[Q] Streaming Audio Problems (NOT the usual complaint)

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Hey guys, I posted this over at Android Forums and, of course, I should have done so here first. I'm having a problem with the QUALITY of streaming audio, as described below. I'm hoping you guys can find a solution--this is the only thing I don't like about the MoPho

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Hey, guys, I'm having a strange problem with streaming audio which I'd really appreciate if someone could confirm and perhaps help me troubleshoot. I'm certain this is a MoPho specific issue--I'll explain why below...

BACKGROUND:

I am a "feed provider"--I put a police scanner online through radioreference.com which monitors Indianapolis (Marion Co, Indiana) police agencies' dispatch channels. It's a digital system which is difficult to monitor; it requires an expensive radio, ideally located and programmed correctly. At any given time, from a handful to dozens (or more) people listen online via PC's, Macs, and SmartPhones of all manner and description.

I use the paid version of a free app, Scanner Radio by Gordon Edwards, (which I'm sure many of you use--it's a great app) to enjoy and keep tabs on my feed. A couple of days ago, my audio went to hell on the MoPho. I'm hearing brief, spurious bursts of noise during both periods of silence and during transmissions. These can occur from a few seconds to a minute or more apart. I hear these same problems using Wunder Radio to monitor my feed.

I also hear a different problem when monitoring NOAA weather broadcasts using both apps. It manifests itself a bit differently, but I'm convinced it's the same basic issue. On those broadcasts, it seems that the audio might be playing a very slight bit too slowly, and "catches up" via an intermittent, steady, cyclic, nearly instantaneous "skip". It sounds something like this...

"In Indianlis, at eight PM the temperature was eighty-en degrees, and the relative humidity was seventy-two peent" with no pauses--the audio is continuous.

SOLUTIONS I'VE TRIED:

1. Confirmed problem is MoPho specific by monitoring same sources with same apps on a Galaxy Tab. Everything sounded fine.

2. Changed DNS server and Port Addresses to 0,0,0,0 and 0, respectively. No improvement noted.

3. Factory-reset MoPho. Installed just Scanner Radio Pro. Problem was still present.

4. Have tried wi-fi, 3G, and 4G. Problem exists in all cases.

5. Scanner Radio (free and pro both) have an option to stream via their own built-in player or the native Android media player. Problem exists using both.

CONCLUSION:

If anyone wants to have a go at this, my specific feed can be found in Scanner Radio at Browse, Browse by area, United States, Indiana, Marion County, Marion County Police Dispatch. I'm at a loss--I'm confounded and I hope someone can help me work this out.

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Here's a link to the thread where potential issues have been discussed. I've tried several things, including installing the leaked update (no problems there, thanks guys!) but the problems remain. Many thanks in advance for any help you all can give.

http://androidforums.com/motorola-ph...ease-help.html

It's almost like some sort of a buffering issue...

I do believe I'm "hot on the trail" of this problem... From ScannerCast's configuration and usage page:



"Playback Using RealPlayer Results In Periodic Noise



If you play back a stream created by ScannerCast using any version of RealPlayer, the resulting audio will contain periodic pops, clicks, screeches, and noise. This happens whether you directly listen to a ScannerCast stream, or you listen to a stream created by ScannerCast that's being relayed through a SHOUTcast/Icecast server.

This problem occurs because RealPlayer incorrectly handles the SHOUTcast metadata interval parameter, causing it to attempt to decode the metadata as MP3 audio data. This bug was first reported to the RealPlayer developers in 2005, and applies to any SHOUTcast or Icecast stream that doesn't use the default metadata interval of 16K. Real Networks (the for-profit company that owns RealPlayer) hasn't fixed the bug in all these years, and my attempts to report this problem to the RealPlayer developers, or at least hear their side of the story, received no reply.

While ScannerCast could be changed to use the default metadata interval, that would seriously degrade tag/audio synchronization. I have no plans to change the way ScannerCast works to make it work with a third-rate, broken, media player."



Sound familiar???

Originally Posted by tbhausen

I do believe I'm "hot on the trail" of this problem... From ScannerCast's configuration and usage page:



"Playback Using RealPlayer Results In Periodic Noise



If you play back a stream created by ScannerCast using any version of RealPlayer, the resulting audio will contain periodic pops, clicks, screeches, and noise. This happens whether you directly listen to a ScannerCast stream, or you listen to a stream created by ScannerCast that's being relayed through a SHOUTcast/Icecast server.

This problem occurs because RealPlayer incorrectly handles the SHOUTcast metadata interval parameter, causing it to attempt to decode the metadata as MP3 audio data. This bug was first reported to the RealPlayer developers in 2005, and applies to any SHOUTcast or Icecast stream that doesn't use the default metadata interval of 16K. Real Networks (the for-profit company that owns RealPlayer) hasn't fixed the bug in all these years, and my attempts to report this problem to the RealPlayer developers, or at least hear their side of the story, received no reply.

While ScannerCast could be changed to use the default metadata interval, that would seriously degrade tag/audio synchronization. I have no plans to change the way ScannerCast works to make it work with a third-rate, broken, media player."



Sound familiar???

Why does this affect you? Our default media player isn't RealPlayer. Or you saying that's what you've been using? Sorry...confused, hoping to see you resolve this tho...good luck!

No, but I believe the in app player for Scanner Radio and teh Andriod player as implemented in the MoPho have an identical (or very similar) problem. I won't rest until I get to the bottom of this or my 30 days is up, whichever comes first.

Originally Posted by tbhausen

No, but I believe the in app player for Scanner Radio and teh Andriod player as implemented in the MoPho have an identical (or very similar) problem. I won't rest until I get to the bottom of this or my 30 days is up, whichever comes first.

Ah...gotcha. Have you tried using alternate players then? Seems there's a few that support feeds in the market. Double Twist? Doggcatcher

Originally Posted by Bandage

Why does this affect you? Our default media player isn't RealPlayer. Or you saying that's what you've been using? Sorry...confused, hoping to see you resolve this tho...good luck!

I would also be willing to wager that the stream that is used is Shoutcast...as this was the same problem with the MLB app and moto phones. When you switch the alternate audio for streaming MLB games in app instead of the Shoutcast method the problem goes away.

SOLVED (Workaround)

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SOLVED:

Apparently, Motorola phones don't like 16kbps mono audio streams. I set up alternative broadcasting software and changed my feed to 32kbps stereo, and the feed plays well with the in-app (Scanner Radio) player--not so well with the Android player. The feed is now listenable, and I hipe this helps people (even if they hadn't experienced the problem--yet...).

Originally Posted by tbhausen

SOLVED:

Apparently, Motorola phones don't like 16kbps mono audio streams. I set up alternative broadcasting software and changed my feed to 32kbps stereo, and the feed plays well with the in-app (Scanner Radio) player--not so well with the Android player. The feed is now listenable, and I hipe this helps people (even if they hadn't experienced the problem--yet...).

Nice TB...glad you figured it out!!