DOS ain't dead

I've released Mpxplay v1.60 alpha 2 with http file/stream (internet radio) handling and Opus decoding/playing.

Download at: http://mpxplay.sourceforge.net
Some extra infos at: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/forums/forum/219198/topic/6146427

Basically DOS testers needed for the new functions...

cheers
Attila

Can anyone please supply a link for 1.60 *alpha 1*? Been looking for that version released on 09.Nov.2012, and it's magically disappeared off the face of the entire internet. The file is MPXP160D.ZIP from 11-9-12. Why do you not keep old alpha versions on Soundforge? I can see every previous version except 1.60a1...

I do not need streaming or http functions, although I'm sure many will appreciate them. But they add to bloat.

Thanks for any help in locating 1.60 alpha 1.

By the way, MPXPLAY is wonderful, been using it since the early days!

> I've released Mpxplay v1.60 alpha 2 with http file/stream (internet radio)
> handling and Opus decoding/playing

COOL, I'll test

( http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/ - "final" is misleading )

> you not keep old alpha versions on Soundforge? I can see every previous
> version except 1.60a1

Why can't you use 1.59 final or 1.60a2 ??? I vote for keeping successful old versions, not every old version.

---
This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

> Why can't you use 1.59 final or 1.60a2 ??? I vote for keeping
> successful old versions, not every old version.

1.59 has bugs in its AC3 decoder, also 1.60a1 improves FLAC decoding, according to the history.txt file. 1.60a2 adds features I don't want or need (NOT saying they're not useful features to many folks!). So, 1.60a1 seems the best version for me, right at this moment, and I can't find it anywhere. 1 hour too late!

I FUCKING LOVE mpxplay!!!!!!!!!

keep it up!!!

---
CRAZY wwww

> > Why can't you use 1.59 final or 1.60a2 ??? I vote for keeping
> > successful old versions, not every old version.
>
> 1.59 has bugs in its AC3 decoder, also 1.60a1 improves FLAC decoding,
> according to the history.txt file. 1.60a2 adds features I don't want or
> need (NOT saying they're not useful features to many folks!). So, 1.60a1
> seems the best version for me, right at this moment, and I can't find it
> anywhere. 1 hour too late!

Sorry, I cannot (won't) release more different versions and I don't want to keep online every alpha/beta versions.
(I think so) the only negative thing at alpha2 is that the DOS32/A version's size is +100kbytes (there's only +11 kB at the win32 version relative to v1.59).
Some people asked that, why isn't the TCPIP is included in the DOS32/A version too. Now I did it...
You can build a different/smaller/simplier version from the source (btw. if you compile the source for DOS, it will not contain the TCPIP (http/ftp) part by default).

> I FUCKING LOVE mpxplay!!!!!!!!!
>
> keep it up!!!

Me too, thanks for new version.

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> I've released Mpxplay v1.60 alpha 2 with http file/stream (internet radio)
> handling and Opus decoding/playing.

> Basically DOS testers needed for the new functions



Minimal test results:

* OPUS playing using DOG/4S and DLL/LE seems to work well (I do get intact sound) ... it just crashes after 3 seconds (see ^^^ shot)

* HTTP - how to use it? Not documented at all (with the FTP dialog seems not to work)

* MPX tries to read and parse all files in directory ... with FTP it takes centuries and no way to abort (???)

* FTP sometimes works and sometimes not (???)

ftp://ftp.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/songs/
ftp://ftp.inet.no/pub/OpenBSD/songs/

http://jafile.com/uploads/dos386/carmenal.oga <- Vorbis audio only | VLC fails MPX good (???)
http://jafile.com/uploads/dos386/carmenfo.oga <- Vorbis audio only | VLC fails MPX good (???)

http://ompldr.org/vN2E3OA/FF35.OGV <- Vorbis+Theora | Very bad in ??? MPX

http://jafile.com/uploads/dos386/midmodxm.zip <- MIDI (noon) & Co

OPUS: http://people.xiph.org/~giles/2012/opus/ehren-paper_lights-96.opus

http://ompldr.org/vN2E3bw/MPXP157F.ZI7 <- ???
http://jafile.com/uploads/dos386/cubrick.zi7 <- ???

http://ompldr.org/vN2E3cQ/PUSH5TRU.OGV <- No audio

http://ompldr.org/vN2E4MQ/XXX.FLA <- FLAC

Suggestion: rearrange the codecs (maybe now, maybe later in 1.60 beta):

Built-in: OPUS Vorbis FLAC WAVPACK MP5(2+3) AAC (non-codecs PCM/WAV)

DLL: all the other obs-olete/cure codecs if supported at all: APE/Monkey WMA ALAC/BLAC AMR

----------------------------------------------------------------------

http://opus-codec.org/

http://wiki.xiph.org/OpusFAQ

http://people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/demo/neil-young.html

http://opus-codec.org/downloads/ (Works with HX)

---
This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

> Minimal test results:
>
> * OPUS playing using DOG/4S and DLL/LE seems to work well (I do get intact
> sound) ... it just crashes after 3 seconds (see ^^^ shot)

Which environment/OS? An emulator? Other files (MOD,DTS,Speex) work properly, only Opus crashes?
Can other people confirm that the Opus crashes in real DOS (with the DOS4G version + Opus dll)?

