I Too Get 0 Byte Imports with MS Demo

[bernie]

I recently purchased a Dell Inspiron 8100 laptop and was curious if it supported Microstudio and/or Holster. I already own both programs but did not want to waste an installation on the laptop so I downloaded the demo version of Microstudio.

The laptop has XP-Pro SP2 installed. Microstudio recognizes the internal CD-ROM drive (Matshita UJDA330) and it does list a disc's tracks correctly. However, it will neither play nor import tracks from the drive. The lyrics screen opens and then immediately closes. The import feature goes through the motions, even diplays the "imported" message. But as another user reported, the file created doesn't contain anything. It's 0 bytes.

All other aspects of the program work fine (plays both cdg and kma files created in my other installations).

The CD-ROM drive can correctly report the number of and playing time of the cdg tracks, but won't actually transfer data from them. I am looking for suggestions to identify the problem and am willing to experiment if it helps solve an issue that apprears not be unique to my configuration.

[ddouglass]

Under Tools/Default Drive does it show as Yes for both Read and Write?

[bernie]

It shows Yes for both Read and Write.

[admin]

1. Have you done all the Windows Updates? This can cause various and random problems, such as you describe. New computers (except from MTU) RARELY have the updates performed for you. It takes about 4 hours for us to upgrade the SR2 release to full status.

2. What version of Hoster are you testing with? We just uploaded 3.314 last night, so if you have 3.313, get the new demo now.

3. What is Hoster reporting as the CDROM drive data in the left column for the drive in the CD/DVD Default Drive dialog box?

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by Admin

2. What version of Hoster are you testing with? We just uploaded 3.314 last night, so if you have 3.313, get the new demo now.

3. What is Hoster reporting as the CDROM drive data in the left column for the drive in the CD/DVD Default Drive dialog box?

He is using Microstudio...not Hoster Admin. I know too much work and not enough sleep!

[bernie]

Yes, all Windows updates have been installed.

And I'm glad you mistakingly asked about the version of Hoster I was testing. Although it was Microstudio I was testing (demo ver 3.004) I decided to downloaded and install the latest demo version of Hoster to see if it provided any additional clues. Well, low and behold, Hoster has no problems with that drive (D:MATSHITA UJDA330 1.05).

I went back and retested Microstudio and duplicated the original findings. It recognizes the disc, lists all the tracks but the lyrics screen opens and then immediately closes when I try to play a track added to the Play List.

There is a second drive in this laptop which Microstudio reports Yes for Read, No for Write. It's identified as TOSHIBA DVD-ROM SD-C2502 1D13. For test purposes I made this the default drive and the results were identical (disc recognized but lyrics screen immediately closes and the import feature produces a 0 byte file).

If nothing else, the last set of tests rules out the problem being unique to the Matshita drive. Behavior was identical with the Toshiba drive.

However, one observation that may be significant. In Hoster the drives are identified with their assigned drive letter. In Microstudio they are not. In Microstudio the Drive Label for both is the @ symbol.

@: MATSHITA UJDA330 1.05
@: TOSHIBA DVD-ROM SC-C2502 1D13

In summary, Hoster has no problem with either drive, Microstudio does. Is there a clue in here anywhere?

[admin]

Hoster 3.314 has totally new code that identifies and interfaces to CD/DVD drives. It no longer uses any kind of "drive list" file as Microstudio 3.004 still does. I'd say 100% certainty that is the reason.

We are working on Microstudio 4.0 now, to come out this year (no commitment yet). It will have the same new CD/DVD Drive interface code now in Hoster 3.314.

BTW: Our new code only works with newer drives (back 3 years or thereabouts) that support Microsoft's MMC Interfacing, versus the older ASPI driver interfacing. Thus, some older drives won't work with our newer code that will work with our prior versions. So far, there have been few drives reported that didn't work with the new, and more drives that now DO work.

[ddouglass]

Admin, is it possible the demo was created from the earlier beta instead of the final where drives were reversed?

[admin]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

Admin, is it possible the demo was created from the earlier beta instead of the final where drives were reversed?

Missing your point Dale. Hoster is working correctly with both drives.

Do you mean the Microstudio 3.004 demo? I don't think it is wrong. We build both at the same time. The Demo is a conditional compile of the full. It's unlikely they are different.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by admin

Missing your point Dale. Hoster is working correctly with both drives.

Do you mean the Microstudio 3.004 demo? I don't think it is wrong. We build both at the same time. The Demo is a conditional compile of the full. It's unlikely they are different.

The Microstudio demo was the one I was referring to. This seems to be like the problem we had with the drive info being incorrect.

[bernie]

Were I to purchase one of the software packages for this laptop it would be Hoster, so it's good to see the demo works so well (I'm already a satisfied customer with Microstudio on a different pc).

At this point it's more an accademic exercise to understand why the Microstudio demo does not work. Is the explanation that Hoster 3.314 uses different code to interface with the drives really the answer? If so, your "Recognized Drives" page has been overly aggressive for some time. Both of the cited drives have been listed under the heading "Hoster 3.310+ and Microstudio 3.000+ Recognized Drives".

[admin]

Originally Posted by bernie

Is the explanation that Hoster 3.314 uses different code to interface with the drives really the answer? If so, your "Recognized Drives" page has been overly aggressive for some time. Both of the cited drives have been listed under the heading "Hoster 3.310+ and Microstudio 3.000+ Recognized Drives".

