Sound Problem

[mlepine]

I'm trying out the Hoster Demo & notice a problem with the sound, can you please tell me what it could be?

I imported about 10 different songs from different brand at both 192K & 168K (I believe) and I hear a click or strange noise on play back, is my equipment the problem?

Dell Dimension 4100:
PIII, 933 Mghz, 512 Megs Ram, Audigy Audio Card, ATI 7000 VE Radeon, Plextor 40G 7200 rpm (Main NTFS) & Seagate 80G for Data (FAT32)
Windows XP Home

Of course all of my downloads we're done from Windows & each CIE's for my hardware.

I saved my test songs on my Seagate drive which is very clean.

I might try Hoster on a faster computer to see but perhaps you guy's could confirm if my existing Dell 4100 is capable of running Hoster.

Thanks

[mlepine]

I just downloaded another demo to instal on another computer I have & I got the same result.

It's now installed on:
Windows XP Home, AMD Athlon XP 1700 (1.5ghz), 384 MRam, SB PCI 128, ATI Rage Pro 128. ALL UPDATES DONE

I'm using my old Yamaha 3200E which is now capable of extracting with the DMA enable, strange because Microstudio will not let me have a nice graphic with that burner with the DMA enable!!

Does Hoster require more than 512 Meg of Ram?

I'm very much interested of buying Hoster now that the price went down but I need to know what causes that sound problem, it's like hearing Pop Corn or some kind of click!

Regards

[gduns - with the Lord]

YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK AND SEE IF YOU HAVE DIRECT X 9.0 INSTALLED ON THE MACHINE. IT WONT WORK WITHOUT IT.

Sorry about the caps, I work in caps all day. but also, My only problem I have ever had with mtu software was that the demo didnt work for me either. I downloaded hoster, and tried it. but it didnt work. I bought it, and it works great. They could still have a bug in the demoware. If I remember right it doesnt copy but the first 30 seconds of the track you download.
hoster will work fine on either machine. 256 mg ram is good but 1 gig is better. Make sure your video card is a dual head card tho. the 7500 and below ati cards arent

[mlepine]

I did a defrag of my second drive (Seagate) last night using Norton Speed Disk & I must of fixed 80% of the problem.

I still hear some click or cuts in the music if I try to re-size the window or if I move the window.
I disable both Norton antivirus & Security and I believe it's ok now.

I would still like to get a confirmation from MTU that my PIII & my 512 MRams is fine to run Hoster. It's very limit on the ram based on the manual.

Thanks

[gduns - with the Lord]

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR YOURSELF, DO "CONRTOL, ALT, DELETE" AFTER YOU ARE IN THE HOSTER PLAYING A SONG AND LOOK AT THE GRAPH OF MEMORY USAGE. I BELIEVE YOU WILL SEE A TOTAL USAGE OF 384MEG WITH ALMOST 200 MEG UNUSED. tHAT MEANS YOU HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH.

I WAS RUNNING MINE ON 512 MG WITH NO PROBLEMS.

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
Have you tried the changing the Hardware Acceleration on the Audigy Card as stated in this forum post: http://forum.mtu.com/showthread.php?threadid=1254

Honestly, this is the only thing that I can think of that would cause this problem. We are not having any other clients that are reporting this, so I am at a loss as to what else to tell you to try. You could also try updating your drivers for the Audigy directly from Creative's site.

Let me know if this does anything for the problem.

[mlepine]

Bryan,

I found the problem, after making sure I had ALL the latest drivers including my Logitech Mouse & Keyboard I decided for my last option to uninstall & re-install, that's when I realized I also had a previous version of Hoster Demo installed!!

I uninstalled both & re-installed the 2.14 Demo and Bingo!!!

I can now drag the window with out any drop out or any click in the sound.

Sorry for the trouble.

PS. I notice something, I did a driver update on my Audigy card three weeks ago and I didn't realized it brought back everything to the default mode in the DXDIAG, I have been using Microstudio with the acceleration at maximum with out any problem! I guess Creative finally fixed the problem & therefore MTU will no longer have problems with there products

Thanks,
Michel

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
I am glad to hear that this has fixed your problems. I was at a loss as to what else it might be, if those Items didn't help, but now I will know about the older Hoster Demo being installed.

Glad your running.

