stuttering playback dropouts skipping on PS3 / Playstation 3

[vintageveloce]

Not sure what to call this post so people can find it in searches. I searched the forums thoroughly and found several old references to this issue. Seems like it regularly hits some people at least. Or does it hit everyone with a PS3?

I'm running Asset Release 3 on a Windows 7 machine and streaming to a PS3 over powerline networking. As a secondary test I also stream to my Captivate Android phone running BubbleUPnP. Almost of my music is FLAC, and must be transcoded for the PS3.

I have been using 'PS3 Media Server" for a long time successfully. But its very complex for my audio only needs and doesn't work well for some of my other devices... and I love dBpoweramp that I used to rip my 600+ album / 8000+ all FLAC track library over the last several years.

So I loaded Asset R3 and found that as default when playing to to the PS3 my tracks have momentary pauses that interrupt the audio every 10 seconds or so. I noted this problem does not exist streaming to my Android phone. And I don't have this problem with "PS3 Media Server".

When streaming iwith the default Asset settings the PS3 says it's getting "Linear PCM 16 Bit 2Ch".

It took me a while to discover the transcoding for the PS3: I needed to edit "Advanced Settings, Edit Override Values", because the PS3 setting is forced there.

Changing the PS3 to [ForceToMP3] fixed the stuttering! But the PS3 says it is only getting 128kbps MP3.

So then I found the R4 beta... figured I'd try that before going any further. And well look at that, right with the default setting [ForceToWave], it works without stuttering! So R4 seems to solve my problem. I've also found you can delete the PS3 Override Values so the non-flac stuff gets played without transcoding (so I assume).

So for those having the stuttering/dropout problem, on R3, I suggest editing the 'Overide Values" for the PS3 to [ForceToMP3]. In my case, that limits my playback to relatively lesser quality. Alternatively try the R4 beta, which should result in PCM and higher quality.

So does that all look correct to people? Am I missing something?

Carl

[Spoon]

Try removing the force section altogether, it will stutter if you have a wireless network and it cannot sustain the data rates.

[hartmut99]

I have the same problem but changing to [ForcetoMP3] leads to the situation
that the PS3 does not play the music at all. Also removing the complete section
=PLAYSTATION 3
[ForceToWAVE]
*
make the PS3 not playing the music at all.

Where to get Asset R4 beta ?

Hardy

[Spoon]

Beta section of this forum.

[hartmut99]

Installed the R4 Beta. Situation improved a little bit, but is still far away from being usable.

Anybody able to tell me how I can remove the [ForcetoWAV] because I believe that stresses
the bandwidth to much (b.t.w. I have 150Mbit WLAN + 200 Mbit over my power line which
means: Laptop -> WLAN -> powerline adapter -> powerline -> wired to router -> powerline -> wired to PS3)

Hardy

[vintageveloce]

Hardy, Your connection description doesn't make any sense to me:
Laptop -> WLAN -> powerline adapter -> powerline -> wired to router -> powerline -> wired to PS3)
You have two sections of powerline? One before and one after the router. Looks like a tough path. I run powerline, and I do get packet drops occasionally. I can easily imagine that is your problem.
Note that none of this music streaming uses much bandwidth compared to a 1 Mbps network connection. Your problem is unlikely to be the raw bandwidth.
I'd suggest bringing your laptop to be right next to your ps3 and hardwired and try that first. If that works, you know the rest of your network is the problem.

Carl

[vintageveloce]

After a couple years of perfect playback, I've been having trouble with this again. Same PC, same PS3, same network. But of course the PC and PS3 have both had numerous software updates, so who knows. I did update Asset to 4.2.1

Using various [ForcetoWAVE] or [ForcetoMP3] statements didn't seem to fix it. Actually, forcing to MP3 really slowed down the starting of new selections and to some big long stutters.

But! Lowering the maximum kbps down from 320kbps to 160kbps seemed fix the stutters/dropouts. I'm guessing that just recodes the flac source down to 160kbps PCM...?

Carl

[Spoon]

If lowering bitrate, then it is likely to be a networking issue as less data is being transferred.

If you have any security software, try to disable it as a test.

[cpprioli]

Wasn't quite sure just where to post this info, but I chose this thread as it was the the most obvious place turned up by a "playback stutter" search in the forums... Mods please relocate this if you think it belongs elsewhere!

It seems, if one can judge by the number of Google hits that the topic returns, that audio playback stutter has become a fairly widespread complaint recently. So..., in response, I have this timely update for the seemingly numerous users who are complaining about stuttering during audio playback, especially those who have noted that the stuttering is reduced by disabling or uninstalling Microsoft Security Essentials...

I have found repeatedly, on several different systems that the cause is NOT a problem with MSE, but is actually just the opposite... the MSE is doing exactly what it is supposed to be doing. What I have found is that the most common cause of such stuttering -- and its accompanying high processor usage -- is that the affected systems were sufferering from various infectors, and that the security software was repeatedly blocking attempts by the infectors to open ports or malicious websites. In EVERY case, I was able to cure the problem by doing thorough deep scanning of ALL files on the installed disk drives, and often including the use of rootkit scanners. I have had the most success, depending upon the specific infector, with Spybot S&D, Malwarebytes AntiMalware, Avast AV, Malwarebytes Anti-Rootkit, EMSISoft's Emergency Kit, and Hitman. In some cases, manual removal of registry entries was required. However, Once the infectors were removed, all stuttering of audio (and video) playback disappeared.

So... before condemning your security software as BEING the problem... check to be sure that the security software isn't simply indicating that a security-related problem exists, even if that particular software can't readily put a name to the infector. If the system IS infected, disabling or removing the security software may actually make the condition of the system worse...