Long Pause at power up normal?

[uberPHaT]

Hi, can someone comment on whether this is normal or otherwise?  When I power up the Phatbox, there is a silent pause of about 10 seconds before I hear anything.  I have successfully added a "start up" sound file (in Phatbox.ini), but due to this long pause, the first 1 - 2 seconds of the start sound file is being clipped off.


Question 2, which might be a bit more philosophical: I have one giant folder on my 20GB (VW Phatbox) called "My Music".  I've not 9 different genres and about 130 CDs encoded.  Drive is about 50% full.

Am I missing any functionality or other benefits by not using the "playlist" method of categorizing on the DMS?

thanks.

[PhatAl]

I have the same pause. I assume it is normal. Annoying... but normal.

[uberPHaT]

Is there any way to shorten the long pause?  It seems excessive.  I wait at least 10 seconds before I hear anything.


Thanks.

[judb]

part of it is realted to your headunit most likley.  have you ever noticed that your CD player does a ramp up of volume when you change tracks?  My VW head did that.

Defragging the DMS drive letters helps.  Also make sure you have the latest firmware on the drive and that you are using an up to date version of the PMM to make your databases and that should help SOME..

[uberPHaT]

thanks, Jud.  I defragged yesterday and don't find any change in the long pause.

I have 7.02 (released a year ago, IIRC) and am using the paid verision of Phatnoise Media Manager.

[judb]

check the phatbox.sixpak.org for updated firmware... then check that you have the latest (3.51 I think) PMM loaded..

also check that you have the correct head unit selected in the phatbox config.

[LloydDobler]

Both my Keg and my VW phatbox converted to Keg take about 10-15 seconds to start playing when I first start the car.  I assume it's just bootup/buffer time.

If you don't have any trouble finding the music you want to listen to when you want to listen to it, then you're not missing any functionality.  I personally like listening to albums as albums, if I want random I just push the random button, and I have the first 7 playlists customized for mood rather than genre.  They're basically huge mix cd's.

[uberPHaT]

thanks, Lloyd.  That's what I figured.  I can see where some would want to utilize the playlist format.  It just doesn't buy me all that much, I believe.  I kinda like having a vast random list of music.

Startup:  I've done the things noted above and the long delay hasn't really improved.  In fact, since the weather has turned colder, I believe the delay is even worse.  Oh, well...

I am super-pleased with the whole Phatbox config.  I think it's extremely clever and well-integrated into the VW.  

Want: I still would like to be able to burn CDs (MP3 format) for use in the home CD system but I don't see that many CD changers can support the MP3 format...maybe next year.


thx.

[MousePad]

Hello guys,

The delay before anything comes out of the PB when you start your car is normal.  Since it's a little computer, it has to boot it's operating system.  And in 10 seconds, that's pretty "fast" for a computer... Imagine if Windows XP could do that  

Hope this helps...

[uberPHaT]

You're right, and I shouldn't be complaining...just wasn't sure if it was normal.  I don't like the fact that it clips off the first few seconds of my start_up .wav file.

 :-?

[az1324]

I've noticed that a hacked box takes longer to boot than a non-hacked box.  Is that normal?

[MousePad]

Hello Uber,

What I would suggest is, if you can edit your wav file, add a few seconds of silence at the beginning...  That should let your HU get to full volume before your startup sound plays...

Hope this helps

You're right, and I shouldn't be complaining...just wasn't sure if it was normal.  I don't like the fact that it clips off the first few seconds of my start_up .wav file.

 :-?

[Rude Man]

For uberphat

Want: I still would like to be able to burn CDs (MP3 format) for use in the home CD system but I don't see that many CD changers can support the MP3 format...maybe next year.

If you want to play MP3 disks either CD or DVD why not just buy a cheap DVD player and hook it up. DVD players are dirt cheap already, I saw one as low as Cdn$ 29.99 at Wallymart which is about US$ 22.00

They all play MP3 now.

[uberPHaT]

Hello Uber,

What I would suggest is, if you can edit your wav file, add a few seconds of silence at the beginning...  That should let your HU get to full volume before your startup sound plays...

Hope this helps

Easy for you to say, Mouse Pad!  

 Yeah, I know that's a solution and I had thought of that....I just don't know how to execute it.  What software program would I use to add a couple of seconds to that .wav file?

Thx.

[uberPHaT]

If you want to play MP3 disks either CD or DVD why not just buy a cheap DVD player and hook it up. DVD players are dirt cheap already, I saw one as low as Cdn$ 29.99 at Wallymart which is about US$ 22.00

They all play MP3 now.
 

Thanks, and I do know that the new players can handle the MP3 file format.  I have a 4 yr old SONY carousel DVD/CD changer that supports a few formats and MP3 is not one of them, of course.  I may go ahead and toss this changer out and update with a newer SONY.


Thx.

[amb]

I've noticed that a hacked box takes longer to boot than a non-hacked box.  Is that normal?

I just hacked my Audi phatbox a couple of days ago and did not notice any difference in delay.  It's less than 10 seconds (probably more like 8 secs) between the time I turn the ignition on and the start-up sound playing... not immediate, but not bad either.

[S80_UK]

I have the same experience.  My VW box is running Volvo firmware.  I applied the hack to that on Saturday to fit a bigger home assembled DMS.  In my view, boot time is pretty much unchanged.

Les.