Unable to play or import songs

[wb6bna]

I am using a Dell 24X CD-RW/DVD Module and also a Dell 24X CD-Rom module in either of my laptops. I am able to read regular cd's as well as well to write. When I try to add a song to my playlist I get the message importing the track, but then the import box dissapears. This happens on both laptops. When I use microstudio I am able to read the disc but cannot play the song when I send it to the playlist. When I go to Microstudio it shows that both cd-roms are capable of reading and writing karaoke, and both test good. I am able to do all the above when using an 8X cdrom. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks Alan

[Roy Dennis]

It will help us to help you if you can answer these questions first.
What operating system are you using XP, Vista or Windows 7 ?
What versions of Hoster ?
What version of Micro Studio ?
Are you trying to import them into the data base or the playlist of Hoster ?
Have you done all the recommended updates ?
Go to the Dell website and see if there are any updates there for your Drives.

Roy.

[wb6bna]

I am using xp and Hoster 4.22 and Microstudio 4.006a I have not checked Dell for any updates. I just know my burners show as good in Hoster and show up as writing and reading drives in Microstudio. All my xp updates are current. I am trying to add the songs to my playlist in hoster when it drops the imperting box. I can read the cd in Microstudio but when I move them to play and hit play it starts to plat then stops immediately.

[wb6bna]

I am also wondering if I should use the MTU driver or the default driver?

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by wb6bna

I am also wondering if I should use the MTU driver or the default driver?

You've lost me a bit with this statement. Do you mean your Dell CD drive or an MTU certified CD or DVD drive? A driver is a piece of machine code to specifically run particular CD or DVD drives or other hardware.

I presume the CD and DVD drives you mention in your first post are internal drives in your Dell laptops. I think it would be worth visiting The Dell Website to see if they have any updated Drivers for your model. Sometimes they can read as good but still have problems.

DDouglas is more familiar with Dell products than me he will probably answer this query soon, see what advise he has.

When you say your XP updates are current do you mean the auto updates from Microsoft or all the Custom updates? I print the following from the manual
"Click Custom, then select all of the Optional updates. If there are many, you must do this more than once, closing and restarting Windows between each update until there are 0 updates showing."

Roy.

[wb6bna]

Thanks for the quick response I keep up with all Windows updates. I checked Dell website and there are no drivers for this particular drive. I do know when I open Microstudio it shows both cdroms as being good. As I said earlier, I have 2 Dell cdroms which can be changed in the internal bay. I can swap cdroms with an internal drive bay which will taje a cdrom, extra hd for cloning. It will also take a 3.5 floppy. My 8X will burn and also import songs from disc but not the 24X drive which doesn't make any sense to me. I used to be able import and play with either drive!! Re-installed xp but didn't help. It has got me totally baffled. Maybe as you said DDouglass may have some idea. Once again, rhank you very muc Alan

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by wb6bna

My 8X will burn and also import songs from disc but not the 24X drive which doesn't make any sense to me.

If your 8x is working OK it may simply be that the laser on the 24x speed is worn out.
I suppose you have tried a lens cleaning disk ?


Roy.

[wb6bna]

Yes, I have cleaned both. I can't believe the laser is work out on both. I am able to burn cd's on both and read cd's okay. I am even able to show the cdg list in Microstudio, but not play. I am able to install programs and play audio on the comp, but not dvd's, nor can I duplicate discs. Really maddening as I just bought another cd\dvd rom the other day on Ebay,

[wb6bna]

I am mistaken, I am able to play dvd's if I put them into the dvd drive!!! Duh!!!I am still not able to import them to Hoster.

[Roy Dennis]

Is this something that only started since upgrading Hoster to 4.22 ?
Were they working OK in previous versions ?
Or have you installed other software prior to this problem starting. ?

Just wondering, if you keep changing them over could it be a problem with the connecting cable or do they both have separate leads ?

Roy.

[Roy Dennis]

Originally Posted by wb6bna

I am mistaken, I am able to play dvd's if I put them into the dvd drive!!! Duh!!!I am still not able to import them to Hoster.

