[Fix 11.4.2] SCS wont play a cue

[joos-marton]

Hi!

I recently ran into a problem in SCS. I work in a theater, we performing a musical, with two shows per day. I have a cue list with 100+ cues, many of them includes sub-cues. They are audio files, video files, midi send cues. It happened me twice, that a random cue just wont started (at least for issuing the GO command with 'space', I didnt have time to try with mouse or with something else). SCS was in focus (or at least it didnt tell me it wasnt), when I closed the program exited normally (no force close), and after restarting it everything worked fine. It happened randomly, but twice within a week. After the second Im restarting SCS after an hour. Both cues included an audio and a video file with two or three midi send cues.
Ive attached a diagnostic file.
Any idea?

Thank You!
Marton Joos

[Mike Daniell]

It may be that the ASIO driver has stalled. I've emailed you details of a tracing version to run, and I'll look into how I could possibly get SCS to reactivate a stalled driver, because it obviously does if SCS is just closed and restarted.

[BritGeek]

I've had the stalled ASIO driver before after SCS had been running but idle for over an hour, but for me it displayed a yellow message that there was a problem with the driver. I do like the idea of automatically reactivating the driver, if possible.

[Boswell]

I've also had this once in the last week, with the yellow message at the bottom, again when SCS had been idle for over an hour just waiting for a time based cue.
Running Win7 and 11.4.1.1.

[djvomght]

What kind of audio interface are You using?
Note, that Windows can switch off "unused" USB devices for energy saving. Check these adjustments and switch energy saving to "disabled". They can be found via system control paneel.

Regards Jörg

[Mike Daniell]

I received similar reports some time ago about this issue but had been unable to reproduce the problem or identify the cause. However, I have now been able to reproduce this using a Windows 7 laptop with the Windows default power settings applied (which I expect many users to have), connected via ASIO to a Behringer X32 digital desk. To reproduce the problem I started SCS, ran one cue to confirm it was playing OK, and then left the computer alone for about an hour. That seems to be enough time for the issue to occur.

As I can now reliably reproduce the problem I've been able to send logging info to the BASS developer (BASS is the main audio library used by SCS). Although this is sill under investigation, he suggests this "could be a driver issue" and has suggested a work-around to awaken the driver. I have just run a test here with that work-around, and my cues successfully played after the force restart of the driver.

So I hope to have a new version of SCS ready in the next few days that will at least include this work-around.

[BritGeek]

That sounds very promising - I'm also using Behringer hardware, but it's the FCA610 audio interface not the X32 desk. I wonder if they use the same or similar ASIO drivers.

I had thought perhaps the USB ports were getting suspended due to inactivity, but there is a check box in the Device Manager properties for USB hubs called "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power", and this check box is cleared for all my USB hubs so they shouldn't be getting suspended. Also, the computer is set to maximum performance settings with sleeping, hibernating and screen savers all disabled.

[Boswell]

My computer is also set to max performance and USB ports prevented from going to sleep to save power, But I'm using a Roland (Cakewalk) UA101 usb interface & driver plus an A&H QU32 usb driver, not a Behringer in sight !

[BritGeek]

Hi Mike,

I'm really glad you were able to replicate this - I've been trying but haven't been able to, though the sound operator in our Christmas show said he got the stalled ASIO driver message several times - he was doing a sound check then going away for a while and saw the message when he returned.

I was wondering if your fix involves pre-emptively sending some type of command to the driver at intervals so as to keep it alive, versus doing something to wake it up after you detect it has stalled. Either way we will try it out when the fix is available.

Thanks,
Tim A.

[BritGeek]

I just remembered something else that might be related... If I forget to turn on the audio interface (Behringer FCA610 using ASIO) before starting SCS I get the message that the device cannot be initialized, as expected. If I turn on the interface and hit the "Try again" button it doesn't work, I just get the message again; I have to choose the "Close SCS" option and restart it in order for SCS to see the interface.

A secondary issue here is that after I choose the "Close SCS" option and restart SCS it has forgotten the latest cue file and I have to manually re-open it. A minor issue, but one more thing I have to teach the sound operator for each show...

Tim.

[jmgordon]

If you have to teach the sound operator, you consider setting up a command line parameter (as described in the Help file) under a shortcut icon (named according to the show) on the desktop, which will always take you to the show you want.

Malcolm

[Mike Daniell]

The new version containing this fix has been a bit delayed but should be available very soon.

I was wondering if your fix involves pre-emptively sending some type of command to the driver at intervals so as to keep it alive, versus doing something to wake it up after you detect it has stalled. Either way we will try it out when the fix is available.

Better than that. The fix I have applied is to call a Windows function to prevent the system from entering sleep or turning off the display while SCS is running.

If I forget to turn on the audio interface (Behringer FCA610 using ASIO) before starting SCS I get the message that the device cannot be initialized, as expected. If I turn on the interface and hit the "Try again" button it doesn't work, I just get the message again; I have to choose the "Close SCS" option and restart it in order for SCS to see the interface.

A secondary issue here is that after I choose the "Close SCS" option and restart SCS it has forgotten the latest cue file and I have to manually re-open it.

Both of these issues will be fixed in this next release.

[Mike Daniell]

I have just uploaded SCS 11.4.2 RC1 - see separate posting. In my tests here this has fixed the issue of ASIO stalling, ie ASIO no longer stalls. So for anyone who has previously had an issue with cues not playing, could you try this new version and let me know how you get on?

[BritGeek]

Thanks, Mike, I will play with this at the weekend and let you know what I find.

Tim.

[joos-marton]

Thank You! I am going to install it tomorrow. Hope it helps!