AP16+ Flashing Green Status Light but No Audio

[JonnyMac]

Confusing, indeed -- I've been using the same SD card for months.  Bad cards, maybe?  I've read stories of about bad SD cards, though, most had to do with micros, not standard.

[Traveler]

. . . Bad cards, maybe?  I've read stories of about bad SD cards, though . . .

JonnyMac,

The cards are brand new 2GB SanDisk, bought specifically for use with the AP16+. I have other new ones that I can try, but first I think I'll try formatting and file transfer with a PC . . . My girlfriend (who is a systems enterprise architect (and programmer) explained to me how a problem might occur under these circumstances. She thinks its possible that running everything through a PC might fix it. No guarantee but her explanation sounds reasonable enough that that is the next logical step to take for now . . . I will also take along 2 new unopened SD cards and move files on those too just to see if the first fix doesn't work.

Thanks for sticking with me on this. I know we'll eventually get this fixed one way or another.

Traveler

[JackMan]

Not sure if you mentioned this before, but what type of power supplies are you using and what's the voltage/amperage? Just wondering if a low or high voltage fluctuation could be causing problems. You said that when the status LED starts to flash green with no audio you have to power down and back up to clear it. Something is putting your AP-16+ into a weird state. It doesn't appear to be a corrupt file if after you power down and back up the files all play without error.

[Traveler]

. . . what type of power supplies are you using and what's the voltage/amperage? . . .

JackMan,

I'm using the 18 volt unit that EFX-TEK sells. I'm not sure if there is a power fluctuation or not. I'm not sure how I would even check that.

Traveler

[JackMan]

No need to check that, you should be good with that power supply. I wasn't sure exactly what PS you were using.

[Traveler]

Hello All,

Well I am cautiously optimistic that there is a solution and resolution to the error I was encountering. I took 2 SD cards that had already been used and 2 SD cards that were new out of the package. One of the used cards was completely reformatted with a PC to MS-DOS FAT 32. The three other cards were given a quick formatting on the same PC to MS-DOS FAT 32. Then nine 44100 kHz wav files  (that were sequentially numbered in the SFX00.wav format) were transferred onto the cards using that PC.

Now here's where its seem a little odd. The one card that was given a full reformatting was put in an AP16+ and it played for 24 hours before the problem started again. I turned it off and back on again and it has now gone over 24 hours without an error.

All 3 of the other cards (new & used) that were only given a quick formatting, failed within an hour of being put into operation in a second unit. The AP16+ unit would just quit putting out audio even though the status light was flashing green. I swapped out all 3 cards and none of them work correctly. Also turning off and on the unit did not fix the problem.

I took a couple of these cards and did a full reformatting on them and transferred files back on them and now one of those has played audio files for over 24 hours without an error too.

I can't figure out why files on the one card played for 24 hours and then failed, but when it was restarted it played for more than 24 hours and is still running. Why would that happen? I could do without that little glitch. I'd feel better if that didn't happen at all.

I also can't figure out why the new and used cards that were given a quick format (instead of a full formatting) caused almost immediate failure.

Anyway here is what seems to work. Do a full PC reformat to MS-DOS FAT 32. That seems to be able to allow for playback of 44100 kHz files.

Thanks,

Traveler

(Update - one of the units went about 34 hours and then stopped playing audio again. Another restart and its playing again. I may have to resign myself that these units may need to be turned off and on once a day.)

[JonnyMac]

I have have yet to be able to duplicate this problem and I leave my AP-16 running for days at a time; any time I press the button it plays a file.  I don't deny you're seeing what you're seeing -- I just cannot duplicate it.

"Quick formatting" is not formatting; it's simply erasing the files, hence the difference.

[Traveler]

I have have yet to be able to duplicate this problem and I leave my AP-16 running for days at a time; any time I press the button it plays a file . . .

Perhaps to duplicate the problem you have to duplicate the setup where the error occurs. Nine - 30 second files (approx) only on the card, no background ambient sound, and set the PIR to activate the switch . . . It shouldn't matter that I have only one speaker connected would it? . . . Well one thing for sure, I am certainly getting a lot more reliable performance now that I reformatted the SD cards on a PC.

[JonnyMac]

What you're suggesting still seems to point to the media.  There are "smarts" on those cards and there may be something going on with units you have.

I have 25+ test files on my AP-16+ and throughout the day I reach over and press the START button.  Electronically, the START button and PIR input are merged (with the DRY CONTACT and DC INPUT) as well, so the AP-16+ just sees a start command, it cannot know which device created the start.

I will continue to press the button throughout the day to see if I can duplicate the problem you're having.

[Traveler]

. . . What you're suggesting still seems to point to the media . . .

Well I have been able to get both units to run without an error for over 48 hours each. For whatever reason the Wav files on one sd card are agreeable with the unit and do not cause any errors. I transferred that 1 card between the 2 units I have setup and things seem to work OK. I have no idea how or why the Wav files on the other card that cause errors once a day are any different than the card that works. I guess that is just something I will have to work out.

Thanks for your help and patience.

Traveler

[JonnyMac]

I'm convinced, since we have sold 200 units and you're the only customer reporting this, that the problem is with your media.  Even good brands can be bad sometimes.  There are "smarts" on SD cards and the brains on your cards may be missing a few brain cells. 

[srbiggles]

Some personal experience:

These units seem to be extremely sensitive to what SD card you use:

Two AP-16+ units setup the same: audio select set on 0, option switches all OFF, except for rightmost one (circle with arrow for loop play) which is set ON. Volume controlls turned down all the way, using headphones connected to line outs.

Dick Smith Electronics SD cards.. first is XG4900 4GB Class 6 formatted FAT32, second is XG4916 16G Class 6 formatted FAT32, both with volume labels (DSE-4GB and DSE-16GB).. .

Both cards have the same two audio files copied to them from Windows XP SP3 and then 'Safely Remove Hardware' used prior to ejecting cards physically.

SFX00.WAV (43.5MB 4:18 (mm:ss))  AND SFX01.WAV  (38.3MB 3:47 (mm:ss)) both are 1411 kbps 16bit 2 channel (stereo) 44kHz PCM (according to Windows properties).

Turn units on, hear faint click in headphones (this is good), wait for green steady status LED, press start button on unit, LED starts flashing green.

For the 4GB card NO sound is output for BOTH WAV files on BOTH units, even though status LED flashes green..
For the 16GB card sound IS output for BOTH WAV files on BOTH units.

It seems size does indeed matter!

[JackMan]

Weird. I'm using cheapy Ultra 1GB cards and haven't had any problems.
Just curious how you got SFX00 and SFX01 to both play if you have the Audio Select Switch set to 0. It should only play SFX00 when triggered. Also recommended in the Docs is a maximum 4GB SD card, I'm surprised the 16GB is working.

[JonnyMac]

Agreed that it's weird; I've used 256K (really old), 1G, 2G, and 4G -- no problems. 

Make sure you're using the latest update (1.03) as the SD access software (3rd party) was updated and according to that programmer should provide more reliable SD card access.

[srbiggles]

Sorry.. Finger check.

With Audio Select set to 0 the SFX00.WAV file was selected and I did have to turn it to 1 to select SFX01.WAV. Verified (when I could hear the audio playing) based on WAV file content. Now you mention the 4GB limit I too am surprised. Perhaps the unit ignores everything beyond the 4GB line...?

So.. I tried a Dick Smith 1GB 60x (I suspect meaning Class 6) SD card, from a digital camera (stills and video).

Formatted either FAT or FAT32, BOTH WAV files played and sound could be heard.

Perhaps size isn't everything after all!

I should now hunt down some more SD cards to try!