WASAPI Output Plugin 'Maiko' (VISTA & later only)

[SilverBird775]

baunegaard
It should not happen on its own obviously. The message is saying that some program get interposed the device while winamp idling.

Try to uncheck the 12 and see what's happen then. It will maintain control over device while winamp loaded.

----

Originally Posted by mark007

Just one question, should the mixer settings in its control panel save? I just want to have same output as input, ie each channel in goes to same channel out so filled in the matrix manually but can't seem to get it to save my settings. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.

My apologize, the manual (user) matrix do not preserve at the moment. Frankly you are the first asking about manual. The plugin design suggesting to preserve really lots of matrixes for each device and each input-output case. Still deciding how to do it gracefully. If you are ready to test a user-profile storing betas, please let me know. Need some beta testing help here.

[baunegaard]

I have tried with 12 both checked and unchecked, same thing. I'm using a pci card for all other sound on the computer. So i am only using the onboard for digital out nothing else.

[SilverBird775]

baunegaard
Is there an easy and quick way to reproduce this?

[baunegaard]

I can tell that it does not happen when i change song myself. But happens when winamp is changing song itself after a number is finished. Cant find a precise way to reproduce it, but if i leave winamp alone, it happens after it has finished 1 or 2 songs.

[SilverBird775]

baunegaard
Okay, thank you. I'm out of options for now. Will PM you later.

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by SilverBird775

...
My apologize, the manual (user) matrix do not preserve at the moment. Frankly you are the first asking about manual. The plugin design suggesting to preserve really lots of matrixes for each device and each input-output case. Still deciding how to do it gracefully. If you are ready to test a user-profile storing betas, please let me know. Need some beta testing help here.

Hi,

I'm not sure what you mean in the above statement. I'm patiently waiting for you to finish the new mixer control options. Since it's last on your priority list, I know it will be awhile.

But I also want a way to save manual changes made to the mixer's automatic channel allocations. I don't really need to save lots of matrixes, but it may be a nice feature to have if different types of music sound better with different matrixes. Happy to beta test this feature, send me a PM.

[baunegaard]

Originally Posted by SilverBird775

baunegaard
Okay, thank you. I'm out of options for now. Will PM you later.

I really appreciate you taking the time to look into this problem for me

[SilverBird775]

Aminifu
Good to see you aboard! The thingy is developing so slowly that a low priority targets are slipping through memories. I have to concentrate on urgent tasks to make the hobbies manageable. I've got some vision on how the user matrixes must be managed and hope to bring the ideas in code this month. Beta is yours too.

[mark007]

SilverBird775, no problem pm me if you want me to test betas. I just want same sound out as in, so don't want any stereo coming from center channel etc which is the way things seem to be by default. PM whenever you need testing or if I can give any input.

[Aminifu]

Originally Posted by mark007

... I just want same sound out as in, so don't want any stereo coming from center channel etc which is the way things seem to be by default. ...

I love the sound of the default shared mode's up-mixing for my 5.1 speaker setup (and nothing for me to setup). It was a happy day for me when SilverBird775 got it working. I'll be happier when the mixer controls are brought out to allow for a little tinkering and the saving of various matrix configurations is allowed.

I can also understand those who prefer the pure 'source to output' sound. There's a lot to say for hearing the material as engineered.

Which should be the default and which the option, what's a developer to do? For a free app, I say the developer should follow his/her heart, if both features are available I'm happy either way.

[Rfire]

Originally Posted by baunegaard

Thank you for clearing that up SilverBird

I have run into some trouble with the plugin, im using a optical output on my onboard ALC889A, Music is sounding great, but after a couple of song changes, winamp stops playing and gives me an "E_DEVICE_IN_USE" then i have to restart winamp to make it work again, this has become quite annoying.

Hope this is a problem that can be done something too.

I also am experiencing this same problem. I have set another output besides the S/PDIF output MAIKO uses to something else and it has reduced the chance of this happening, but it still happens usually when the bitdepth and/or frequency changes. Also unchecking free device while idle does help a little but doesnt solve it. So default device and communication device are set to use something other than the output Maiko is set to use. If an app IS hooking into the output somehow I sure hope to find the rodent and delete it.

ALC889a Driver version 6.0.1.6526 issued by Realtek
Windows 7 x64
Using the S/PDIF output on the back of Asus Maximus Extreme-Z Z68

Unfortunately I don't know of a way to reproducing it easily but am willing to run any type of diagnostics to help get it fixed, if possible.

Thanks. Great plugin, nice to not have to rely on the no longer dev'd ASIO output plugins anymore for unfutzed with audio.

