Topic: MC Library Server plays one song then stops (Read 6993 times)

benn600 · « **on:** November 03, 2006, 05:06:40 pm »

I am running the latest MC on both server & client and on client, I start a song and it plays fine other than some slowdowns because it's wasting bandwidth downloading cover art. Then, when the song finishes, nothing else starts. I have it set like I normally do (repeat) and it still doesn't start another song.

addition: since upgrading to the latest version for both computers, I can't play anything. It says it hasn't been able to play the past few songs and then I get no music at all.

benn600 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 07, 2006, 11:13:06 am »

ideas?

John Gateley · « **Reply #2 on:** November 07, 2006, 11:15:34 am »

Are you using conversion? What are the library settings on the client (this is where conversion is set)?

Make sure you are running the latest version.

j

benn600 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 08, 2006, 11:22:25 am »

Yes, I'm converting to 320Kb constant bitrate mp3.

This is a strange issue and apparently, no one else is having the problem. I installed the latest version at one point but then I lost all library server ability. It kept saying it can't play the songs.

zurn · « **Reply #4 on:** November 08, 2006, 11:37:17 am »

Actually, I just upgraded my server and client to .108, and i'm seeing something similar--and particularly after fiddling with the Lib conversion settings.

At the moment, i've got a playlist loaded, and the first two songs wouldn't play, and then the next three did...so far so good.

It's playing with my head because i happen to be moving some files around--but as far as i can tell it's unrelated.

I'll keep going and see how it goes, but there's either something i'm not understanding about the Conversion settings, or it's doing something weird.

John Gateley · « **Reply #5 on:** November 08, 2006, 04:25:57 pm »

I tried to reproduce this, no luck, though I'm not sure what rate I used on the conversion.

Any other hints to help me reproduce it?

j

escaflo · « **Reply #6 on:** November 08, 2006, 09:52:05 pm »

This seem related to the problem I've been posting in the build thread.

Some songs of mine seems to be able to play, but for some of the songs, it will just skip through. Doesn't matter if I got conversion on or not. Bug is introduced since 104. Seems like the patch for the hanging during the change of next track for conversion is the one that introduced the bug. Build 103 works fine for the same songs except that it will hang at the end of the track if conversion was selected.

Looks more like a client side problem than a server side problem because it doesn't matter which version the server is. As long as the client side is < build 103 it works fine.

Cheers

benn600 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 09, 2006, 10:06:30 am »

Yea, it never reaches the last second of a song and therefore, doesn't continue to the next song. I also noticed the problem in 105 but not 103 so I would agree generally that it started in 103. I should try library server without conversion but sending flac over the net is tough but we're not far off. It almost streams!

I will do whatever I need to do to help figure this out. I absolutely love this newly discovered feature! I just learned of this ability recently.

John Gateley · « **Reply #8 on:** November 09, 2006, 10:32:16 am »

Are you absolutely absolutely sure you are on the latest version on both PCs? This sounds exactly like a bug we fixed in 104.

Hmmmm... would you try this test: install 103 on both PCs and try library server with conversion. It should hang at the end of the song. The install 104 on both and try again. It should not hang.

I'm wondering if our fix wasn't a fix for everyone...

j

benn600 · « **Reply #9 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:02:17 am »

I am currently playing a song from 03 and waiting to see if it continues to the next one.

In the meantime, I have noticed some slowdowns that I will explain here. I know the library is downloaded all at once to allow instant searching, etc. However, it often slows down for periods of time. If I scroll at all it begins the halt for about 10-30 seconds. If I disable my network adapter, there is no slowdown. Then, I can enable it right before I'm going to play the song. It seems like it starts downloading something--almost like it is redownloading the library or possibly cover art? But it seems like once I disable my network adapter, it doesn't try to download again until I restart MC.

Anyway, yes, in 103 it does NOT go to the next song with conversion on. I'll now try 104.

benn600 · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:07:18 am »

I am playing 104 now.

Do you think you could set it so if the request password dialog appears with a saved password, it doesn't appear at all? Remember that I was saying how I set it to remember my password but then I still get the box with filled in info. I then have to push enter or click OK.

Okay, results. After trying to play a song, I get the following error:
"Media Center encountered error while trying to play the last several files. Please make sure that the path in your media library points to the right location."

