RC1 - Can't sync iPod (the way I want) [F3972 RC3]

[GeWi]

I wanted to do the following:
- Create a play list with about 13,000 mp3's (with different kinds of bitrates)
- Change the settings so MM3 would sync my iPod 80 GB (not a classic but the previous model) with the play list
- Change the settings so that uncompatible files are converted AND that all files with bitrates higher than 128 are converted to 128

When I click on Sync, syncing starts, but seems to stop after about 3,000 files. I restarted MM3 and restarted the syncing process. The screen shows : Copying file 1 from 10000 (converting file).
This stays that way for hours and hours. Nothing changes, but MM3 is very active.
Perfmon shows all my RAM is used, the hard disc containing the MP3's is constantly active. ProcExp shows that decoder.exe starts and stops constantly instances of itself, but the amount of files on the iPod stays exactly the same.

[GeWi]

Debug log shows hundreds of access violation errors shown in the part of the log file below.
Seems like I'm dealing with a conversion problem. As I mentionned above I tried to convert all files on the iPod to a bitrate of 128???!!!
Any suggestions???


[1288] INWMP3: Open()
[1288] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Openning TStreamAccess
[5992] Winamp sim - WM_USER message 9800
[5992] Locking file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Sonics\Here Are the Sonics\03 - The Sonics - Roll Over Beethoven.mp3
[5992] Locked file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Sonics\Here Are the Sonics\03 - The Sonics - Roll Over Beethoven.mp3
[5992] Winamp sim - WM_USER message 9801
[5992] Unlocking file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Sonics\Here Are the Sonics\03 - The Sonics - Roll Over Beethoven.mp3
[1288] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: SetID3Offset().
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 2 - 0
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[1288] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: ID3 found and skipped.
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[1288] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Looking for data.
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[1288] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Open finished.
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 3986075
[1288] INWMP3: OnStatus 1.
[1288] INWMP3: Open() - Stream openned.
[1288] INWMP3: Open() - Stream starting.
[1288] INWMP3: Seek() started
[1288] INWMP3: StopStream() started
[1288] INWMP3: StopStream() finished
[1288] INWMP3: StartStream() started
[1288] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[1288] INWMP3: OnStatus 11.
[1288] INWMP3: StartStream() finished
[1288] INWMP3: Seek() finished
[5992] WA Decode, Initialized.
[5992] Decoder: CreateDecoder() finished successfuly
[5992] --------------------------------------------------------
[5992] New exception:
[5992] Exception code: 2460516
[5992] Exception flags: 1677721600
[5992] Number of parameters: 1360477
[5992] An error occured during file conversion: Access violation at address 7C91142E in module 'ntdll.dll'. Read of address 00000000
[5992] WA Decode, Destroying.
[5992] WA Decode, Going unmap memory file.
[5992] WA Decode, Destroyed.
[1288] INWMP3: Stop() started
[1288] INWMP3: Close() started
[1288] INWMP3: StopStream() started
[5992] Decoder: CreateDecoder() started
[1288] INWMP3: OnStatus 12.
[1288] INWMP3: OnEndOfStream
[1288] INWMP3: StopStream() finished
[1288] INWMP3: OnStatus 13.
[1288] INWMP3: Close() 1
[1288] INWMP3: Close() 2
[1288] INWMP3: Close() 3
[1288] INWMP3: Close() finished
[1288] INWMP3: StopOutput() started
[1288] INWMP3: StopOutput() finished
[1288] INWMP3: Stop() finished
[5992] WA Decode, Waiting for init.
[1288] INWMP3: Close() started
[1288] INWMP3: Close() 1
[1288] INWMP3: Close() 2
[1288] INWMP3: Close() 3
[1288] INWMP3: Close() finished
[5992] WA Decode, decoder started.
[4164] INWMP3: Stop() started
[4164] INWMP3: Close() started
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 1
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 2
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 3
[4164] INWMP3: Close() finished
[4164] INWMP3: StopOutput() started
[4164] INWMP3: StopOutput() finished
[4164] INWMP3: Stop() finished
[4164] INWMP3: Close() started
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 1
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 2
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 3
[4164] INWMP3: Close() finished
[4164] INWMP3: Open()
[4164] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Openning TStreamAccess
[5992] Winamp sim - WM_USER message 9800
[5992] Locking file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Verve\Urban Hymns\01 - The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony.mp3
[5992] Locked file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Verve\Urban Hymns\01 - The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony.mp3
[5992] Winamp sim - WM_USER message 9801
[5992] Unlocking file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Verve\Urban Hymns\01 - The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony.mp3
[4164] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: SetID3Offset().
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 2 - 0
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[4164] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: ID3 found and skipped.
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[4164] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Looking for data.
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[4164] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Open finished.
