Three times now, the DS has lost USB lock the my computer. Rebooting the computer and switching cables don’t fix only rebooting the DS. Anyone else experience? Is it possible the digital board is damaged?
If it works at all, then I doubt the digital board is damaged. I am not sure what to suggest although we’d both agree that isn’t acceptable. Perhaps Ted has a moment to share his thoughts.
I do notice that if I switch USB ports on my Mac Mini it loses lock and I have to reboot, but you’re not doing that I am sure. Are you using a hub or anything unusual? Is it a Mac or a Windows computer?
Thanks Paul. It’s a pc w Windows 7. No hub, direct connection. I did notice last time I rebooted the computer, it said it (re) installled the dac. I’ve left it running while at work so it’ll have a good 10 hours running. Could it be a pc issue after all, if the pc “needed” to run the installation again?
I had exact te same problem and filed a support call this morning.
But it seems that I just found the solution. I changed my audiophile $200 handmade USB cable with a $5 stock USB2 hi-speed cable and the problem has not been returned till now.
So, try to change your USB cable and see if that will solve it for you.
Regards,
Peter
As @pro suggests, can you try another cable?
Re-USB.
Changing the cable probably just resets the handshake connection. Unless the cable is defective it would make little sense otherwise.
Also switching to a different player, like itunes, also seems to create a fresh relationship and then back to JRMC or Foobar.
Intriguing complexity.
Sprout is on the right track.
Gordon,
What I tried to explain is that changing a USB version 1 cable by an USB version 2 cable could make the difference.
I’m sorry that it was not clear to you.
Regards,
Peter
pro said Gordon,What I tried to explain is that changing a USB version 1 cable by an USB version 2 cable could make the difference.
I’m sorry that it was not clear to you.
Regards,
Peter
Gotcha now.
I did see the V2 reference but wonder what is different that it might work better.
How might one know if a “premium” audiophile cable is 1 or 2?
More research to do.
I just stumbled onto this same issue. I have been using Windows server in core mode and wondering why Jriver would fail to play and report playback errors on cold startup. I noticed that playback options were different, with two non functional ASIO modes and dissapearance of kernal streaming. One or two reboots would often fix this, with the DS being properly recognized.
I finally reverted back to GUI mode and found that on cold start most times, the DS will not lock. This coincides with an error in device manager, indicating an uninstalled USB 1.0 driver. Rebooting the DS results in lock and the correct USB 2.0 driver being used.
I am using a Wireworld Platinum Starlight USB cable. I don’t have another cable handy, but I am not very excited about ditching that cable.
The only other quirk to my system is that I use a USB card that disconnects power over the USB cable. I have not reenabled this yet, but it was never an issue for the PWD…
No manner of uninstalling and reinstalling drivers does anything.
rfajardo said I just stumbled onto this same issue. I have been using Windows server in core mode and wondering why Jriver would fail to play and‘The only other quirk to my system is that I use a USB card that disconnects power over the USB cable. I have not reenabled this yet, but it was never an issue for the PWD…’
Mine is is disconnected too but it's ok with DS like PWD was.
Since switching back to Audirvana+, my USB connection seems to be rock solid.
I have tried multiple combinations of shut down and cable removal and, so far, not one indication of any problem.
I know both Mac and PC, direct storage and NAS have experienced the connection issue, was everybody using JR as a player?
gordon said Since switching back to Audirvana+, my USB connection seems to be rock solid.I have tried multiple combinations of shut down and cable removal and, so far, not one indication of any problem.
I know both Mac and PC, direct storage and NAS have experienced the connection issue, was everybody using JR as a player?
No I have had it with everything at times, JR, eLyric, Pure Music, Decibel, Amarra, but JR was probably the most frequent. Amarra has been the best I would say, have never used A+. The only times I have been able to explain the reason is when my Mini volume shuts down completely, no idea how this happens, it’s the first thing I check now.
Given that I had the PWD in the same configuration without any issues, I don’t think it is the software player, USB cable, or computer specific issue. I am guessing that it has something to do with a conflict between the USB “handshake” between the DS and computer. At least in my case, rebooting the PC usually (but not always) fixes the problem. Rebooting the DS always fixes it. Is there something unique happening at a cold computer start?
Windows Server has audio services disabled by default… I have been wondering about re-enabling them in the hopes that this might allow the DS to lock on computer boot. I might try this today, although I am not familiar enough with Windows Server core mode to do this effectively, and this will entail the somewhat more cumbersome process of switching back to GUI mode.
Rogerdn, what operating system are you using, and do you know if audio services are disabled?
