Problems with newer PHM's/2.209

[mindonstrike]

I've been having a problem with the newer PHM (using the yellow title page) on most of the songs at the beginning there is a severe audio dropout which also seems to throw the timing out of sync by a word or two (sometimes ahead sometimes behind) and if theres another dropout it increases the amount that the timing is off. Processor usage jumps to 70-90% during dropouts. playing them with the cdg tab does not help

I'm refering to the 2.209 upgrade installed a week ago. I had this problem with 2.014 as well but the dropouts were just minor ticks, annoying but not a problem and they didn't mess the timing at all

I've had no problems with the older PHM's or any other brand for that matter in fact In fact i've had no audio dropouts at all except for these
Anybody else experiencing this?

Shuttle
amd2500
windows xp pro
dx9

[admin]

Reported by another user, the graphics problems with the Pop Hits Monthly discs is fixed if you disable direct write with your dxdiag.

Read and make these changes to your Windows installation to prevent/reduce audio dropouts.

Also, in the 2.209 manual under Troubleshooting Tips, read the topic on audio dropouts and make the changes recommended there too.

[mindonstrike]

I don't have direct write on my shuttle but I do have direct draw. Disabling that did not help in fact it created sync problems with my ALLHITS brand and new dropout problems with the slightly older PHM's - the ones where the title comes in kind of pixelated.

Oddly, reducing the acceleration cured the problem when i use the onboard Nvidea sound (only at home). Reducing the acceleration on my Soundblaster USB card seems to have fixed the problem with the dropouts creating sync problems however the dropouts themselves are still there and still lasting several seconds.

I really like the key change feature for singers discs in 2.209 so I hate the thought of having to reinstall 2.014 so I'm hoping someone will have a suggestion that might help me through this. Thanks.
Sam

[tymzend]

I am having this same problem. Did all of the recommended stuff to reduce audio drops, but still having them. PHM new stuff is where my problem is. Some drops at the opening screen, and some deeper into the song. Mine haven't affected the swipes though, yet.

OK, what is DirectWrite? Whatever it is, it's not on my MTU PC. Or, at least I can't find it. The link to those directions on how to disable it, takes you to a thread, and the directions aren't there, only the header.

[tymzend]

Did the DirectWrite stuff, to no avail.

[S. Parks]

Not to be happy with your problem, but I'm glad to see I'm not the only person experiencing this problem. I've tried all the recomended fixes as well. I've not only noticed it with the new pop hits monthly, but just about any disc that does a fade out transition between screens. at the moment that the audio drop out accurs, the mouse cursor gets sluggish, you hear an audio drop out, then things return to normal. I'd be glad to loan MTU some disc to play around with if it will help resolve this issue? Are there anyone out there that currently use these new disc that do not have this problem? I've tried the A, B, and C settings on the audio buffer tools menu, with minor improvement in the B setting, but the problem is still there.

[tymzend]

Originally posted by admin
Reported by another user, the graphics problems with the Pop Hits Monthly discs is fixed if you disable direct write with your dxdiag.

This fix works for some, but not all. I made this change and it didn't affect anything.

Read and make these changes to your Windows installation to prevent/reduce audio dropouts.

These didn't do the trick either.

Also, in the 2.209 manual under Troubleshooting Tips, read the topic on audio dropouts and make the changes recommended there too.

Did. Still got drop outs. We need to find more recommended fixes. If this keeps up, I'll have no choice but to go back to doing everything the hard way. It's only been 3 gigs, and the singers are already looking back at me like I got my karaoke set-up at Wal-Mart.

[S. Parks]

my direct write in dxdiag is disabled also, nut to no avail. A person in another thread report owning and playing the PHM disc on their system with no problems, but did not list any specifics about their computer. This is really a drag, as I have many singers who like the PHM songs, and bring their own disc. I hope this can be sorted out soon. I liked the Walmart system analogy, that's about how I feel when I get one of those looks. The only saving grace is most of the songs I own more than one version so with the near search functin, I can find an alternative. This is not just a POP hits monthly thing, as I have seen the same thing on a few other lables where you have a fading graphic or screen while music is playing. It's really quite strange. I don't have the problem on any Chartbuster or SoundChoice disc that I have noticed so far.

[tymzend]

So far, mine are only on PHM. Haven't noticed any problems on any others.

I would agree with S. Parks though, the problem is where you have video fade in and out on the screen.

I was checking my system resources at the same time as the video fade happens, and it goes from 0-2% up to 40-50% while the audio drop is happening.

[S. Parks]

my cpu usage is doing the same as yours, at the moment the screen fade begins I from 2% to 60% then a quick spike to 90 to 96% as the audio drop out occurs. I've been through all the suggested fixes in the manual from a to z, with only minor improvement to the audio drop outs. I've suffered through one such problem before after an upgrade, an accellerating graphics problem. It took nearly a month for the forum members to zero in on the problem. My shuttle system is one that I built myself, but I understand your system came from MTU. I migth add that I have two systems, the other is a Sony laptop, and I have the some problems on it after applying all the fixes. I trust the MTU folks are giving this issue consideration, though I haven't heard anyone weigh in and say if they've been able to recreate the problem on one of their systems. It would be different if it played all songs this way, but that is not the case.

[nreel]

Exactly, what is the PHM Disc Number and Trk...Give a couple and I will see if I have them to test with.

I just tested PHM0406-01 and 02. I had ZERO audio drops using the Add Track via CDG.

I have MOST of the suggestions implemented, to reduce Audio Drops.

