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Author Topic: Unable to play music. [Solved]  (Read 555 times)

whataboutbob1

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Unable to play music. [Solved]
« on: January 19, 2021, 09:58:11 pm »

Hi,

As of this morning when I press play I am getting the error message attached. I have tried rebooting several times without success. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Bob
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dennismf

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2021, 02:47:45 am »

Did you configure Windows Startup to start both Media Center 27 and Media Server as stated in the error message?

I can understand Media Server being run from Windows Startup but I believe Media Center 27 would require a logged in user to run correctly. The standard Media Center configuration prevents multiple instances of Media Center on one computer. There is a setting under Tools -> Options -> General -> Advanced that allows multiple instances to run. But you will need a Media Center UI running correctly to access this.

Remove Media Center 27 from Windows Startup and reboot. You then need to carefully consider what you were trying to achieve with the Windows Startup configuration.

The following is from a Google search:
The All Users Startup Folder is located at the following path: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\StartUp.
The Current User Startup Folder is located here: C:\Users\[User Name]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

I hope this helps.

Dennis MF
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whataboutbob1

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2021, 05:09:44 am »

No, I did set up both to run from start up. I don't even know how to do that. It was running fine and just out of the blue this began yesterday. I even tried deleting driver and re-downloading it. It still does it.
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whataboutbob1

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2021, 05:56:17 am »

Hi,

In trying again this morning I realized I had not mentioned something that may or may not be important.  When I initially turn on the computer and hit the jriver icon the program does start up.  I then select an album and hit the play button.  It selects the album at near the top reports it is buffering (I don't have it set up for memory playback) and the DAC the output feed does register the proper frequency for the track (example"96hx").  The time of the track is listed (example: 0:00 of 4:01).  After a while of buffering I try to shut it down. It doesn't shut down and states that the program is still running and do I want to shut it down.  I hit shut down. 

It is at that point I try to restart the program.  It is then I get the error message I initially attached to this thread.  It does this every time. Even after a re-start and even after a re-install.

Thanks,

Bob
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dennismf

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2021, 03:36:45 pm »

OK,

It looks like the initial Media Center process is hung or not responding for some reason. When you try to start a second Media Center instance, you are probably getting the message that is caused by two instances running at the same time.

There is no obvious cause for your problem. You need to eliminate possible causes.

I suggest you perform a test to see if there is a problem with your current media library:

  • Use Task Manager to end the hung process (so that there areno Media Center processes listed in Task Manager).
  • Start Media Center again but do not try to play anything
  • Create a new Media Center library using the Media Center Library Manager.
  • Add some music to this library and try to play it.
  • Try to play the music added to this new library

If you are using an external DAC, you could test Media Center through your computer's internal speakers (if there are any!). This would involve reconfiguring Media Center to use a different audio device.
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whataboutbob1

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2021, 07:03:11 pm »

OK. This was helpful. I tried the direct sound option to play through the computer speakers. No luck.  So I decided to check all of my connecting cables on the off chance I was missing something.  What I found was that when I doisconnected the computer from the DAC the music will play through the computer speakers.  So I experimented a bit with that.  What I found was that when I disconected the usb cable from the dac music plays on computer speakers. The second I plugged it back in it stopped playing.  S

So with all that in mind I am guessing there is some type of weird connection between the DAC and computer.  Then it dawed on me that a few days ago I removed a usb device that goes between the computer and the DAC and moved it to another computer audio system I have.  So on the ridiculous chance the removal of the device was the issue I returned it to the signal bath.  Lo and behold it plays music.  So I am still stumpped because I caould see how adding something to the signal path could easily be the problem.......removing something so there is just a straight USB cord from computer DAC would cause everything to stop working?

The device is a re-clocking device made bt a company called "re-gen".  I double checked the instructions for the device to make sure I didn't have toi change any settings when I installed the device years ago. But no luck there. It is a plug and play device, no changes needed.  That was also confirmed by me adding it to muy other system and it worked as advertised.

So that leaves me with thinking that I had to do something for the device to be compaltible orriginally, and now that is is removed I need to re-set it?  Maybe redownload the drive for my DAC (TEAC UH-502)?

Unusual.

Bob
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whataboutbob1

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2021, 07:22:49 pm »

error: the company that makes the device is Up Tone Audio the product is "ReGen".  See attached.
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dennismf

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2021, 12:20:46 am »

My experience with external DAC devices is ancient. It dates to when I used Media Center on computers with very poor internal audio chips and no capability beyond stereo and no HDMI.

I must say that my background in software development makes me quite sceptical regarding a digital to digital conversion, but I have no direct experience. To me it sounds like a signal processor that is manipulating the digitally encoded waveforms.

Having read some online description of the device, it appears to be providing the DAC with a cleaner power supply. Is it possible that the power supply coming from your computer is inadequate to properly power the DAC? This would explain why removing the REGEN caused a failure in the DAC.

Good Luck with your ongoing experiments.

DennisMF
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whataboutbob1

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Re: Unable to play music
« Reply #8 on: January 22, 2021, 07:08:19 am »

Hi,

After some more experimention in regard to your idea that it could be the usb power, I have learned that is in fact the cause!  As a result of what you mentioned, I ended up calling the manufacturer of the usb device and discussed it with him.  He had the same thought you did. So I found a powered usb central hub device and put that in the signal path and it is now up and running agian!

Thank you so much for yor help! Without it I would still be stuck!!!

Bob
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