You are now talking about DVDs, You cannot import DVDs into Hoster directly as far as I know. You have to RIP them to a file on your hard drive using another software then import them from the hard drive.

Roy.

[wb6bna]

I think there is a misunderstanding here now. What I said is the cdrom will read dvd's and read karaoke disc so I don't understand why the songs will not play in Microstudio or allow me to import them into hoster. I just was saying that the cdrom will play dvd's not meaning by means of Hoster or any other program by MTU. Just via a separate dvd program I also just tried it on my desktop and get the same results.

[billyo]

that also happened to me a while back, i used to be able to import cdg's in microstudio on my pc, then i upgraded ..( can't remember what version ) the progress bar will go all the way, but when you press play it will open and goes blank..i ended up using an ext. cd/dvd drive..my plextor 716 can still read cdg's, so does my eomega slim design and my lightscribe..

[wb6bna]

This only happens to me on my laptop not my pc. When I try to import any single song in Hoster it says preparing to import then goes away. With Microstudio I can read the disc but when I go to play them it begins to play but immediately stops. Still don't know why it will work with my 8X cdrom. Doesn't make any sense.

[ddouglass]

Sorry for not getting into this before but I have been out of town this weekend in the country and had no internet.
First thing to understand is not all drives will read CDG files correctly.
Let me start by saying just because a drive says that it is good for CDG, does not necessarily mean it will be. Many laptop drives especially the older CD only drives just would never work. Thus many who use laptops usually carry an external dvd drive. More of the later DVD drives will work but still with laptops your chances of a working drive are less than those full size internal drives in a desktop computer.
As far as lasers wearing out. I have had drives that would read and write just fine one day and die the next day. In most cases it isn't instantaneous failure but a fact that the laser light will weaken just beyond the capability of the sensor to be able to read it correctly.
The test that Hoster and Microstudio use only tests the drives controller to see if it understands the command structure used for CDG file transfer. It cannot test the read and write capability of the drive mechanism itself.
Showing the cdg list on a disk, is nothing more than reading the table of contents of the disk. All Microstudio does is filter it to read the name on only .CDA files, which can also only me regular music files or CDG files.

[wb6bna]

Thanks Dale, What I don't understand is that both of the 24X cdroms do exactly the same thing in all cases. I also don't understand why the *X cdrom works just great. I have 2 of them and they work great. I have looked at the list of supported drives and they are listed as good for Karaoke according to MTU. Guess I will have to stay with the 8X since it works. Thanks again Alan

[ddouglass]

That list of CD drives is old and no longer accurate, since MTU changed the language used to communicate with the drives. With what they were using before there had to be special code added for each drive they supported to work. Now what they use is the latest standard/universal code used by all manufacturers of drives giving us a much wider selection of drives that can work. However even with that said a lot of the internal drives for laptops just will not read CDG correctly.
It is very hard to explain, but the laptop drives just are not built with the quality, power or capabilities of the full size drive.

[Musicman51]

If it will help as far as drives goes. My Toshiba lappy says it will read karaoke cdg's..in fact it will not. My brand new genuine made in china original junk plextor drive with light scribe which i purchased from tiger direct, says it loves karaoke cdg's, and in fact, when i'm lucky enough to even get it to work, will not read a cd disc, or write light scribe.

It's very hard to find good rom drives nowadays.The toshiba lap tops are notorius for testing fine..then just sitting there and clicking. Not an mtu software problem in either case. Incidently, my mtu certified drive after 100's & 100's & 100's of disc through her, still just purrrs right along.

[wb6bna]

Thank you for the infor. I have a certified burner from MTU in my desktop which works well as long as I have Microstudio 4. or higher. I believe it is the same for Hoster. They used to sell Plextors, but I don't know why they changed. I guess I will just have to use my External Plextor 716 or the slower 8X burner in the laptop. Just can't figure out why the 24X doesn't work although it used to.

[Musicman51]

I have a couple "Plextor" drives i purchased from mtu years ago as well. They both work great still. However, plextor today, is just not the same company. They are a repackaged "Liteon" product. Most likely why mtu dropped them as well..just plastic junk today, at least my new one is. {This is just my opinion}