diff --git a/libs/gst/control/dparam.c b/libs/gst/control/dparam.c
index 203138028b..c0cd33ee73 100644
--- a/libs/gst/control/dparam.c
+++ b/libs/gst/control/dparam.c
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ gst_dparam_init (GstDParam *dparam)
 	g_return_if_fail (dparam != NULL);
 	GST_DPARAM_TYPE(dparam) = 0;
 	GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam)=0LL;
+	GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam)=0LL;
 	GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam)=FALSE;
 	dparam->lock = g_mutex_new ();
 }
@@ -150,18 +151,21 @@ gst_dparam_set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, const GValue *value, GP
 			GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "setting value from %f to %f", dparam->value_float, g_value_get_float (value));
 			dparam->value_float = g_value_get_float (value);
 			GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = TRUE;
+			GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam);
 			break;
 			
 		case ARG_VALUE_INT:
 			GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "setting value from %d to %d", dparam->value_int, g_value_get_int (value));
 			dparam->value_int = g_value_get_int (value);
 			GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = TRUE;
+			GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam);
 			break;
 			
 		case ARG_VALUE_INT64:
 			GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "setting value from %lld to %lld", dparam->value_int64, g_value_get_int64 (value));
 			dparam->value_int64 = g_value_get_int (value);
 			GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = TRUE;
+			GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam);
 			break;
 			
 		default:
@@ -171,7 +175,7 @@ gst_dparam_set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, const GValue *value, GP
 }
 
 void
-gst_dparam_do_update_default (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value)
+gst_dparam_do_update_default (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value, GstDParamUpdateInfo update_info)
 {
 	GST_DPARAM_LOCK(dparam);
 	
@@ -196,6 +200,8 @@ gst_dparam_do_update_default (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value
 	}
 
 	GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = FALSE;
+	GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = timestamp;
+	GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = timestamp;
 
 	GST_DPARAM_UNLOCK(dparam);
 }
diff --git a/libs/gst/control/dparam.h b/libs/gst/control/dparam.h
index 5b38894005..8f1975e2f9 100644
--- a/libs/gst/control/dparam.h
+++ b/libs/gst/control/dparam.h
@@ -51,13 +51,20 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #define GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam)	((dparam)->ready_for_update)
 #define GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam)	((dparam)->next_update_timestamp)
+#define GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam)	((dparam)->last_update_timestamp)
 
-#define GST_DPARAM_DO_UPDATE(dparam, timestamp, value) \
-	((dparam->do_update_func)(dparam, timestamp, value))
+#define GST_DPARAM_DO_UPDATE(dparam, timestamp, value, update_info) \
+	((dparam->do_update_func)(dparam, timestamp, value, update_info))
 
 typedef struct _GstDParamClass GstDParamClass;
 
-typedef void (*GstDParamDoUpdateFunction) (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value);
+
+typedef enum {
+  GST_DPARAM_UPDATE_FIRST,
+  GST_DPARAM_UPDATE_NORMAL,
+} GstDParamUpdateInfo;
+
+typedef void (*GstDParamDoUpdateFunction) (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value, GstDParamUpdateInfo update_info);
 
 struct _GstDParam {
 	GstObject		object;
@@ -76,6 +83,7 @@ struct _GstDParam {
 	gboolean ready_for_update;
 
 	gint64 next_update_timestamp;
+	gint64 last_update_timestamp;
 	gchar *unit_name;
 	gboolean is_log;
 };
@@ -91,7 +99,7 @@ GType gst_dparam_get_type (void);
 GstDParam* gst_dparam_new (GType type);
 void gst_dparam_attach (GstDParam *dparam, GstDParamManager *manager, GParamSpec *param_spec, gchar *unit_name);
 void gst_dparam_detach (GstDParam *dparam);
-void gst_dparam_do_update_default (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value);
+void gst_dparam_do_update_default (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value, GstDParamUpdateInfo update_info);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.c b/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.c
index c975a6f9d3..9bcfe33f90 100644
--- a/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.c
+++ b/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.c
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ static void gst_dpsmooth_class_init (GstDParamSmoothClass *klass);
 static void gst_dpsmooth_init (GstDParamSmooth *dparam);
 static void gst_dpsmooth_set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, const GValue *value, GParamSpec *pspec);
 static void gst_dpsmooth_get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, GValue *value, GParamSpec *pspec);
-static gint64 gst_dpsmooth_time_since_last_update(GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp);
-static void gst_dpsmooth_do_update_float (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value);
+static void gst_dpsmooth_do_update_float (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value, GstDParamUpdateInfo update_info);
 
 enum {
 	ARG_0,
@@ -132,7 +131,6 @@ gst_dpsmooth_new (GType type)
 			dparam->do_update_func = gst_dparam_do_update_default;
 			break;
 	}
-	dpsmooth->last_update_timestamp = 0LL;
 	return dparam;
 }
 
