Persist volume level per-output between sessions

[joe_r]

One nice feature of AirPlay (on iOS at least) is that it remembers the volume level last used for each output destination between sessions. Would be nice if Glider would persist the output volume for an output device between sessions.

One case this avoids is an AVR blasting music from Glider if the last thing it was used for was a high dynamic range film mastered to a lower reference level than most music.

[joe]

Thanks for letting us know. We actually do attempt to preserve the volume level when switching outputs, so something must be going wrong. Would you mind describing the sequence of events needed to duplicate this, including which device you’re using as a source / output in each step?

[joe_r]

Thanks for the quick response! Here are some steps to reproduce.

Environment:

• Denon AVR-x3300w
• Synology NAS, Minimserver 0.8.5.3
• iPhone X, iOS 11.2.5
• Glider 1.7.0

Steps:

1. Use Glider to play audio via AVR.
2. Set volume level using Glider (in this test, it was set to ~33)
3. Stop playback
4. Select a non-media server source on AVR (for this test I used an HDMI source)
5. Set volume level (in this test it was set to 64)
6. Power off AVR.
7. Use Glider to play audio via AVR
8. (AVR powers on, source is set to Media Server, and audio plays)
9. Observe that audio level is 64
10. Press volume down button on iPhone
11. Observe that audio level jumps to 33 (Note - it may have jumped to one notch below the volume set in step 2, but in any case it may indicate the Glider’s sense of volume state was different than actual state)

[joe]

Thanks for the detailed walkthrough.

Let’s take Glider out of the mix entirely and first confirm your AVR is capable of preserving distinct volumes when switching between outputs. For example, set your AVR to an HDMI output and set the volume, then switch over to another hard-wired output to see if the volume changes back to whatever it was the last time you used that output.

Make sense?

[joe_r]

Yep - at the AVR the volume is global. Remains constant despite source when switching source.

That said, if I use AirPlay from my phone using the Music app, it will reset the AVR volume to the last used for AirPlay to that AVR from that phone despite what the AVR is set at.

E.g.

1. Select HDM1, set volume 60
2. Select HDM2, observe volume is still 60, set volume to 50
3. Select HDM1, observe volume is 50
4. AirPlay from phone, observe volume changes to 25
5. Set AirPlay volume to 30
6. Select HDM1, observe volume is 30, set volume to 60
7. AirPlay from phone, observe volume changes to 30

[joe]

OK, this is making some sense. Can you confirm what happens if you begin an airplay session, then change the volume on the receiver (not from your phone), then switch to hdmi and change the volume again. Now start a new airplay session and confirm that the volume is at the last manual adjustment made when airplaying.

[joe_r]

Yep:

1. Begin AirPlay session, volume is 30
2. Set volume to 50 using AVR front-panel knob (observe that volume slider on phone follows)
3. Switch to HDMI, set volume to 40 using AVR front-panel knob
4. Begin new AirPlay session, observe volume increases to 50

[joe]

OK, I’m convinced this is a good idea - we’ll work on adding it soon.