Sound of desktop apps stops when Display turns off

[wenigtelefonierer]

Hi there,

when I use desktop applications like Spotify, iTunes or Media Player to playback audio files, the sound stops immediately, when the screen turns off according to power settings.

I know, this is a discussed problem already. Is there a proven solution to this problem?

This does not only affect audio playback, but all long running applications which are meant to do sth in the background with deactivated display. That's why the Windows API features something like Power Availability Requests. Applications can post such a request to the Windows power management system to tell Windows, that the application needs the display to stay on or that it needs the system (but not the display) to stay on.

So WTH Microsoft: There are API functions which are valid for Windows 8. Why doesn't Surface Pro 3 behave in an expected manner? This is really ridiculous.

Cheers
David.

 

[jnjroach]

Hi there,

when I use desktop applications like Spotify, iTunes or Media Player to playback audio files, the sound stops immediately, when the screen turns off according to power settings.

I know, this is a discussed problem already. Is there a proven solution to this problem?

This does not only affect audio playback, but all long running applications which are meant to do sth in the background with deactivated display. That's why the Windows API features something like Power Availability Requests. Applications can post such a request to the Windows power management system to tell Windows, that the application needs the display to stay on or that it needs the system (but not the display) to stay on.

So WTH Microsoft: There are API functions which are valid for Windows 8. Why doesn't Surface Pro 3 behave in an expected manner? This is really ridiculous.

Cheers
David.

Yep, this is the expected behavior with the SP3 and all Connected Standby enabled machines, Win32 Applications are not Connected Standby Capable only WinRT (or Modern UI) Apps that are using the required APIs can run in the background when the SP3 (or any Connected Standby Machine). Music Apps like Xbox Music will continue to play and other clients can use Push/Pull to perform tasks while in Connected Standby.

Connected Standby is a power state akin to Mobile Phones and/or Phone based Tablets. This Power State requires are different approach to program that Win32 doesn't support.

 

[wenigtelefonierer]

I understand that. And Connected Standby is a nice thing to have in a device like the SP3.

But the SP3 is a hybrid device. Windows 8.1 is an OS for those devices and therefore must unify the needs of the Modern UI world and the desktop world. After all, SP3 is ought to be the device "that can replace my laptop". But currently it can't do it because of those power management issues.

Use Case: On my laptop I used to edit videos, for example, and let them render overnight. After a while the display turned off but the system still rendered my movie. The system went to sleep, when the rendering process finished (and the video editing application pulled the Power Availability Request). Currently you cannot do anything like this with SP3. At least not without having to set the inactivity timer to "never" - and setting it back to "x min" afterwards.

To my knowledge and what i read in the MSDN, there is a Windows core component called DAM (Desktop Activity Moderator) which should moderate between Connected Standby and Win32 applications. In my opinion this fails, because a Power Availability Request for the system is not propagated/translated for Connected Standby management and therefore will be ignored.
There is a Win32 API which is valid (not marked deprecated) for Windows 8 and it includes the option to set a Power Availability Request for Display/System/etc. So, no matter what new standby mode will be introduced, it has to be compatible with other existing power management options. Currently, with Connected Standby capable devices the only option a Win32 developer has for preventing the system from going to sleep is setting a Power Availiability Request for the display, right? But this draws a lot of energy from the battery. So, nay, not an option.
Disabling Connected Standby on my SP3 via the registry? Then I would probably loose functionality like launching OneNote by clicking the back end button of the Surface pen.

What will MS do about this? Any chance for an update? Wait for Windows 9?

So, currently, I am really a bit disappointed, because SP3 isn't what it promised to be: "A device to replace my laptop".

Cheers
David

 

[jnjroach]

Win32 because of its tendency to be backwards compatible will not be Connected Standby Capable, will Connected Standby be updated? That is partially up to Intel with their S0iX Power State to allow more options....

You can prevent the device from entering Connected Standby on Mains but the screen will remain on, but it will allow for Win32 Applications to continue to run...