Tech: CD playback pops

Subject: RE: Tech: CD playback pops
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 23 Jun 09 - 09:34 AM

I finally tracked down the problem and it was a DMA/PIO data transfer issue. Having spent all morning removing some programmes and updating drivers I removed the driver for the Secondary IDE channel. On re-booting the computer the CD/DVD drive was reinstalled and seems to be working perfectly again (fingers and all other available parts crossed).

Here's the info from Microsoft.

For repeated DMA errors.

Windows XP will turn off DMA mode for a device after encountering certain errors during data transfer operations. If more that six DMA transfer timeouts occur, Windows will turn off DMA and use only PIO mode on that device.

In this case, the user cannot turn on DMA for this device. The only option for the user who wants to enable DMA mode is to uninstall and reinstall the device.

Windows XP downgrades the Ultra DMA transfer mode after receiving more than six CRC errors. Whenever possible, the operating system will step down one UDMA mode at a time (from UDMA mode 4 to UDMA mode 3, and so on)

Subject: RE: Tech: CD playback pops
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 02:15 PM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Tech: CD playback pops
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 12:17 PM

No, these aren't burned CDs, nickp, but proper commercial releases.

Subject: RE: Tech: CD playback pops
From: nickp
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 10:01 AM

I had a similar problem with burned cds played on a stereo system. Found in my case it was because I burned them at maximum speed and the discs weren't really suitable. Halved the speed and they were oK.

Probably completely unrelated but you never know.

Subject: RE: Tech: CD playback pops
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 22 Jun 09 - 07:45 AM

Refresh

Subject: RE: Tech: CD playback pops
From: Newport Boy
Date: 21 Jun 09 - 01:24 PM

I had a similar problem a year or so ago. WinXP - but I had 2 optical disks - a rewriter and a reader. Playback on the rewriter was fine, but the plain CD player had the regular pop, or short dropout, that you describe.

I suspect it was a driver problem, but I failed to solve it. I junked the CD drive and didn't replace it. You could try a different drive - they're dirt cheap these days and only take 10 minutes to install.

Phil

Subject: Tech: CD playback pops
From: Geoff Wallis
Date: 21 Jun 09 - 01:06 PM

Over the last few days I've experienced problems playing audio CDs using my computer's disc drive. The sound is distorted by regular popping whose volume seems to coincide with the volume of the music being played.

I've used System Restore to return to an earlier point in my computer's life and this seems to cure the problem for a while, but it soon returns, so I suspect I have some kind of driver conflict, though I'm not sure what.

I'm running an E-Machine PC with 240Gb memory and more than ample RAM. XP's the operating system and the sound programmes I have installed include I-Tunes, CD Architect, Acoustica, Exact Audio Copier and CD Burner XP, and Real Player.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.