(28-Apr-2015, 20:54)JohnH Wrote: [ -> ]As a relatively new owner, I haven't tried Air before now and gave the 2.1.4 beta4 version a go on a Windows 8.1 PC over ethernet to a 120. Playing a 16/44 recording of a Radio 3 broadcast (CD Review), it started off fine but after 20 minutes or so, I got popping noises (dropouts, cracks?) that were very noticeable on long sustained notes but much less obvious in more busy types of music. I've not heard anything that I would describe as white noise.
I get this every day or two via air eth (osx). I thought dropping audirvana fixed my issues, but sadly not, must have just been lucky.
I can only imagine Devialet know about it - quite how they can have such a glaring bug in their core software is beyond me. Surely it's either it's fundamentally flawed and will never work, or they just haven't assigned many resources to fixing it. It can't be that hard to recreate as so many people experience it. Maybe a flood of new users with popping and crackling Phantoms will prompt some effort in that area.
[apologies, this doesn't relate to the beta but the released osx version]
(28-Apr-2015, 21:31)Confused Wrote: [ -> ] (28-Apr-2015, 20:54)JohnH Wrote: [ -> ]As a relatively new owner, I haven't tried Air before now and gave the 2.1.4 beta4 version a go on a Windows 8.1 PC over ethernet to a 120. Playing a 16/44 recording of a Radio 3 broadcast (CD Review), it started off fine but after 20 minutes or so, I got popping noises (dropouts, cracks?) that were very noticeable on long sustained notes but much less obvious in more busy types of music. I've not heard anything that I would describe as white noise.
Interesting, have you advised this to Devialet?
I have added this to the comments on the beta4 download page.
Although I have posted this elsewhere, here is a little information from Devialet about 2.1.4 beta4:
... the problem is not in our software (PC or firmware 7.x) but deep into the windows operating system, though the workaround is in AIR.
The issue for PC users was we were using a timer to schedule the pace at which the audio samples are extracted from the audio driver, and under some specific circumstances, for instance some part of windows entering low power mode, the timer exhibited quite important jitter -which should have been ok due to the size of the audio buffer- but in fact messed up the windows audio driver at the kernel level, generating randomly a one byte offset internally in the buffer manager. It was not memory garbage, unallocated buffer nor a programming fault on our side, it is truly a bug inside windows’ implementation, which obviously is not documented.
The workaround consists of using the most precise possible timer available on PC platform (which is more costly to the CPU load point of view) ... and we are currently testing the fix with several users ...
Interesting information Ian. I have often thought that if Devialet shared more information, then us humble users could do so much more to help Devialet with information, or indeed find fixes ourselves. Looking at the clock issue, maybe someone with good knowledge of Windows might know how to tweak the PC set up, so as to stop the PC doing whatever it is that upsets AIR and hence mitigate these issues.
I wonder if Windows 10 will make any difference one way or another?
"The workaround consists of using the most precise possible timer available on PC platform (which is more costly to the CPU load point of view) ... and we are currently testing the fix with several users ... "
Hmmm, I've always ran AIR/Windows this way I think (don't use AIR anymore although it worked flawlessly here). That is if they mean enabling HPET in the BIOS of the PC and enable it in Windows using this command: bcdedit /set useplatformclock true
See also:
http://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/107578...e-and-fps/
This theory would mean that the problem only exists in Windows but if I'm correct also Apple users were reporting about it...?
(28-Apr-2015, 20:06)wfveennl Wrote: [ -> ]I use Air 2.13 over ethernet on different Pc's in combination with Windows 8.1. On one Pc it is stable (with dropouts) and on the other Pc it keeps on crashing. So I thought maybe the beta 2.14 will be better, but the same thing happens with 2.14 beta. If I just load it it is fine but as soon as I select my 200 it is gone. Very frustrating.
When Air 214 beta4 arrived, I was happy with the result, no more loud white noise.
But for the last 2 days, I'm unable to stream music from a Win 8.1 PC via Air 214 over an Ethernet connection .
As soon I want to use it, I click on the Air icon. At the far right-down of my desk screen, the small Devialet icon turns black, and 15 seconds later, it turns grey, and there is no more a connection. "Ethernet disabled". I can try this many times with the same results.
I returned to Air 213 and my problem is solved.
I think it's the same problem you had. We seem the only ones to report this behavior of Air 214 beta4.
Anyone else ?
(04-May-2015, 04:37)Jml2155 Wrote: [ -> ] (28-Apr-2015, 20:06)wfveennl Wrote: [ -> ]I use Air 2.13 over ethernet on different Pc's in combination with Windows 8.1. On one Pc it is stable (with dropouts) and on the other Pc it keeps on crashing. So I thought maybe the beta 2.14 will be better, but the same thing happens with 2.14 beta. If I just load it it is fine but as soon as I select my 200 it is gone. Very frustrating.
When Air 214 beta4 arrived, I was happy with the result, no more loud white noise.
But for the last 2 days, I'm unable to stream music from a Win 8.1 PC via Air 214 over an Ethernet connection .
As soon I want to use it, I click on the Air icon. At the far right-down of my desk screen, the small Devialet icon turns black, and 15 seconds later, it turns grey, and there is no more a connection. "Ethernet disabled". I can try this many times with the same results.
I returned to Air 213 and my problem is solved.
I think it's the same problem you had. We seem the only ones to report this behavior of Air 214 beta4.
Anyone else ?
I have not the same problem but I also noticed, that the the start of the connection does not seem to be as reliable as with the old stable version. I never had this problem before.
As for the white noise: while streaming 16/44 sound, I only have the problem rarely. the earliest incident was after about 3 hours. But I also had it with the new 214 beta4. For me there wasn't a real difference between those versions. Also the new firmware 7.1.3 did nothing.
