New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
First off, this is an attempt to fix a temporary problem. I say temporary, because Apple just has to come through and fix this.
I got my new 15GB Ipod less than a week ago and loaded up my library with Media Center 9. I then began to experience the song skipping problem many have noted. At this point, 30% of my ripped and downloaded tunes would stop playing at various points and the ipod would jump to the next. I thought I could live with it, but after a few days and reading commonalities of the problem here, I decided to try to remedy the problem. Reading that folks have found that improperly ripped and encoded files seemed to be the most sensitive, I decided to re-encode my entire library with MC9. The first thing I did was back up my entire 10GB music collection (I have lots of hdd space).
I then re-encoded everything in Lame VBR set to Normal/High (128-192). Let me tell you, if you ever wanted to stress your CPU, this will do it. After about 10 hours, the process was complete and I loaded all the new tunes on my Ipod. What I found was that instead of skipping at random points, the songs would cut out with about 10-13 seconds left and then play silence for the duration. I played the same songs on MC9 and they played fine. At this point, 50% of the songs were doing it. I don't know what is worse, skipping to the next song at random points, or having your tunes cut out at the end and then playing silence!
So I took a few of the cut out songs and re-encoded them again with straight (non-VBR) Lame at 160. Now I find that the problem is much better, but still there. Seems the songs greater than 4 minutes still do this.
I thought I would share this and solicit any input or alternative temporary suggestions for fixing this.
LJ
[1816 byte] By [
LarryJoe] at [2007-11-9 11:39:20]
# 1 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
This happened to me while I was playing through the dock to my stereo - noticed it after a few songs. I rewound the last song that skipped and then fast forwarded to just short of the end to see if it played or if there'd been some corruption of data or other problem with the file itself. It played fine. And then everything played fine.
I have no idea what this issue is or if it will reappear. I would try fast forwarding past the skip spot to see if that "resets" the problem.
jmk at 2007-11-15 14:18:24 >
# 2 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
I have had but two songs show the skip to the next song behavior. I simply reencoded them with LAME, and re-upped them. Problem fixed. I haven't had the misfortune of "silent" track time.
Yikes. What version of LAME are you using?
Joe at 2007-11-15 14:19:25 >
# 3 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
I have it fixed. First, the re-encoding did resolve the mid song skipping Ipod problem, but the end of song cut out had me confused. Turns out that this was related to MC9, until they get it fixed, I'll use Ephpod.
# 4 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Guys there is a peice of software called Ashampoo MP3 Checker/Converter. It will scan your library for corrupted mp3s, and give you the choice of reencoding them. I did this to my collection and the 20 or so songs which skipped no longer do.
Search for it on CNET or google. Its for windows by the way.
-austin
# 5 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
similar things are happening with my iPod too and i'm curious about 2 things: the first is if this is happening to both mac and windows iPod's or not.
the second is if it's a problem with the iPod itself or with the computer it's coming from (i.e. the transfer). It wasn't happening to me until i converted my iPod to the windows firmware and resynch'ed with my entire library which was about 15gig. I was initially using a Mac iPod and running windows 98se on my computer with Xplay. the firewire support for win98se is terrible, but even with THAT as an issue, there were NO problems with the songs.
i think the problem may have started when i copied everything off the iPod back to a spare hard drive, which i just before i did the firmware conversion, basically copying the songs in two halves.
after I resync'ed, a large number of the songs pop with bits of other songs in them. sometimes, it's so quick, it's just noise, but other times you can hear another song. sometimes, one song will end as a different song (not skipping to the next track, but a combined file). i have yet to experience the silence at the end, but i have had some song end prematurely. it does the same thing off my hard drive in media player too. i didn't notice it at first becuase i don't usually listen to music from my pc. could it be the bulk transfer?
i'm in the process of re-ripping my library now and i plan to wipe the iPod clean then copy everything back over in batches instead of performing a sync or bulk transfer. i figured i'd post to see if anyone's tried this. i'll also come back to let everyone know how it worked...
# 6 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Originally posted by iamaustin
Guys there is a peice of software called Ashampoo MP3 Checker/Converter. It will scan your library for corrupted mp3s, and give you the choice of reencoding them. I did this to my collection and the 20 or so songs which skipped no longer do.
