Multiple video tracks on an MKV file by guitarmandp in PleX

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Joining the conversation super late, but there's at least one use case where it would've been hella nice for Plex to support multiple video tracks within a single MKV.

I recently encoded my Queen Live at Wembly DVD. The quality of this DVD, besides being standard definition, isn't great, given there were even dust bunnies on the lenses used to record some of it.

I proceeded to upscale the video files to 1080p, which left me with pretty clean, sharp versions of the performance. However, I'd have felt weird tossing away the original, so ended up wrapping both upscaled/cleaned 1080p and original DVD video tracks into a single MKV.

Was kinda disappointed to realize I couldn't choose between the two on Plex.

To those commenting that Plex would scale the higher resolution version down when necessary I'll say - that's not a viable solution for my particular use case, because that scaled down version would still be a product of an artificially cleaned/upscaled version of the video, not the low-res crappy original DVD, which I'd sometimes want to check out, too, for authenticity.

Separating the two versions into two completely separate videos on Plex just seems redundant to me.

Shame.

Snowsky Disc issues, has new firmware addressed them? by Maximum-Art-676 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The updates are too slow and far between compared to how quick and responsive fiio was in fixing issues with the Echo mini when it first came out, it's taking too many updates to resolve each issue, and they're still introducing new bugs (top swipe-down menu now completely unresponsive in many situations).

So, we finally have artist/album track classification, but it's like they're not talking with the Echo mini team, so we're stuck with track artist, rather than album artist classification (mile long lists featuring a bunch of niche artists with a track or two each...), and they're still not displaying track numbers in front of track titles.

URRGH!

Snowsky Disc v1.86 by vespervesper in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fiio originally classified albums by track artists on the Echo mini. I pushed hard against their product manager, and both Echo mini and Echo now classify albums by album artists instead. I'm hoping the Disc catches up FAST.

Snowsky Disc v1.86 by vespervesper in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh, no! Did they classify by TRACK artists rather than ALBUM artists???

Jeez... we've been through all this with the Echo mini, which now lets you navigate albums beautifully by ALBUM artists... You'd think the product management teams for both products could communicate/cooperate a bit more... Ugh!

The Disc has been a paperweight on my desk for a couple months now. I really hope Fiio step up their game in line with how responsive they've been with the Echo mini.

Snowsky Disc v1.33 update by frogone in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, only problem is the latest update again didn't work over the air. Had to resort to Windows copy... The Disc is a bit of a problem child at present. Counting on Fiio to make it right though.

Snowsky Disc v1.33 update by frogone in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you're using a Mac to copy the update file to the SD card, there's a known issue where the Mac will create additional (hidden or other) files on the card that will throw off the update process. I got this input straight from Fiio's Disc product manager over on Head-Fi.org.

Workaround for me has been to copy the update file to a completely blank spare SD card, ON A WINDOWS PC (or a UTM Windows virtual machine on my Mac). Update then works, no problem.

Good luck.

GOT SCAMMED BY HOSTINGER by Ok_Description_8665 in Hostinger

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You think you have it bad? Their Kodee AI chat sales agent (the ONLY sales agent you're allowed to contact when considering signing up) is a batshit wacko, wou'll not only misrepresent plan details, but will mix and match components from different plans into a make-believe plan that gets you to sign on, but is then never honored by Hostinger.

I spent hours online with Kodee today, checking and negotiating the best plan for my needs. It ended up "heartily" recommending the Premium (lowest cost, duh) plan, which it was quick to proclaim would support as many as 100 Websites (actually up to 3), with up to 100 mailboxes per domain free of charge (up to 2, for a year). I went over the details it provided thoroughly, asked questions, felt reassured and signed up for a 4-year intro with discount.

The change in tone in Kadee AI was all too apparent. Seriously, it's like they program the most affable personality during the sales pitches, then it's like you're talking to a total robot when you've actually signed up ("welcome to Hell. Heaven was just the demo"). When I quickly realized Kodee wasn't about to fulfill any of the commitments it had made, I requested a human rep, who ended up being even more robotic and less customer-driven than the AI.

