mp3 Music will skip played from a CF

cmejia3 · 06-26-03, 12:18 PM

I just bought my AXIM 300 MEGAHERTZ with a compact flash scan disk of 512 MB, I put some Mp3 music on it, and tried to play it with the windows media, the songs start only for awhile, and then suddenly stop, some of them skip. I bought this compact flash memory card only because of the music, and I can´t play none of it. Does anyone know whats the problem? What should I do to hear my songs complete?

Thanks

ThinkerTDM · 06-26-03, 12:47 PM

Make sure that no other programs are running. Remember, the "X" in the corner does NOT close the program, only minimizes it?- keeps it running, in other words.
Thats about the only thing I would check off the bat. Other things you could look into:
What is the bitrate and size of the files? Is there a pattern to the skipping (large files or high bitrates, etc).
You could try to increase the amount of memory devoted to storage and running programs in the on board memory.
You could try a different player- I like Pocket MVP, and it plays OGG files, too.
All my mp3's run fine on mine, so we can get yours going too!

PS Try a soft reset. That might clear the RAM.

phonaut · 06-26-03, 02:24 PM

cmejia3, hopefully it is somewhat of a comfort to you that you are NOT the only one with this problem. I too have just purchased (last week) the Axim X5 300MHz unit and have had the EXACT same problem playing mp3's from my SanDisk128mb CF Card. I've posted this problem to the Yahoo!Groups "Axim" list earlier today (a VERY helpful bunch of people over there, over 2000 members apparently) and i've already received 3 responses. So far, here are the two useful suggestions:
(1)
"have you tested the MP3's on another CF card? Maybe the card is not working properly?"
(2)
"I seem to remember hearing rumours about high bitrate MP3 files, WMP, and PocketPCs. I believe that this was one of the items fixed in the new PPC 2003 release with WMP 9."

i'm going to test out my mp3s on another CF Card tonight (can't activesync here at work, curses!) and see if it's my card. But I know the upgrade to PPC 2003 is FREE for you and I since we only recently purchased our Axims (yay!) so maybe that will help the problem? Finally, i'm am going to try out this mp3 player:
http://myladydaemon.tk/winamp/winampaq.exe
and see if that helps. Somehow i don't think it's the players, but one never knows right? Please keep in touch, if you solve the problem be sure to post your solution. I will do the same. And if there's someone else out there who has already been thru this fiasco, PLEASE post your idea! I find it hard to believe someone somewhere hasn't ironed this issue out yet.
Good luck!
Noah

cthulhu · 06-27-03, 05:36 AM

I had exactly the same problem. VBR MP3 skipped in both Pocket Music and WM, when playing from my microdrive...

A few days ago I discovered WinamPAQ (http://www.aximsite.com/modules.php...wdownload&cid=6), and have had absolutely no problems at all since. As an added bonus, this can play ogg files.

Yololo · 06-27-03, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cthulhu
I had exactly the same problem. VBR MP3 skipped in both Pocket Music and WM, when playing from my microdrive...

A few days ago I discovered WinamPAQ (http://www.aximsite.com/modules.php...wdownload&cid=6), and have had absolutely no problems at all since. As an added bonus, this can play ogg files.

It's a problem of prgram memory. Switch off all programs before executing Media Player... And it works !

Message for cthulhu : Are you calling ?

:D :D :D :D

cthulhu · 06-27-03, 06:59 AM

Tried running mp and pocketmusic with no other progs running, with the same results.

WinamPAQ doesn't care if I have other apps open at the same time :)

IRideSantaCruz · 06-27-03, 10:38 AM

i have not had that problem, i have a 512 mb cf, though i am running 400mhz, but i run quite a few other programs with wmp playing

cthulhu · 06-27-03, 11:15 AM

Strange. I'm running 400 mhz also. What bitrate are the mp3 you are playing - are they vbr or cbr? Also, which encoder was used?

I'm curious now :)

island_doc · 06-27-03, 11:37 AM

I have had the same problem. I got my axim about 2 weeks ago. so far I have tried pocket music and withmp3 and both of them skip even when all other apps are off. I have also tried changings bitrates so far 128kbps and 192kbps MP3s skip. guess I will try WinamPAQ?? or try a slower bitrate???

cthulhu · 06-27-03, 11:41 AM

Yeah, since I changed to WinamPAQ I've had no problems. Altering bitrates had no effect for me, with MP and Pocketmusic.

Also, the ability to play ogg files is a major advantage.

zizzybaloobah · 06-27-03, 11:45 AM

My MP3 files are all over the place - 96kbps for most, and I've had no problems. Sometimes when I load Eggstreme, the music skips, but is fine one the game fully loads.

I can pretty much run anything else and still listen to my tunes!

I was originally using Windows Media Player, without problems, but now use WinamPAQ -- I like the interface better and it seems to be more responsive.

cmejia3 · 06-28-03, 06:37 PM

I tried the link you posted for the mp3 mucisc player and it didn't work, it didnt even let me insall it on my axim. I tried closing all of the programs, and moving my memory bar, but it still skips, I was wondering if somebody can help me out telling me where to find another mp3 player to download besides pocketmusic. I just want to know if its the compact flash card wich is not working properly. I have a 512 scan disk memory and I bought it with the only purpose of hearing music and watch videos, and I cant do neither of them.

Thanks

phonaut · 06-29-03, 08:55 PM

i think i've solved my problem: 1, i re-formatted the CF card using FAT32 format 4k cluster size which helped immensely. turns out the card may have been originally formatted in fat12(?) cluster size by my camera. this wasn't perfect though. some mp3's still wacked the player out every now and then.
only a few of the mp3's i tried to play in my case were variable bitrate, at both low and high bitrates.

i switched to winampaq and it works great! what a great player, no problems.
it can play the tunes and in most respects feels like a sturdy peice of software. it's also playing my OGG files. the playlist display has issues on my machine though, when i move tracks around the letters and numbers turn to cryptic garble. i can get the playlist back by pressing 'playlist' button twice, no big deal i guess. i'm checking out how to do skins on it ;-)

i also picked up a new 256M CF card this past weekend, dumped 250+MB of mp3's on it and it's working perfectly for the last couple of hours. i looked at the format info and it's at FAT16/4K.

i know there are a few factors at work here. possible faulty CF card, wack formatting, and WMP. it's going to take a few days of listening to iron out exactly what does what, but i wanted to post my quickfix for other folks wanting to hear their music

cmejia3 · 07-01-03, 01:06 PM

Thanks for your help, but I still don´t know how to format my Compact Flash card? I have no idea? I also think thats the problem.
Where can I download Winapq?

Thanks

phonaut · 07-01-03, 01:26 PM

I wrote the link where you can download Winampaq in my reply to you, see above for that link. i just tested the link and it works fine, it directly downloads "winampaq.exe" After you download it, use the ActiveSync Explore feature to move the file to your PPC.

to re-format CF Card, i used a free trial version of Flash Format, which you can download here:
http://www.cnetx.com/format/