Troubleshooting (2000)

Troubleshooting Tips

I can't seem to rip from my audio CDs

If your MP3 ripper doesn't seem to rip anything, your CD drive or your driver may be the problem. Here are some possible solutions:

1. Check the new ASPI drivers This may not fix the problem, but it's worth a shot. (Mainly, because it would be the cheapest solution.)
2. Try a different ripper. Some rippers have proven to only work with certain drives and you might just have a lousy combination.
3. Record in analog mode: It'll be slower and the results will most likely not sound as good, but it will get you started.
4. You guessed it… get a new CD drive. But before you buy a drive, check the bulletin boards and newsgroups for some input on a quality product. Note: If your ripper doesn't work on a particular track, the CD may be scratched. Try using a soft cloth to clean the CD and see if that helps.

I can rip tracks but they sound lousy

First make sure everything's configured properly on your MP3 player. For example, if you've adjusted the pitch too high or too low, it distorts the sound. If you've unintentionally created some odd equalization, that'll change the sound too. Also, make sure you're ripping at a high enough bit rate. For most music, you'll want a bit rate of 128kbps. If you're still experiencing trouble, you may want to think about some wholesale changes with your software and/or hardware. A better encoder, sound card, and speakers would make all the difference in the world.

My tracks play but some of them sound extremely choppy

If the MP3 files you've downloaded sound totally screwed up, they may have gotten corrupted during the download process. Your choices are to try downloading them again or try using a utility such as Uncook or Detox to clean them up.

I want to enable cookies on my browser

To enable Cookies, please find your browser listed below and follow the directions.

For Internet Explorer 4.x

1. Select Views - Internet Options
2. The Internet Options window appears
3. Select the Advanced tab
4. Scroll down to Security section and find Cookies
5. Under Cookies select "Always Accept Cookies"
6. Select "OK"

For Internet Explorer 5.x

1. Select Views - Internet Options
2. The Internet Options window appears
3. Select Security tab
4. Click on Default Level button
5. Select "OK"

For Netscape 4.x

1. Select Edit - Preferences
2. The Preferences Window pops up
3. Select Advanced
4. Select Accept all cookies
5. Select "OK"

No sound will come out of my speakers

First, check to make sure the cables are securely installed in the proper jacks. If the volume is extremely low and you can't adjust it from the computer, chances are you've made the common error of plugging the cable into the line-out socket rather than the speaker socket. Lastly, check both the computer's and speaker's volume controls to make sure they are at adequate levels.

I can't seem to get CDDB to work for me

If you're online, you'll want to use CDDB to help you rip and enjoy digital music. If you're having difficulties using CDDB, try the following:

1. Try using a different CDDB server. If your CDDB server appears unresponsive, it may be overloaded or inactive. Try another CDDB server and see if things work.
2. Try using a different protocol. Switching from TCP/IP to HTTP (or vice versa) might just do the trick.
3. If you're using a proxy server to access CDDB, you might have some problems. Some versions of certain software packages are not able to access CDDB successfully through a proxy server. You might want to try using an HTTP server or try a direct (non-proxy) connection.

As I'm trying to download and save an MP3, it starts to play

This occurs when Internet Explorer tries to stream a track instead of downloading it. The solution is to right-click on the link and choose Save Target As. This will allow you to save the file in the folder of your choice.

The wrong MP3 player opens when I open and MP3 file

If the wrong player starts when you double click on an MP3 file, it has probably declared itself the default application for that kind of file. See the FAQ for "Changing my default player."

Downloading files takes forever

This may be due to a number of things. The files you're downloading might very large, or most likely, you don't have a very fast modem or connection. The ideal solution for a faster download would be to get a cable modem connection or a digital subscriber line (DSL). If not, an ISDN line (integrated services digital network) should do the trick. Whatever speed modem you have, make sure you're getting maximum performance out of it.