ProScan: Proscan Choppy Audio at Client using Remote Scanner Over IP

[MarkyM]

Hi,

I'm trying to setup Remote Scanner Over IP in Proscan. Just over my local network for now, but am getting audio dropouts on the client side.

The scanner is a Uniden SDS100 and the server side PC is a Windows 11 laptop on Wi-Fi.
Using the Loopback function in Proscan, the audio is stable with no dropouts on the server side as heard through the laptop speakers.

But at the client side, a Windows 11 desktop on wired Ethernet, the audio drops out for about 5 seconds after every 10 seconds of clear audio. This cycle repeats over and over...10 seconds good followed by 5 seconds bad etc. I have tried different sample and bit rates with no difference.

The router is a TP Link 7200 and the Wi-Fi signal is strong at the client side. In fact I'm testing now near the desktop which is close to the router.

I have forwarded the port I'm using through the router and through the eset software firewall on both machines.
Connection to the server on the client is quick and no errors are shown. Remote control of the scanner works fine.

Any suggestions on what to try next to get rid of these dropouts?

Update: I left it up for a while this morning and the client disconnected after about 5 minutes:



Thanks!
--Mark--

 

[MarkyM]

Here's a short video of the problem:

I have rebooted the router and tried disabling the eset firewall at both ends. No change.
After about 5 minutes of this, the connection drops altogether.

--Mark--

 

[buddrousa]

1. What brand and type router are you using?
2. How much wifi traffic is on your network?
3. Are you using streaming services and or HD Video cameras at the location?
4. Are all the IP's used for the scanners Static or on DHCP?
The reason I as is because I run over 24 scanners on Proscan 16 on the same PC and 8 on a 2nd PC all hardwired static address and have no dropouts.

 

[MarkyM]

1. What brand and type router are you using?
2. How much wifi traffic is on your network?
3. Are you using streaming services and or HD Video cameras at the location?
4. Are all the IP's used for the scanners Static or on DHCP?
The reason I as is because I run over 24 scanners on Proscan 16 on the same PC and 8 on a 2nd PC all hardwired static address and have no dropouts.

Thank you for the reply buddrousa.

1. TP-Link DECO W7200
2. Not much. There's nothing else streaming right now and there have been no issues with 4k Netflix streams, Tidal music streaming etc. anywhere in the house. Rock stable except for this.
3. Yes, but nothing right now or for the test. This is such a low bandwidth stream it should have no issues. Very strange.
4. Static. And the only scanner is the SDS100. I'm using a high port number that is forwarded through the eset software firewalls and the router.

I did contact ProScan support and he referred me here.
He did mention that there is no buffering used on the Remote Scanner over IP connection.
Maybe a little bit of buffering or a buffer setting would be helpful?

 

[popnokick]

On your Windows 11 laptop server that is connected to the SDS100, check your WiFi driver managemt settings.
- Ensure the WiFi driver is up to date (this will vary depending on what hardware is being used by the laptop for WiFi e.g. Intel, Qualcomm, etc)
- Use the Device Manager Control Panel > Network Adapters to access WiFi driver Properties

- In the Power Management tab ensure “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” is NOT checked -​

- In the Advanced tab ensure MIMO Power Save Mode is set to “No SMPS”, “Roaming Aggressiveness” is Medium-Low or Lowest​

- In the Power Options Control Panel set the following:

- High Performance (Active)​

- Wireless Adapter Settings>Power Saving Mode>Plugged In>Maximum Performance​

- USB settings On battery: Disabled, Plugged In: Disabled​

 

[merlin]

Well, the programming/control software would not have anything to do with dropouts or choppy audio.

 

[ProScan]

Try connecting to other servers. That should confirm the problem is on the client or server side.
If the problem appears to be on the client side then swap out the ethernet cable.