I seem to see this error all the time. I will try upgrading to the absolute latest version at the moment and report back.

benn600 · « **Reply #11 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:16:46 am »

109 does not change anything. I still see the same error message that I can't play any songs. I better go back to 103 so I can use library server.

zurn · « **Reply #12 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:37:14 am »

Hm, mine seems totally particular to conversion on the client side. Here's what i'm doing (both with build 108):

Client connects with:

-Convert if necessary
-Musepack
-default settings

When i play a flac, it returns that it could not play the file. Back on the server not much seems to happen. The log reports that the file was asked for, and that's about it.

Now here's the thing: i'm playing a mixture of mp3, mpc, and flac, and really only need the flac's converted of course. Is that what's going to happen? Or is it going to convert mp3's as well?

thanks

escaflo · « **Reply #13 on:** November 09, 2006, 11:53:43 am »

Quote

Are you absolutely absolutely sure you are on the latest version on both PCs? This sounds exactly like a bug we fixed in 104.

Hmmmm... would you try this test: install 103 on both PCs and try library server with conversion. It should hang at the end of the song. The install 104 on both and try again. It should not hang.

I'm wondering if our fix wasn't a fix for everyone...

j

Hi,

I understand the 103 problem regarding the hanging with the library server conversion. That happens. It doesn't happen with 104 that I agree. But there's another problem from 104 onwards which is that some of the songs just won't play regardless of whether conversion is set to on or off. I am not sure whether it is because of unicode filename problem as I stated, my files are named in Big 5 character set. I've tried running the newest version on both end and it is still the same. Basically I've spent time going from 104 - 109 all the way for both my server and client and the problem still occurs.

When I run 103 on my client without conversion, the same file manage to play without any problem. Of course, when I set conversion to on, the same hanging problem occur. So I am betting on the fact that the fix for the conversion problem actually broke the library server.

Hope that's clear enough for you.

Just another point, the Library Server logs never show any request for the song that was having problem playing.

Forgot to add, not all files in Big 5 character set got problem. I got some songs in the same album, some can play, some cannot. It is very difficult to pinpoint what is the exact problem that's causing it.

Cheers

John Gateley · « **Reply #14 on:** November 09, 2006, 12:20:26 pm »

Please help me narrow it down.
WIth the latest version now, set conversion (on the client) to ALWAYS convert.

Try playing an MP3 file from the server and a FLAC file from the server.

Are there any differences?

j

escaflo · « **Reply #15 on:** November 09, 2006, 08:51:14 pm »

Hi,

I don't have any FLAC files (thought that FLAC was giving the problem and as such, converted all of them to APE) but after my testing, it is the same. It doesn't matter whether always convert is on or not. It is always those few files that can't be played. Most Mp3s work fine, but I didn't go through all so I am not sure if there's any Mp3s that might have the same problem.

Like I say earlier, the song requested does not show up in the library server log.

I've requested for the song "H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\03 - 周傑倫 - 千里之外 (Feat. 費玉清).ape" but it does not show in the library server log as shown in the bottom. Other songs play just fine.

Log from Library Server
11/10/06 10:45:51 - Received request for a file: H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\05 - 周傑倫 - 退後.ape
11/10/06 10:46:07 - Received request for a file: H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\Folder.jpg
11/10/06 10:46:08 - Received request for a file: H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\04 - 周傑倫 - 本草綱目.ape
11/10/06 10:46:14 - Received request for a file: H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\Folder.jpg

Hope this helps a bit.

benn600 · « **Reply #16 on:** November 09, 2006, 09:06:08 pm »

I didn't have the time to test it so thanks for running a test like that. I'm glad to see it's not FLAC's fault or at least doesn't look like it is!

escaflo · « **Reply #17 on:** November 09, 2006, 09:13:45 pm »

Well, it sure doesn't look like it is FLAC's fault because I've convert all my FLAC files back to APE just to test the library server.

John Gateley · « **Reply #18 on:** November 10, 2006, 09:30:48 am »

benn - escaflo's problem could be different than yours, so it would help if you run the test too.

j

benn600 · « **Reply #19 on:** November 10, 2006, 10:39:25 am »

When using always convert audio, mp3 files seem to play fine but I can't get a single flac file to play.

John Gateley · « **Reply #20 on:** November 10, 2006, 10:47:19 am »

To confirm: your setting is "Always Convert" and *not* "Convert if necessary", right?

j

benn600 · « **Reply #21 on:** November 10, 2006, 10:59:04 am »

Yes. I should try some APE files and when I do I'll report back.

escaflo · « **Reply #22 on:** November 10, 2006, 11:02:20 am »

Hi benn,

Just to let you know, make sure that you also install the IN_FLAC plugin on the client side. Just in case you forgot to take this step. I was having the same problem last time (forgetting to install the IN_FLAC plugin on the client).