> * HTTP - how to use it? Not documented at all (with the FTP dialog
> seems not to work)

Yeah, some description is still missing. So:
- FTP has directory (opening with ctrl-'f') and file handling too (filenames begins with ftp://)
- HTTP has only 'file' handling (filenames begins with http://)

So, put the http link on the command line (as input file) or put it in a playlist. If you put it (or more links) in a simple M3U, then Mpxplay will check all http entries by default (like at normal file handling). When all entries are checked, then save this playlist in EXTM3U or CUE format, to avoid this pre-checking next time.
Or you can make/edit manually an EXTM3U list with better/nicer infos than the radio channel gives (streams have automatic playlist-info priority).
btw. Mpxplay reads/uses only the Icy-Name info of the server (which usually means the name of radio channel). It doesn't read any id3-info from the stream. I think so only Ogg can give such infos, but my Ogg demuxer cannot handle metadata/header changes under playing (inside the stream). So this feature is not implemented yet (you can see the name of the radio channel only, the played song is not displayed).

> * MPX tries to read and parse all files in directory ... with FTP it takes
> centuries and no way to abort (???)

Mpxplay is a audio-file player. FTP and HTTP filenames are emulated local files. The servers/net are slow, not Mpxplay. You can use commander mode (press 'E') to disable the audio/file format checking.

I don't see or understand the other problems. All linked test files work at me. (if a file has no audio, Mpxplay will not play it)

> Basically DOS testers needed for the new functions...

I managed to play a number of .mp3 files from my website (once I had removed .mp3 from hotlink protection) under http://.

Running MS-DOS 6.20, AMD K6 600 MHz, Realtek nic and an original SB16.

I do not have any public FTP directories to test.

Seems to be all working so far.

Ron

> Which environment/OS? An emulator? Other files (MOD,DTS,Speex) work
> properly, only Opus crashes?
> Can other people confirm that the Opus crashes in real DOS (with the DOS4G
> version + Opus dll)?

I'm using FreeDOS 1.1 and HIMEMX.EXE as a memory manager (actually I don't know anything about other memory managers and not sure which I should use). And yes, I can also confirm that the Opus file (http://people.xiph.org/~giles/2012/opus/ehren-paper_lights-96.opus) crashes. At the first run of mpxplay it happens after some 3 seconds, at the second run - after one second.

I've also noticed that with some MP3 and AAC files mpxplay shows very incorrect duration, i.e. when it's 1h20min or something, it shows 8 hours or more. And I can't rewind back or forward correctly. (This sometimes happens in Gnome-MPlayer in Linux, btw). Can't provide the examples for now, sorry, but the problem remains.

> I'm using FreeDOS 1.1 and HIMEMX.EXE as a memory manager (actually I don't
> know anything about other memory managers and not sure which I should use).
> And yes, I can also confirm that the Opus file
> (http://people.xiph.org/~giles/2012/opus/ehren-paper_lights-96.opus)
> crashes. At the first run of mpxplay it happens after some 3 seconds, at
> the second run - after one second.
>
> I've also noticed that with some MP3 and AAC files mpxplay shows very
> incorrect duration, i.e. when it's 1h20min or something, it shows 8 hours
> or more. And I can't rewind back or forward correctly. (This sometimes
> happens in Gnome-MPlayer in Linux, btw). Can't provide the examples for
> now, sorry, but the problem remains.

Thank You for the testing.

Now I've also run some tests (in DosBox), and I found that the playing works, if I use the -bs option. (this disables the interrupt decoding)
Maybe the Opus decoder calls a malloc in the decoding thread, or the stack size is small on my int08/decoder interrupt. I'll try to find the problem.

The AAC length can be incorrect, because it's VBR, but without exact informations about the bitrate and duration (ADIF/file header contains such info, but the most AAC files use ADTS/frame headers only).
Mpxplay reads the first 40 frames and calculates an average bitrate from this, but usually the first frames are smaller than the average in the whole file. Probably I could correct this problem (partially), but only with slowing down the AAC file parsing.

I think so the MP3 length can be incorrect only if the VBR header contains invalid informations (I've also got a test file, which shows 4 minutes len, but truely it's 15 secs only). I cannot really verify that that info is correct or not (only if I read more/longer part of the file -> slower MP3/VBR parsing)

I will look around all of these problems...

Playing the HTTP streams from internet works absolutely cool!
Tried with DOS4G version and got no problems.
Now I am listening the Radio Beat, cool.

The only issue is that I cannot open the HTTP stream via CTRL-F key but I must to specify it on the command line.

BTW: I like the new dialog for FTP sessions.

---
DOS-u-akbar!

