Brennan B2 suddenly stopped being able to rip CDs

[Thomas Yager]

Hello - I love the B2, but it suddenly stopped being able to rip CDs. Help!

Here are my stats:

Software Version B2 Jul 21 2020 07:58:58

9401 tracks in 752 albums 318 artists

8829 WAV 0 FLAC 572 MP3 0 AAC

Capacity 2000.00G Used 368.87Gb

This problem appeared right after I did a software update via the web.

The unit can play a CD, and when I try to rip the CD, it appears to be ripping it song by song.

But then when I try to play a track from the ripped version, I only get a single "click".

 I tried the Scan Disk function, and also  tried the CD reset but neither helped. Other functions (internet radio, playing old ripped CDs) seem OK.

This same aberrant behavior was observed for 9 store-bought CDs, some old and some brand new.  I don't know what to try next - I wonder if the OS somehow got corrupted...

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

Try repeating the Web Upgrade in case something went wrong with the previous download.

If that doesn't work please email us on -   thebrennanb2   @   gmail   .   com   - (no spaces) requesting a replacement SD Card.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Thomas Yager]

Hi Paul  -  I tried the web upgrade several times, but unfortunately the same behaviour persists.  So I will email you with my address. Thank you,  Thomas

[djlef...@gmail.com]

Can the B2 play tracks that were ripped some time ago?

>> 9401 tracks in 752 albums 318 artists

>> 8829 WAV 0 FLAC 572 MP3 0 AAC

The B2 rips to WAV format, and then can convert these to FLAC or MP3 format. Very few of your tracks have been converted. Do you have this feature disabled?

[Thomas Yager]

Yes, the B2 is able to play the older ripped tracks, no problem.

I haven't yet tried to convert the WAV files to FLAC, but should probably do that at some point....

[Thomas Yager]

Hi again - I've now received the replacement micro-SD card, thank you very much!

Is there a way I can duplicate it before installing, so that I have a backup in case the same thing happens again?

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

I don't think it is possible to simply copy the SD Card to another one. There is an SD Card image (software) link on our Techy Stuff page - link - New SD Card - left hand column. This needs to be used with Etcher software (free to download) to program an SD Card. Also requires an SD Card slot on your computer or an SD-USB adapter.

Paul

Brennan Support

[Thomas Yager]

Hi Paul - I made an SD card image as a backup, then backed up all the music on the B2 (on a separate hard drive). Then installed the new SD card, and proceeded to boot up the unit and test it. The unit can play the existing music fine, but I still can't successfully rip a CD. Same problem as before: the unit acts like it is ripping the CD, but then when I try to play a song from the ripped copy, I hear just a click, or at most 1 second of garbled sound, then it stops. Also, after installing the new SD card, I re-accessed the internet. After successfully doing this (a router address is now displayed on the B2 panel), initially I could then access the B2 unit through a web browser on my computer, but then this stopped working as well.  I then tried upgrading the B2 software through the web, using this function on the unit. This appeared successful. However I still can't rip a CD, and still  can't access the unit through the internet.  Unfortunately I don't  know what to try next.... Can you advise?  I'm starting to wonder if there is a hardware problem. Thank you, Thomas

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

One thing to try before we suggest getting your B2 back for checking and/or repair - try playing a CD - press Play/Stop - rather than ripping it - in case the CD Drive is faulty.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Thomas Yager]

Hi Paul, I did try playing a CD directly, and that function worked with no problems.  I also tried a couple other things: (1) I ripped two CDs with the B2 (remember, I said that it looked like the B2 was ripping them successfully). Then I updated the backup to my external hard drive, using the USB function "Export to C". Then I plugged the backup drive into a computer and  -voila! - the two ripped CDs are there, with all the songs, and they play fine. So it seems that the B2 is able to rip the CDs, but then not able to play the ripped copies. (2) I uploaded the contents of a music CD folder from my computer to the B2 through the web interface (now the web interface is working again...) The B2 acted like it was uploading all the files in the CD folder, but then it couldn't play them - I just got the click again, no music. So the problem seems localized to an inability to play newly uploaded files (but the B2 can still play the old files, dating from the time before the problem first appeared).

[Dennis]

After ripping from a CD, or adding from a USB device, did you use the Scan command to update the B2's index? This should not be necessary after Ripping, but if the index is already out of sync with the files on the drive Scan could repair it. 

[Thomas Yager]

OK, I just used the Scan command, but it didn't help.... The older music files play fine, but the new ones don't play at all, even though they show up on the display as being present....

[Dennis]

Look at the front panel of the B2 and verify that it says Source: Hard Drive. (If it says Source: SD Card, recently added music may have been stored on the SD card, rather than the Hard Drive.)

[Thomas Yager]

I checked - on the front panel it says "Source: Hard Disk", and on the web interface it says "Source: Hard Disk Playing"

[Dennis]

I think that changing the Compression setting from None to any other option will cause the B2 to attempt to convert the entire accumulation of .WAV files, not just the most recently ripped CD?

