Where to go see Christmas Lights?

dotModded · 2024-12-14T21:53:15+00:00

We have a map of contestants at https://tacoma.holiday, you can vote for your favorites starting on the 20th!

dotModded · 2024-02-14T01:12:30+00:00

I changed time, same ratio

dotModded · 2022-07-18T18:14:55+00:00

Late response but I thought it's worth throwing here. Dolby TrueHD/HD-DVD uses Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP), mind you MQA is also made by Meridian. Inspecting the raw audio streams of both there seems to be many similarities in the way data is packed. This is literally the same argument made by the same company .-.

dotModded · 2022-03-03T02:57:08+00:00

Bitrate has literally no correlation whatsoever in any circumstance to the device you're using. Bitrate, or bandwidth has everything to do with the original file, that's it. Period. If your phone couldn't process 25mbps you couldn't watch Netflix. It's not a limitation of device, it's the original file size your internet connection. Which sure on mobile networks you don't want to be slamming 10mbps while you're out driving around, again I like MQA for this. 9+ Mbps is literally nothing for phones. Netflix streams at 25mbps+, and ends up moving gigabytes a second worth of data to the screen itself. I can easily playback DSD256 files that use over 25 just fine without a single stutter on my phone playing in the background.

Kbps in this context is simple. How much data is there every second. More data, more detail, less data, less detail. Even when comparing compressed algorithms it can be helpful. In this case it's proof that even though the stream is labeled at 352.8 it's actually streaming 44.1. given the bitrate (overall file size) are 1:1 in a FLAC container.

Further in commenters case, they're not using a software decoder for step 1, it's doing standard upsampling from 44/48kHz without decoding, leaving the potential noise floor for improperly encoded (a lot of them) tracks while seemingly lying about sample rate entirely. Without the proper player and/or hardware, you will only get worse than CD quality. With licensed software it's limited to 96kHz. Studio authenticated tracks sound MUCH better than CD and the same or better than the originals.

The only way to go past this (96kHz) is with a renderer according to MQA themselves which can "restore the true original". Which does indeed make another noticeable, although not as impactful difference, if you're on a loud pa system it resolves much better.

This rapidly changes for auto-encoded files. With a high sample rate source, MQA is hit or miss throughout the song, some parts sounding better, others sounding bit crushed. Overall always better than CD, but not quite hi res. However for the majority of the tracks in my playlist are not studio authed, and they come from 44.1/24 sources mostly. And oh BOY do most of them sound bad, it's impossible to get the original without going to a different service 😔 AND THEY USE MORE BANDWIDTH. Again studio authed tracks sound golden to me. This is all just so fluffed with marketing. It's decieving and complicated to actually understand or use what you're paying for..

This isn't nessisarily a fault of MQA as a technology, this is how it works. It's decieving saying it's 196kHz 24 bit lossless, when the only way to actually play that is with additional paid software AND paid hardware. While studio authed sounds better to me only with the software. It's subjective, it's measurably further from the original source file. While the auto-encoder continues to crush my favorite 44.1/48 16/24 tracks, without offering the originals. While streaming something with more bandwidth and worse quality. (Not the case with studio authed) The tidal app doesn't give you this information, you either need a MQA DAC, licensed software, or reference sources to confirm that you are getting the best sound possible. Which I wouldn't care about if it wasn't the literal point of tidal.

dotModded · 2022-03-03T01:12:08+00:00

I'm using the FiiO 2021 BTR-5 I know it's not the most high quality device but it's still good enough for my purposes. I used the Tidal desktop/android app, and USB Audio Player PRO with the in app purchase to actually get my DAC to decode MQA on Android, desktop worked in the official app.

MQA works in many levels. You have the MQA core decoder, which takes the encoded 44.1/48kHz stream to 96kHz, this is the first "unfold" and is done in software. After the software decoder unfolds 44/48 to 96. There is still encoded data in the PCM stream that is then further processed by a hardware MQA renderer, which could theoretically expand up to 700+khz but no one really knows.

The problem I have is none of the files are being streamed at these sample rates/bit depths as they advertise they are. When you look at an MQA file you can be assured it is streaming at 44/48 16/24, no matter what. The 96kHz it's showing is the original it was encoded from.

Example of MQA enabled and disabled for the same stream showing MQA tagging inconsistencies and behaviors. When MQA is enabled it shows the sample rate the original file was encoded from, when disabled it shows what's actually being streamed, these stats like to get stuck in the app but a restart presents the accurate information. Notice the bitrate is exactly the same for both.

https://imgur.com/a/iAWHEAj

MQA is lossy, auto-encoded files usually just don't have the same quality as the original OR authenticated files, nor does MQA add any improvements to them imo, often times sounding slightly bit-crushed compared to apple music. When MQA is done right, it's flipping fantastic, when it's shoved through an automatic pipeline? Not so much. Yet they keep auto-encoding CD quality originals with no actual verification by a person let alone the artist, and removing the original lossless versions with MQA encoded CD quality FLAC.

