HypeNot1q
I have been trying to diagnose an issue I've been having with VDJ for several weeks now. No matter what I've tried or been advised to try, the problem still persists. Assistance with this would be highly appreciated. Here's the scoop...
I just loaded VDJ 4.3 onto a new laptop (Windows XP) which I just purchased to use as a backup to my primary rig(s). It's a Dell Latitude D610 with 1.6 GHZ processor, 1 GB RAM, M-Audio external sound card, DAC-3, and 500 GB WD external drive for music. Pretty basic, but similar specs as my other Dell laptop which has never had an issue for over 2 years now. The laptop is only going to be used for djing, so I made sure to perform all of the necessary system optimization settings on it and remove any unnecessary programs as well.
Anyhow, VDJ works perfectly, but if I have to minimize it for whatever reason, the music starts "skipping" and seems to slow the entire computer down! The only way to get VDJ working properly again is to close it and re-start the program. (I tried uninstalling and reinstalling but the problem remains). This has never happened with ANY of the other PC's or laptops that I've used VDJ on. I am not looking to move onto version 5.0 yet, but I seriously doubt that an update would solve the problem anyway. In fact, I am PERFECTLY HAPPY with 4.3, so I'd very much prefer to stick with it for the time being. I can minimize the VDJ window and expand it so that the program fills up the entire screen. I can access other programs or folders by dragging VDJ aside--but this doesn't fix the problem. At least it's a way to use this system for the time being, but I REALLY want to get it fixed the right way!
After VDJ is minimized, even if I disconnect the soundcard, external hard drive, and even power to the laptop--the audio seems ok as long as there isn't any other track loaded. In fact, the problem now is with the audio's visual presentation that scrolls up top. Though there's still a hesitation with the audio, it's nowhere near as pronounced as when an external drive is being used. With the external HD, the audio hesitates and also has a "scratchy" sound. Using the laptop's internal drive to house some mp3's, the problem becomes much less apparent.
Either way, when VDJ is minimized and then reopened, the CPU meter jumps up about halfway for a few seconds and then dips back down for another few seconds--then repeats. With the external HD and soundcard connected, VDJ freezes up and has SEVERE trouble with the "Saving Database" after the program is minimized and then maximized. In fact, it completely freezes up and cannot be closed--even in the Windows Task Manager! The skin is maximized to the correct specification, so this is not the blue screen issue that we encountered a while ago. And also, the operating system updated and running in its latest drivers.
***Here's some interesting aspects of how the program is running on this particular laptop***
With just VDJ open and no tracks cued up, the CPU usage is normally between 2-5%--though it jumped up to 15-20% within the first couple minutes of having the program open. When a song is playing, the CPU is in the 5-10% range. During an Automix, there's not much of a difference at all--7-11%. When a song is loading, it spikes all the way up to 100%--but I'm pretty sure my other laptop setups do the same exact thing and haven't been a problem. In the Processes tab of the Task Manager, VDJ is right at the top when open--in the 70,000-115,000 K range. Other than that, the next closest item is "svchost.exe" and "explorer.exe"--which are ~22,000 K and 17,000 K respectively.
When I minimize VDJ with the music playing, it drops all the way down to around 15,000 K and then SLOWLY brings itself back up. When I say "slowly", I'm talking about 200 K every second or two. Then when it Automixes to the next track, the memory usage drops back down around 15,000 K and starts crawling up from there again. At the end of the tracks lined up for the Automix, the Memory Usage just stops at whatever number it happened to be on. Even if I start a song again, the Memory Usage just sits at the same level--and never regains it's original operating point again.
Suggestions?
I just loaded VDJ 4.3 onto a new laptop (Windows XP) which I just purchased to use as a backup to my primary rig(s). It's a Dell Latitude D610 with 1.6 GHZ processor, 1 GB RAM, M-Audio external sound card, DAC-3, and 500 GB WD external drive for music. Pretty basic, but similar specs as my other Dell laptop which has never had an issue for over 2 years now. The laptop is only going to be used for djing, so I made sure to perform all of the necessary system optimization settings on it and remove any unnecessary programs as well.
Anyhow, VDJ works perfectly, but if I have to minimize it for whatever reason, the music starts "skipping" and seems to slow the entire computer down! The only way to get VDJ working properly again is to close it and re-start the program. (I tried uninstalling and reinstalling but the problem remains). This has never happened with ANY of the other PC's or laptops that I've used VDJ on. I am not looking to move onto version 5.0 yet, but I seriously doubt that an update would solve the problem anyway. In fact, I am PERFECTLY HAPPY with 4.3, so I'd very much prefer to stick with it for the time being. I can minimize the VDJ window and expand it so that the program fills up the entire screen. I can access other programs or folders by dragging VDJ aside--but this doesn't fix the problem. At least it's a way to use this system for the time being, but I REALLY want to get it fixed the right way!
After VDJ is minimized, even if I disconnect the soundcard, external hard drive, and even power to the laptop--the audio seems ok as long as there isn't any other track loaded. In fact, the problem now is with the audio's visual presentation that scrolls up top. Though there's still a hesitation with the audio, it's nowhere near as pronounced as when an external drive is being used. With the external HD, the audio hesitates and also has a "scratchy" sound. Using the laptop's internal drive to house some mp3's, the problem becomes much less apparent.
Either way, when VDJ is minimized and then reopened, the CPU meter jumps up about halfway for a few seconds and then dips back down for another few seconds--then repeats. With the external HD and soundcard connected, VDJ freezes up and has SEVERE trouble with the "Saving Database" after the program is minimized and then maximized. In fact, it completely freezes up and cannot be closed--even in the Windows Task Manager! The skin is maximized to the correct specification, so this is not the blue screen issue that we encountered a while ago. And also, the operating system updated and running in its latest drivers.