Hoster 3.314 goes out an queries the drives directly. It does not depend on a "table" of supported drives and their parameters as Microstudio 3.004 and Hoster 3.313 do.

The list is from the CD/DVD Drive Interface code vendor we license from. It is not an "agressive" list, but the ACTUAL list they claim to support. Probable explanation is that for 10 years since 1996, we have seen that a supported drive MODEL, can have individual drives that WILL and that WON'T work for CDG. None of the manufacturers test for CDG. That... is why MTU offers our CDG Certfied Drives. We test them. Occasionally one gets damaged in shipment from us, and we replace it when reported. Sometimes the user doesn't plug the drive cable(s) in correctly, and we get the drive back and it works fine.

Our new Hoster 3.314 (and Microstudio 4.0) codes have a "Detect Again" button that requests you insert a disc in the drive, and it does a more extensive test, saving the results in Registry Keys to be persistent (they are accessed and used with the program runs).

[daddybrubeck]

Just like Bernie I am getting exactly the same effects, except mine is Inspiron6400 laptop. I've been on to the Microsoft update site which tells me I do not need any critical updates.

The version of Microstudio I downloaded (just about 45 minutes ago) is v3.004.

Any ideas anyone?

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by daddybrubeck

Just like Bernie I am getting exactly the same effects, except mine is Inspiron6400 laptop. I've been on to the Microsoft update site which tells me I do not need any critical updates.

The version of Microstudio I downloaded (just about 45 minutes ago) is v3.004.

Any ideas anyone?

What type of drive do you have? One thing that may help is go to drive manufacturer's website and make sure you have the latest firmware update for it.

Microsoft has other updates besides the "critical" ones. Check the others by doing a custom rather than express check to see what else may be available.

[bernie]

As Admin pointed out, Hoster 3.314 queries the drive directly, Microstudio 3.004 does not. And as I've pointed out, the Hoster 3.314 demo reads both of my drives perfectly, the Microstudio 3.004 demo does not. This supports Admin's suggestion that the licensed vendor code used in Microstudio for interfacing with drives is the definitive distinction (and correctly pointing out that not all drives are created equally).

I recognize that the ideal solution is an mtu certified drive... I know this to be true because I've purchased two of them for other applications. I wouldn't use anything but an mtu certified drive for writing to a disc. But there are situations where a separate external drive for a laptop isn't convenient or even doable. This is particularly true when it's only the occasional "read" fuction that's needed.

Can I assume that Hoster prior to 3.314 used that same interfacing code as Microstudio? If so, may I obtain the demo version of an earlier Hoster version? That would be the perfect A-B test to evaluate the difference in interfacing code since I have not one, but two drives in the same laptop to test.

[daddybrubeck]

My laptop support people tell me that the firmware on my cd/dvd drive is the latest availble for it so I now do not know what to do.

I have to say I am not too sure what is being advised in this thread as it is a little beyond me, but an I right in saying that Microstudio is seeing my drive is cd+g compatible but in reality it is not? the drive in my computer is listed thus: HL-DT-ST CDRW/DVD GCC4244, not to sure from that who the manufacturer is.

[ddouglass]

I have to say after doing some research on the internet, that I see a lot of problems with that drive. By the way that is a Hitachi HL-DT-ST cdrw dvd GCC4244 and there seem to be no drivers or firmware updates. This looks like a cheap drive sold exclusively to Dell.
My guess would be you are probably correct in that it is incorrectly identified as a working karaoke drive when in fact it isn't. Best bet would be to get an external/usb drive from MTU that will read and write CDG files.
When the next upgrade of Microstudio comes out the drive may work with it, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

[daddybrubeck]

Thanks DDouglas for your input.

I am sure MTU do not ship drives to the UK where I am based, and even if they did I shudder to think what the shipping costs would be, I suspect the cost of the unit and the shiping cost woud make it to expensive.

I do have a Plextor 760 and an enclosure for it coming tomorrow, hopefully I will be alright with that, I have a Plextor fitted to desktop and it has worked woderfully for years now.

Thanks again.

[ddouglass]

Originally Posted by daddybrubeck

Thanks DDouglas for your input.

I am sure MTU do not ship drives to the UK where I am based, and even if they did I shudder to think what the shipping costs would be, I suspect the cost of the unit and the shiping cost woud make it to expensive.

I do have a Plextor 760 and an enclosure for it coming tomorrow, hopefully I will be alright with that, I have a Plextor fitted to desktop and it has worked woderfully for years now.

Thanks again.

Plextor 760 is a good choice. I have one in my show machine and have never had any problems with it.

[daddybrubeck]

Just received a brand new Plextor 760a as stated in my last entry, I updated the firmware from the Plextor site to v1.06 and then started Microstudio Demo (which is on my Dell Inspiron 6400 laptop), Microstudio Demo detected the 760 as karaoke compatible, I uploaded a Sunfly disc to check it out, the result was exactly the same as my first entry above and Bernie's starting entry at the begining of this thread.

I then hooked the 760 to my desktop and started Microstudio v2.605, that did not even detect the 760 as karaoke compatible, anybody any idea what's going on here please?