Well I did some further testing:
http://jafile.com/uploads/dos386/carmenfo.oga - play OK
http://ompldr.org/vN2E4MQ/XXX.FLA - play OK
http://people.xiph.org/~giles/2012/opus/ehren-paper_lights-96.opus - craches imm. or within a second with
Program crashed (EXCEPTION ERROR) (bad environment, mpxplay.ini or audio file)
Program crashed (EXCEPTION ERROR) (bad environment, mpxplay.ini or audio file)
Program crashed (EXCEPTION ERROR) (bad environment, mpxplay.ini or audio file)
DOS 6.22/JEMM, DOS 6.22 nomem, DOS 7.1/QEMM
But with mentioned -bs switch it works.

Then I tested inet radio streams. I found that radio beat in AAC hangs
http://icecast2.play.cz:8000/beat128aac
while mp3 or ogg plays OK.

I also have problem when put more radio links to single m3u file it sometimes stops when probing links on m3u load and then I cannot play another radio. I have to shutdown mpxplay and run again. Maybe it would be good to disable link probing. When I use single link in multiple m3u or commandline it works fine. Maybe it needs to do some link reset if communication stoops. I tried to unplug network and plug againg if stream resume and it was random, sometimes it resynced sometimes not. Reloading mpxplayer agaion allways solved it.

Here are my list of some CZ radios
http://rayer.g6.cz/mpxplay/radio.m3u

BTW does someone tested RTL8111 dos driver if it's compatible with latest revision RTL8111E? I have RTL8111B that works but someone told me that he has issues in win98se with RTL8111D and was unable to make it working with realtek drivers.

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> Which environment/OS?

EDR-DOS, with or without HDPMI32, no EMM386

> An emulator?

NO

> Other files (MOD,DTS,Speex) work properly

not tested

> Can other people confirm that the Opus crashes

YES

> - FTP has directory (opening with ctrl-'f') and file handling

COOL

> - HTTP has only 'file' handling (filenames begins with http://)

OK, I'll retest

> Mpxplay is a audio-file player.

oh well

> FTP and HTTP filenames are emulated local files.
> The servers/net are slow, not Mpxplay

or the network implementation

> You can use commander mode (press 'E') to disable
> the audio/file format checking

I'll test

> I don't see or understand the other problems.

The FTP communication is slow and buggy. I have the very same problem with mTCP, but I don't have this problem with Arachne. Strange

> All linked test files work at me. (if a file has no audio, Mpxplay will not play it)

COOL. http://ompldr.org/vN2E3cQ/PUSH5TRU.OGV has no audio stream ... because I had deliberately brewn the file that way

The last "problem" is a suggestion: put OPUS decoder into the main binary and outsource other obs-olete/cure codecs (ALAC/BLAC, Monkey, Speex, ...).

---
This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

> > Which environment/OS?
>
> EDR-DOS, with or without HDPMI32, no EMM386
>
> > An emulator?
>
> NO
>

Ok, it seems, it was a small stack size problem, I've corrected.

> > FTP and HTTP filenames are emulated local files.
> > The servers/net are slow, not Mpxplay
>
> or the network implementation
> The FTP communication is slow and buggy. I have the very same problem with > mTCP, but I don't have this problem with Arachne. Strange

Nothing is perfect...
But I don't meet with too many bugs at the communication of the Mpxplay win version, if I communicate with a good and fast server.
So - probably - there are more bugs in the DOS things (SWSOCK lib, DOS TCPIP drivers) and even more on the server sides:

ftp.inet.no and ftp.openbsd.org disconnects/terminates the whole session after closing a file-data socket (at content checking of a song). Mpxplay must reconnect (automatically) to (these) server(s) after every file access (read or seek).
If you use Mpxplay in commander mode ('E' key) you will not meet with this bug (like at www browsers).

> The last "problem" is a suggestion: put OPUS decoder into the main binary
> and outsource other obs-olete/cure codecs (ALAC/BLAC, Monkey, Speex, ...).

The "built-in vs. DLL" depends on the "popularity vs. decoder size".
AAC decoder is large, but popular. ALAC is not popular, but small. Opus is large and not popular yet...
btw. I will not remove any built-in decoder, rather I think on a full DOS32/A version (including all DLL decoders). I would be around an 1 Mbyte exe only.

Deleted...
(how can I delete a post?)

> Ok, it seems, it was a small stack size problem, I've corrected

COOL. Waiting for a3

> So - probably - there are more bugs in the DOS things (SWSOCK lib, DOS
> TCPIP drivers) and even more on the server sides

Yeah :-\

> ftp.inet.no and ftp.openbsd.org disconnects/terminates the whole session

Bugged stuff ... anyone can find better FTP servers to test ???

> The "built-in vs. DLL" depends on the "popularity vs. decoder size"

Very reasonable policy

> AAC decoder is large, but popular. ALAC is not popular, but small. Opus is
> large and not popular yet...

