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Audio Playback Devices Exclusive Mode issue with Workshelf
http://forums.winstep.net/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10377		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  JeffBDVS [ Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Audio Playback Devices Exclusive Mode issue with Workshelf
I have Workshelf 16.06 as part of Winstep Xtreme. Running the latest and greatest updates for Windows 10 Pro x64.

TL;DR - Launching an audio player app from a Workshelf dock messes up the playback of hi-res audio files. Launching the same app from the Windows Start Menu does not.

Setup: I have a USB DAC that I use to listen to hi-res audio files through headphones. Most of my audio playback software requires the DAC (which is seen as a Windows Playback Device) to have Exclusive Mode enabled in order to send the DAC 24-bit/96kHz audio from the FLAC file. (Control Panel>Sounds>Playback Devices>Properties>Advanced)

Problem: One app (TIDAL) will not force the DAC into Exclusive Mode when it is launched from a shelf item on a Workshelf dock. It behaves like it is still in Shared Mode, which forces the audio to be downsampled to whatever is set in the Playback Device Advanced Properties of the DAC (Default is CD Quality: 16-bit/44.1kHz). If I launch TIDAL from the Windows Start Menu, then everything works properly and TIDAL has no trouble forcing the DAC into Exclusive Mode. That holds true even if I use the Workshelf dock item to access the Start Menu. All this is a problem because TIDAL has now started streaming Master quality hi-res audio through the Windows desktop app.

Question: How does launching an application from a Workshelf dock item differ from launching that app from the Windows Start Menu in such a way that control of audio playback devices would be affected?

More Info: The DAC driver is an ASIO driver.

Thanks for any help or insight.

Cheers,
Jeff
Author:  winstep [ Sun Jan 08, 2017 4:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audio Playback Devices Exclusive Mode issue with Workshe
JeffBDVS wrote:
Question: How does launching an application from a Workshelf dock item differ from launching that app from the Windows Start Menu in such a way that control of audio playback devices would be affected?


Remember how you had to install separate 32 bit and 64 bit codecs since the 32 bit codecs only worked with 32 bit applications? My bet is that something similar is happening here, although what exactly I have no idea.

WorkShelf is a 32 bit application. It can launch 64 bit applications, but the two worlds don't really mix, not without some thunking in the middle.
Author:  JeffBDVS [ Sun Jan 08, 2017 4:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audio Playback Devices Exclusive Mode issue with Workshe
winstep wrote:
WorkShelf is a 32 bit application. It can launch 64 bit applications, but the two worlds don't really mix, not without some thunking in the middle.


The TIDAL app is 32-bit as well, but I really like your use of the word, "thunking"! :D

Seriously though, you may be right about 32-bitness in a 64-bit world. All of my audio apps that are well-behaved with regard to the 64-bit ASIO DAC driver, even when launched from Workshelf, are 64-bit. Windows may make resources available to TIDAL at just the right time during launch that Workshelf cannot. At least that will be my story if anyone asks...

Cheers,
Jeff

EDIT: Never mind. The Windows Start Menu Shortcut launches what appears to be a custom 64-bit loader, and it is that loader that starts the 32-bit TIDAL app. If I exactly duplicate the Start Menu shortcut properties in a new Workshelf shelf item, rather than drag the TIDAL executable to the dock to create the shelf item, then the TIDAL app becomes magically well-behaved even when launched from Workshelf.

Jorge, thanks for pointing me in the 32-bit/64-bit direction, because it was the effort to determine the bitness of the TIDAL app that forced me to examine the Start Menu shortcut. (Damn icons for both the loader and the app are identical.) :roll:
Author:  winstep [ Sun Jan 08, 2017 5:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Audio Playback Devices Exclusive Mode issue with Workshe
JeffBDVS wrote:
The TIDAL app is 32-bit as well, but I really like your use of the word, "thunking"! :D


LOL :)
Author:  JeffBDVS [ Sun Jan 08, 2017 12:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Audio Playback Devices Exclusive Mode issue with Workshe
Jorge, I think you and I may have cross-posted. I edited my previous post to include the real problem and the solution. Not surprisingly, it was user error. Bumping this to make sure the new information gets out.

Cheers,
Jeff
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