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 8651755
[4164] INWMP3: OnStatus 1.
[4164] INWMP3: Open() - Stream openned.
[4164] INWMP3: Open() - Stream starting.
[4164] INWMP3: Seek() started
[4164] INWMP3: StopStream() started
[4164] INWMP3: StopStream() finished
[4164] INWMP3: StartStream() started
[4164] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[4164] INWMP3: OnStatus 11.
[4164] INWMP3: StartStream() finished
[4164] INWMP3: Seek() finished
[5992] WA Decode, Initialized.
[5992] Decoder: CreateDecoder() finished successfuly
[5992] --------------------------------------------------------
[5992] New exception:
[5992] Exception code: 2460516
[5992] Exception flags: 1677721600
[5992] Number of parameters: 1360477
[5992] An error occured during file conversion: Access violation at address 7C91142E in module 'ntdll.dll'. Read of address 00000000
[5992] WA Decode, Destroying.
[5992] WA Decode, Going unmap memory file.
[5992] WA Decode, Destroyed.
[5992] Decoder: CreateDecoder() started
[4164] INWMP3: Stop() started
[4164] INWMP3: Close() started
[4164] INWMP3: StopStream() started
[4164] INWMP3: OnStatus 12.
[4164] INWMP3: OnEndOfStream
[4164] INWMP3: StopStream() finished
[4164] INWMP3: OnStatus 13.
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 1
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 2
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 3
[4164] INWMP3: Close() finished
[4164] INWMP3: StopOutput() started
[4164] INWMP3: StopOutput() finished
[4164] INWMP3: Stop() finished
[4164] INWMP3: Close() started
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 1
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 2
[4164] INWMP3: Close() 3
[4164] INWMP3: Close() finished
[5992] WA Decode, Waiting for init.
[5992] WA Decode, decoder started.
[848] INWMP3: Stop() started
[848] INWMP3: Close() started
[848] INWMP3: Close() 1
[848] INWMP3: Close() 2
[848] INWMP3: Close() 3
[848] INWMP3: Close() finished
[848] INWMP3: StopOutput() started
[848] INWMP3: StopOutput() finished
[848] INWMP3: Stop() finished
[848] INWMP3: Close() started
[848] INWMP3: Close() 1
[848] INWMP3: Close() 2
[848] INWMP3: Close() 3
[848] INWMP3: Close() finished
[848] INWMP3: Open()
[848] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Openning TStreamAccess
[5992] Winamp sim - WM_USER message 9800
[5992] Locking file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Band\The Last Waltz (CD 1)\05 - The Band - Stagefright.mp3
[5992] Locked file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Band\The Last Waltz (CD 1)\05 - The Band - Stagefright.mp3
[5992] Winamp sim - WM_USER message 9801
[5992] Unlocking file: M:\Mijn Mp3's\Ok\The Band\The Last Waltz (CD 1)\05 - The Band - Stagefright.mp3
[848] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: SetID3Offset().
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 2 - 0
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[848] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: ID3 found and skipped.
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[848] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Looking for data.
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[848] INWMP3: StripID3Stream: Open finished.
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 6353397
[848] INWMP3: OnStatus 1.
[848] INWMP3: Open() - Stream openned.
[848] INWMP3: Open() - Stream starting.
[848] INWMP3: Seek() started
[848] INWMP3: StopStream() started
[848] INWMP3: StopStream() finished
[848] INWMP3: StartStream() started
[848] INWMP3: StreamSeek 0 - 0
[848] INWMP3: OnStatus 11.
[848] INWMP3: StartStream() finished
[848] INWMP3: Seek() finished
[5992] WA Decode, Initialized.
[5992] Decoder: CreateDecoder() finished successfuly
[5992] --------------------------------------------------------
[5992] New exception:
[5992] Exception code: 2460516
[5992] Exception flags: 1677721600
[5992] Number of parameters: 1360477
[5992] An error occured during file conversion: Access violation at address 7C91142E in module 'ntdll.dll'. Read of address 00000000
[5992] WA Decode, Destroying.
[5992] WA Decode, Going unmap memory file.
[5992] WA Decode, Destroyed.
[5992] Decoder: CreateDecoder() started
[848] INWMP3: Stop() started
[848] INWMP3: Close() started
[848] INWMP3: StopStream() started
[848] INWMP3: OnStatus 12.
[848] INWMP3: OnEndOfStream
[848] INWMP3: StopStream() finished
[848] INWMP3: OnStatus 13.
[848] INWMP3: Close() 1
[848] INWMP3: Close() 2

[GeWi]

Did some new experiments and I still feel I'm dealing with a bug here.

I noticed that - when I'm converting files when synchronising - the encoder stops with an error on some files. If that happens MM3 tries to start converting the following file, but never succeeds here. It seems like something is blocked when a converting task didn't succeed well. No new converting is possible, but MM3 tries to convert all (of the thousands of) other files and then stops.
I also noticed that - once an error has occured - manually converting isn't possible too. The only way be able to convert again is to stop and restart MM3.

There is of course a workaround for this problem:
- when synching stops, write down the name of the file that originally resulted in the first error
- stop and restart MM3
- manually convert the file
- restart synching
- hope it takes some time until the next error occurs.

As you can see in the log files above, the encoder gives a signal when converting failed. So I suppose it must be possible to give this information to MM3 so it can inform the user an error has occured.
Now MM3 doesn't do anything with this information and synchronising hangs every time on the same file.