On Monday, October 19, 2020 at 7:28:40 AM UTC-4 peter....@gmail.com wrote:

Hi Thomas,

This issue looks like it could win the 'Mystery of the Year' award!

Going through the posts here, everything on your B2 seems to be normal, so this is a real head-scratcher. The fact that the ripped files will play on a PC indicates that the ripping process is working correctly.  Also, the fact that the B2 will play back pre-problem tracks correctly indicates that the playback side of the B2 is good.

The only unusual fact that I can see is that your collection consists mainly of '.wav' files,  I have been collecting statistics from these posts for diagnostic purposes over the last few months and no-one else has anywhere near that number of '.wav' files.  I'm wondering if your collection has hit a limit of some sort with regard to '.wav' files.

If you go into the B2's WebUI and select 'Settings & Status' (click on the little cog wheel at the top of the window), then look at the 'Compression' setting, what does that setting show as (Flac, Mp3 128K, Mp3 256K, None)?

If 'Compression is set to 'None', could you change that to 'MP3 256' and the rip another CD and test to see if that one will play?

Regards,

Peter.

 

[Thomas Yager]

Hey, thanks everyone for the suggestions - this is a mysterious problem. I'll try some compression experiments & get back to you in a couple days. Stay tuned!

On Monday, October 19, 2020 at 7:54:32 AM UTC-7 peter....@gmail.com wrote:

Hi Guys,

The answer is 'No' the B2 won't compress any of the existing '.wav' tracks.  When you change the compression to another value, and load up a new CD, the B2 rips that specific CD to the new compression setting and does nothing else.  I have tested this situation on my B2.

What would trigger a compression of all of the '.wav. files is if you have the compression set to any value other than 'None' AND THEN select the 'Compress Now' function, then the B2 will search the database for all '.wav' files and will compress those to the selected compression value.

So Thomas can run the test on one CD and his existing tracks won't be touched.

Regards,

Peter.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Thomas,

Don't worry, we are waiting with bated breath!!

Regards,

Peter.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Daniel, Dennis & Thomas,

I have to apologise for making an incorrect statement, as I did not wait long enough during the tests to be sure of the outcome. I have deleted that post.

@ Daniel & Dennis; You were correct in stating that the B2 will find the '.wav' tracks automatically if the compression is set to any setting other than 'None'.

So I need to rethink the situation.

@ Thomas, don't run the test that I suggested above, until a valid test can be constructed.

Once again, my apologies for providing an invalid test.

Regards,

Peter.

[Dennis]

0) ) Is there anything to be learned by using the Debug tool while trying to play one of the recently ripped tracks?

1) If the .wav files are created and playable on another device, and if the Scan command has not fixed the problem, is it possible that the b2db file is damaged in a way that Scan cannot detect or repair?

2) Has the Cleanup function been tried? (Run Scan afterwards.)

3)  Is it possible to force the B2 to build an entirely new b2db file?

4) Has Repair HDD been tried? (This is a question, not a recommendation.)

[Mark Fishman]

I *think* that simply deleting the existing b2db file and then running scan disk -- although being me, I'd probably reboot in between -- should build an entirely new b2db file from scanning the music folder.

[Daniel Taylor]

The b2db file can be checked by exporting it to a USB disk and then reading it on a computer.  Edit the text file and search for the problem Artist\Album names.

[Thomas Yager]

OK, I had time to try two more things. (1) I compressed 280 WAV files to FLAC format (took all day), to address the possibility that there was some sort of limit on the number of WAV files allowed. Before: 8692 WAV 0 FLAC 572 MP3 0 AAC. After: 8412 WAV 280 FLAC 572 MP3 0 AAC. Then I tried to play one of the previously unplayable files. Still fails: only a single "click" is heard. Tried this with a number of the unplayable files, and each one gave a single click, that's all. (2) Tried uploading a set of MP3 test files through the web interface. The files are good because they play on my computer. Upload appears successful, and the uploaded files show up in the listing, as being present on the B2.  Tried to play a number of them - just a "click" or in some cases multiple "clicks" are heard.

[Thomas Yager]

Here's the debug file, if that helps (I only understand parts of it...)