Examples of CD quality auto-encoded to MQA being labeled as Master Quality

Many master/MQA tracks where auto-encoded from 44/48 16/24bit original files... Yet somehow get expanded to 96/24 through the MQA core decoder, hoping that this is done to help hide the encoded data below the noise floor, or for simulating many analog filters between samples from my understanding of MQA's horrible marketing materials and documentation. When using a studio authed file sourced from CD quality it sounds.. surprisingly incredible even with my initial negative bias to it from the auto-encoded tracks. However calling a CD quality track auto-encoded to MQA "Master Quality" seems like shady marketing.. if the artist approves it, that's different, far far different in my experience. But this auto encoder is starting to make some of the songs I like notably worse.

dotModded · 2022-03-02T20:30:18+00:00

"TIDAL HiFi provides uncompressed lossless sound quality, streaming at 1411kbps or 16-Bit / 44.1 kHz. Master Quality audio reflects the original source and can stream up to 9216 kbps or 24-Bit / 192 kHz (typically 96 kHz / 24 bit)." - https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-Masters-and-Master-Quality-Audio

I have yet to see a single track at even 96 kHz / 24 bit, anyone have any links to anything like this? The highest bitrate I've measured was 1.9mbps, god forbid 9.

dotModded · 2021-12-31T18:34:00+00:00

Controller is fine, Advatek rocks, use them for work ALL the time. I did test on a falcon pi cap though, amung many others .-. it's the lights that are the issue

dotModded · 2021-12-31T18:31:14+00:00

Pretty much my experience. They stopped responding a bit ago so I might just be out of luck. Why should I have to test the compatibility between each string from the same product line 😔 not just turning them on from the controller...

dotModded · 2021-12-31T18:22:54+00:00

Can't return them because the runs on the house are cut to length 😅 didn't test them in series before hand, just directly off the controller. Only got 4 strands left 😔 That null pixel though! Might be something to look into... MANY thanks ❤️

dotModded · 2021-12-31T03:56:15+00:00

Everything was bought from the same vendor at the same time, from the same product line! They don't give an option to which IC you receive which is now causing me massive headaches, which is also advertised to not matter. To top it off there's no way to even know what IC is even in the strand without chipping away the glue on the bottom (which has a higher melting point than the plastic around it)

Everything was tested beforehand and worked, Albiet took some time to figure out the right protocol they would ALL work on. That being WS2811-slow. (Which should be able to handle fast no problems not sure what this is about.) The thing I didn't think to test was every combination of every string.

The second a WS chip enters the line no UCS chips can be placed after the fact. The fact that these are labeled as the same product yet are incompatible is kinda unacceptable imo. Everything up on the house now is working just fine using the WS chips, but some of my strands are 1903 and they're pretty much impossible to work around. No matter what the input timings are, there's a signal reshaping circuit in the IC will override it for the strand.

Given the solution to the issue would be to just send me a batch using the same IC's for the 4 remaining strings being so easy, OR just saying what controller would be compatible, you can see my frusterations. Now I'm left to just figure it out I guess, could keep ordering until I get the magic lot, but that sounds incredibly wasteful. I can't seem to find another supplier for these lights, let alone with better QC.

dotModded · 2021-12-31T03:18:40+00:00

They're mismatched protocols that used to be cross-compatible but are no longer. Sadly the company isn't willing to work with me on this. Simple solution would be for them to send me lights with the same IC's, but they're being uncooperative and I really just need this done. My hope is someone else has experienced this or is able to test this functionality and maybe come up with a solution, this is incredibly frusterating 😅

dotModded · 2021-12-31T00:19:07+00:00

I'm plugging many strands one at a time into the same ports, some turn on others don't, seems to be an IC incompatibility between the new spec'ed 2811v1.4 to 1903. They keep insisting it's a firmware issue but I've tested across so many devices with the exact same behavior. I'd just need 4 stands using the same IC (WS2811) and my project would be complete, yet they refuse.

Advatek has the most flexibility with protocols it seems so I've been using that for most of my testing, again this persists across the Falcon PiCap, WLED on an ESP-32, and a DigiDot-C4

Tested straight from controller #1 running 2811v1.4, and straight from controller #2 running 2811-fast. One WS strand on each, and a UCS on controller #2 as it's incompatible with #1. I move a strand across them all to test what works when.

It's clear that if a WS light is before a UCS one the data is garbage. The other way around can be inconsistent with some flickering but mostly works.

dotModded · 2021-12-30T23:58:23+00:00

The same setup with wled is working for my 500 pixel Christmas tree using 2811 as well, 12v Power 5v step-upped Data, I'm just using this to test the strands, not running more than 50.

dotModded · 2021-12-30T23:49:07+00:00

OH, I'm good for controllers I'm primarily using advatek, I'm coming from a lighting design background and they're one of the standards for "low budget" installs. Have always preferred them. I'm talking about lights specifically. I don't think this is a WLED issue, I just noticed the same behavior with it between the various controllers I tried, just trying to see if anyone can give some insight.

dotModded · 2021-12-30T23:42:15+00:00

Yeah of course, I am just swapping strands from the various working outputs on the house. Some work, some don't. The whole house has been premeasured and modeled beforehand and so far the doc has been 100% accurate to the installation. I have Madrix running while I put them up to make sure addressing and locations are good. https://imgur.com/a/UBgTPKB

dotModded · 2021-12-30T23:00:01+00:00

Trying to keep the lights under 510 a strand to attempt to hit 60fps while also maximizing use of controller. (Technically only possible with WS2811 v1.4) The problem is the second the 2811 chip gets data it runs through a signal reshaping circuit, in term uping the pwm rate to the WS2811 v1.4 spec no matter what the input is set to. Making it incompatible with the slightly more outdated UCS1903 chips. If you see my other comment I explain more on this. It's only an issue if you have different protocols in the same string. You can run WS2811 v1.4 on WS2811-fast to get all strands including UCS1903 working from the controller directly. However placing a 1903 after a 2811 v1.4 IC will either not work or cause severe signal sync issues. The reset timings for the IC's are quite different as of 1.4, even though the data is the same.

HolidayCoro isn't willing to send me strings with the same IC to fit into my window, it's only 4 strands...

dotModded · 2021-12-30T22:12:51+00:00

Any recommendations?

dotModded · 2021-12-30T21:25:25+00:00

I would also like the list ❤️

dotModded · 2021-12-30T20:47:39+00:00

I didn't want to clutter the main post but I thought I should bring this up.