Search for it on CNET or google. Its for windows by the way.
-austin
Looks like a great tool.
Found it at:
http://www.vnunet.com/Download/1113844
If anybody else is interested.
# 7 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
I was having the same problem, got the ashampoo (thanks to this thread), it found corrupted files and re-encoded and...no problem, worked like a charm. Thanks guys.
# 8 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Is ashampoo for Mac too?
# 9 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Originally posted by LarryJoe
I have it fixed. First, the re-encoding did resolve the mid song skipping Ipod problem, but the end of song cut out had me confused. Turns out that this was related to MC9, until they get it fixed, I'll use Ephpod.
So was it the MC9 encoding that was the problem, or the transferring/syncing? I was just about to get MC9 and set up a new iPod, but I really don't want to deal with this issue.
Just out of curiosity, which version of MC9 were you using? I've been reading a lot of positive comments about MC9 lately, so I'm real interested in how serious this is and how many people have this problem. Are there people using MC9 that DON'T have this issue, or is this a real common problem?
Thanks for any details on this,
Larry
# 10 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Originally posted by kdeproto
similar things are happening with my iPod too and i'm curious about 2 things: the first is if this is happening to both mac and windows iPod's or not.
the second is if it's a problem with the iPod itself or with the computer it's coming from (i.e. the transfer). It wasn't happening to me until i converted my iPod to the windows firmware and resynch'ed with my entire library which was about 15gig. I was initially using a Mac iPod and running windows 98se on my computer with Xplay. the firewire support for win98se is terrible, but even with THAT as an issue, there were NO problems with the songs.
i think the problem may have started when i copied everything off the iPod back to a spare hard drive, which i just before i did the firmware conversion, basically copying the songs in two halves.
after I resync'ed, a large number of the songs pop with bits of other songs in them. sometimes, it's so quick, it's just noise, but other times you can hear another song. sometimes, one song will end as a different song (not skipping to the next track, but a combined file). i have yet to experience the silence at the end, but i have had some song end prematurely. it does the same thing off my hard drive in media player too. i didn't notice it at first becuase i don't usually listen to music from my pc. could it be the bulk transfer?
i'm in the process of re-ripping my library now and i plan to wipe the iPod clean then copy everything back over in batches instead of performing a sync or bulk transfer. i figured i'd post to see if anyone's tried this. i'll also come back to let everyone know how it worked...
I originally loaded all my mp3s in batchs and I *have* the skipping with some songs. I originally created alphebetical playlists and added the playlists one at a time...the skips still exist.
BluEL at 2007-11-15 14:27:31 >
# 11 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
is this problem only for pc formatted iPod's? I have never had this problem with my new 15
# 12 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
its a problem with the songs, not the ipod
# 13 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
its a problem with the songs, not the ipod
This may only be partially true. i confirmed some of the files were corrupted by trying ashampoo. it's in the process of checking them now and practically every other file is h0rked. Unfortunately, i haven't gotten to trying to fix them yet. But the question is WHY and HOW did they become corrupted? They WEREN'T corrupted when i first had them on my iPod. And, all i did was copy them off and then resync them back on (after changing the firmware), now they are corrupted. What happened? Was it Windows, the pod, software, firmware, a virus or the unload/sync process?
# 14 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
is this problem only for pc formatted iPod's?
i was planning to ask the same question. but something tells me it's not.
jasonmccabe: Is ashampoo for Mac too?
# 15 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Originally posted by jasonmccabe
Is ashampoo for Mac too?
There are no ashampoo for the mac, at least there was no d/l link for the mac. This is from their website:
Ashampoo's product range covers not only audio-/MP3 burn software, also the most worldwide downloadable software programs and successful optimizing and configuration tools for Windows? operating systems, software deinstallation and encryption software which was already awarded by the press.
# 16 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
well, it didn't work. ashampoo claims to have fixed the files, but they still have errors, pops, segments of noise in them and some of them are even still reported as being corrupt. i also discovered today that ipod doesn't support the .wma file format... any takes as to how disturbed I am after ripping 1255 :eek: new songs with media player to find they're not compatible with my ipod?!?!? and u guessed it, ashampoo can't convert those.
