LineInFeed drops

[DennisdeWit]

So, I just started the LineIn Feed, playing out to Breakaway Line 1. It has sound for 10 seconds, then it drops and then I don't have any sound anymore. This issue started after updating to the last version.

I can't keep resetting the settings every 5 seconds. Help?!

[radio42]

There was actually nothing changed with respect to the LineIn Feed in the latest version.
For the very short explanation I am also not fully sure what you are exactly doing and what exactly is not working.
To nail don your issue I guess some more details would be needed....

a) What is your exact mixer setup
b) What mixer-channels are involved
c) What driver model and settings does these mixer channels do have
d) What is your breakaway setup
e) Are you sure it is NOT a breakaway issue, if yes, why are you sure?!
f) How do you start the LineIn Feed - via a Program Scheduler entry?
If yes, what are the exact settings and what are the 'other' surrounded program scheduler entries.
g) How do you stop the LineIn Feed - via a Program Scheduler entry?

[radio42]

Any news on this one?
Please also try the latest v3.0.11.44!

[DennisdeWit]

I managed to install ProppFrexx on 64-bit. It was good with one vCPU, but it had a 100% load. I installed more vCPU's, and now the sound is stuttering using a live input. It's so CENSORED annoying. And I know it's ProppFrexx. When I put in the LineIn feed straight to BreakAway, the stuttering is gone.

Conclusion: the LineIn Feed module is cranky. I'm playing it at a Windows 7 64-bit VPS, using USB Audio Codec (Allen & Heath Mixer). 32-bit sucked big time, since it was stuttering all over again.
Could you please fix this module?

PS: Ran the last released version.

[DennisdeWit]

Thanks. Since this was happening on the VPS for our normal stream, I need to setup a test environment to investigate this. I will keep you posted with my results, but need a little time to get this figured out.

[radio42]

I am really sorry, but I do NOT believe that this is related to ProppFrexx but I guess more related to your audio settings.
Note, that there are many parameters and settings within ProppFrexx to fine tune the relation between latency and buffers (which directly have an influence) when a sound might start to stutter!
PLUS there are many settings within BreakAway (which is a virtual, software based audio driver).

Myself and many other users are heavily using mixer-input-channels (which you might call LineIn) WITHOUT any issues at all.
So I doubt, that there is anything to fix within the ProppFrexx software - beside fixing some of your settings...

However, you left ALL my previous questions un-answered!
As such it is bit hard to tell you what settings you might want to change in order to overcome your 'stuttering'.
So if you would be so kind and tell me your exact mixer setting (see the questions above in my post) - I might be able to help you...

As far as I understand you, you have defined (at least) one Mixer-Input-Channel and one Mixer-Output-Channel.
With the Mixer-Input-Channel you are receiving a LineIn signal and then you are routing that to the Mixer-Output-Channel (which is effectively a virtual BreakAway device)?
Is that correct?
To check if the stuttering is happening on the input-channel or the output-channel please do the following:
a) Use the 'REC' button of the mixer-input-channel to record the incoming audio-signal!
This will generate a file in the recording folder as specified in the general settings, section 'Encoding/Recording'.
b) Use the 'REC' button of the mixer-output-channel to record the routed audio-signal which is being used with BreakAway!
This will generate a file in the recording folder as specified in the general settings, section 'Encoding/Recording'.

Now you/we might listen to the 2 recorded audio files:
- if the file recorded at a) is stuttering, it is an input-mixer-channel buffering issue and the mixer-input settings (Buffer) might need to be increased
- if the file recorded at b) is stuttering, it is an internal routing issue - probably a CPU load issue (this should actually not happening, meaning a) is clean, but b) is stuttering)
- if a) and b) are clean (no stuttering in the recorded files) it is a pure output-mixer-channel issue and the mixer-output settings (Buffer) might need to be increased
Can you confirm the above tests...?!

Please also clarify the exact hardware and OS environment you are using - since it sounds it is a virtual machine and not a 'real' one?!

