Buffer Problems on 5.5 Ipod Video

[bpm]

Hello first I'd just like to say I think rockbox is great but I have been having these problems since late december on all builds I have used including the lastest.

1) Disk won't stop spinning.
After rockbox has loaded all the upcoming songs into the RAM the disk should but wont stop spinning. It doesn't happen all the time but when it does it cuts the battery life in half. I'm not sure what could be causing this but I'm guessing its just a bug.

2) Screeching Whitenoise.
Like in the other thread I have been having this problem since I first installed rockbox. It seems to have something got to do with crossfade although I'm not sure. After the new song starts, 2 or so seconds in it cuts back to the last track just played and then the screeching whitenoise starts. It always happens this way. I have a 30gb 5.5g iPod Video. Thanks.

[soap]

Have you cleared your settings recently?
(If you have a complicated set of configurations you can always save a .cfg file from the menu first)

Older iPod bootloader: (black text on light blue background)
Reboot, as soon as the screen turns on put the hold switch into the on (red) position.

Newer iPod bootloader: (white text on a black background)
Reboot, as soon as the message "loading rockbox.ipod" comes on put the hold switch into the on (red) position.

With either bootloader, if you follow the procedure correctly you should see a message saying "cleared" overlaid in the middle of the Rockbox logo during boot.

If you saved a .cfg file you can load it back now.

[bpm]

I've tried that a few times and configured the .cfg from scratch. All i use is crossfade, a theme and the hardware equalizer but these problems keep appearing. I'm using version 070120-0744 and the 5.5g bootloader (with white text).

[hhannah]

I have EXACTLY the same problem (screeching noise as you describe, apparently caused when using crossfade, equalizer (software and/or hardware), replaygain? ? ?... although my iPod is 5.5G 80 GB... did you finally find a solution for this??? It's been more than a year, and the problem still happens... I'm sure I must be missing something!

[Llorean]

As far as I know, nobody who's experiencing the problem has done the footwork to identify what *exactly* causes it, which makes it very, very hard for anyone else to fix.

What it needs is a posted bug report (is there one? What flyspray number) that very clearly tells how to make the problem happen every time, because someone needs to be able to reproduce it, then figure out a way to identify exactly where in the code this happens.

[ryran]

I believe I experience the same "screeching white noise" phenomenon.
My question to bmp and hhannah is:
Does it only happen when you are track-skipping or does it happen on a natural track change?

[hhannah]

In my case it usually happens on a natural track change, using crossfade. Only once did happen when having crossfade disabled... but then again... IT HAPPENED WITH CROSSFADE DISABLED. The thing is I REALLY don't have a clue about what causes this, don't know how to re-create it. It seems to be "alleatory"... at some point I thought it had to do with using crossfade and that it happened "mostly" when crossfading from a constant bitrate song to a variable bitrate one (or vice-versa), but then it began to happen when the process involved two constant bitrate songs. I have tried all sorts of combinations for configurations (with/without crossfade, replaygain, equalizer...) I have to confess I DON'T HAVE A CLUE what causes this problem... and it seems very strange to me that not many people report this problem, because I cant' get rid of it. I love Rockbox, but this is making me crazy.

Feb 26/08 Edit:

I've read many "unsolved" posts related to this screeching, high-pitched noise involved in crossfading, and decided to open this task:

http://www.rockbox.org/tracker/task/8651

Please check it out and let know (there) if you feel it's the same bug! You might find useful information. There are even sample recordings of the noise problem, so that you can accurately identify it and compare.
Thanks

[soap]

Not to dredge up an old topic, but this is believed to be fixed. 
If you still have the problem, please report.
hhannah appears to be happy with the fix.   

[hhannah]

Oh yes I'm very happy with the crossfade fix... can't deny it! 

I'm using r16893 on my iPod video (for almost 2 weeks??), crossfade enabled ALL the time, and it works just fine.
OK, the noise came back one time, and it was scary... but it was only that one time   (and it was after more than 6 hours of continuous crossfade playing)

Regarding other people expieriencing this problem in the past... no news is good news I guess (?)

[zajacattack]

Yes, people are always reporting playback problems when they use crossfade.

[Llorean]

Out of curiosity, after having read the thread, what contribution did you actually intend to make with that statement? I'm not sure I see how it helps anyone here other than just bumping the thread...