Squirrelcrusher Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 I got my Showtime Central 16ch setup last month. I have been tinkering with a few shared sequences that I was able to find. They all play fine on my computer. The problem is that when I put the SD card in the minidirector, only 10-15 seconds of sound plays before a solid buuzzzzzzzz noise. The lights will flash for the remainder of the song and then they go out. I put the sequences onto the SD card using either Simple Show Builder or the MP3 tab on the hardware page. The SD card is the one that came from LOR. If I place only 1 sequence onto the SD card it will play just fine and loops like it should. Any ideas on what I might be doing wrong? Is there any other data that I can give you that might help find a solution to my problem? I noticed that Sorron8 had posted a similar issue. I will be checking that thread as well in hopes of finding an answer to my dilemma Thank you for any help and sorry for being a newb. Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philnuffer Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 When you set up the show in Simple Show Builder, are you choosing the correct device as your first step? Or are you bypassing the page that allows you to choose one of 4 controllers?Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hans Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 Make sure your song files are constant bit rate and not variable bit rate. Try a different brand of SD card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelcrusher Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 They are songs bought from amazon. Which I have read on here tends to not be constant bit rate. Would that be causing the issue? I will check on that part. I've tried another card and it had the same issue. Yesterday I saw that giga01452 on here had some 16ch sequences and he was kind enough to send them to me. I tried them and they worked flawlessly except for 2. If I left those 2 off the playlist then it worked. If I added either one it would get to that track and cause the same problem. Just checked a couple sound tracks. Bit rates on tracks that worked 128. Tracks that didn't work - All over the board. Hopefully that is the issue. I will figure out how to convert everything to 128. Thanks for the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelcrusher Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Different brand card has been tried and converted a couple trouble songs to constant bit rate 128. Now the sequence will start but zero sound will play. Lights still blink and flash. When the song ends the lights go out and it doesn't move onto the next song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelcrusher Posted December 6, 2014 Author Share Posted December 6, 2014 Any other suggestions on what I might be doing wrong? I have even made a simple sequence really quick to test with and it does the same thing when I put it in the mini director. Any one else have ideas on what might be causing the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted December 6, 2014 Share Posted December 6, 2014 I know you said you've tried a different SD card, but was it the same brand? I was having issues with my minidirector this year. Then I was reading some other posts about the SanDisk brand not working with LOR. I thought - yeah - whatever. One of the biggest brands out there - I'll get it to work or have to get a new minidirector. I had to fiddle with it every time power came on just to even get the minidirector lights to flash. I then got out last years card. It was a Lexar brand.Not even an HD, just a SD card. Deleted all the data on it and put this years show on it. - Wow, zero issues. Now, I've been told the Lexar doesn't necessarily work with the newer model minidirectors. My understanding is that LOR recommends Kingston Technology 4GB SDHC Class 4 (or higher) memory cards as they work, and are known to work at -20 degrees. Also - do NOT use any class 2 cards. The class 2 cards (2 with a C around it) have trouble keeping up with LOR demands. Try a Kingston and my guess would be - wha laa (spell checker doesn't like it, but I think you get what I mean - will be great...) Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelcrusher Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 I'm using the Kingston 4gb card that came from LOR with my startup kit. The other card I have tried with the same issues/success is a 16gb PNY card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 Sorry you're not having success yet - this is supposed to be fun - well, except for the madness of it all. You originally stated a "solid buuzzzzzzzz noise". Is this coming from the minidirector, a FM transmitter, some external speakers?I'm just trying to better understand what the problem might be.Might try reformatting the SD cards so they're completely blank and not fragmented from previously deleted songs that didn't work.Then re-load only with the songs with the known good bit rates. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelcrusher Posted December 7, 2014 Author Share Posted December 7, 2014 The buzz comes from a speaker turned to the fm station. I'm still having a blast. It is just frustrating to have some work and some not. I am now paranoid to modify the working ones since the one I build from scratch doesn't work. So if I modify a working one will it stop working? I freaking hope not because that might actually drive me insane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aesl1982 Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 I had the same buzz I think it was from the fm transmitter not being very good. I used the "y" cable coming off the mini director to the transmitter and plugged audio into it ran to a speaker and it sounds perfect 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mega Arch Posted December 7, 2014 Share Posted December 7, 2014 The buzz comes from a speaker turned to the fm station......If the buzz is coming from the speaker and not the minidirector itself, pretty sure it's back to the media file for the problem.Run all your media that's acting up thru audacity and then save the new media file to your sequence.Here's better instructions: http://www1.lightorama.com/PDF/Audacity_Lame_128KbpsRevA.pdf .... I am now paranoid to modify the working ones since the one I build from scratch doesn't work. So if I modify a working one will it stop working?.... When you make modifications to sequences, save the file with a different name - like adding the date you modified it. Then you still have the one you know that works as backup just in case. Good luck & stay a little insane... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelcrusher Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 Why would the media work with only 1 file on the card, but not if there are more than 1 files? I'm converting all my music to 128 constant bit ratio. I've found a bunch of the non-working files music are already 128. I've also found at least 1 song that works just fine that was set to 192 and one at 320. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philnuffer Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Since the MiniDirector does all of the card reading and downloading of songs and sequences and then plays them, I would begin, at this point, to suspect the MiniDirector itself. You seem to have tried most everything else. Start a trouble ticket with LOR and get their help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wbaker4 Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 They also have to be 44100. 128 CBR too. The sequence editor does not complain but the Visualizer did for a mp3 file that was not at 44100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
primvip Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 I've had issues with the mini director. It was brand new. I started a ticket with LOR and they sent me a new one. They said they think some of the new ones are bad or for some reason have a firmware issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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