***Here's some interesting aspects of how the program is running on this particular laptop***
With just VDJ open and no tracks cued up, the CPU usage is normally between 2-5%--though it jumped up to 15-20% within the first couple minutes of having the program open. When a song is playing, the CPU is in the 5-10% range. During an Automix, there's not much of a difference at all--7-11%. When a song is loading, it spikes all the way up to 100%--but I'm pretty sure my other laptop setups do the same exact thing and haven't been a problem. In the Processes tab of the Task Manager, VDJ is right at the top when open--in the 70,000-115,000 K range. Other than that, the next closest item is "svchost.exe" and "explorer.exe"--which are ~22,000 K and 17,000 K respectively.
When I minimize VDJ with the music playing, it drops all the way down to around 15,000 K and then SLOWLY brings itself back up. When I say "slowly", I'm talking about 200 K every second or two. Then when it Automixes to the next track, the memory usage drops back down around 15,000 K and starts crawling up from there again. At the end of the tracks lined up for the Automix, the Memory Usage just stops at whatever number it happened to be on. Even if I start a song again, the Memory Usage just sits at the same level--and never regains it's original operating point again.
Suggestions?
发表时间 Fri 26 Oct 07 @ 4:58 am
djderricke
Are you using the default skin? And what resolution are you running at? Also, are you using your M-Audio card in ASIO mode?
发表时间 Fri 26 Oct 07 @ 5:04 am
HypeNot1q
Yes, I am using the default skin. The resolution is 1024 X 768. And yes, the sound card is in ASIO mode.
The only particular that I'm not overly familiar with is the ASIO thing. Are there any settings I should pay attention to with this?
The only particular that I'm not overly familiar with is the ASIO thing. Are there any settings I should pay attention to with this?
发表时间 Fri 26 Oct 07 @ 5:13 am
jimmy b
Hi Double Image
I don't know alot about pc's or soundcards but I've had sound touble over the last couple of days, sorted now.
I lifted my ASIO buffer setting up in my herc console (soundcard) from 880 to 1330, now you might not have these figures or not be able to move the figures, but if you can try the buffer on a high setting.
Can you get into your CPU settings, I've got a power mangerment section in my lappy and I change my CPU setting to "best performance" again you might not be able to but if you can try.
I hope this helps.
Jimmy b
I don't know alot about pc's or soundcards but I've had sound touble over the last couple of days, sorted now.
I lifted my ASIO buffer setting up in my herc console (soundcard) from 880 to 1330, now you might not have these figures or not be able to move the figures, but if you can try the buffer on a high setting.
Can you get into your CPU settings, I've got a power mangerment section in my lappy and I change my CPU setting to "best performance" again you might not be able to but if you can try.
I hope this helps.
Jimmy b
发表时间 Fri 26 Oct 07 @ 5:24 am
l_rids
Minimising VDJ causing a freeze or crash was a known issue that was carried onto 5.0. This has been fixed in the recent revisions. My personal recommendation is to upgrade to 5.0 if you want this issue resolved.
The audio problems you are having sounds like its related to your soundcard setting presets. Try lowering the performance slider and see if it has any effect on the probs.
Test and repost please.
The audio problems you are having sounds like its related to your soundcard setting presets. Try lowering the performance slider and see if it has any effect on the probs.
Test and repost please.
发表时间 Fri 26 Oct 07 @ 5:25 am
Mumpi
Try to use ASIO4ALL (www.asio4all.com). I have a similar problem with my Dell D600.
I put it down to the USB hardware/chipset whatsoever. It really seems to be problem of the USB hardware itself and the internal ressource management of the laptop. On my machine the graphic card shares ressources with the USB and PCMCIA, so a PCMCIA USB card does not solve the problem as well. Disabling ACPI etc. did not work either.
On a slightly slower IBM Thinkpad R40, you see the ressource sharing as well, but there it works flawlessly.
I don't want to scare you, but as far as I can see and as far as I have tried, there is no solution for this problem. I read lots of forums/articles and noone seems to have solved it other than taking a different machine.
In conclusion, sadly, it really seems to be a very low-level hardware problem which you can not solve!
With ASIO4ALL, which is an ASIO wrapper over the regular WDM drivers it works for me. It shows you your soundcard and you can assign channels which you can then select in VDJ when loaded. Best settings within ASIO4ALL on my side is put kernel buffers to max (not the hardware buffer), ASIO Buffer size to 512 samples, untickle the force WDM driver to 16bit and the Always resample (but with this you can play around). In VDJ then put the performance slider to low or mid/low and set latency on auto.
Hope this helps you.
I put it down to the USB hardware/chipset whatsoever. It really seems to be problem of the USB hardware itself and the internal ressource management of the laptop. On my machine the graphic card shares ressources with the USB and PCMCIA, so a PCMCIA USB card does not solve the problem as well. Disabling ACPI etc. did not work either.
On a slightly slower IBM Thinkpad R40, you see the ressource sharing as well, but there it works flawlessly.
I don't want to scare you, but as far as I can see and as far as I have tried, there is no solution for this problem. I read lots of forums/articles and noone seems to have solved it other than taking a different machine.
In conclusion, sadly, it really seems to be a very low-level hardware problem which you can not solve!
With ASIO4ALL, which is an ASIO wrapper over the regular WDM drivers it works for me. It shows you your soundcard and you can assign channels which you can then select in VDJ when loaded. Best settings within ASIO4ALL on my side is put kernel buffers to max (not the hardware buffer), ASIO Buffer size to 512 samples, untickle the force WDM driver to 16bit and the Always resample (but with this you can play around). In VDJ then put the performance slider to low or mid/low and set latency on auto.
Hope this helps you.
发表时间 Fri 26 Oct 07 @ 2:12 pm