Indeed, OPUS popularity could grow (and definitely should if the docs are right), Speex popularity is low and won't grow anymore, AAC and MP5 popularity should sink (but maybe won't ...), Vorbis popularity might sink in favor of OPUS ...

> btw. I will not remove any built-in decoder, rather I think on a full
> DOS32/A version (including all DLL decoders). I would be around an 1 Mbyte

(incl MOD/XM/...) ... please do

> Deleted ... (how can I delete a post?).

Wait until Moderator or Admin kicks it

---
This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

I've released an alpha3 too, with some modifications and bugfixes.
Details are here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/forums/forum/219198/topic/6146427

I've also modified the Intel HDA codecs communication, and added a couple of new PCI IDs. It can be better on some boards...

> RayeR wrote:
>
> Then I tested inet radio streams. I found that radio beat in AAC hangs
> http://icecast2.play.cz:8000/beat128aac
> while mp3 or ogg plays OK.

This works at me, so I don't see yet what can be the problem...

> I also have problem when put more radio links to single m3u file it
> sometimes stops when probing links on m3u load and then I cannot play
> another radio.

You can terminate some low level functions (some http timeouts) with the ESC key. This is still missing in some parts of http, like at socket-connect function. I'll work on it.

> Maybe it would be good to disable link probing.

I'll think on it, but basically Mpxplay knows nothing about a http link, before opening it. It can be a file too, not only a stream. Maybe I should add a "disable pre-checking for remote files" option (you can do this for all files with the -inl option)...

> Maybe it needs to do some link reset if communication stops.

We (the program) don't really know, what's happening with the low level communication. Under WinXP I always get back the control of the program after some (max 8-10) seconds. I don't know that the SWSsock lib has such reset function at all.

> I've released an alpha3 too, with some modifications and bugfixes

Thanks ... so built-in OPUS is not yet done ? I'll test

> You can terminate some low level functions (some http timeouts) with the
> ESC key. This is still missing in some parts of http, like at
> socket-connect function. I'll work on it.

So you are also working (not yet fixed in a3) on the "abort-BUG" ?

---
This is a LOGITECH mouse driver, but some software expect here
the following string:*** This is Copyright 1983 Microsoft ***

> I'll think on it, but basically Mpxplay knows nothing about a http link,
> before opening it. It can be a file too, not only a stream. Maybe I should
> add a "disable pre-checking for remote files" option (you can do this for
> all files with the -inl option)...

Even with -inl I still have a problem when I switch between links many times (maybe 10x or more) that on next link mpxplay stops and I cannot recover by choosing any other link. All I can do is quit mpx and run again. I don't know if it is not a problem of swsock or packet driver but when I use Dillo or Arachne browser I don't have such problems when browsing via links...
Anyway it's still better than nothing :)

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> Even with -inl I still have a problem when I switch between links many
> times (maybe 10x or more) that on next link mpxplay stops and I cannot
> recover by choosing any other link. All I can do is quit mpx and run again.
> I don't know if it is not a problem of swsock or packet driver but when I
> use Dillo or Arachne browser I don't have such problems when browsing via
> links...

1. Probably you have to see something error message in the ID3 window,
like "getting IP address(es) failed!" or "no connection to the server!",
when you press enter on a link.
Or do you see "connect ok, playing...", but the playing doesn't start?

2. Can you try the Win32 version on the same net and links?
(Do you use the same M3U/links what you've attached earlier?)

I tried 1.60a3 on my netbook Acer Aspire one ZG5 (Intel Atom, with IDH audio), and get only static with -scs:AUTO, and with -scs:IDH I get no sound at all. With the current DOS build of Mplayer.exe, the IDH sound card is detected and sound plays perfectly.

On my other netbook Acer Aspire One D250, same specs as the ZG5, I get static with 1.60a3 with -scs:AUTO, but sound with -scs:IDH.

Strange, any suggestions?

> I tried 1.60a3 on my netbook Acer Aspire one ZG5 (Intel Atom, with IDH
> audio), and get only static with -scs:AUTO, and with -scs:IDH I get no
> sound at all. With the current DOS build of Mplayer.exe, the IDH sound card
> is detected and sound plays perfectly.
>
> On my other netbook Acer Aspire One D250, same specs as the ZG5, I get
> static with 1.60a3 with -scs:AUTO, but sound with -scs:IDH.
>
> Strange, any suggestions?

1. Just to be sure, what you did set: Did you give "-scs IHD" option (instead of "-scs:IDH")?
(I mean: without the " chars)

2. Which output would you like to use? (line-out, speaker)

3. Maybe some codecs support only 48000 Hz (and 96000 and 192000)
Try -of 48000 option too.

4. You should try the -sct option too (just use: mpxplay.exe -sct) and tell me the results of the two boards.

btw. I've begun to check the routines of WSS lib (used in Mplayer), but I cannot agree with some solutions (because then the playing starts very slowly at me) and I haven't used/tried everything from that code. I'll continue it, just I need some feedback about the result of changes (because the HDA handling works properly on my 2 boards, so I don't see the 'bug'). Thnx

> 1. Probably you have to see something error message in the ID3 window,
> like "getting IP address(es) failed!" or "no connection to the server!",
> when you press enter on a link.
> Or do you see "connect ok, playing...", but the playing doesn't start?