LP MP3 upload test   
Artist LP MP3 upload test
Lost on You   
Album Lost on You

01 - Muddy Waters   
02 - No Witness   
03 - Lost on You   
04 - When We're High   
05 - Switchblade   
06 - Up Against Me   
07 - Suspicion   
08 - Other People [Explicit]   
09 - Tightrope   
10 - Strange   
11 - Death Valley   
12 - You Want It All   
13 - Long Way To Go To Die   
Debug


Stopwatch started at 0 ms

Disabling terminal blanking

Done

New /etc/asound.conf - updating...

readRadiofeeds strings = 1844

freelist malloc = b5434008

ytInit ()

Init Disks at 127 ms

initDisks ()

initDisks () lowSpeed=0

/dev/mmcblk0p3 did not mount

initDisks () no cookie - waiting for hdd

starting initmdb

setAuxLevel ()

setAlsaCaptureLevel () not found - skipping

setAuxLevel () done

setCurrentID (2000000) trackcount = 0

initmdb 1 localPath = /media/hdd1

Current Radio = LionafriQ Radio

setCurrentID (2007062) trackcount = 0

Bass 0 Treble 0

Disk size 2000000

calling getUSBSpeed

initmdb () done

First line Version 3

/proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern set to core

Init Disks done at 638 ms

pic.c: Number of eventX devices changed: 1

initAlsaPlayback: called

Alsa init complete

playbackThread: Started

ALSA PERIOD TIME 100ms 4410 samples. Buffer size = 22050

Init Play Done at 844 ms

Mute(oled init)

setBrightness (7)

initVTuner Done at 950 ms

initBluetooth Done at 950 ms

1-1.3.1 has manufacturer JMicron

usb1 has manufacturer Linux 4.19.23 dwc_otg_hcd

1-1.3.4 has manufacturer JMicron

pic_thread (): R1F

testWebThread () started

fastUnixSocket bind done

Waiting for incoming connections on socket

1-1.3.2 has manufacturer Burr-Brown from TI

1-1.3.3 has manufacturer Ralink

Wifi started at 987 ms

wifiWatchdog starting

Gateway address 192.168.254.254

pic_thread (): XC5F666AC8217278A

Security check passed

initTV () TV Size 720x480, 32bpp

************* udpThread started **************

742 albums

9277 tracks

319 artists

mirrorCount 0

Sorting artists

scanVideos () done 0 videos

New loadPlaylists ()

ALSA PERIOD TIME 100ms 4410 samples. Buffer size = 22050

loadOrScan () finished

No Ethernet Address

Starting Main Loop at 1788 ms

startSambaIfConfigured ()

executing /etc/init.d/S91smb restart

getCurrentArtPath () current id=2007062, cached id=-1, cached path=0

CD state changed 1

quickStopTestCompression ()

WAKEUP in webListPlaylists ()

webGuest url = guest&mode=0&playlist=1&time=1603162180311

setGuestModePlaylist 0

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

Are you in the UK? If you are I will ask Martin Brennan about this issue so please don't try to fix it as Martin will need to see the fault.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Mark,

I ran this test just now; deleted b2db, rebooted B2, ran Scan Disk.  The b2db file was rebuilt by the B2 without any problems, so the result was as expected.

Regards,

Peter.

[Thomas Yager]

hi Paul, no I'm in the USA, on the West Coast (Seattle). I've reached the limits of my expertise, so I'll have to stop here unless I can get some explicit instructions on what to try next....  Standing by, Thomas

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

There is a 'Reset CD' option in the Advanced menu which may correct this problem.

Jim Wicks posted a similar problem with his B2 and he found that by turning the B2 on it's side it would rip OK. I'm not suggesting you use the B2 like this but am curious to know if it works for you too. I've told Jim to get his unit replaced as it sounds like a CD Drive problem.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Thomas Yager]

hi Paul, I've tried your suggestions: (1) Advanced > Reset CD, followed by ripping CD (which appeared to work), then trying to play the ripped copy. No luck - just hear a single 'click' again. (2) Turn CD player on its side, followed by ripping CD (which appeared to work), then trying to play the ripped copy. Again, no luck - just hear a single 'click' again.

But from previous experiments (described earlier in this thread), it doesn't seem like ripping CDs is the problem, because I can transfer the newly ripped files to my computer & they play fine on the computer. So it seems the B2 is having trouble playing a successfully ripped song.

Thomas

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

I'll get the repair instructions for the USA emailed to you - is the email address you use on here OK to send it to?

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Thomas Yager]

Hi Paul,

Sorry for the late reply.

It seems we've exhausted all options for a home repair, so yes, please email me the repair instructions, at the email address you have on record.

Thank you, Thomas

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

Done!

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Thomas Yager]

Hi Paul, for some reason, I didn't receive your email instructions. Could I send you a private email, with the email address I have for you, so that we can confirm the details?  Thank you, Thomas

[PMB]

Hi Thomas,

I have sent an email to our service department and they will send the details. Please let me know if you don;t receive anything today.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Thomas Yager]

Hi there - 

Just following up for anyone who is interested. I received the B2 back after repairs, and the unit is working fine now, in all aspects.

The hard disk had been replaced with the comment "writing errors".

So it would seem that the problem was not in the operating system, but rather a hardware failure.

Thanks to all for your interest & troubleshooting hints - I learned a lot, even though as it turns out a hardware fix was needed.

Back to ripping!

Thomas

[PMB]

HI Thomas,

That's great, thanks for letting us know.

Paul

Brennan Support.