@@ -199,35 +197,8 @@ gst_dpsmooth_get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, GValue *value, GParam
 	}
 }
 
-static gint64
-gst_dpsmooth_time_since_last_update(GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp)
-{
-	gint64 time_diff, last_update_diff, num_update_periods;
-	GstDParamSmooth *dpsmooth = GST_DPSMOOTH(dparam);
-
-	last_update_diff = timestamp - dpsmooth->last_update_timestamp;
-	time_diff = MIN(dpsmooth->update_period, last_update_diff);
-
-	GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "last_update_diff:%lld",last_update_diff);
-	GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "time_diff:%lld",time_diff);
-		
-	dpsmooth->last_update_timestamp = GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam);  
-	if(GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) <= timestamp && dpsmooth->update_period > 0LL){
-		
-		GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "dpsmooth->update_period:%lld",dpsmooth->update_period);
-		num_update_periods = last_update_diff / dpsmooth->update_period;
-		
-		GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "num_update_periods:%lld",num_update_periods);
-		
-		GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = dpsmooth->update_period * (num_update_periods + 1LL);
-	}
-	GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "last:%lld current:%lld next:%lld",
-	                           dpsmooth->last_update_timestamp, timestamp, GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam));
-	return time_diff;
-}
-
 static void
-gst_dpsmooth_do_update_float (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value)
+gst_dpsmooth_do_update_float (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value, GstDParamUpdateInfo update_info)
 {
 	gint64 time_diff;
 	gfloat time_ratio;
@@ -238,9 +209,21 @@ gst_dpsmooth_do_update_float (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value
 
 	GST_DPARAM_LOCK(dparam);
 
-	time_diff = gst_dpsmooth_time_since_last_update(dparam, timestamp);
+	if (update_info == GST_DPARAM_UPDATE_FIRST){
+		/*this is the first update since the pipeline started.
+		* the value won't be smoothed, it will be updated immediately
+		*/
+		g_value_set_float(value, dparam->value_float); 
+		GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = timestamp;  
+		GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = timestamp;
+		
+		GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = FALSE;
+		GST_DPARAM_UNLOCK(dparam);
+		return;
+	}
+	
+	time_diff = timestamp - GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam);
 	
-
 	target = dparam->value_float;
 	current = g_value_get_float(value);
 
@@ -255,7 +238,6 @@ gst_dpsmooth_do_update_float (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value
 		if (current == 0.0F){
 			/* this shouldn't happen, so forget about smoothing and just set the value */
 			final_val = target;
-			GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = FALSE;
 		}
 		else {
 			gfloat current_log;
@@ -265,27 +247,34 @@ gst_dpsmooth_do_update_float (GstDParam *dparam, gint64 timestamp, GValue *value
 			GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "current_log:%f",current_log);
 			GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "current_diff:%f",current_diff);
 	
-			if (current_diff > max_change)
+			if (current_diff > max_change){
 				final_val = (target < current) ? exp(current_log-max_change) : exp(current_log+max_change);
-			else
-				final_val = target;
-				GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = FALSE;
 			}
+			else {
+				final_val = target;
+			}
+		}
 	} 
 	else {
 		current_diff = ABS (current - target);
-		if (current_diff > max_change)
+		if (current_diff > max_change){
 			final_val = (target < current) ? current-max_change : current+max_change;
-		else
+		}
+		else {
 			final_val = target;									
-			GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = FALSE;
+		}
 	}
 
-	GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = (current_diff > max_change);
-	g_value_set_float(value, final_val);
+	GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = (final_val != target);
+	if (GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam)){
+		GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = timestamp + dpsmooth->update_period; 
+	}
+	GST_DPARAM_LAST_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = timestamp;
 
+	g_value_set_float(value, final_val);
 		                           