It would help if you gave this info...as with my computer:

Hoster 2.209
Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 1 Build 2600
Processor AuthenticAMD 2500+
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD 6.00 PG, 11/07/2003 (latest BIOS and DRIVERS)
System Manufacturer MSI K7N2 Delta NVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 8XAGP
Total Physical Memory - 512MB DDR333
Video – ATI 9500 8X MODE – (Latest Driver 4.5) ATI Drivers - Full Acceleration
ATI Settings – FAST WRITE – OFF
DirectX Version - 9.0b (4.09.0000.0902)
Direct Draw Acceleration - ENABLED
Audio – Audigy 2 - Basic Acceleration
Primary HD - Western Digital 160GB 7200 on IDE 1
Second HD - Western Digital 120GB 7200 on IDE 1
CDR-Plextor (PX-W4824A upgraded to 1.05) - Internal on IDE 2
Third HD – Maxtor 120GB 7200 on IDE 2

[S. Parks]

That would be PHM0310 trk 3, "Here Without You" by 3 Doors Down.

[tymzend]

PHM (Pop) 0404-06 (My Immortal)

I have a serious drop on this one at the screen intro, and again after the guitar solo.

[S. Parks]

yes I have the problem on that disc as well in the same place

[mikedomi]

first of all the problem is not with your audio
the problem is with the way phm makes there screen
fade it takes a lot of your resources

this is 1 disc company out of over 100 the hoster is having a problem with (99 THAT ARE WORKING GOOD)

this is my own opinion until mtu can take a look at this or if they cant fix this there are plenty of others out there with the same music
thm for one
these two company's were one and the two people split so you now have phm and thm about the same price same every thing

so it looks like hoster is playing 99.9% of the disc out there
how can you bash them with that kind of number
so if your car does not run good on mobile gas
do you bash ford or do you buy some one else's gas

just a point here

after all its not like phm quality is like sound choice or some of the others

i am not making light of your problem it is just that this is one disc
company out of over 100 making disc

i stop buying them for this reason and others
if it is that bad of a problem if i were you i would think about buying somethig else untill it is fixed

I DID JUST THAT AND WHAT I AM BUYING IS JUST AS GOOD


SEE YA LATER MIKE

[Sherri]

I also am having the same trouble as you guys, with no fix. Finally, MTU called me and said to take the laptop to a tech. This I did, and after two days of going through the computer, they can find no reason for the dropouts either. I didn't seem to have this trouble with the first Hoster I downloaded. version 2.014, but then I paid for a $50. upgrade, and last the free upgrade to 2.209. Now I have audio dropouts horribly, and have tried all the suggested fixes, and brought the computer to a tech who in turn did all the suggested fixes, and checked out the laptop. Let me know if anyone finds the reason for these please!! Sherri

[S. Parks]

OK Mike, what's your point. First of all it's not just on PHM, they just happen to be the worst culprits. Nobody's nocking the program, it's a great program. The fact is, it used to play these disc fine on previous versions. That wasn't part of the deal with the upgrade, gain this, but loose that. If your happy with 99% great. I have noticed this problem on about 4 different lables depending on the song, and that does constitute for a real issue. It's only been the last few days or so when the silence broke and people started to acknowledge this as a real problem. Believe me I've had tons of recomendations of how to fix my settings, which are exactly as MTU suggest they should be; however the problem is still there. Basically nobody cares if 99% of your thousands and thousands of selctions play good, if the one you waited in line to sing sounds like garbage. 99% just ain't good enough.

[Sherri]

Nikkodo, SAVPs are one of the disk sets with the graphics coming up with the music, causing the audio dropouts. Lucky me I have the whole set. But I wanted others to be aware of this. Buying replacements will be tricky as there are 40 disks in this set. I would rather be able to fix the problem if possible, than to replace hundreds of songs. Let's keep working on this. Maybe together, we can find a solution.

[nreel]

I have Nikkodo, Pop Hits Monthly, Top Hits Monthly and Zoom.

I do not have Audio Drops with any of these discs.

Whoever upgraded to the latest version, did you do a complete uninstall of the previous version BEFORE installing the current version? You MUST do a COMPLETE uninstall first.

Do you have your Audio setting at BASIC Acceleration? If not, try that.

Do you use an ONBOARD Sound device? I use to use my ONBOARD Sound Card until I went with a Sound Blaster Audigy and I would not go back to the ONBOARD Sound at all. I know this puts those who are using Laptops in a bind because, if you use an External Sound Device, then, that defeats the purpose of having a compact, All-In-One, system. (Which is the reason I do not use a Laptop - next to impossible to upgrade/change/fix)

None of you list specs on your computers, as requested earlier in this thread, and is paramount in trying to understand/duplicate what may be the problem.

Norm

[mikedomi]

the point is
if you know there is a problem don't keep buying something
that is broke (meaning the disc in ???)

I am sure in time and time being the key word
they will find a fix if there is a problem with the code


and no one said go out and replace your disc I just made a point not to keep buying them

I check some of the disc in ???
and none of them drop audio in 2209
so just maybe there is something else in your system stealing your prosscer
and when this disc comes along that just overwhelms you prosscer
and maybe this next release will take care of your problem

you said 4 different labels that is a lot
and I am really sorry that you have that many
I took a look at those labels all four of them I have most of them I can not get your problem to happen
I tried about 30 disc
while running 3 other program's in the back ground

maybe it is the way your computer is set up or maybe not
but no need to get made at me

and Sherri not to worry I am sure they are working on this maybe as we speak
and here to was just saying may not to keep buying these disc until there is a fix was not telling you to replace them
but there are better disc for the money out there that work fine with hoster
was just trying to give you another route to go for now