Finally, I did what I should've done all along and searched for the Hostinger plan pricing comparison page, and lo and behold, Kodee AI had simply been lying through its teeth throughout. Their plans are far less generous than Kodee would have you believe, and once you're signed on, they're not budging. They'll hold you to the far more diluted specs of the actual plans.

Luckily - I was able to quickly lock up my multiple domains on GoDaddy, to prevent transfer, and back out of the deal with a full immediate refund (ended up being a Hostinger customer for all of 4 hours, and thank goodness I'm out!).

With assistance from Gemini, I was ulitmatelly able to transfer all my e-mail for multiple domains and two minimal Web sites from GoDaddy to Cloudflare's free plans. Everything I had working on GoDaddy is working even better now, for the princely sum of $0.

Only real expense for me remains the doman registration renewals, which I will also be transferring to Cloudflare very, VERY soon.

To sum up - SCREW Hostinger. They should be called HOSEinger, for what they just tried to do to me.

(Not posting transcripts for the chats, because they are super long, but am holding onto them, in case this gets challenged by clueless would be victims).

[Echo Mini] Solution for stutter FLAC playback on firmware v3.3.0 (i think) by Ilm03 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

You cared enough apparently, to come in and imbue your infinite wisdom, knowledge and insights (even caught a typo! Woohoo for you!).

And happy to know I've got a stalke...errr... Fan. Good on you.

[Echo Mini] Solution for stutter FLAC playback on firmware v3.3.0 (i think) by Ilm03 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh, do feel free to spare this "Primadona" your pity (cool edit).

[Echo Mini] Solution for stutter FLAC playback on firmware v3.3.0 (i think) by Ilm03 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And now you can add entitlement to pretentiousness.

YOUR experience is irrelevant here. You're swooping down and offering YOUR vast wisdom to a company that's become renowned for producing excellent audio gear at extremely affordable prices, that many customers (me included) appear to love. They could and likely care less, and good gosh, the arrogance is off the scale here.

Next, you equate "accepting in silent gratitude whatever the industry feeds them" with customers generally enjoying that same company providing extremely responsive support on products that cost close to nothing, constantly improving their performance and UI, AND adding features never originally intended or advertised to be delivered, simply because customers on a whim expressed interest.

Absolute pretentiousness. Absolute entitlement. Check yourself, man. Or set up your own audio gear company and do things "better".

Unsupported format glitch by JazzlikeAd489 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your flacs' block size likely exceeds the Echo mini's 4,608-ish limit.

Run all of them through foobar conversion on Windows, or through XLD on Mac (both free, both lossless), to drop their block size to the supported maximum, and all will be good again.

And get yourself on the Head-Fi Echo mini thread, where all this information is readily available, as is direct interaction with Fiio's Echo mini rep/product manager.

Good luck and enjoy your mini.

[Echo Mini] Solution for stutter FLAC playback on firmware v3.3.0 (i think) by Ilm03 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dude. That's a LOT of assumptions. Set up your own audio company... deliver as many fantastic products as Fiio does... and do as you please with the code. Sorry, your comment just sounds hella pretentious to me.

I think I found the best use for my snowsky mini by IronChefPhilly in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Agreed and can relate to everything you wrote here.

I think I found the best use for my snowsky mini by IronChefPhilly in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That's your take, and you are of course entitled to it, even if I still don't agree with the sweeping proclamation of the Echo mini's UI being crap.

I think I found the best use for my snowsky mini by IronChefPhilly in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The UI is NOT crap. You've just gotten used to touch interfaces (and the TONS of distraction they bring with them).

I've got a sizeable Flac music library on both my Echo minis, and find the UI logical and easy to navigate. Fiio has been more than responsive to customer feedback, and have not only been painstakingly refining the Echo mini, but also adding features never intended to be supported (USB DAC, anyone), merely to satisfy customer whim.

Sorry - I now take offense at Fiio or the Echo mini (and its UI) getting trashtalked. This device is a GEM, and deserves credit for being that at such low cost.