[mlepine]

Just to let you know that I still have the same sound problem, like mention to Bryan on a personal email 2 days ago, I guess I was lucky when I tried Hoster after my re-installation & it's the reason I didn't have the sound problem.

I did notice that when I do a reboot or a fresh start and play the first song in Hoster I have no sound problem, the problem starts on the next song. I sent Bryan a compressed file for him to hear what I'm complaining about.

This same problem happens on more than one computer and the only thing they have similar is they all use SDRM Memory and also 512megs or less. Could that be it? Should I try with DDR Memory and at least over 512M? Perhaps it's the demo version that has a problem?

Bryan, have you listen to my sample? Does the demo have the same sound on your computer?

I WANT TO BUY THIS SOFTWARE, BUT FIRST I NEED TO KNOW WHAT CAUSES THE SOUND PROBLEM!!

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
I didn't get your Sample Kma file that you sent to me. Please send it to me again at support@mtu.com.

Yes, the Demo works just the same as the Full version does on my Desktop system and my Laptop.

The Laptop is:

Windows XP Pro
Radeon 9000 64 Mb Video Memory
512 MB DDR Memory
2.0 GHz P 4 Desktop Processor
Built in Sound Card

Desktop System is:

Windows 2000 Pro
Celeron 1.1 GHZ
256 MB SDRAM
Radeon 7500 64mb Video Memory
Sound Blaster Audigy Sound card

Both versions work fine on both of these systems.

Send me that file again and I will see if it is happening in the file on my systems.

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
I take that back I did get the file. It was an .mp3 file. I am sorry I don't know how I missed that. Can you send me the .kma file also though so that I can see if it is in the file.

The file sounds pretty clean on my Laptop, playing through Music Match, but there are a few drops here and there.

Have you made sure that you have DirectX 9.0B installed? If not then you can check and upgrade this from: http://forum.mtu.com/showthread.php?threadid=1787

Let me know if you have 9.0b or if it makes any Difference.

[mlepine]

Bryan,

Yes, I do have directX 9.0 installed, in fact I really have ALL updates on both my computers from Creative, ATI, BIOS, DELL Patches & of course Windows.

I'll send you the file but it will be ok, it's on the play back I have a problem not when I import.

At least I know I'm not crazy when you say I heard few drops!!
That's what I mean with my sound problem.

Thanks,
Michel

[MTUSUPPORT]

Melepine,
Your right I did hear them. It is possible that they might have been caused on Import also though, thats why I want to play the .kma file on my computer. What I will also do is import one on my system and email it to you to see if it works.

Then we can test it both ways.

[gduns - with the Lord]

If its any consolation, I was where you are about 6 months ago. I couldnt het the demo to work, and I wanted to use it. Got no help at all getting it to work. I bought it anyhow. It works great. the only drop outs you will get in hoster I have heard are with pop hits monthly (Nashville)...... maybe others in the series. it came from the graphics leadin screen. It would be a safe bet to get hoster, especially at the price right now it was double that whn I bought, and I think it is worth it. I believe most of the problem is in the demo problem because of the code limiting it as a demo. (all this is just an opinion)

[mlepine]

Thanks gduns for informing me of a problem you had with the demo version.

I also believe the problem could come from the video card, I changed the Color Quality from 32 to 24 bits and it's not as bad.

I just don't understand why MTU don't seem to care about this issue? You see, if I buy Hoster it will be because I want it not because they deserve my business! All they need to do is to try the demo on another computer and confirm that the drop out is only on the demo not the Hoster Program.

It's good to have the best software but it would also be important to listen, respond to technical problem.
I'm also interrested on Vogone but guess what? The link for the sample never worked! This was reported before and nothing was ever done.

Why do I buy from MTU? Simple, they're alone, nothing comes close to what they have to offer and they know it!

[S. Parks]

Can you list your system, spec's again? I've never dealt with the demo version of Hoster, nor have I ever experienced this problem with the full program, Unless , the original import had a sound defect, scratch ect. If you list your equipment, it might help someone diagnos. I know how frustrating it can be trying to sort these things out on your own. does it do it with any file you you try to play, or just certain ones. I noticed on the first Pentium 3 computer you list at the beginning of this thread, you list a Radion 7000 APG card. I don't believe this card supports dual display, if your thinking of using hoster for a show that could be an issue. However, it wouldn't casue a sound problem like you are having.