Yes I got an error:
HTTP: getting IP address... (1/10s)
HTTP: couldn't open socket! (forever)

> 2. Can you try the Win32 version on the same net and links?
> (Do you use the same M3U/links what you've attached earlier?)

I tried win32 version under WXP and it works fine and for all links in the M3U. Loading seems to be faster. http://rayer.g6.cz/mpxplay/radio.m3u

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

OK, Thanks for suggestions. Here are results of -sct on:

ZG5 netbook: IHD: Intel ICH7 (808627D8) > Realtek (10EC0268) 192 khz/24bit/8ch
D250 netbook: IDH: Intel ICH7 (808627D8) > Realtek (10EC0272) 192 khz/24bit/8ch

Note: only detected difference of 10EC0268 vs 10EC0272.

My OS is gool old MS-DOS 7.1

I used "-scs IDH" option NOT "-scs:IDH" -- it was a typo.

The mystery deepens as, I plugged in headphones on the lineout jack on the ZG5 system, and initially with "-scs IDH" got NO sound volume. Then I tried "-scs IDH -scvom 100" and got very low, attenuated sound. Then setting volume to 700, sound gets a little bit louder, but very much distorted. I also noticed that the "static" I was hearing on -scs AUTO was in fact extreme distortion of the sound. I had to lower output volume all the way down to 1 or 2 out of 100, and then the sound could be heard undistorted (no static), but very, very low volume... How to remedy this? Mplayer WSS library plays sound at very loud, clear, undistored.

EDIT: While the sound is playing at that very low volume, adjusting soundcard volume with <ALT+.> has no effect, ie can go from 100% to 0% with no change in volume, and also back up to 100% also with no change in volume.

I am convinced the problem lies in wrongly detecting the output mode, I tried settings -scd and -scc options to +1, +2, and 0 with no effect, as I thought I might be able to switch from speaker to lineout via them, but I couldn't.

All these problems disappear on the D250 netbook, (Realtak 10EC0272 detected), and no distortion, very loud sound via both speakers and lineout jack.

> EDIT: While the sound is playing at that very low volume, adjusting
> soundcard volume with <ALT+.> has no effect, ie can go from 100% to 0% with
> no change in volume, and also back up to 100% also with no change in
> volume.
>
> I am convinced the problem lies in wrongly detecting the output mode, I
> tried settings -scd and -scc options to +1, +2, and 0 with no effect, as I
> thought I might be able to switch from speaker to lineout via them, but I
> couldn't.
>
> All these problems disappear on the D250 netbook, (Realtak 10EC0272
> detected), and no distortion, very loud sound via both speakers and lineout
> jack.

Thank You for the testing.
I'll try to take out the mixer initialization from the WSS, but it has a different structure, I have to do major modifications to implement it into my code.

> Yes I got an error:
> HTTP: getting IP address... (1/10s)
> HTTP: couldn't open socket! (forever)

Thnx.
The max number of sockets in SWS lib is 16 by default.
I close the socket after playing of a http file/stream, but I don't know what's happening in the SWS part, maybe it doesn't close really the socket (keeps opening), and when you reach the 16 (14-15 skip in Mpxplay), you cannot open more sockets...

I've added a SWS-reinit if a socket open fails, but I don't think so that this is the perfect solution...

You can put a "sockets = NUM" variable in the [tcp] part of the sws_sock.ini file, try to set it to lower or higher value than 16, and see what's changing then.
(see config.txt in this zip: http://www.softsystem.co.uk/download/swssock/SwsSockSrc213.zip )

btw. how long time to skip between http streams?
(The real question: how long is to close a http socket? Maybe it fails with a timeout...)

> The mystery deepens as, I plugged in headphones on the lineout jack on the
> ZG5 system, and initially with "-scs IDH" got NO sound volume....

Just a small note - codec is smart and sensing for plugged jacks. Maybe it can recognize headphones from lineout by impedance. I don't know it may need some extra configuration. If you look at wss log then you saw some info about jacks, I barely remember...

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> You can put a "sockets = NUM" variable in the [tcp] part of the
> sws_sock.ini file, try to set it to lower or higher value than 16, and see
> what's changing then.
> (see config.txt in this zip:
> http://www.softsystem.co.uk/download/swssock/SwsSockSrc213.zip

I tried to decrease sockets to 2 and it stopped very soon. Then I increased it to 64 and it worked much better but finally stopped too. It seem's that sockets are not closed properly. During test I swithed links quite fast, few seconds for each. That wotked fine under windows and it started to play another link immediatelly without gap. BTW haw many sockets is safe to use under dos/swsocks? Does it eat some lowmem?

