Improving the performance of SqueezeBox Server 7.6.1

[Ron Olsen]

Here are a few tips to getting the most out of SBS 7.6.1 on VortexBox:

1. Turn off Auto Rescan.

SBS 7.6.1 (and 7.6) has a new feature: Auto Rescan to detect changes in your music library. *This option is enabled by default on Linux versions of SBS. It initiates a check of your music library every 2 minutes to see if anything has changed. When this happens, CPU usage of SBS goes to 100% for several seconds while the check is made.

This isn't really needed on VortexBox. When you rip a new CD on VortexBox, an SBS rescan (look for new and changed music) is initiated after the rip has finished.

The only time the Auto Rescan feature would be useful is if you've copied a bunch of music files from Windows or a Mac to the VortexBox. *But I prefer initiating the SBS rescan manually, even in this case.

To turn off Auto Rescan:

a. In your browser, go to the SBS web page at http://vortexbox:9000

b. Click on Settings in the lower right corner.

c. On the Settings page, select the Advanced tab.

d. On the Advanced page, select Performance from the menu.

e. On the Performance page, set "Automatically detect changes" to "Disabled, manually scan for new music".

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2. Also on the Performance page, change "Database Memory Config" to "High (recommended for machines with 1+ GB RAM)" if your VB has 1 GB or more memory. *This will improve SQLite database performance in scanning and browsing.

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3. Update your plugins. *New versions are available for SBS 7.6 and SBS 7.6.1. To ensure you are running the latest versions:

a. Go to SBS > Settings > Plugins.

b. Check the boxes for plugins that have updates.

c. Click "Apply".

d. Restart SBS.

You will now have the latest versions of your plugins for SBS 7.6.1.

[guidof]

On another forum,

http://forums.slimdevices.com/.....hp?t=90312

someone suggested both setting the "Database Memory Config" to HIGH and the "Server Priority" to as HIGH as 16.

In a reply, he was warned that the latter might cause serious problems.

Do you think potential harm may result from adopting these settings in a SB Server on a VBA?

[Ron Olsen]

Setting the Database Memory Config to High makes sense and should improve scanning and browsing performance of SBS.

I haven't changed Server Priority on my VBA, but perhaps a higher priority could speed up page rendering in the SBS web interface and speed up scanning. Try it and see what happens. You can always change it back if you run into problems.

Neither change should have any effect on music playback.

[guidof]

Thanks for your reply, Ron.

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Have made the changes. No problems so far. I haven't noticed any performance improvements, either. But I'm still running SBS 7.5.3. Will update shortly.

*

(I think the OP who suggested a possible improvement in sound quality through the Touch may have done so with tongue in cheek).

[Ron Olsen]

guidof said:


Thanks for your reply, Ron.

Have made the changes. No problems so far. I haven't noticed any performance improvements, either. But I'm still running SBS 7.5.3. Will update shortly.


You'll find that SBS 7.6.1 scans much faster that 7.5.3 due to using SQLite instead of MySQL as its database engine. *The web interface of 7.6.1 is also much more responsive than that of 7.5.3. *I have not tried to quantify the effects of increasing database memory config on SBS performance, but it falls in the category of "might help, won't hurt", and it's recommended by the SBS developers.


(I think the OP who suggested a possible improvement in sound quality through the Touch may have done so with tongue in cheek).


I have a hard time believing that these tweaks to SBS could have any effect on sound quality through any of the Logitech players, not just the Touch.

My recipe for fantastic sound quality: use fantastic speakers and position them properly in a good listening room. Everything else is a second-order effect.

[guidof]

Ron Olsen said:


You'll find that SBS 7.6.1 scans much faster that 7.5.3 due to using SQLite instead of MySQL as its database engine.


Indeed. I finally updated to 7.6.1 and the scan time is about half of what it was. Thanks for the suggestion to update.


My recipe for fantastic sound quality: use fantastic speakers and position them properly in a good listening room. Everything else is a second-order effect.


I agree. In my main system i have Martin-Logan SL3s + a REL T1 sub, which to my ears do the trick. Nevertheless, the Touch (with soundcheck's mods enabled, except for the WLAN mod) have taken the sound to a new level of clarity and immediacy For the money, I don't think it can be beat.


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[Ron Olsen]

guidof said:


Ron Olsen said:


You'll find that SBS 7.6.1 scans much faster that 7.5.3 due to using SQLite instead of MySQL as its database engine.


Indeed. I finally updated to 7.6.1 and the scan time is about half of what it was. Thanks for the suggestion to update.


Glad 7.6.1 is working for you, Guido. *It was working fine for me until one day it started checking my music library every 2 minutes, even though I had turned off the Auto Rescan feature. *Couldn't figure out why. I finally installed the 7.6.2 nightly and the problem went away. That's what I'm running at the moment.



My recipe for fantastic sound quality: use fantastic speakers and position them properly in a good listening room. Everything else is a second-order effect.


I agree. In my main system i have Martin-Logan SL3s + a REL T1 sub, which to my ears do the trick. Nevertheless, the Touch (with soundcheck's mods enabled, except for the WLAN mod) have taken the sound to a new level of clarity and immediacy For the money, I don't think it can be beat.


Sounds like a sweet setup, Guido! I don't have a Touch so I can't comment on the effectiveness of Soundcheck's mods. *I'm glad the mods to the Touch improved the sound quality in your system. However, I have a hard time believing that changes to SBS (priority, etc.) could have any effect on sound quality.

Don't know if you've seen this video, but it's very enlightening about how our brains work in shaping our hearing:*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYTlN6wjcvQ

[guidof]

Ron Olsen said:


Don't know if you've seen this video, but it's very enlightening about how our brains work in shaping our hearing:*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYTlN6wjcvQ



Thanks for the link, Ron. Yes, I had seen the video. In fairness to the OP (on the other forum), I think he was doubtful, too, that he'd heard any improvement in sound quality from fiddling around with SBS.

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Anyway, 7.6.1 is clearly faster in scanning. I hope I don't run into the issue you had, but it's good to know that the 7.6.2 nightly fixed it.