  	GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "target:%f current:%f final:%f actual:%f", target, current, final_val, g_value_get_float(value));
 
 	GST_DPARAM_UNLOCK(dparam);
 }
+
diff --git a/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.h b/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.h
index f9e8539065..0210e34faf 100644
--- a/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.h
+++ b/libs/gst/control/dparam_smooth.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ typedef struct _GstDParamSmooth GstDParamSmooth;
 struct _GstDParamSmooth {
 	GstDParam		dparam;
 
-	gint64 last_update_timestamp;
 	gint64 update_period;
 	gint64 slope_time;
 	gfloat slope_delta_float;
diff --git a/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.c b/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.c
index 6a53ad1ae9..a38f1c81cc 100644
--- a/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.c
+++ b/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.c
@@ -628,6 +628,9 @@ gst_dpman_state_change (GstElement *element, gint old_state, gint new_state, Gst
 	
 	if (new_state == GST_STATE_PLAYING){
 		GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "initialising params");
+
+		/* some dparams treat the first update after the pipeline starts differently */
+		dpman->update_info = GST_DPARAM_UPDATE_FIRST;
 			
 		/* force all params to be updated */
 		dwraps = GST_DPMAN_DPARAMS_LIST(dpman);
@@ -637,9 +640,7 @@ gst_dpman_state_change (GstElement *element, gint old_state, gint new_state, Gst
 			
 			if (dparam){
 				GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) = TRUE;
-				/*if (dparam->spec){
-					g_value_copy(dparam->spec->default_val, dpwrap->value);
-				}*/
+				GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) = 0LL;
 			}
 			dwraps = g_slist_next(dwraps);
 		}
@@ -676,7 +677,10 @@ gst_dpman_preprocess_synchronous(GstDParamManager *dpman, guint frames, gint64 t
 	while (dwraps){
 		dpwrap = (GstDParamWrapper*)dwraps->data;
 		dparam = dpwrap->dparam;
-
+		
+		/*g_print("timestamp    %lld \n", timestamp);
+		if (dparam)
+			g_print("next update: %lld \n", GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam));*/
 		if (dparam && (GST_DPARAM_READY_FOR_UPDATE(dparam) && 
 		              (GST_DPARAM_NEXT_UPDATE_TIMESTAMP(dparam) <= timestamp))){
 		              	
@@ -684,7 +688,7 @@ gst_dpman_preprocess_synchronous(GstDParamManager *dpman, guint frames, gint64 t
 				
 				/* direct method - set the value directly in the struct of the element */
 				case GST_DPMAN_DIRECT:
-					GST_DPARAM_DO_UPDATE(dparam, timestamp, dpwrap->value);
+					GST_DPARAM_DO_UPDATE(dparam, timestamp, dpwrap->value, dpman->update_info);
 					GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "doing direct update");
 					switch (G_VALUE_TYPE(dpwrap->value)){
 						case G_TYPE_INT:
@@ -703,7 +707,7 @@ gst_dpman_preprocess_synchronous(GstDParamManager *dpman, guint frames, gint64 t
 
 				/* callback method - call the element's callback so it can do what it likes */
 				case GST_DPMAN_CALLBACK:
-					GST_DPARAM_DO_UPDATE(dparam, timestamp, dpwrap->value);
+					GST_DPARAM_DO_UPDATE(dparam, timestamp, dpwrap->value, dpman->update_info);
 					GST_DEBUG(GST_CAT_PARAMS, "doing callback update");
 					GST_DPMAN_DO_UPDATE(dpwrap);
 					break;
@@ -729,6 +733,12 @@ gst_dpman_preprocess_synchronous(GstDParamManager *dpman, guint frames, gint64 t
 		}
 		dwraps = g_slist_next(dwraps);
 	}
+
+	if (dpman->update_info == GST_DPARAM_UPDATE_FIRST){
+		/* it is not the first update anymore */
+		dpman->update_info = GST_DPARAM_UPDATE_NORMAL;
+	}
+
 	return frames;
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.h b/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.h
index a467a4ceed..ee8bbfa597 100644
--- a/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.h
+++ b/libs/gst/control/dparammanager.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ struct _GstDParamManager {
 	
 	gint64 timestamp;
 	guint rate;
+	GstDParamUpdateInfo update_info;
 };
 
 struct _GstDParamManagerClass {