usb drop outs can have those characteristics.

No problems in 1.8.0 though?

no, when i was running 1.8.0 the off-line player worked fine. When i downloaded 1.8.1 then the off-line player started popping and stuttering. Why is this happening? Can i fix it? i haven't seen any threads related to this problem. I HAVE A MACBOOK PRO 2.2ghz core 2 duo with 2 gb ram running 10.4.11. I use 320gb LaCie external hard drive connected via fire wire 800 running of the bus power. Serato works fine (accept for usb dropouts which is an unrelated problem I think) when I'm running it through the box and my equipment it's the off-line player that has this problem, what bugs?

I'm gonna try som of the new info i read tonight to prevent usb dropouts and see if it works but i don't see any clues to help with the off-line player.

worst case, we know 1.8.0 works just fine and feature wise the two versions are identical.

Usb drop outs could cause the problem, so run through what you read and let me know the results.

yeah, i guess i could go back to 1.8.0 but i'm not sure how to do that. I was hoping there was something easier i could try first. I don't see how my usb problems could have anything to do with the off-line player since when I'm using the off-line player nothing is hooked up via usb. Plus there is nothing to read about the off-line player problem i'm having that i know of, i searched. Anything else to suggest about fixing my OFF-LINE PLAYER PROBLEM besides converting back to 1.8.0?

Hello? Any impute on what I can do about this problem? Also, my keyboard shortcuts for skipping to the next song don't work. It just skips to the end instead of the next song. I checked threads on this subject using the search function but most of the threads were form 2004-6. Is there a way to use the search function to find more resent threads?

Just talked to you on the phone. I'm still having problems with the off-line player in 1.8.1. The track will pop and hick-up along with a visual stutter. This happens every few seconds. Let me know when you find something out. Thanx.

found it. we have not heard of many cases like you described over the phone. We found the answer in going back to 1.8.0

I tried those keyboard shortcuts you were describing and ctrl + T just takes me to the top of the library

well i tried going back to 1.8.0. I went to scratchlve.net and clicked on the 1.8.0 download. On my desktop it says SCRATCHLIVE 1.8.0 but after i installed it and my computer re-booted i tried the player and it was still popping. IU then checked the version on the bottom left of the setup menu and it says 1.8.1. I don't get it?

did you unzip the file after download?

another option for you....... could be to have both versions installed. That way you get the best of both worlds.... hehe.

To do this, simply rename your current version. I did this by putting the version number as the title. I have 1.7.4 - 1.8.2 on here.

Yeah, I got it solved. I ended up having to dump the old version and reload the 1.8.0. The off-line player works now as long as I have the airport turned off. I am STILL having USB dropouts when I'm djing a gig though. 1.8.0 is better then 1.8.1 I've noticed. The USB dropouts still occur but they don't cause the drastic popping it did in 1.8.1. But why am I still having this problem? I've done EVERYTHING you guys have suggested. I've turned off all Energy Saving conditions (when using a power adapter). I've shut off Wifi and Bluetooth. I've tried both USB ports. NOTHING HAS CHANGED! What can I do. I've had this problem for a year and it's starting to drive me bonkers! PLEASE HELP!!!

I also have my SL1 box plugged in using a 9 volt power adapter and that seems to do nothing. Is there any reason to have it plugged in to a power source? Also, i didn't have usb dropouts on my Macbook G3, only on my Macbook Pro.
P.S.: With all my bitching, Serato is still the Sh*t!

You read and did all the stuff mentioned here
scratchlive.net

Your system seems to be above the minimum specs, what is your usb buffer set to?

YES, i did EVERYTHING that article mentioned. I have these settings for use with the power adapter (there's a choice of power adapter or battery when changing the settings mentioned in the article) since I always am using my power adapter when DJing. I do have the screen set to turn off and the hard drive set to sleep when I'm using the battery but this shouldn't effect anything since I'm always plugged in right? The only other thing is my picture on my desktop is set to change every 15 min., could this be a problem? If so I would think every 15 min. I would have a dropout and that's not the case. Like I said, 1.8.0 seems to have a quarter of the dropouts that 1.8.1 had and a lot less dramatic dropouts using the exact same settings you guys have said to use. Why is Scratch Live so much more sensitive on my Macbook pro then my old G3 laptop? I never had this problem and i didn't have to change any settings.