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> Thank You for the testing.
> I'll try to take out the mixer initialization from the WSS, but it has a
> different structure, I have to do major modifications to implement it into
> my code.

IIRC, you have to set EAPD bit in order to enable the amplifier for some laptops' internal speakers.

---
Glory to God for all things

> IIRC, you have to set EAPD bit in order to enable the amplifier for some
> laptops' internal speakers.

Thank You, I'll look at that too.
But if the soundcard volume changing (alt-',' & alt-'.') has no effect, then something have to be completely wrong in the mixer/nodes configuration/detection.

>Just a small note - codec is smart and sensing for plugged jacks. Maybe it can >recognize headphones from lineout by impedance. I don't know it may need some >extra configuration. If you look at wss log then you saw some info about >jacks, I barely remember...

I think so the "plugged jacks" detection is completely missing from my code, probably it requires some extra routines (to detect which jack is plugged, and to build the mixer configuration for that).
I switched off this feature under windows too...

> BTW haw many sockets is safe to use under dos/swsocks? Does it eat some lowmem?

Who knows?...

Scanning the source of SWS, it seems, it cannot handle properly the socket-close, if the socket is in non-blocking mode. And my data sockets are in non-block mode (if no incomming data, the file reading and the complete desktop will not freeze)...
So, I've added a "switch back to blocked mode" before the closesocket function (in DOS version only, because I don't see such problems under Win). We can hope, this will help.

> Scanning the source of SWS, it seems, it cannot handle properly the
> socket-close, if the socket is in non-blocking mode. And my data sockets
> are in non-block mode (if no incomming data, the file reading and the
> complete desktop will not freeze)...
> So, I've added a "switch back to blocked mode" before the closesocket
> function (in DOS version only, because I don't see such problems under
> Win). We can hope, this will help.

Well it may help, I'm ready to test new aplha

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> > IIRC, you have to set EAPD bit in order to enable the amplifier for some
> > laptops' internal speakers.
>
> Thank You, I'll look at that too.
> But if the soundcard volume changing (alt-',' & alt-'.') has no effect,
> then something have to be completely wrong in the mixer/nodes
> configuration/detection.

If the volume is that of the amplifier, changing the volume without the amplifier being enabled has no effect. This is the case of my laptop's HDA. Enable the amplifier by setting the EAPD bit, and the volume will work.

> >Just a small note - codec is smart and sensing for plugged jacks. Maybe it
> can >recognize headphones from lineout by impedance. I don't know it may
> need some >extra configuration. If you look at wss log then you saw some
> info about >jacks, I barely remember...
>
> I think so the "plugged jacks" detection is completely missing from my
> code, probably it requires some extra routines (to detect which jack is
> plugged, and to build the mixer configuration for that).
> I switched off this feature under windows too...

If you refer to wss from my mplayer's DJGPP builds, the HDA part is done by me. Be aware that some cards return wrong info about the plugged jacks, and besides you would have to use an interrupt routine for continuously checking the messages re: a jack plugged or unplugged. I didn't implement such a thing.

---
Glory to God for all things

> I tried settings -scd and -scc options to +1, +2, and 0 with no effect, as I
> thought I might be able to switch from speaker to lineout via them, but I
> couldn't.

Here is a modified DOS32/A version. Please try what's happening with and without the -scc 1 option on both codecs. (only the speaker config has changed yet)

http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/MD121230.ZIP/download

> All these problems disappear on the D250 netbook, (Realtak 10EC0272
> detected), and no distortion, very loud sound via both speakers and lineout
> jack.

btw. What's happening with the sound of speaker at the alpha 3 (previous version), if you plug-in or remove the line-out jack? Or both output always sound together? (I mean: is any hardware jack detecion)?

RayeR:
The tcpip communication is also changed (in the above version), please try it. Don't set the number of sockets below 5 (2 is surely few for Mpxplay).

I have a new laptop with Intel PCH audio. With MPXPLAY /SCT (using the latest build of MPXPLAY) it will display the following info:

IHD : Intel PCH (80861E20) -> IDT (111D76E0) (max 192kHz/32bit?/8ch)

However there is no sound when playing any file. I had tried options such as -SCS IHD but without luck. Any ideas?

P.S. The current build of MPlayer seems to also not work with this audio, but it will work on *ALL* of my other laptops with Intel ICH HD audio (whereas the current build of MPXPLAY fails to produce sound in most of them).

> RayeR:
> The tcpip communication is also changed (in the above version), please try
> it. Don't set the number of sockets below 5 (2 is surely few for Mpxplay).

Unfortunatelly still stopping.
Now with HTTP: getting IP address(es) failed. And when I try go back to link that I played before I got cannot play file *.mp3
It seems to be random, there's not much difference if I have 8 or 16 sockets, sometimes it stops after 4 changes, sometimes after 20...

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

i love mpxplay

is a reason for mpxplay to exist is to make drivers for all sound hardware? and to play music very well LIKE A BOSS?

