MP3. I copied both to the phone's SD card (last week I had tried the internal memory with the same result). The WAV version plays absolutely perfect, while the MP3 version has the pause every few seconds. It's the weirdest thing.

 

Same here. Max buffer no help. This is one of the reasons I didn't buy Poweramp. Who listens to WAV files anyways? 

[Magadaner]

Please check this post: http://support.powerampapp.com/knowledgebase/articles/323527-skips-hiccups-stutters

 

Thanks!

[sebaz]

Thanks Magadaner.

 

I was wondering, is there any chance that when the phone is using Bluetooth, it needs a faster microSD card? Because it seems to me like these pauses are caused by the program "choking", and not being able to send as much data as it needs. What makes me think this is that when there are only a few albums in the card it doesn't skip, or barely skips. However, as I add more albums into the card, it skips more and more. Every now and then I format the microSD card from the phone and then transfer a few albums. When I do that, the new albums don't skip.

 

This is only while using Bluetooth, when using headphones it never skips at all.

 

I have Audio Buffer Size to 750ms and Audio Thread Priority to highest. My phone has barely any apps that didn't come with it, I'm not the typical guy in love with his phone like most people are nowadays, so I don't think there are a lot of background processes. The Developer Options in the system settings have an option to limit the amount of background processes, and you can set it to anywhere from 1 to 4, but unfortunately it doesn't stick, it seems that when you reboot the phone it goes back to "standard limit".

 

But I would like to know if while using Bluetooth the phone needs a faster card, because in that case I would buy a fast card and that's it. But I don't want to waste money if that won't fix anything.

[andrewilley]

I find the same, I rarely get any skips during playback - but if I'm going to get them at all, it's always when I'm listening via bluetooth AND with the device screen off. I've not checked file types as I only have MP3 (and a few MP2) files in my library on the phone.

Andre