[baunegaard]

Originally Posted by Rfire

I also am experiencing this same problem. I have set another output besides the S/PDIF output MAIKO uses to something else and it has reduced the chance of this happening, but it still happens usually when the bitdepth and/or frequency changes. Also unchecking free device while idle does help a little but doesnt solve it. So default device and communication device are set to use something other than the output Maiko is set to use. If an app IS hooking into the output somehow I sure hope to find the rodent and delete it.

ALC889a Driver version 6.0.1.6526 issued by Realtek
Windows 7 x64
Using the S/PDIF output on the back of Asus Maximus Extreme-Z Z68

Unfortunately I don't know of a way to reproducing it easily but am willing to run any type of diagnostics to help get it fixed, if possible.

Thanks. Great plugin, nice to not have to rely on the no longer dev'd ASIO output plugins anymore for unfutzed with audio.

I know this problem has been corrected. Try asking SilverBird for a test build

[Rfire]

Ok, so I figure I'd give feedback on the test build here rather than PM for future documentation sake and so others who have the same issue can chime in.

Sad to report that the device in use issue still occurs. I have found one criteria that always is the case when it occurs -- when I go from a 16bit 44.1kHz file to a 24bit / 96kHz one (happens with all formats, I can confirm it happened with WavPacks and FLACs). The rub of it is, if I sit there for 5 minutes and switch rapidly between the two formats I can't get it to trigger the device in use error, followed by a crash of winamp. It is one of those issues that is spontaneous -- but always when a track changes that involves changing the bitdepth and/or frequency.

I output via S/PDIF if it matters, the toslink port on the I/O panel on the back. Asus Maximus IV Extreme-Z / Intel Z68. Both realtek and generic MS drivers.

Obviously, something is randomly and unpredictably interfering with Maiko switching the bitdepth and frequency outputs. It doesnt trigger when moving between redbook files.

I'm gonna try to narrow down whether its freq, bitdepth, or both by converting some of my music to 24bit / 44.1 and 16bit / 96kHz. Too bad just manually rapidly switching back n forth won't trigger it in a timely fashion ;/

[Aminifu]

Hi Rfire,

Do you have anything else running that might be involved, like an anti-virus app doing on-access scanning of files or something like that? If so, you could try excluding Winamp files and/or the media files from such scanning. I had another issue on my system that was helped by stopping my anti-vir from scanning Winamp configuration and database files on access.

It is curious that the manual switching does not trigger the error. It is logical to think Maiko would have to do the same processing no matter how the switch was done.

Do you have the Winamp option enabled to allow pass through of 24bit material? It is disabled by default to prevent problems with old sound cards and some DSP plug-ins.

Since it seems to work for baunegaard and not you, it's also logical to assume some non-minor difference in system and/or setup (ruling out corrupt media files).

[SilverBird775]

There are two kinds of an audio playback stop routines within a plugin, immediate and postponed. The postponed is essential for a gapless playback because it can be canceled in timely fashion, but for a same time it is most prone for errors. Yet i do investigate the problem and very close to solution i believe.

[Rfire]

Oh yes, allow 24bit is among the first things I do on a new Winamp install. Yeah I actually tried with Kaspersky and other direct HW access software such as firewalls, driver based virtual drives, etc. I also set the default output to something other than this SPDIF and rebooted to ensure no apps would use it unless told to.

I also just got my hands on a second Z68 based setup that also has a rear toslink SPDIF port, Realtek ALC892 so i'm gonna see if I can reproduce on that before any third party software aside from Winamp and Maiko is installed. Would help to see if the problem is limited to the ALC889a or if its involving other Realteks as well.

[Aminifu]

Hi Rfire,

Realtek just released a new audio driver for my mobo's ALC889a. It may help, you never know. Check Realtek or your mobo vender's website. My mobo site lists the version as Windows 7/Vista Version: 6.0.1.6586 dated 3-21-2012.

[SilverBird775]

Hate to admit this but the issue is caused by my plugin so please be patient. I've found the uncertain code potentially degrading the playing context integrity. The redesign will take some time.

Enabling volume control should ease the fault frequence. Just do everything but bit-copy mode.

[Rfire]

@Aminfu thanks for the tip about the new driver. I had been relying on Realtek's site and Asus. This was one expensive mofo of a board E-ATX Asus Maximus IV Extreme-Z yet Asus leaves up stale drivers heh. Its fun to piece together non OEM sanctioned drivers anyway, especially when you find alpha builds sitting in an FTP somewhere :d

Well, good luck SilverBird. Over the past year this plugin has matured A LOT, it use to crash even in shared mode for me at one time every few songs, so that shows how good its gotten. WASAPI is the future. I'll try the volume thing -- main thing for me is 24/96 files actually playing in 24 (or 32 float) 96 output to my receiver. I feel icky when Windows resamples to 16/44.1. I use to use ASIO when I had my beloved M-Audio Delta PCI card, but now I have no PCI slots ;P So its good ole onboard sound

Anyway while I'm here, thought I'd suggest the option of resampling specific frequencies rather than ones below or above a value-- if thats possible. I am not a coder so I dont know how hard that'd be. Specifically, I need to resample 88.2kHz to 96kHz since Realtek's drivers dont do 88.2 for some reason -- but Windows' crappy generic ones do. Weird. Anyway just thought that'd throw that up there to maybe put in an option to specify one or more particular frequencies to resample. You'll be swamped with this issue so no biggie if you don't want to. I appreciate your efforts. If it wasnt for this plugin I would not listen to music on this computer at all.