---
CRAZY wwww

> Here is a modified DOS32/A version. Please try what's happening with and
> without the -scc 1 option on both codecs. (only the speaker config has
> changed yet)
>
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/MD121230.ZIP/download

This version of 1.60a3 works! On my ZG5 system and my AOD250 systems the result is the same, with -scc 1. I get loud, amplified, undistorted sound, which comes through both in the speakers AND the headphone jack, at the same time. Using <alt+.> to increase / decrease master volume has no effect on the loudless. To increase / decrease it, I must manually specificy the -scvom <number> level, eg, -scc 1 -scvom 75 gives me loud sound, while -scc 1 -scvom 25 gives lower volume, as it should.

-scc 0 no sound comes through speakers OR headphone jack. -scc 1 gives sound through BOTH speaker and headphone jack on both netbooks, (ZG5 and AOD250).

Prior to this custom build of 1.60a3, -scc 1 had no effect.

Incidently, on the D250 system, the sound has always come through both speaker and headphone jacks at same time (no smart detection), but the speaker output is much less loud than the headphone output. This behavior goes back to MPXPLAY 1.57 and before, since IDH codec was implemented.

> > Here is a modified DOS32/A version. Please try what's happening with and
> > without the -scc 1 option on both codecs. (only the speaker config has
> > changed yet)
> >
> >
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/MD121230.ZIP/download
>
> This version of 1.60a3 works! On my ZG5 system and my AOD250 systems the
> result is the same, with -scc 1. I get loud, amplified, undistorted sound,
> which comes through both in the speakers AND the headphone jack, at the
> same time. Using <alt+.> to increase / decrease master volume has no effect
> on the loudless. To increase / decrease it, I must manually specificy the
> -scvom <number> level, eg, -scc 1 -scvom 75 gives me loud sound, while -scc
> 1 -scvom 25 gives lower volume, as it should.
>
> -scc 0 no sound comes through speakers OR headphone jack. -scc 1 gives
> sound through BOTH speaker and headphone jack on both netbooks, (ZG5 and
> AOD250).
>
> Prior to this custom build of 1.60a3, -scc 1 had no effect.
>
> Incidently, on the D250 system, the sound has always come through both
> speaker and headphone jacks at same time (no smart detection), but the
> speaker output is much less loud than the headphone output. This behavior
> goes back to MPXPLAY 1.57 and before, since IDH codec was implemented.

Thank you!
It seems, the headphone out also needs the same extra setting (EAPD).
I'll do some further modification to properly select the speaker or headphone with -scc 1 or 0 setting. (I don't implement auto jack detection (yet))

RayeR:
Now I see the bugs under WinXP with packet emulator too (just I had to install a router for my new inet provider), but the v1.59 on ftp servers is also bad (after connecting and disconnecting many times).
So this bug is not new nor http related (and I have no new ideas yet)...

> I have a new laptop with Intel PCH audio. With MPXPLAY /SCT (using the
> latest build of MPXPLAY) it will display the following info:
>
> IHD : Intel PCH (80861E20) -> IDT (111D76E0) (max 192kHz/32bit?/8ch)
>
> However there is no sound when playing any file. I had tried options such
> as -SCS IHD but without luck. Any ideas?
>
> P.S. The current build of MPlayer seems to also not work with this audio,
> but it will work on *ALL* of my other laptops with Intel ICH HD audio
> (whereas the current build of MPXPLAY fails to produce sound in most of
> them).

And what's happening if you use this test version with -scc 1 option?
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/MD121230.ZIP/download

> Now I see the bugs under WinXP with packet emulator too (just I had to
> install a router for my new inet provider), but the v1.59 on ftp servers is
> also bad (after connecting and disconnecting many times).
> So this bug is not new nor http related (and I have no new ideas yet)...
>

But it's good that you can rise the bug on your PC for better debuging :)
I don't use this feature so much so I think it's higher priority to improve HDA support as you doing :)

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> > I have a new laptop with Intel PCH audio. With MPXPLAY /SCT (using the
> > latest build of MPXPLAY) it will display the following info:
> >
> > IHD : Intel PCH (80861E20) -> IDT (111D76E0) (max 192kHz/32bit?/8ch)
> >
> > However there is no sound when playing any file. I had tried options
> such
> > as -SCS IHD but without luck. Any ideas?
> >
> > P.S. The current build of MPlayer seems to also not work with this
> audio,
> > but it will work on *ALL* of my other laptops with Intel ICH HD audio
> > (whereas the current build of MPXPLAY fails to produce sound in most of
> > them).
>
> And what's happening if you use this test version with -scc 1 option?
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/MD121230.ZIP/download

I have already tested this version with -scc 1 option, but there is still no sound coming out. Strange.

