Songs stutter/jump in new iTunes

Let's hope that's good news. I'll be checking this out later today on my Win 8.1 system, though this is actually the only one of the three 64-bit PCs I have iTunes on that didn't suffer playback problems. Win 7 systems will have to wait a few days ...

I have suffered with the same shutter problem with I-Tunes airplay since upgrading my system 3 months ago. When attempting to connect my PC with 64 bit Windows 8 to my Denon AVR 3100W receiver via airplay, I get terrible shutter and distortion. It even seems to get worst as songs play. After downloading the new I-Tune 12.1.1 version today which I thought was to address the problem, the problem still exist. After troubleshooting the entire system from months (speakers, router, PC settings, Denon receiver, network, etc., it appears to be an Apple problem where it doesn't seem to want to play with others. If I hard wire an I-Pod or connect an I-Pad via the same network wirelessly, no problem. I have eliminated it being an interference problem with the router and even moved it into line of sight to eliminate an potential distance problem. All firmware and software is up-to-date. I have even performed troubleshooting with Denon tech folks, who say it is not their issue. ONLY when I use I-Tunes via airplay do I have any problem. Even my sound engineer buddies have come to a conclusion of it being an Apple related problem. If anyone has any idea, please respond.

Looks like the latest iTunes fixed the stuttering issue for me. I even set it back to Windows Audio Session and still have no issues. Never did have stuttering with AirPlay only when playing directly from my Win 8 PC. I use an airport express connected wireless and optical out to a Linn Kinos and have no stutter issues at all.

Follow up ... having been using 12.1.1.4 for a couple of hours all seems to be well. I'm still getting very occasional stutters but these are not the rapidly recurring glitches that were a "feature" of 12.1.0.71. I'm running 12.1.1.4 on a somewhat underpowered Windows 8.1 / 64-bit netbook (1.0 GHz AMD C-50, 4GB memory), accessing my library on a relatively slow external (USB 2.0) hard drive. This specific setup has always suffered from minor playback issues, specifically when other network-, memory- or disc-intensive processes are active - but I wouldn't expect such a relatively low-spec machine to cope perfectly with loads that are pushing CPU and memory usage to 100%. My big caveat here is that this is the one 64-bit machine that I didn't have to install the "for older video cards" version of 12.1.0.71 on - though in "normal" use this particular machine is running nothing but iTunes and is accessing media via Home Sharing, rather than an external drive.

The real test will come when I get back to my Win 7 machines that would only produce acceptable playback with the "for older video cards" version.

I was getting really angry about this problem, and assumed the new iTunes would fix it... Initially, it did NOT (and yes, the 4-letter words were flying). Note that I had gone into preferences and updated the sound to direct x. However, I then decided to try a reboot since I had not done that after updating the sound setting preference.... and now it works fine!

So, hopefully this will work for everyone:

1 Update your iTunes to the latest

2 Go into the preferences and set your sound to direct x

3 Reboot

Direct x, windows audio, signed into iTunes account or logged off, I still get that darn stutter. I have the 12.1.1 version. Please fix and get it right soon. It's drivvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvving me crazy. (See what I did there? I stuttered.)

Did you try 12.1.1.4? This fixed it for me...running Win 8.1.

I'd try the iTunes for Windows (64-bit — for older video cards) version then, assuming 12.1.1.4 hasn't fixed it.

tt2

Have you tried this alternative installer for 12.1.1.4:

iTunes 12.1.1 for Windows (64-bit — for older video cards)

Although 12.1.1.4 seems far less prone to playback issues than 12.1.0.71 its possible that that switching to the alternative version (which, like most previous "64 bit" versions of iTunes, is actually a 32 bit application with a 64 bit installer) may solve your problem.

"Please fix and get it right soon."

Since this is a users' forum no-one here can fix anything, other than by providing advice regarding configuration, workarounds, etc. Use Apple's feedback page to submit issues to the iTunes developers (though I'm sure they are well aware of this problem).