 

[MarkyM]

On your Windows 11 laptop server that is connected to the SDS100, check your WiFi driver managemt settings.
- Ensure the WiFi driver is up to date (this will vary depending on what hardware is being used by the laptop for WiFi e.g. Intel, Qualcomm, etc)
- Use the Device Manager Control Panel > Network Adapters to access WiFi driver Properties

- In the Power Management tab ensure “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” is NOT checked -​

- In the Advanced tab ensure MIMO Power Save Mode is set to “No SMPS”, “Roaming Aggressiveness” is Medium-Low or Lowest​

- In the Power Options Control Panel set the following:

- High Performance (Active)​

- Wireless Adapter Settings>Power Saving Mode>Plugged In>Maximum Performance​

- USB settings On battery: Disabled, Plugged In: Disabled​

Thank you for the reply popnokick,

The Wi-Fi chip is a Realtek RTL8852BE and the driver is up to date.
I don't see a Power Management tab in Properties.
In Advanced, I do not see MIMO Power Save Mode but there is Roaming Sensitivity Level that is set to "Low".
In Power Options, I changed Plugged In Power Mode to Best Performance (was Balanced).
I do not see any USB settings.

No change.
Note that this is Windows 11 Home (not Pro).

--Mark--

 

[MarkyM]

Try connecting to other servers. That should confirm the problem is on the client or server side.
If the problem appears to be on the client side then swap out the ethernet cable.

Thanks for the reply.

Listening to other servers is fine. No dropouts. (I found one that was stuck on a channel with unsquelched noise - it was continuous)
When I installed this router I used a new Cat6 Ethernet cable.

--Mark--

 

[buddrousa]

TP-Link is that not the router built in China that the news was talking about the US looking to ban in the US over Privaciy Issues?
Anyway have you tried an isolation transformer between the SDS100 Handheld and Computer running Proscan?
Adjusting audio from an Earphone port and Microphone port is a very tricky thing. I love using the LAN option on my 536's and SDS200's
but also use the Record out to LINE IN on my 996p2's 15's and 15x's.

https://www.amazon.com/BESIGN-Ground-Isolator-Stereo-System/dp/B06XQYN77L/ref=sr_1_3?crid=UL2M8I88YJDR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.I73I554SsRERFFvmQSbqS9QfZp6hy0OKv5LAwsC-oQLGkJoxuQVAra4yhyGkorJ3SQHWJHJUwptOTh_weqPqFC7XeGJjekeUcO0Na6iq76t88LLMJxQ9538oWMFLYvC0TDn2DFAEfK3Mm1FvpMOsnsGFZSu5h9L5ka8XIz5d8A_WjDLpq4b4jLR-K3vLwyD8IhhA7dN2xQxlxiYTYQYZ-Lzccaroi_P4vRO4RymRzUM.U3l6uDV4rGLZsfaVaekxUDZPXJgjtY4YTCGtmE6nk9I&dib_tag=se&keywords=audio+isolation+transformer&qid=1744198463&sprefix=audio+isolation%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-3

 

[popnokick]

Thank you for the reply popnokick,

The Wi-Fi chip is a Realtek RTL8852BE and the driver is up to date.
I don't see a Power Management tab in Properties.
In Advanced, I do not see MIMO Power Save Mode but there is Roaming Sensitivity Level that is set to "Low".
In Power Options, I changed Plugged In Power Mode to Best Performance (was Balanced).
I do not see any USB settings.

No change.
Note that this is Windows 11 Home (not Pro).

--Mark--

An Internet search regarding Realtek WiFi driver and Power Management turned up several articles saying you should be seeing that tab in Properties for the driver. Of several fixes that appeared the first one I opened described a RegEdit fix to make it appear. Good luck…

 

[MarkyM]

TP-Link is that not the router built in China that the news was talking about the US looking to ban in the US over Privaciy Issues?
Anyway have you tried an isolation transformer between the SDS100 Handheld and Computer running Proscan?
Adjusting audio from an Earphone port and Microphone port is a very tricky thing. I love using the LAN option on my 536's and SDS200's
but also use the Record out to LINE IN on my 996p2's 15's and 15x's.