> > I have a new laptop with Intel PCH audio. With MPXPLAY /SCT (using the
> > latest build of MPXPLAY) it will display the following info:
> >
> > IHD : Intel PCH (80861E20) -> IDT (111D76E0) (max 192kHz/32bit?/8ch)
> >
> > However there is no sound when playing any file. I had tried options
> such
> > as -SCS IHD but without luck. Any ideas?
> >
> > P.S. The current build of MPlayer seems to also not work with this
> audio,
> > but it will work on *ALL* of my other laptops with Intel ICH HD audio
> > (whereas the current build of MPXPLAY fails to produce sound in most of
> > them).
>
> And what's happening if you use this test version with -scc 1 option?
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/MD121230.ZIP/download

Just to mention that this version with -scc 1 option works on one of my older laptops though (it won't work if an older build of MPXPLAY is used or -scc 1 is absent).

I've made a new test version:
- HDA: now only the -scc 1 option enables the speaker, it's disabled by default (-scc 0), I mean it have to work on this way... (and EAPD/power is enabled at HP out too)
- network: I've replaced the SWSsock lib with WATTCP (uses a wattcp.cfg config file), because I have no time to correct the SWS lib...
I've begun to use SWS (a couple of years ago), becuase WATTCP didn't work on my DOS network. Now it works properly with packet emulator under WinXP (only the connect takes 6-8 secs sometimes), but I don't know what's happening in real DOS. Some people should test this... thnx

btw. Arachne also uses WATTCP

download:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpxplay/files/Mpxplay/Mpxplay%20v1.60%20final/MD130105.ZIP/download

Sparky:
I don't plan to develop anything under DOS (except Mpxplay).
The possibility is yours...

> - network: I've replaced the SWSsock lib with WATTCP (uses a wattcp.cfg
> config file), because I have no time to correct the SWS lib...

Uh oh, bad move. I got strange choppy sound from all web links. It seems like it repeats once filled DMA buffer or part (~1/10s) for 3-4 times then reload buffer with new data and gain... It also seems like CPU is heavy overloaded even it shows 20-40% CPU load the spectrum analyzes moves about 5 FPS and mouse too. Only one thing is positive - it didn't hanged HTTP, I tried browse links many times (suffering with that sound :P) and no problem. So it seems to be really a swsocks bug. Did you reported to swsock authors?

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

> > - network: I've replaced the SWSsock lib with WATTCP (uses a wattcp.cfg
> > config file), because I have no time to correct the SWS lib...
>
> Uh oh, bad move. I got strange choppy sound from all web links. It seems
> like it repeats once filled DMA buffer or part (~1/10s) for 3-4 times then
> reload buffer with new data and gain... It also seems like CPU is heavy
> overloaded even it shows 20-40% CPU load the spectrum analyzes moves about
> 5 FPS and mouse too. Only one thing is positive - it didn't hanged HTTP, I
> tried browse links many times (suffering with that sound :P) and no
> problem. So it seems to be really a swsocks bug. Did you reported to swsock
> authors?

Thank You for the testing.
You can try one more thing at WATTCP version: use -bn8 option
(the downloading (http copy) with the DOS/WATTCP works properly at me,
maybe the INT08 causes problem, what I cannot test under Win)

I'll try to do something more (maybe with SWS)...

> You can try one more thing at WATTCP version: use -bn8 option
> (the downloading (http copy) with the DOS/WATTCP works properly at me,
> maybe the INT08 causes problem, what I cannot test under Win)

Yeah, with -bn8 it works fine! CPU load is at 0%. And HTTP reloading is faster, most of links start play within 0,5s max 1s. So wattcp wins against swsuxx...

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.

I have a new problem with wattcp based mpxplay which is not in swssock based.
In FTP connection is browsing in directories quite fast but gathering file info from MP3 files is terribly slow and cannot be interrupted. (I use passive FTP mode)
-bn8 option does not help

If I remember this problem was also in some first swssock versions but later was fixed.

Two other problems:
- If I am connected to FTP server I can not copy file by CTRL-F5.
It displays message like "file 0:\somemp3.mp3 can't be copied"

- mixer initialization in SB Live! card doesn't work properly. Only left speaker plays and the right one is silent.
(workaround: start QuickView with SBLive! driver which makes the some initialization and then MPXplay works correctly.)
Also note that parameter -SCV doesn't work with SB Live! at all. Both speakers remains completely silent regardless the specified value
(problems with SB Live! mixer were also in older versions)

---
DOS-u-akbar!

> I have a new problem with wattcp based mpxplay which is not in swssock
> based.
> In FTP connection is browsing in directories quite fast but gathering file
> info from MP3 files is terribly slow and cannot be interrupted. (I use
> passive FTP mode)
> -bn8 option does not help

God damn it... We would need 2 releases now

> - mixer initialization in SB Live! card doesn't work properly. Only left
> speaker plays and the right one is silent.
...
> (problems with SB Live! mixer were also in older versions)

Since which version? I still use SB Live in my hardware MP3 player and never had this problem, I don't use any dos drivers there, just built in mpxplay driver. I dont't remember last update but it's surely some years old version there...

On my Audigy 2 in main PC it's fine (also without dos drivers, just load mpxplay).

---
DOS gives me freedom to unlimited HW access.