FarPlay 1.0.5 is now out, with an updated design and improved usability, including efficient audio sample rate handling. Upgrade now at farplay.io/download.
Ever since we started making FarPlay, one of our most persistent challenges has been how to manage different sample rates between users. FarPlay operates natively at 48 kHz, which enables us to offer studio-quality audio without excessive bandwidth use. However, in some situations, for example when a user had another audio app running on their machine at a different sample rate, FarPlay would be unable to set the sample rate of the audio device to 48 kHz. In the past, this could result in audio being audibly shifted — for example, if a user’s audio device was set to 44.1 kHz, their output would be transposed by about a half-step. Not ideal when trying to make music together!
In this new version, we solve this problem by integrating an extremely efficient audio resampler, which is able to convert the incoming audio to 48 kHz on the fly, with functionally no added latency.
We also have integrated FarPlay’s new look, including new icon, color scheme and logo.
We’re proud of this release and hope you’ll enjoy it. Happy New Year and happy music making!
Is the problem “far, but not too far” solved there? I live in Europe, and it has been possible to use FarPlay at least inside Finland and with 2 members on the same meeting – but when I want to play with my friends in USA or Canada, it has not worked properly at all.
Hey Mervi,
Unfortunately, the speed of light itself is a fundamental limit. Physics tells us that nothing can ever go faster than the speed of light. In addition, the particulars of the internet (switches and various bottlenecks) affect things further. However, I’ve personally done lots of sessions Paris – New York and even New York – Switzerland, and with good (fiber) connections at both ends, I get ~42ms latency to Paris and ~46ms to Luzerne. At those latencies, you can still make a lot of music, although you will feel it — it’ll feel like the other person is laying back on the beat.
FarPlay provides the best possible latency given the laws of physics and the nature of the internet.
Enjoy!
Dan