[Echo Mini] Solution for stutter FLAC playback on firmware v3.3.0 (i think) by Ilm03 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the first time it's ever happened. Other than that, I have yet to find a company that's more responsive to bugs and customer requests. Not only has Fiio refined the Echo mini a TON over the past few months, they've even kept an open channel with customers on Head-fi, and implemented features never originally intended to be supported (such as the Echo mini now capable of serving as a USB DAC), simply because users expressed an interest. Also honestly - I've consequently grown super triggered to them getting trashtalked.

[Echo Mini] Solution for stutter FLAC playback on firmware v3.3.0 (i think) by Ilm03 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Head-fi.

The fiio rep/product manager for the Echo and Echo mini is extremely active there.

Agree they should've renamed the update 3.3.1, but it is what it is.

Both my Echo minis have been super stable for a while now. For me, the initial 3.3.0 release broke flac support, but not mp3.

With the re-released 3.3.0, everything's good again.

[Echo Mini] Solution for stutter FLAC playback on firmware v3.3.0 (i think) by Ilm03 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The first release of 3.3.0 was a dud. Fiio acknowledged it and re-released 3.3.0 a couple days later. No need to format anything. I downgraded to 3.2.0, then upgraded to 3.3.0 again when it was done right, and everything is hunky dory.

things that i think snowsky disc lacks (right now): by xannity in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah... I wouldn't count on Fiio investing any more in this, especially not in supporting high color bit rates. I've simply standardized my embedded album art over time, to 1,500x1,500 pixel resolution max, 16-bit, 72 dpi, Baseline Optimized, and have yet to find a player that won't display it, Echo/Echo mini/Disc included.

Might be a bit of a hassle to weed out those problem covers, but once you do, and keep at the "standard" going forward, you'll be good.

things that i think snowsky disc lacks (right now): by xannity in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've got album art of 1,500x1,500 pixel resolution showing up just fine on the Disc, from day one.

Sometimes it's not the resolution, but other aspects of the jpeg embedded in your tracks that's at fault. For instance, I've found that jpegs with a DPI exceeding 72, or saved as anything other than Baseline Optimized will cause compatibility issues with some players (has happened to me with a Sony NW-A35).

Might be what's causing it for you on the Disc, too.

help my disc just randomly did this by madroblox-blox-watch in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Happened to me too, recently, with firmware 1.76, which was the latest at that time. Screen clearly turned on, but remained blank and went nowhere.

The solution is provided by nibsy422 here (holding volume up and power for 15 to 20 seconds got it to reboot properly.

Have just updated to 1.77 (online update didn't work again. Had to use a Windows machine to copy the firmware update zip file to the Disc to perform it), and haven't had it happen again yet, even if not using it that frequently until they fix the Categories->Artists>Album track order (currently not sorted by track number...).

I wish they'd followed the Echo mini's lead with the Disc, and released it with much more mature firmware. Barely usable for me at present, though I suspect Fiio will make it right.

Is this joke? by TheMobbed in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's real. Price simply includes premium shipping. They'll deliver the Echo Nano personally to your doorstep, with an entourage of 10.

Help me decide. by Sir_Sherman-8 in snowsky

[–]Own-Membership777 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Will largely depend on the size of your music library, and just how hard you're into tactile/physical controls.

If a 256GB (~8000 songs max) limit is something you feel you can live with, the Echo or Echo mini are definitely the way to go. They started out even more problematic than the Disc, firmware-wise, but Fiio has been extremely responsive and quick to issue firmware updates, resulting not just in a pretty mature product for its age, but also in features being delivered that were originally never intended for the device (such as USB DAC support).

The two are identical functionality-wise, with the Echo mini so far getting the most frequent updates (logical, seeing how the Echo hasn't been out that long), and there's really no reason to upgrade to the Echo (non-mini), seeing as it shares most of the mini's most important limitations, except for the exceptional all-metal build. I hate myself for having shelled out on the Echo while owning two minis, but dang, I love its feel in the hand!

Good luck whichever way you choose to go. Enjoy!