My usb buffer is set at 2.

And not to be a problem child but at my gig Sat. night Scratch wouldn't load any of my music. It is set to use my itunes files which has always worked in the past but i had to shut down and reboot my computer 5 times before SSL recognized my itunes library. Every time i could open itunes an play my music but SSL would only load my playlists with no songs in them. When it finely loaded the songs i had to rescan everything because my color codings where gone. I have never had this problem before. I tried loading SSL this morning and again, no songs loaded.

Thanks again or your continuing help!!!

for macs, having offline issues are extremely rare.

What happens when you unplug the external and read it from an internal source? Do you still get pops and usb drop outs on the offline player?

Try not setting your hard disk "to sleep". Also set your screen to never turn off. We recommend that in the tutorial but your post says that you have them set otherwise.

You shouldn't be having any issues with dropouts on your Mac as long as you've done all the suggestions.

Definitely put ALL of your energy saver settings to 'never' and uncheck 'put hard disk to sleep when possible'.

If your still having issues I would test your SL1 on a different machine if you haven't already.

If it works fine using a different comp than its got to be some internal problem on your Mac.

If it was a software problem you wouldn't be the only one to experience it.

Although extremely uncommon, I had an issue with dropouts on my old G4 and could not for the life of me figure it out. I eventually reinstalled my OS and all was well after that.

You might be to that point:(

I think i may be confusing you a little. Since I rebooted the 1.8.0 and got rid of 1.8.1 and I have the setting set properly the OFF-LINE PLAYER WORKS GREAT so that issue is SOLVED.

The only problems I'm having now are the USB dropouts and the new problem of my music not loading.
I'll try putting every setting to "never" but I still really don't understand why the battery settings could effect anything when my computer's plugged in, I'll call Apple on that one.

Yeah, it's been a while since I've rebooted my whole system, it may be that time...uh. I'm not experiencing any problems with my other programs, just SSL though. Still, it's worth a shot.

Any ideas why all of a sudden my music isn't loading?

Is the buffer setting at 2 ok?

MUSIC LOADING PROBLEM:

I went in to settings, UNCHECKED the "read itunes library" and then RECHECKED it and all my music finally loaded so I'm hopping that issue is now SOLVED.

I'll get back to you on the USB dropout thing.
-I'll try changing the battery settings also and see if that works. I'll also call Apple on that.
-I'll see if i can check the box on someone else's computer
-I'll reboot my 10.4.11

I'll get back to you after all that so it may me a week or so.

MUSIC LOADING PROBLEM:

I went in to settings, UNCHECKED the "read itunes library" and then RECHECKED it and all my music finally loaded so I'm hopping that issue is now SOLVED.

I'll get back to you on the USB dropout thing.
-I'll try changing the battery settings also and see if that works. I'll also call Apple on that.
-I'll see if i can check the box on someone else's computer
-I'll reboot my 10.4.11

I'll get back to you after all that so it may me a week or so.

Sometimes this is what you need to do to update SSL's database with your iTunes library.

Definitely let us know your findings;)

cool, let us know

So, bad news. I took my computer into Apple and they replaces my motherboard and rebooted my operating system. I tried SSL still running 1.8.0 and I got the USB dropouts. I called in and the guy helping me had me turn my usb buffer to 5, my screen updates to 30 and my cache to 30 (before it was 2, 60, 60) This also didn't work. He then had me download 1.8.2. Still having usb drops. He now want's me to load tracks directly of my hard drive since i use a La Cie 320gb drive via firewire 800, and see if that fixes the problem (this I have not tried yet). This is all vary frustraiting! I just wanted to get you up date on what I have been doing about this situation. I will try the latest suggestion and then get back to you. If there is anything you know of that may help, PLEASE let me know! This has gone on far to long!

By the way, I tested my SSL box on my home computer (mac G4 tower) and didn't seem to have any USB dropout problems.

I would try the external power supply for the SL-1 unit.