Cheers

benn600 · « **Reply #23 on:** November 10, 2006, 11:08:55 am »

I already installed it once. Don't I just have to install it once and then every install will automatically pick it up again since I'm guessing it's copied to the plugins folder.

benn600 · « **Reply #24 on:** November 10, 2006, 11:12:17 am »

It tried APE files and they don't play either.

Matt · « **Reply #25 on:** November 10, 2006, 04:30:42 pm »

Please try build 111. You'll need to install it on both ends.

benn600 · « **Reply #26 on:** November 10, 2006, 08:04:18 pm »

I installed 111 on both ends and it still says it can't play the files.

MP3 files work perfectly. With a quick search for mp3, I started a podcast file and it continued right from it to the next song. I don't think there was a crossfade, however. It would be nice if MC could start streaming the next song early so it could crossfade without a problem since it would have both songs. I really hope we can help you guys figure this out! I really want this to work.

escaflo · « **Reply #27 on:** November 10, 2006, 10:28:02 pm »

Still the same old problem here too. Songs from the same album, some play, some doesn't. Nothing special about those songs that it doesn't play. Log from library server show that the song that was requested on the client side was not actually requested at all.

Among the samples of songs that I tested, it seems to affect only songs with unicode filename. Songs with english filenames seems to have no problem (haven't tested extensively but that seems like the case so far).

Matt · « **Reply #28 on:** November 13, 2006, 10:27:16 am »

Please post an example Unicode filename. We've tried Chinese characters, and they're working fine.

Thanks.

benn600 · « **Reply #29 on:** November 13, 2006, 11:13:34 am »

I am playing some mp3's on the always convert mode and they do in fact continue to the next one. This leads me to believe that if the filename problem was fixed so MC could play files instead of giving the error, everything may be perfect....yay!!

Matt · « **Reply #30 on:** November 13, 2006, 03:19:34 pm »

Again, please post a full filename of a file that doesn't work. Thanks.

escaflo · « **Reply #31 on:** November 14, 2006, 06:37:21 am »

H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\03 - 周傑倫 - 千里之外 (Feat. 費玉清).ape
This song don't play.
H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\04 - 周傑倫 - 本草綱目.ape
This song don't play.
H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\05 - 周傑倫 - 退後.ape
This song plays.
H:\Mp3s\Chinese\男歌手\周傑倫\依然范特西\06 - 周傑倫 - 紅磨坊.ape
This song plays.

I've no idea why it doesn't play the songs though. The thing is that for those song it doesn't play, it does not even show up in the log file. I will try it with the newer build tonight but seeing that there isn't any fix for the library server, I don't think it would make a difference.

benn600 · « **Reply #32 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:57:10 am »

Anything really.

Remember I am using \\Server and I know two slashes can confuse some programs. Anyway, \\Server\Music\Dixie Chicks\03 Not Ready To Make Nice.flac

I can't get any flac files to play--I havne't tried a whole lot, though.

Matt · « **Reply #33 on:** November 14, 2006, 01:32:54 pm »

Thanks escaflo. Your issue will be fixed next build. (URL shrinking was being applied to Library Server URLs, when it shouldn't have been)

benn600 · « **Reply #34 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:09:38 pm »

My goodness, the songs play! I will continue checking to see if I find any other issues.

Now of course I can't help but request that MC server send thumbnails instead of the entire jpg files. It could get thumbnails on the client side so much faster if it didn't have to download the full quality jpgs for cover art but more importantly, video (about impossible to get over the net) and pictures where you can have thousands upon thousands.

benn600 · « **Reply #35 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:15:50 pm »

It does NOT seem to play continuously. It does play a song without problem but doesn't continue to the next song. We're back to 103 because I can play songs but they don't continue.

A few issues, other ideas/questions though:
1) As I play a song, I see the duration / Live. Why doesn't it say the total length of the song? Or, it used to show the amount buffered. Did I change something in the conversion settings to make it do this? Ideally, it would show the total song duration, blue would cover the area you have played, and another color like light blue would cover the buffered parts.

OMG: the menus are transparent but like glass in Vista, that is so cool! That must be new!

2) more later.

benn600 · « **Reply #36 on:** November 14, 2006, 10:18:01 pm »

Hmmm! It did this time! Perhaps the first time was a little strange. It did in fact continue to the next song this time. I will have to keep playing with it.

escaflo · « **Reply #37 on:** November 15, 2006, 09:53:50 am »

It works for me too! Yeah!!! Finally it is solved. Thanks Matt!

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Author Topic: MC Library Server plays one song then stops (Read 6993 times)