Ryan
rfajardo said Given that I had the PWD in the same configuration without any issues, I don't think it is the software player, USB cable, or computer specific issue. I am guessing that it has something to do with a conflict between the USB "handshake" between the DS and computer. At least in my case, rebooting the PC usually (but not always) fixes the problem. Rebooting the DS always fixes it. Is there something unique happening at a cold computer start?Windows Server has audio services disabled by default… I have been wondering about re-enabling them in the hopes that this might allow the DS to lock on computer boot. I might try this today, although I am not familiar enough with Windows Server core mode to do this effectively, and this will entail the somewhat more cumbersome process of switching back to GUI mode.
Rogerdn, what operating system are you using, and do you know if audio services are disabled?
Ryan
Mine is a Mini 10.6.8 SL, MIDI always recognizes the USB driver. But so far with the DS I have not had connection issues except initially during set up it took me few minutes to get it working. What I have had a lot more of on the DS is interment skipping, or maybe it’s just brief USB drops ??
Thanks guys.
The objective would be to identify enough common conditions so that an engineer can be consistently reproduce it and identify where the weak link is.
I will periodically try other players but right now A+ is sounding so much better than JR. That in itself is peaking another curiosity.
Gosh, more confused as to what the unifying issue may be then.
As I was feeling industrious, I enabled audio services in Windows Server, and no effect. Cold computer boot still fails to result in communication with the DS.
I guess we will have to see if anyone else has this happen.
Paul McGowan said If it works at all, then I doubt the digital board is damaged. I am not sure what to suggest although we'd both agree that isn't acceptable. Perhaps Ted has a moment to share his thoughts.I find this also an interesting clue.I do notice that if I switch USB ports on my Mac Mini it loses lock and I have to reboot, but you’re not doing that I am sure. Are you using a hub or anything unusual? Is it a Mac or a Windows computer?
Switching USB ports should automatically trigger a new handshake and connection on Mac or PC. the necessity to reboot means it is not being “announced” ot the OS is not listening.
I remember this happening a few times with the PWD since I rarely used USB.
At the time, Dennis reminded me of the old Windows trick of “remove the usb cable, reboot the PC reinsert the cable so it gets “announced” and recognized”.
Obviously this is only a once-a-year solution but might indicate something useful?
Some more information on this…
I can pretty much reproduce the behavior on demand now. The problem seems to be at the moment the PC powers off. The DS becomes locked at that point for which there is no other fix other than rebooting it (the DS). This happens in either of two manners:
First, the DS disconnects when the OS initiates a shutdown event (that is, green light on the touchscreen goes red, and bit depth and sample rate info blanks), but re-enables itself when power to the PC turns off (that is, green light turns on again with 24 bit, 48 kHz data fields appearing). On cold startup of the PC, the DS remains in this state and is not recognized by the PC unless it (the DS) is rebooted.
Second, the DS disengages at OS initiation of shutdown (red light on the touchscreen input appears, bit depth and sample rate data blanks) and stays disengaged when the PC power turns off, but on cold start of the PC, it (the DS) never re-engages and is not recognized by the PC unless it (the DS) is rebooted.
Curiously, when the PC is restarted (no full shutdown), the DS responds as it should - that is, the USB link goes to red when the OS initiates a restart, but re-enables itself appropriately on OS startup.
The USB cable removal and re-plugging is somewhat complicated. When the DS is not recognized (locked up, per se), removing the cable does nothing. If the DS is in a functional state, removing the cable and re-inserting it results in appropriate recognition by the PC. Switching USB ports is a no-go, because one of the things that is disabled by the Audiophile Optimizer software is the Plug 'n Play service. Whichever plug the DS is on is where it must stay.
I suppose I could haul the DS upstairs and see what happens on a different computer… more on that later.
Are you plugging the DS into a USB 3 port? If so try a USB 2 port.
woot said Are you plugging the DS into a USB 3 port? If so try a USB 2 portI can certainly try that, but it is not that straightforward in my setup, and certainly not desirable. I am using an SOtM USB audio card which is indeed a USB 3.0 compliant part. I use this because of its audio intentioned tweaks and the ability to sever the power connection over the USB cable. Secondly, to test this, it's a bit of a pain because of a designed software tweak that disables plug 'n play, as above.
Given the nature of the problem, I am more inclined to believe that it would have to do with using an add-in card rather than USB 3.0 versus 2.0. I will also reiterate that the PWD played just fine in the same setup.
Nonetheless, I will give this a shot as well as attaching the DS to another computer. May have to wait until next weekend, however, as all this dorking around on the computer is costing me listening time…