ACPI setting
 

OK, I have a Dell Inspiron 1520 with Vista. I downloaded the lastest Hoster and my lyrics are out of sync. I started to follow the troubleshooting guides instructions on how to fix this problem by changing the ACPI PC settings. I got as far as step 11, when I restarted the computer after changing the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface. I am then suppose to enter the Advanced Bios by pressing F2. I've gotten that far and am stuck. I can get into the Bios settings by pressing F2 but there is no "Advanced" option and I can not find anything having to do with ACPI so that I can change it to Disabled. I've got karaoke on Saturday and after the lyric issue last Saturday I really need this fixed. Please help. I have looked all over Dell's site and can't find the help I need. This is my next stop. Thank's for the hlep

First the setting is for APIC not ACPI so you may have been looking for the wrong thing.
Second this only applies if your laptop has the Nvidia Chipset. This is not the video card but is part of the motherboard circuitry. Every Dell I have ever had uses an Intel Chipset.
Part of your problem is that laptops use a shared memory borrowed from the main memory instead of having dedicated video memory. This cause a limitation on what the computer can handle.

That all said now for a few questions to help us understand exactly what is going on.
What version did you upgrade from?
Are you using the Background Audio and visualizations with it?
Are you using visualizations with Audio files you are playing through the playlist?
Do you have any other programs running with Hoster?
How much memory does this laptop have?

The reason I am asking about these things is because the new versions (4.10 & 4.11) have a lot more in them. Both require more processor time and memory usage.

There is an adjustment that can be made in the Tools/Options called Playback Offset that you can adjust to help with the sync. It would be better to try to find the cause first though.

In response:

That all said now for a few questions to help us understand exactly what is going on.
What version did you upgrade from?
Are you using the Background Audio and visualizations with it?
Are you using visualizations with Audio files you are playing through the playlist?
Do you have any other programs running with Hoster?
How much memory does this laptop have?

The old version I had I'm not sure which one it was. It was 3.312 I believe. I am just simply playing karaoke with singers. None of the extras the new host has to offer. I haven't had a chance to play with all the new stuff yet. I do not run any other programs with Hoster either. I bumped the memory in the laptop up to 4 gb with the new hoster because I did not have enough with it. OK so if I don't have to adjust any bios settings then how to I get my Device Manager issue back to the original. I got that step done. After doing that step now when I start hoster it says my processor is not fast enough. :f. I'm not real savy on this kind of stuff and am getting really frustrated. Thanks again.

Run System Information located in the Start Menu, Programs - Accessories/System Tools. Copy the Summary information and paste it in a post here. This will help us determine exactly what your system has.

Jumping from 3.3xx to 4.11 is a huge change. There have been a whole lot of features added and of course the more you add the harder the computer has to work. Even if you haven't used any of the new features some of those are still running in the background.

Have you done all the items on this checklist (which is also in the manual)?
http://www.mtu.com/upgrades/hoster/v...de-hoster4.htm

What it had you set will not hurt the computer and has nothing to do with the message you are getting about the processor speed. Hoster has two checks that it does now which are for processor speed and memory. If either of these do not meet the recommended minimums then you get a message telling you that it doesn't meet minimums (not those words but what you are getting or that memory is to low). This is why I want to see your system information.

OK here is the system info

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium
Version 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name TOLSONA-PC
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Inspiron 1520
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T2310 @ 1.46GHz, 1462 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A03, 8/16/2007
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume3
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6001.18000"
User Name Tolsona-PC\christines
Time Zone Alaskan Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 3.75 GB
Available Physical Memory 2.22 GB
Total Virtual Memory 4.65 GB
Available Virtual Memory 3.08 GB
Page File Space 0.98 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys


yes i went through the page of requirements and believe they have all been done.

Thanks.

