Fb2k starts skipping files played from network share

2023-12-18 17:54:19

Hi All

I've been using Foobar to play files from the network NAS (openmediavault) via WiFi (TPLink T4U) for months now without issues.
All of a sudden, it starts skipping, plays for some time then stops for a few sec and then resumes.
I removed the T4U adapter and plugged it back, stopped the wifi, went to aiplane mode and back, no change.
I tested the WiFi speed ~250MBps so it's plenty bandwith.
Latency is ~20ms so good enough.
We also watch 1080p high bitrate movies from Jellyfin and there are no issues.

This is on the living room PC where the kids listen to music and they're upset at me and i'm looking at the wall ...
It behaves the same if i play a 64Mb flac or 890Kb opus ...
But any other player, vlc, mpv, etc has no issues on the same PC

I have increased the buffer size from 512Kb to 1024Kb but still skips
It seems that now the skipping break is twice as long (may be just my perception).
If i look at the WiFi tab in task manager, i see some traffic but it stops when Foobar skips.
If i use a different player, there's no such behavior.
All settings are defaults, only thing special is there's a media library with autoplaylist.

I'm losing my marbles over this.
Can you help me at least debug the sucker ?
Find out wth is wrong ?

Thanks

Re: Fb2k starts skipping files played from network share

Reply #1 – 2023-12-19 12:54:01

How are you accessing the files? It looks like the best way to access them from that NAS would be through a simple file share (\\NAS\sharename), in which case network buffer settings are irrelevant.

If you are playing files from a file share they are accessed by normal OS read commands. And the issue doesn't sound like networking problem as tiny files like you mentioned should get cached by the OS. But to rule that out, could you copy some music to your local computer and try playing from there?

You mentioned you are using default settings. But could you try to do a clean portable install of foobar2000 v2.1 to another directory and see how it behaves.

Re: Fb2k starts skipping files played from network share

Reply #2 – 2023-12-19 16:20:35

Hi there

I have the library set to \\openmediavault\music and then have some autoplaylists
The problem is that it does not skip continuously.
Usually there are no issues but sometimes it skips like mad ...

I'll try your suggestion about installing in a different place

Re: Fb2k starts skipping files played from network share

Reply #3 – 2023-12-20 11:38:04

Maybe someone was using the microwave oven?    (Happens to interrupt wi-fi quite often)

Re: Fb2k starts skipping files played from network share

Reply #4 – 2023-12-20 17:10:41

I installed a portable fb2k 2.1 and it has the same issue.

ATM it seems to work fine (either version) but at random times it starts to misbehave and there's nothing i can do ....