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
I have now tried it on 4 different systems, 2 AMD Shuttle systems of ours, one of our Laptops and then an Intel Celeron 1.1 GHZ PIII, and it plays fine on all of those systems.

I also placed your .kma file into my Hoster full version, and it played back without any problems on the Laptop.

Can you list the specs on all of the 3 systems that you say you have tried it on?

[mlepine]

All System Running XP Home

First:
Dell Dimension 4100, PIII, 933 Mghz, 512 Megs (SDRM), Plextor 40G 7200 rpm NTFS (Main), Seagate 80G FAT32 (Data), ATI 7000 Series 32 megs & Audigy.

Second:
Mother Board: ECS K7S5A, Athlon XP 1500, 384 Megs (SDRM), Plextor 20G 5400 rpm NTFS, ATI Rage Pro 128 16 Megs, SB PCI 128.

Third:
Mother Board: ASUS Model?, Athlon 1000, 256 Megs (SDRM), Plextor 40G 7200 rpm FAT32, ATI 7000 Series 32 Megs & SB Live.

ALL UPDATES FROM WINDOWS, ATI, CREATIVE & BIOS (First & Second) DONE.

None of the above system have DDR Memory & all have older Video Card.
I will be purchasing an ATI 9200 Pro for my Dell in the coming days so that could make a difference.

I did notice something, when I change the color to 24 bits it's not has bad, I believe the problem is related to the Video Card.

Thanks

[gduns - with the Lord]

directx 8.0 or later? what acceleration?

[mlepine]

Yes,

including DirectX 9.0b & reduce acceleration on all computers.

regards

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
I should have a laptop coming in either on Friday or early next week that will have XP Home on it. This shouldn't cause the problem, but this OS is not one that I had that I tested on. I just tested XP Pro on 2 systems and Windows 2000 PRO on the other system. These are the only OS's that I normally always have in front of me.

I will double check on XP home once we get that system in.

The Video card, possibly could give it some grief, but I am not sure. I think we have a system here that has Windows 2000 PRO on it with a Radeon 7000 installed. I will try it on that system and see what it does also.

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
I just tested this on the Computer that is a Pentium III 866 MHZ System, 256 mb SDRAM, Radeon 7200 64mb, Sound Blaster Audigy, Windows 2000 Pro and it worked fine on this system. I played 3 songs back to back and it was clean all the way through.

This system has all of the Windows updates and most of the drivers updates.

[gduns - with the Lord]

could you try running it in windows 2000 compatibility mode, and see if it changes anything. I find hoster works better on my machine in this mode.

[mlepine]

Bryan,

I found out that all the video card I tried Hoster demo with does not support directx 9.0b, could that be the problem?

The support for directx 9.0b starts at series 8500. The problem is to find an ATI Card, it's back order every where!

Would you know if an ATI 9200 128megs Series is better than the ATI 9200 Pro 64 megs?

Did you ever tried Hoster 2.0 on an older ATI Card like 7000 Series?

Thanks

[mlepine]

gduns,

I will try your option tonight.

Thanks

[gduns - with the Lord]

I use the msi geforce 4 440 64mg card........ about $59.00 and it has second screen video out. a lot cheaper than the ati. I tried a 128 meg ati and took it back to keep the msi, it was a much sharper display.

[mlepine]

Didn't do any changes with Windows 2000.

Thanks for your suggestion on the geforce card but I really believe ATI makes better Video Card, the Contrast is buy far better.

Regards

[jaddams]

Originally posted by Mlepine
The support for directx 9.0b starts at series 8500. The problem is to find an ATI Card, it's back order every where!
The ATI Radeon 7500 supports DirecTX 9.0b.

Regards,

Jon

[mlepine]

I just installed a new ATI 9200 128megs with directX 9.0 support and no change!

Here's what I did; I bought a new Hard Drive Western Digital 40G with 8 megs (New Model) and install it in my ECS K7S5A computer which has a AMD Athlon XP 1700+. I figure this computer is more powerfull than my Dell with the PIII.

Only one last option: I will record another session with my Wave recorder, compress it & send it again to Bryan, if he hears nothing or says it sounds ok I'll have my answer.