Also make sure you have bluetooth / airport off, turn off all wireless / network connections. Have your screen saver to "never" come on and also your hard disk to "never" go to sleep.

thanks for the update. We're still here to get you through this. External power supply might be the answer.

Thanks Chad, I have one all the thing you have mentioned and your website has mentioned including plugging my box in and I still have USB drops. The last resort you gave me was to reboot my system an/or take my computer in for repairs, so I did it and still no dice. I'm completely stumped at this point and don't know what else to do.

Have you tried playing music from your internal drive without your external plugged in?

Not yet, but if the only way I can get Scratch to work is off the internal hard drive then I'm screwed cause there's not enough memory. I originally had a 2 Western Digital external drive that I use and I had this problem so I switched over to the LaCie Firewire 800 drive to avoid using the USB port and still I have the problem. When I used the WD drives that were usb I was running the drives off there own power sources and I was still getting USB Dropouts. If I'm powering the SSL box and my drive how the hell am I getting USB dropouts? If I simply am powering the SSL box via a 9vlt power supply how can I have USB dropouts?

at this point we are trying all possible scenerios.

Could you answer one question for me that still hasn't been answered. If my SSL mox is plugged into a 9v power source, how is it that I get USB Dropouts? It shouldn't matter what else is plugged into my ports because the box is powered right? Please explain this to me.

test

I don't have a solid answer at the moment on that.

Did you try what we suggested?

Powering the SL1 with an external supply will take a bit of load off of your usb ports but that is only one of the things that might be the cause of dropouts.
If your still getting dropouts with the external power supply then the cause of the dropouts are coming from somewhere else.

After reading through your post again I notice that there has been no mention regarding what usb port your plugging the SL1 into.

There is a known issue when using 10.4 where one of the usb ports (I believe the one on the right side of the comp) is bundled with the trackpad and keyboard.
If you plug the SL1 into that port you will get dropouts.

With that said... what usb port do you plug the SL1 into?

Also.. as far as testing SSL with some internal tracks, this is, at this point, something you might need to do to sort our where the problems is.

If SSL works well without the external plugged in then the problem is going to be your computer talking to your external.
If your still getting dropouts then we'll know its something internal.

Let us know your findings.

I don't know if anyone tried this but, I had the offline player problem when build overviews is checked on. Also having SL box connected it hiccups less, but still does it trying to build an overview for the file loading. I would look to see if that is on. Turning it off helped my situation. Vista was a little sluggish than the Leopard side.

Version 1.8.2
Toshiba Laptop A205-4607
Dual boot Vista Ultimate/Leopard 10.5.5
Serato is installed on both OS's

Thank you guys for all the helpful input! I finally just gave up and got Leppard and did a clean wipe and install. It looks as if it worked! So far I've done some practice runs and NO USB DROP OUTS! I'm actually having none of the previous problems including screen hick-ups and itunes libraries not loading. So all seems to be solved. I'll let you know how my next couple of gigs go.

Great news! We'll keep our fingers xed for you:)

Hi guys, long time no talk. I just wanted to give you the final report on my situation. First off I must apologize! The problems had NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR PROGRAM. Even after I loaded Leopard i had freezes and usb drops on my external drive. Apple said my external drive was faulty but when I lost my back-up, my 2nd back-up and then a brand new drive the gig was up. Turns out the motherboard in my Macbook Pro was faulty, it was pumping to much power to the external drives frying them. I lost all 195GB of music among other things and since I also lost my backups all was lost. Apple gave me a new Macbook Pro and a 1TB Timecapsal to cover my lost and I payed Drivesavers $1,700 to recover my drive so It's back on. I can't believe how differently Scratch live runs! All the little hick-ups and weird things that used to happen, many I never told you about cause I thought it was just your program being a little wonky, are all GONE. Serrato runs like butter. Thank you so much for all your support, you guys are great! Sorry again for the hassle.

p.s. : The whitelabel.net thing is great! What a way to get some new music out there. I also appreciate the articles on setting up itunes for importing music, it answered alot of questions.

good to hear man. The elusive ones bug me and I was pretty lost on your problem / solution.

cheers