[DennisdeWit]

See below

[DennisdeWit]

a) What is your exact mixer setup
Setting 4: PFL on USB Audio CODEC, PLAY on BreakAway 1, USB AUDIO CODEC MIC for LineIn Feed

b) What mixer-channels are involved
See A

c) What driver model and settings does these mixer channels do have
USB AUDIO Codec (Allen & Heath XB14)

d) What is your breakaway setup
Helix presets, BreakAway Live 0.9.0

e) Are you sure it is NOT a breakaway issue, if yes, why are you sure?!
Yes, it doesn't hickup when I push Microphone straight on from Breakaway

f) How do you start the LineIn Feed - via a Program Scheduler entry?
No, by pushing the LineIn Feed button

If yes, what are the exact settings and what are the 'other' surrounded program scheduler entries.
g) How do you stop the LineIn Feed - via a Program Scheduler entry?
See F.

a) Use the 'REC' button of the mixer-input-channel to record the incoming audio-signal!
This will generate a file in the recording folder as specified in the general settings, section 'Encoding/Recording'.
Got that. Input: Microphone. It sucked, had that stuttering sound again.

b) Use the 'REC' button of the mixer-output-channel to record the routed audio-signal which is being used with BreakAway!
This will generate a file in the recording folder as specified in the general settings, section 'Encoding/Recording'.
Got that: Input: BREAKAWAY Line In. Had no stuttering at all.

BUT: Playing out songs through USB Audio Codec, I can hear the stuttering on my mixer when I play this USB-channel. So ProppFrexx has a problem with loading USB AUDIO CODEC driver on more than 1 socket. Funny thing: playing sound through Windows Media Player has a stutter. When turning off ProppFrexx, the stutter is gone. Weird? Yes!

To be sure you understand 'clicking sounds', I uploaded some audio fragments.
Case 1:
INPUT) USB AUDIO CODEC
SOCKETS) 1
ISSUE) NONE
http://streams.xsnl.net/recordings/1%20 ... 0BROWN.wav


Case 2:
INPUT) USB AUDIO CODEC
SOCKETS) 2
ISSUE) Clicking sound
http://streams.xsnl.net/recordings/2%20 ... lemore.wav

Case 3)
INPUT) BREAKAWAY PLAYBACK, playing 'Kalimba' locally. No USB AUDIO CODEC
SOCKETS) 2
ISSUE) NONE
http://streams.xsnl.net/recordings/BREA ... WS%207.wav

[radio42]

to a):
- What is 'USB Audio CODEC'?
- later in your reply you are also referring to other mixer-channels?
So please tell me your exact mixer-channel setup!

to b):
You also mentioned "Input: BREAKAWAY Line In"?
What is this - as it isn't mentioned in your answer to a)

to c):
USB AUDIO Codec is NOT a driver model!
ProppFrexx supports WDM, WASAPI and ASIO...

to d) + e):
What does this mean? "push Microphone straight on from Breakaway"
I guess this might be an internal Breakaway which bypasses any WDM, WASAPI or ASIO processing?!

to f) + g):
clear

Recordings:
a) If the direct recording of your MIC already stutters...
Have you tried changing the buffer settings?
This indicates, that the MIC input from you soundcard is already not working correctly - which would be a soundcard driver/settings issue.

b) This is what I do NOT get!
What is this for an input or output?!

Do you hear it stuttering on a regular output (without using Breakaway at all)?!
If yes, that sounds like a soundcard driver issue?!
If no, that sounds like a Breakaway issue?!
Or you hard disk is not able to deliver the sample data fast enough?
Or your USB port isn't fast enough and glitches there with USB-packet errors?

Actually I still do NOT understand your mixer-channel setup and where exactly something is stuttering...so please clarify!
In you post above you describe with each post a different issue...
At first something stopped after 10 sec.?!
Then it was stuttering?!
And now I 'only' hear some clicking sound in a 2nd sound sample.

The clicking sound in a 2nd sound sample actually sounds like if a single TCP packet got lost by Beakaway or if something got distorted due to clipping?!
So please clarify your exact mixer setup with all the details (ProppFrexx config settings) for each involved mixer-channel and specifying which mixer-channel couses the 'clicks'.
In addition describe your system setup: hard disks, memory, CPU, OC, soundcards, network connection etc.
Otherwise it will be hard to find the root cause of your issue...

[radio42]

Plus... what exact Breakaway product are you using?
- Breakaway Broadcast Processor?
- Breakaway Live, DJ?
- Breakaway Audio Enhancer?