https://www.amazon.com/BESIGN-Ground-Isolator-Stereo-System/dp/B06XQYN77L/ref=sr_1_3?crid=UL2M8I88YJDR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.I73I554SsRERFFvmQSbqS9QfZp6hy0OKv5LAwsC-oQLGkJoxuQVAra4yhyGkorJ3SQHWJHJUwptOTh_weqPqFC7XeGJjekeUcO0Na6iq76t88LLMJxQ9538oWMFLYvC0TDn2DFAEfK3Mm1FvpMOsnsGFZSu5h9L5ka8XIz5d8A_WjDLpq4b4jLR-K3vLwyD8IhhA7dN2xQxlxiYTYQYZ-Lzccaroi_P4vRO4RymRzUM.U3l6uDV4rGLZsfaVaekxUDZPXJgjtY4YTCGtmE6nk9I&dib_tag=se&keywords=audio+isolation+transformer&qid=1744198463&sprefix=audio+isolation%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-3

No clue. When I needed a new router last year, it was one recommended by CNET etc. and had good reviews. It has Wi-Fi6 and I have had no issues. I have a Roon music server, a Plex video server running over it and all the normal streaming services work without issue, including 4k HDR streaming, anywhere in the house...Except for this low-bandwidth server that should be easy!

For the audio, I'm using a Movo Line to Mic level attenuator cable from the headphone jack of the SDS100 to the Mic input of a little Sabrent USB dongle into the laptop.
The audio is clean and clear when listening in Loopback mode on the server side.

--Mark--

 

[buddrousa]

I use a desktop PC with 16 copies of Proscan running 6 Scanners 5 536's 1 SDS200 connected IP 6 996P2's connected USB and Line in and 4 15's connected 9 Pin Serial and Line in all streaming 16 outbound feeds for my own personal use through a Microtek Small Office Router with no issues so I point the finger at Proscan PC being the issue or network.
Listening to you video again I hear the SKIP everytime you get an EMAIL you have PC issues.
My Proscan Server PC does nothing but run Proscan.
Hit ALT CTRL DEL and run Task Manager look at the performance tab were you can see CPU RAM DISK you will see Spikes everytime the audio Skips.

 

[MarkyM]

An Internet search regarding Realtek WiFi driver and Power Management turned up several articles saying you should be seeing that tab in Properties for the driver. Of several fixes that appeared the first one I opened described a RegEdit fix to make it appear. Good luck…

OK, thanks.

 

[MarkyM]

7

OK, thanks.

Researching turned up this: If you have a Modern Standby system, the Wi-Fi adapter will not have a Power Management tab. That is handled by the SoC (System on a Chip) which is active during low power modes.

This laptop is a Modern Standby system so this is normal.

In any case, I have it plugged in so it isn't running in a low power mode. I don’t think the Wi-Fi chip is being turned off for 5 seconds out of every 15.

At this point I’m thinking it might be nice if Proscan gave us the option for a few seconds of buffering.

 

[buddrousa]

With a proper pc and net work we do not need it.
Use the correct tools.

 

[ProScan]

At this point I’m thinking it might be nice if Proscan gave us the option for a few seconds of buffering.

Negative. That will add latency and the complaints will start coming in. It has been the same forever and never had this suggestion before.
Besides, suggestions carry a higher weight when received initially via email.

 

[MarkyM]

Negative. That will add latency and the complaints will start coming in. It has been the same forever and never had this suggestion before.
Besides, suggestions carry a higher weight when received initially via email.

OK, understood.
Any other suggestions on what could be wrong with my network? I'm stumped.

 

[MarkyM]

With a proper pc and net work we do not need it.
Use the correct tools.

Thank you for the constructive reply.
And what correct tools would those be?
The ONLY thing that is not working properly on this network is the "Proscan Remote Scanner Over IP" feature.
Is there an actual constructive thing I can try next to troubleshoot this?

 

[popnokick]

While I contend that connecting your server via WiFi should work fine (I do it with many different servers) IF the WiFi is properly configured and not dropping out for power management / usb factors... have you tried connecting the server directly to your network with an Ethernet cable? If you do that and the Proscan audio / connection streaming issue goes away... then you know it is something to do with your WiFi ... or the available CPU load / horsepower... and not Proscan.