I now have a computer that has a Windows XP Home freshly installed with all updates, faster Hard Drive, reduced the acceleration, new video card that supports directx 9.0...

regards

[pcgumshoe]

Could you be MORE specific as to the audio "problem" you are having? It might help us to look in a different direction.

For example:

If you said, "When ever open or close a window, I get audio dropped." I would say to check if all the extra BELLS and WHISTLES you have running are necessary. Like the pretty picture on the Windows Desktop, the rounded corners on the windows, the contents carried as you drag them.

If you said, "I get popping and clicking, even sometimes when nothing is playing." I would suggest that you go to your audio properties window and make sure that things like the CD Player, Line In, TAD Line In and other lines that you DON'T or wouldn't use during a karaoke show are MUTED. (THIS IS ONE THAT SHOWS UP A LOT)

So, please for my assistance, could you provide me more information on the sound problem.

Thanks

[mlepine]

pcgumshoe,

If you wish I can send you the same sample I sent Bryan?
What I did was to record a 90 sec. session with my Creative Wave recorder, normalyse it and than compressed it to mp3 128k.

The problem is not the import but the play back only.

If you send me a private email I'll be glad to use your assistance.

Regards

[pcgumshoe]

I don't have a problem with that, but, what if I can't hear it either? It may be localized to your P.C.

My email is my name here plus at hotmail dot com.

It may be easier if you had a cassette recorder and you recorded it from the speakers THEN imported it into your PC and compressed it and sent it.

[mlepine]

I got a better result...

I had to use the audio card that came with my Mother Board (C-Media). It never has any sound drop out but it will still have some strange sound coming in after playing it the first time, it's like listening to a vinyl that has some scrathes!

No way to get it running properly with a Creative product.

By the way; Just try it on another brand new computer I just build:
Asus A7N8X-X, Athlon 2600+, 256M (400) DDR Memory, Western Digital 40g 8meg Cache, Audigy & ATI 9200 Series 128meg with directx 9.0 support.

All Windows, Drivers updated INCLUDED DirectX 9.0 & reduced Acceleration.

SAME RESULTS!!

My conclusion? Doesn't run properly with XP Home or it's the way it plays.

[pcgumshoe]

Please download this BMP file, it is the image of the play control center from my Sound Blaster Live. I have circled many of the mute buttons.


Please open your play control and make it the same as mine, then see if you have the audio problem. You may not see ALL the items that I have, you will need to click on the options and then properties and select everything in order to see ALL your audio channels.

Then start muting things like I have them. You shouldn't need all this extra stuff active, let me know what you use of these things during a show.

[mlepine]

pcgumshoe

Thanks but I did tried that option and no change!

I sent you a sample of what I'm talking about, it's a compressed file (mp3).

Thanks

[pcgumshoe]

I haven't received your mp3 file yet... did you send it already? Could you send it again.


Thanks

[MTUSUPPORT]

PcGumshoe,
Make sure that you turn the Hardware accelration on for the Video and the Sound and then see if that makes any changes. If you don't have to turn it down then I wouldn't.

Can you attach your DXDIAG to this post also, as described in this thread: http://forum.mtu.com/showthread.php?threadid=322

[pcgumshoe]

I'm not having this problem, I was trying to help and melpine was going to send me a file... My Hoster is working fine.

[MTUSUPPORT]

PcGumshoe,
What version of Windows have you tried it on?


He has XP Home on all of his systems. I have tested under 2000 Pro and XP Pro and can't reproduce it. I have not yet had a system in that had XP Home on it. i should have one later this week, that I can test it on to see if it is the OS.

[gduns - with the Lord]

Brian,
I'm not sure of this but aren't windows xp versions for export out of the USA different than the version here in the states? I noticed he was in canada.

[MTUSUPPORT]

GDUNS,
I am sure you are correct. I am not aware though, I have never had to deal with a foreign versions. Some of our other clients may have some input on this.

[mlepine]

I would be very surprised if in fact Microsoft would offer a different OS system outside US! I bought a Dell Laptop 4100 Inspiron from Dell .ca (Canada) & I ordered the English version, it was built in the US and before I enter my info in, I don't see how can Windows Know where I'm from?

In fact, I've been working on the English Version (coming from US) and the French Version which is from France and didn't notice any difference at all.