[SilverBird775]

0.45.X03 succesfully passed all my stress tests... at least it fixing all the bugs i found.

Originally Posted by Rfire

Anyway while I'm here, thought I'd suggest the option of resampling specific frequencies rather than ones below or above a value-- if thats possible. I am not a coder so I dont know how hard that'd be. Specifically, I need to resample 88.2kHz to 96kHz since Realtek's drivers dont do 88.2 for some reason -- but Windows' crappy generic ones do. Weird. Anyway just thought that'd throw that up there to maybe put in an option to specify one or more particular frequencies to resample.

Yes, this is possible. Not yet sure how it should look like without complicating the setup page too much.

I have to say the setting already existed are not that sucky if used clever.
For your case i'd suggest you to define (check 6) the above limit (textbox 7) as 48000 (i.e. bit less then 88.2, so the 88.2 will resample) but the target harware sample rate 3 as 96000

so, even if sample rate is linked to file rate (2 is checked), with exception 6 checked any frequency above 7 will be resamped.

BUT! Because the target harware sample rate (96000Hz) will indeed match the file rate 96000Hz, the plugin will sure notice it and should accept bit-copy!

So, it would not resample 44100, 48000, 96000, but will resample 88200 to 96000. The downside is, it will downsample everything above 96000 to 96000.

[Rfire]

Awesome! That is perfect because my receiver can't do anything above 96khz anyway. Thanks

[kerimcem]

45.3 = good sound quality(clean)
45.0= poor sound qaulity(blurry)

[Rfire]

So far so good on new build

[kerimcem]

[2012 03 31][v 0.46]
! E_DEVICE_IN_USE. Faulty gapless in some configurations.
! 0.00+: Completely fix the broken gapless.

works well..thanks..

[000mem000]

I'm running Win7 Home Premium SP1 64bit and Winamp 5.623 with Maiko WASAPI-Plug-In 0.46 and a M2Tech Hiface.
In Maiko I select the Device "SPDIF-Schnittstelle (HiFace 1.0.3 Usb to...)" but when I select "Exclusive Mode", I get the message "Unable to set Exclusive mode - E_EXCLUSIVE_MODE_NOT_ALLOWED".

Why can't I use M2Tech in Exclusvie Mode?
Does the mentioned setup provide me with bitperfect playback?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

[SilverBird775]

Exclusive mode not allowed becase it was not allowed by user himself, conscious or not!








bitperfect: (naive way)

[bit-perfect_fan]

Originally Posted by kerimcem

[2012 03 31][v 0.46]
! E_DEVICE_IN_USE. Faulty gapless in some configurations.
! 0.00+: Completely fix the broken gapless.

works well..thanks..

agree, thanks for fixing this!

Originally Posted by kerimcem

45.3 = good sound quality(clean)
45.0= poor sound qaulity(blurry)

do you mean the sound quality is now better than it was ever before with maiko? can anyone confirm?

[SilverBird775]

Mark007, Aminifu, probably other good guys i may forgot.

Worked on per-device per-format preset saving system. But...

Today i return home just to discover my primary home PC wih Maiko development tools is dead. Don't want to push the panic button yet, its more likely the motherboard or PSU or both are trashed. Would be fair to assume there is no update or beta should be expected this month. Hope the harddrives are fine and i will be able to recover as much recent data as possible.

[Aminifu]

Hi SilverBird775,

Really sadden to hear of your system trouble. I pray that the drives are ok and that you will be back up again soon. Plus side, you can take a break from coding and enjoy other things in life for awhile.

Good luck and best wishes!

[SilverBird775]

So... what the ppperfection is? Ppportability? Pppersistance? Ppproven ppplanning?


0.47 - aka 'PPP' - per-device per-mode permanent mixer settings!

[Aminifu]

Hi SilverBird775,

Glad to see you back up and running.

Have tried version 0.47, but I can not get it to save a custom mixer matrix. I unchecked the "Automate...", "... and normalize", and "... and fill up" options on the Mixer tab. Then entered the values I wanted in the matrix. That all worked and sounded great. Then I closed and restarted WA and the mixer settings had reverted to the standard matrix with all 3 options checked. What am I doing wrong?