# 17 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Let me get this right... you ripped 1,255 songs (about 105 CDs) into a Microsoft proprietary format, and are "disturbed" they don't work with Apple's iPod? I'm sorry, but I am laughing my @ss off right now.
Your friends are EAC and LAME for MP3, or EAC and Quicktime 6.3 Pro (for MP4).
Additionally, you should know that re-encoding any file that has already been encoded with a lossy codec (such as what Ashampoo does) will degrade quality even further. If you are having problems with a bad MP3 not playing on the iPod, recreate the MP3 from the source material.
Joe at 2007-11-15 14:34:38 >
# 18 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
I dont think that this guys problem is at all funny. Windows media intentionally defaults itself to convert WAV files to WMA files and not MP3 files.
Sorry to hear about that but, all is not lost. There are many programs that can cross convert all sorts of files from one to another. I use acoustica to do it and you can download a trial for free. If you like it you can buy it or pm/email me for any help. There are other ways to obtain a full version but, board rules prohibit me from telling you how. Use your imagination.
http://www.acoustica.com/mp3-wav-converter/overture/download.htm?source=overture
# 19 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Let me get this right... you ripped 1,255 songs (about 105 CDs) into a Microsoft proprietary format, and are "disturbed" they don't work with Apple's iPod? I'm sorry, but I am laughing my @ss off right now.
see that's just plain wrong and you're just ####ing me off. did you even read the rest of the posts? the file corruption started before trying ashampoo (using it was supposed to fix them). yes, ripped over 1200 songs using windows media player (the default window tool to play/encode/download/record music files to be loaded onto a WINDOWS-formated ipod (that was until a week-ago a MAC-formated ipod with over 3400 perfectly working songs). I'm supposed to assume that the conversion wouldn't have made the ipod compatible with WINDOWS!?!?! Added to the fact that media play DOES indeed default to the wma format. mp3 isn't an option. So, if you're so smart and i'm the idiot, tell me how the files got corrupted in the first place. Most of them were ripped with mp3maker platinum, iTunes, musicmatch (registered) or AudioCatalyst (so quality is NOT the issue) and they worked fine until i transfered them off the iPod--the few i downloaded off the internet i can understand being corrupt.
anyway, thanx ericbee for the info--i'll check it out. it'll beat having to re-encode everything.
####, i wanna switch to a MAC so bad!!!!!!!!!!!! WinBLoWs!!
# 20 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
Originally posted by ericbee
I dont think that this guys problem is at all funny. Windows media intentionally defaults itself to convert WAV files to WMA files and not MP3 files.
Of course it does!!! It's a Microsoft product! Hello? Additionally, Windows Media Player can not encode to MP3 unless you have purchased additional software or plugins to go with it.
Joe at 2007-11-15 14:37:41 >
# 21 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
kdeproto,
I really don't intend to sound like im messing with you, but your post really sounded like you intentionally ripped to WMA, then are disturbed that they do not work with the iPod. I think you should be disturbed that you used Windows Media Player which can only create WMA files to begin with.
More question, why did you switch from a Mac formatted iPod to Windows if there were no problems with the Mac? I dunno, maybe this is a WIndows/Mac firmware issue. I'm using a Mac formatted 15GB with ephpod + MacOpener. Only had about 5 songs corrupted (all were downloads).
Joe at 2007-11-15 14:38:47 >
# 22 Re: New Ipod Skipping - Attempts to Remedy
joe,
thanks. it's kinda a long story why i switched, but needless to say it was a mistake (and ironically it will take some effort to switch back becuase i don't have a mac--YET). to sum it up, i switched becuase of a window 98 firewire compatability issue that has since been circumvented (XP).
i'm pretty sure it happened when i copied the songs off the ipod to a spare hard drive before i formated to have a clean upgrade. win98se has terrible firewire support and it probably horked the files in the mass transfer. i'll probably end up re-encoding evreything (so i can improve the quality even more:D ). and well hey, i didn't even realize media player was using wma--yeah i'm a dumb@55. I've got 1600+ mp3s encoded through other sources, so i still have music to listen to.