I would like to try Hoster Demo on my US Laptop but it doesn't have a CDG Burner. If there's a way to open the KMA file from my hard drive or from a burned cd, I could try it.
Please let me know if I can?

regards

[gduns - with the Lord]

But From all I have read the US has a Technology limit on what they are allowed to export to other countries. The 128 bit encryption level isnt allowed to be as deep as well as other minor differences. I know When I travel out of the country I am not even allowed to carry my laptop or PDA, because of this and other programs that exceed the technology allowed out of the country. I just don't know how far that goes. My thoughts were as to whether the encription level affects the wma compression.

[mlepine]

You might be right but if it had some impact on the WMA compression it should also affect the WMA compression in my Media Player?

The problem is only on Playback not import, so is it a conflict with another driver?

Only 2 things left, the XP Home or it plays like that?

Like I said previously, I tried Hoster Demo on a brand new computer with Windows XP Home, all updates & Drivers done.
I had no other program installed so I can't imagine the conflict?

Last thing that came to my mind was that Hoster is design for KJ & is played for live performance in general thru PA Speakers. What if what I'm complaining about is always there?
My last test was with the C-Media audio chip and it wasn't has bad as the sample I sent Bryan, so maybe it's the way it really plays?

regards

[S. Parks]

Would it be possible for you to share the exact disc make, disc number and track number that is in question, or is this problem universal to all songs you play in Hoster?

[pcgumshoe]

mlepine,

You can try Hoster out on your laptop that doesn't have a burner. There are two ways you could do this,
1. is if you have the two computers networked where the kma files are stored, or
2. is to burn the KMA files to a CD and then import them to your HDD and then play them.

Of course, that is contingent on that Hoster is able to search for where the tracks are stored in the Demo version.

Then you just list where they are and rebuild the database and voila, you can play it....

Sorry, I am rushed to get to the bar and I am trying to answer what I can before I leave, otherwise it may not be until 3 AM when I would reply.
:r

[mlepine]

S.Parks,

it doesn't matter which disk I use, it does it with a standard cd with music only.

thanks

[mlepine]

Admin might want to close this thread?

I finally decided to purchase another hard drive of 160G to store all my cdg's in Wave!
My intention was not to run a show with Hoster but to be able to use less space in my HD and also to be able to run another program at the same time with out the Mute effect.

I came to the conclusion that it's the way it plays and also the fact that it doesn't have the 8 bit resolution lowers the quality of the graphic.

Thanks for your help anyway... I will probably try another demo version in the future to see if the problem is still there.

Regards

[mlepine]

FOUND A FIX!

I found the problem why I was having sound drop out...

All computers I had tried Hoster with had ATI video card including my latest ATI 9200 Series, it's the cause of the problem, I had to return my video card this morning because of a problem and replaced it with a MSI FX5600 (geforce) with dual monitor capability and DirectX 9.0.

I now have no more drop out or any strange sound, I can click anywhere or open any program at the same time with out problems.

This software is now back on my list!! I'll wait for the new Keyrite to be added and I'm buying.

Very Happy

[pcgumshoe]

I don't know if others will join me BUT I want to thank you for posting AFTER THE FACT that you found the solution even though you had abandoned the idea of using the software.

So many people would do what you did, find the solution, and then NEVER post what the found. This posting will help us help others by identifying possible systems with ATI cards.

At least from me, thanks!

[MTUSUPPORT]

Mlepine,
This is odd, that it was the ATI card causing the problem. We prefer the ATI cards over the NVIDIA cards. I have never had this problem before, but then I have never used the ATI Radeon 9200 either.

We have used the ATI Radeon 9000 and now currently use the 9600 in the Laptops. The portable PC's use the NVIDIA MX 440 built in graphics.

[mlepine]

When I was doing my test with any of the ATI card I never tried it with the dual monitor only a single monitor. These cards didn't have the second VGA out but a S-Video out which I didn't test with Hoster.

On the new FX 5600 it has the second VGA out which I tested with Hoster, perhaps it's the fact that I did a dual monitor test that made it work properly & that ATI is not the cause?

Regards

[mlogan]

Also, Dell laptops have a problem with a hum which comes from the power supply. You can get rid of the hum by using a 3prong to 2 prong wall plug adapter. Costs about 1.50 at Home Depot.:)