I see the following in winamp.ini (the code for the mixer options is not there):

[out_maiko]
sRenderingDevice=Speakers (Creative SB Audigy)

And I see a .bin file in my "C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\Winamp" folder named:

Maiko_A8B7963E.bin

[SilverBird775]

All the options except the very few moved from winamp.ini to Maiko_A8B7963E.bin where A8B7963E is your device name 32 bit hashed.

Maiko_A8B7963E.bin
This is where the device common settings goes to, like the ones from the 'exclusive' tab.

The mixer settings going to individual Maiko_4CF5E1F60000000300000003.bin files, where

4CF5E1F6 - device hash
00000003 - input channels physical setup masked, i.e Left Front + Right Front
00000003 - output channels physical setup masked, i.e Left Front + Right Front

if Maiko_A8B7963E.bin is deleted or inaccessible, device will go to defaults the full automated shared mode.
if Maiko_4CF5E1F60000000300000003.bin is deleted or inaccessible the matrix will go full automated for this input-output channel route.


Here is a tinker fix i did, it seems i mistyped and the matrix setup save was not triggered by the matrix edit box elements.

http://maiko.elementfx.com/software/test.zip

In order to edit the matrix you need to start the playback first so the proper matrix could be build then you may select the individual contol elements. The matrix changes can be applied while playing the file or in the after play stop mode, the idea is to let the mixer to know the last play event's input and output characteristics.

[Aminifu]

Hi SilverBird775,

Sorry the test build did not fix it. The mixer settings still revert to the standard matrix with all 3 options checked.

I still see the following in winamp.ini:

[out_maiko]
sRenderingDevice=Speakers (Creative SB Audigy)

But the .bin file in my "C:\Users\...\AppData\Roaming\Winamp" folder is named:

Maiko_A8B7963E000000030000003F.bin

The Maiko_A8B7963E.bin file is not there.

[Aminifu]

Hi SilverBird775,

I tried something else, still not working but I got the 2 bin files. What I did was delete the bin file and the entry in winamp.ini. Then I installed the released 0.47 version. After running WA, the Maiko_A8B7963E000000030000003F.bin and Maiko_A8B7963E.bin files showed up. Then I installed the test version.

From the date - time stamp values of the Maiko_A8B7963E000000030000003F.bin file, I can tell it's being updated when I change the matrix values with both 0.47 and the test version. So either its not being updated correctly or its not being read after a restart of WA.

The date - time stamp value of the Maiko_A8B7963E.bin file did not change when I replaced the 0.47 version with the test version. So as before, I don't think the test version generates or reads that file.

[SilverBird775]

Of course it will revert (reset) the matrix to the prefered default when matrix automated option checked. You need to switch off the automation first then you may go on with your own tinkering.

Make sure you download the test zip. (Note to myself: Must learn to mark all my betas!!!)
Just repeat it carefully, start the playback, proceed to the matrix tab, disable the automation, input your matrix. Now you did all good!

The Maiko_A8B7963E.bin file is not there.

That's interesting.. you moved it, i did not thought about. Still the matrix transformation should be independent of the general device settings. The matrix unit avoided only by bit-copy special rendering route. Shared mode do not suggest the matrix automation as the only way, the user may use his own matrix which is valid for both Shared and Exclusive modes.

There is only one matrix allowed for each input-output combination. For anything not backed by Maiko_A8B7963E****************.bin files will be reverted to default, automated.

[Aminifu]

I did start the playback, proceeded to the matrix tab, disabled the automation, and input my values. Switching off the automate is the only way to change the matrix values. The time stamp on the bin file corresponds to when I made the changes. But after a restart the default values and options return.

I even tried it under Administrator mode to prevent any access problems.

[SilverBird775]

Make sure you inspect the matrix values while playing something. If not, all the setting are fake, automated at best...

[Aminifu]

Ok I started fresh. Re-downloaded the test version and removed the bin files and winamp.ini entry. Installed the test version and setup for my soundcard before starting playback. If I try to setup for the soundcard while playing a song WA crashes.

Then I started a song and then made the matrix changes. I stopped and restarted the song and even played other songs. The matrix changes were there, I could see them and hear the difference.

But when I close and restart WA, the changes are gone and I'm back to automatic.

[SilverBird775]

If I try to setup for the soundcard while playing a song WA crashes.

Sorry for this. It's a known bug.

But when I close and restart WA, the changes are gone and I'm back to automatic.

You start, push play, then check for matrix settings right?

[Aminifu]

Now I'm getting a different result and a new bin file. When I unchecked the automate box, the matrix values changed to stereo ( a 1 in the left and right front channels, 0 everywhere else). So I put in my values for 5.1 and I could hear the change.

This time when I stopped and restarted the stereo matrix was provided. The new bin file is named Maiko_A8B7963E000000030000003F.bin. Is it possible that the matrix changes are saved when the automate box is unchecked?