At 1.46GHz I am pretty sure this is below the new test minimum (I will verify that tomorrow with MTU). Though yours is above the minimum requrements in the manual and on the webpage it is very close to it. This is why you are experiencing sync problems.
I would recommend though that you go to Dell Support webpage and get the driver and Bios updates for that laptop. Your Bios is listed as version A03 and I am sure there has been an update since then.

ok i updated the bios and it is better. the first song i played was perfect but the secdond and third were way off again. i tried to update the video driver as well and lost my second display so i rolled it back. got a show tomorrow so hopefully i can get this resolved.

have you tried changing the virtual memory setting, ( 3055/ 4096 )and the playback offset.? i change the playback to -.50 and it fixed the out of sync problem ,once you do these, specially the playback offset play a couple of songs, i have 2 songs that i used , which i think is perfect to see if it's still out of sync..1). Bye Bye Love and 2) was Amazed

I have changed the playback to -1.25 and it seems much better. How do I change the virtual memory? I'm not very savy at this stuff.

read thread " hoster shuts down after 35-40 sec." ( sept. 26 page 2 )post # 33 and just follow the direction..-1.25 ? have you tried -.50 and played the songs i suggested?

I started on -.25 and had to keep adjusting to get my songs on track. I did not try the songs you suggested yet. but I will look at the thread you suggested.

Here is the link to the thread Billyo is referring to
http://forum.mtu.com/showthread.php?t=11710&page=2

I would also recommend you look into a system clean up program.
There is a free one called SystemCare or if you want a profession type that will do a thorough, safe job try System Mechanic 9 for $49 (installs on 3 computers).

ok i ran a show last night and my timing issue is much better with the offset set at -1.25. however now it will skip every once and awhile. I am still trying to figure out how to revert the device manager setting that I had gone through when trying to change my bios settings. I had started going through the steps that is recommended for lyrics sweeping to slow. Since I made that change my processor speed is to slow. Any ideas on how I get it back to original.

i think audio skipping was one of the bugs in the earlier 4.11 version, you might wanna download the newer version, from what i read they've been fixed, did you change the virtual memory setting to 3055/4096 ? or you can do a system restore to revert you back to the way it was and re-install 4.11. and also do you have hoster 3.4 intalled, if not if i were you i'll install it for a back-up, make sure you save the installation and then run it.

Do the same steps up to "Update Drive" and click on "Rollback Driver" instead. That will re-install the original driver that you changed. I don't think that changed your processor speed, but do another System Information afterwards and post it here. My guess is the speed will be the same.

Playback offset may be fine for minor changes but the best method if the audio is out of sync is to change the hardware accelleration setting. It's a more permanent fix(if that's the problem)

Click START

Click RUN

Type DXDIAG, O.K

At the top of the page, click on SOUND 1

About the middle of the page there's a HARDWARE ACCELLERATION slider.

Move it two clicks to the left, and exit.

No harm done if it doesn't solve the problem, you can easily put it back.

OK, here goes. Yes I changed the virutal memory settings. As far as the "Rollback" option on the driver it is not available. I already had tried to do that. Here is the latest on my system information.

OS Name Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Home Premium
Version 6.0.6001 Service Pack 1 Build 6001
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name TOLSONA-PC
System Manufacturer Dell Inc.
System Model Inspiron 1520
System Type X86-based PC
Processor Intel(R) Pentium(R) Dual CPU T2310 @ 1.46GHz, 1462 Mhz, 1 Core(s), 1 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Dell Inc. A09, 7/11/2008
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume3
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.0.6001.18000"
User Name Tolsona-PC\christines
Time Zone Alaskan Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 3.75 GB
Available Physical Memory 2.41 GB
Total Virtual Memory 6.61 GB
Available Virtual Memory 5.37 GB
Page File Space 2.98 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

I have downloaded the latest update and am having the skipping issue. I will try the acceleration suggestion tomorrow. I dont' have my external hard drive with me at the moment. Thanks again for all the suggestions. I really just want to get this fixed.

Christine

After you try the hardware acceleration, if that doesn't do the trick, try going here http://www.blackviper.com/ and start trimming your system down. I would suggest going with the "Tweaked" list.

Also you could post your task manager list of running processes and we can see if we can help you trim that down too. Hit alt+ctrl+del and select Start Task Manager to see the list of running processes.

Ok I went into the DirectX tool and there is no adjustments available under Sound 1. Secondly, I went through the Blackviper's list of tweaks. I did most of them but did not touch the services because I am afraid that if something else screws up I won't know where to fix it. I tried to copy my task manager but there is not a way to do that. I really need to know how to reverse the computer driver setting back to original. If I get out the original discs and reload drivers from there would that do it? thanks.

That may or may not work. I am not sure that those drivers will be on the disk though.