[2uantuM]

Same issue here.

[Skkkuop]

With my iPod nano the syncing is also a bit broken. Playlists work fine, but when syncing single albums to the ipod all covers are mixed up. To fix this one has to do a "rebuild database". But after that some just added albums are incomplete - and I don't know why.

any chance to fix this? thanks

[2uantuM]

this was also an issue in MM2.5. This one really needs to be fixed.

[Agrajag]

Sync'ing is one of the main features of MM and one of the main reasons I bought the Gold version.

If it doesn't work solidly in 3.0 I'm going to be pretty upset. It has not worked right in 2.x and I've been patiently awaiting 3.0's full release.

Please make sure this is solid for release. Between this and the other product I have (that seems nearly orphaned now) my only other choice is iTunes!

[Peke]

I know that it is frustrating to pay for something like in this for both iPod and MediaMonkey and then it have some trouble. Please consider what Jiri said in this post and that we are doing our best to make it happened as our users used from us. We are not fooling ourself that we are perfect but we tent to bring MediaMonkey as closer as possible.

[Agrajag]

Peke, that may have come off more harsh than intended (typical of text).

However, note that there are a couple of key things that I consider in this sort of issue:

1) Media Monkey Gold isn't free. It may not be expensive but it isn't free. It claims certain features and presents itself as a solution to specific problems.

2) When I pay money for something the amount of goodwill I extend becomes dramatically limited over what I extend when I make a simple donation for something or when it's free. MM claims to make certain things easier and in paying I expect those things to meet my needs. The dynamic of the relationship is changed completely when it involves payment. That's just being honest.

3) Apple didn't force Media Monkey to make claims about specific Apple-related features. These were chosen as tools to generate income. As such they need to be backed up. "Synchronize with iPods / MP3 players effortlessly and convert tracks on-the-fly."

I think this product is one of the better investments I've made of late. It really has surprised me in its depth. I haven't once posted a note complaining about how long it's taking for 3.0 to show up, etc. I'm quietly and hopefully staying positive and waiting for the formal release while staying with 2.5.

I am not an Apple fan for very much the same reasoning so I understand the frustration. However, if it cannot be done right, don't do it at all. Doing it only somewhat right and then putting the last part on Apple doesn't cut it from the consumer perspective. It'd be like me saying I pirated MM (I didn't) and I blame X non-working feature for that. That'd be just as wrong.

I think the developer is doing a great job and I don't envy him. He's got his hands full. But this is the path he chose to go down. I'm simply getting a little nervous as I see we're approaching release and there still seems to be a concerningly long list of bugs and some worrisome comments about some things not working that I view as pretty core to the effort. I posted this note to essentially say that I'd rather these things were fixed than to rush out a release and have to endure more pain in coming to realize I still can't "effortlessly" sync to my players.

[jiri]

Well, so far it isn't clear that there's a bug in RC-1, I only see two bug-reports in this thread:

1. Error on auto-conversion. Is it new to RC-1? Could you please e-mail me a sample track causing the problem? Based on the description I'd say that it could be something in in_wmp3.dll input plug-in (that depends on Microsoft's WM layers where described problems can possibly happen depending on installed codecs, etc.) - we'll see when I get more info...

2. Mixed covers. What exactly do you mean by mixed up? There were some bugs in AA syncing to iPod in older releases (prior 3.0 RC-1, including MM 2.5), but it should be all ok in RC-1. In case you sync to a clean iPod using RC-1 and still some problems appear, it really can be another bug, try to give some more details, like steps to reproduce, etc.

Jiri

[Agrajag]

Jiri, while you're here, will MM3 do these two things:

1) Show me a differential list of what's in my library/playlist that I want to sync versus what's on the iPod so that I can resolve the differences prior to sync'ing?

2) Not keep requiring me to sync my entire library/playlist each time?

I ask the latter as I have yet to have a session in MM2.5 that let's me do that. I've had to just send the whole thing each time.

[GeWi]

Jiri,

At home I have manually converted all files that gave the error. So for the moment I can't send you examples of files giving converting errors. My boss doesn't know this, but at my work I keep a backup of all my MP3-files. These are not converted yet. I'll send you a few examples when I get there (hopefully today).

But as I said earlier keep in mind that:
- after a fresh start of MM3 it is possible to manually convert these files without any problem
- I only have the problem when syncing and converting at the same time. To be able to save more files on my iPod I changed the syncing options so that all files with a bitrate of more than 128 are automatically converted to 128. I assume that this will be the only way to reproduce the error.

[2uantuM]

Jiri, this issue was in MM 2.5, and it does involve the in_wmp3.dll file. It's been an issue through all the versions with auto conversion. If you installed the other mp3 plugins on the site, it works with varying success, but its still very buggy, and the sound quality seems poor. The last time I tried using the alternatives it killed autoconversion completely, so...

I bought mediamonkey almost exclusively for this feature, and it really should work properly.

[GeWi]

I have sent a few examples of files giving me the error as described before.
The files are sent directly to the mail address of Jiri. Hope he can find the reason of my problem.

[2uantuM]

Let us know of any updates