Kenwood Sovereign System (Changer, Entre, and Receiver) Issues and Answers - Page 14

joe12south,

I have a G4/867 OS 10, with about 80GB of MP3 files -- I use an Audiotron which accesses the files on the MAC via my network. I have not been able to use my Entre reliably, especially when it comes to MP3 playback. The goal was to replace the Audiotron with then Entre, I am since rethinking that decision.

Just my 2 cents!

Heroildo

f.y.i --

Another issue with the Entre! Here's a recent email to Kenwood & OpenGlobe --

As I reported earlier(last week, I have had to restore my unit to factory defaults; no matter what I did, the Entre would not display a guide for Music or Movies! I've spent a good portion of my weekend re-loading my MP3 collection and rebuilding my DVD library information. A quick note, your companiese have done an excellent job on the lock ups; I believe I only saw about 5 in 100 edits!

I've recently experienced some strange "Guide" behavior which leads me to believe that I will once again lose the database that the Entre uses to display guide information.

(1) the Music Guide is showing duplicate entries and there are NO duplicates according to the Music Manager software.

(2) I have albums which I cannot seem to assign cover art for; I assign the cover art in Media Manager and it does accept and display the artwork -- but when I syncronize, the cover art is not displayed on the Entre; I get the default blue OpenGlobe cover art.

Please do not tell me to delete the Kenwood folder on the PC, I've already done that. I have also tried deleting and re-adding the albums the Entre seems to have a problem with. None of this has worked!

Is there some magical combination of keys that will allow me to REBUILD the database, hell even a reformat of the partition that's holding the artwork and/or MP3 files would help. I've also noticed something that was very strange -- the Entre still has artwork that was on the unit prior to the "reset to factory defaults".

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Part II, Just mailed this off to Kenwood & OpenGlobe ... still nothing from yesterday's email.

Kenwood, OpenGlobe:

I don't seem to have real "lock ups" anymore, but now there's an issue with the database the Entre uses to display guide information. I keep losing the database after performing a Disc Edit or a Web Sync. I press,

Guide, Music

It shows "All --> CD --> MP3" and nothing else; there's nothing actually under any of the categories. It seems that for now -- all I have to do is reboot and it's still able to rebuild it's database the next time the unit is turned on. I don't believe this ever happened prior to 1.0.2.6. Is there something I'm doing that's causing this?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

The hard drive in the Entre is only 20 gigs. Has anyone tied pulling it out, connecting it to thier computer, copying the system software to a larger drive, then putting the larger capacity drive back in the Entre? It seems that this could be done.

I believe someone on groups.yahoo.com/ipaqmusiccenter tried to ghost the drive in their Compaq MC-1 (basically the same unit as the Entre), they were unsucessful.

message posted by Jim Reitz:
It doesn't look like it'll be easy to replace the hard drive with a bigger one. The MC1 is *not* a PC; it's a proprietary device running a proprietary operating system. It uses the pSOS real-time operating system from Wind River Systems, rather than Unix, Linux, QNX, Windows, or anything else that runs on PCs. This is quite different from some competitors' products, such as the AudioRequest which is basically a PC running QNX.

Looking at the MC1 hard disk with Norton Ghost 2001, it reports something like 8 partitions. Not all of them seem to be properly recognized by Ghost, however - some partitions appear to overlap or are of unknown type. So the hard disk may have a proprietary partition layout, too. I haven't yet tried Ghost'ing the disk to a larger HD, but so far I'm not optimistic it will work.


H

I have the same problem, even thogh some internet radio stations actually have sound when they "play", but others do not...

RE: Internet Radio not working

When I read David's post I was thinking ... misery loves company ... because I was trying to use the internet radio a few days ago and it did not work. Status turned to: "iRadioPlay.Stop". When it was working (see previous post when I said I was now 'happy' (ok - less embarassed) by the Entre iradio for date/time)....I ALSO got the studder but mainly on the start of new songs. I was listening to the "Sirus best of the 80s".

Last night I was trying it as well and it seemed to just hang up when trying to go to Sirus stations or others. Rebooted (5 sec power button down) but to no avail.

I was thinking of trying a couple things this morning and then writing you guys but David bet me to it. Good I'm not a lone.

This morning things are working though! Perhaps Brian (kenwood) was reading the forum and then called up someone at openglobe to have them reboot the 'radio' server. This is nearly plausable to me but who knows.

Before learning that was working I started my DNS server cache software to give us all a little more insight and perhaps kenwood/openglobe.

<** start up (last nights last attempt was RFV, BTW) **>
3/9/02 10:02:46 AM: Q: 192.168.0.3 for: info.openglobe.net
3/9/02 10:02:49 AM: Q: 192.168.0.3 for: radiofreevirgin.com
3/9/02 10:02:50 AM: Q: 192.168.0.3 for: rfv-ny2.media.globix.net

<** after listening to several stations.**>
3/9/02 10:04:38 AM: Q: 192.168.0.3 for: idirector.media.ibeam.com
3/9/02 10:10:28 AM: Q: 192.168.0.3 for: silicon.intertech.net

This morning I was able to get to:
OK - Sirus - Best of the 80s
OK - RFV - Hot Country on Radio Free Virgin (56k)
STATION NOT AVAILABLE - ? - Double Q Country
OK - KAYE - Top 40
OK - CJVB - World

I did see the 'iRadioPlay.Stop' show up once but then a moment later it disappeard.

Does anyone else wish they would provide a BASIC and a "ADVANCED" interface where in the advanced they would display a LOT more status information of what is going on with their internet connect. Without a doubt it is already there as their developers could not live with this what-could-be-going on interface. Perhaps they just use software emulators and run the Entre on their desktop...can I have that . Or will I have to wait for XP Freestyle and Mira news. Microsoft website <--added with edit

I hope they do some VERY serious testing with the Axcess Remote Portal before they put that out. The whole MP3 issues and the internet radio hickups makes me pretty apprehensive about getting these...although I am counting on them.

David,

RE: "I can get the unit to say PLAYING....But NO AUDIO is heard. Only in Internet radio mode. "
Allow me to ask the obvious...did you switch to Analog on your receiver...or perhaps the Kenwood Rec automatically does that?

RE: some play
If you guys list a few that don't work then others can try. We need to compare apples here.

RE: Sirius studder
That seems illogical to me. If it happened right when starting up the connection then I could understand but at the start of songs...connection drop between songs . Perhaps I just don't know what "sirus is" and if I did it would make more sense.

BTW, my internet connection is @home cable which is a consistent 1.5M. I think David's is pretty good as well as I recall so it does not seem like a bandwidth problem which would be somones first guys if they read all this

Scott Fauque

RE: sirius radio (pronounced "serious")

To see if it is your internet connection or the Entre just go to http://www.siriusradio.com then register and listen to the sirius radio.

It is sounding pretty good on my connection. I get it for one and for two I don't hear any skip/shutter/etc.

BTW, it seems like the sirius radio comes from *.ibeam.com . You can check out the who by the domain http://betterwhois.com/bwhois.cgi?domain=ibeam.com ... 5 name servers...they are ready!

HTH, Scott Fauque

I have the same problem since 1.0.2.7.

Ok, no one answered my separate post. I know where to find the Sovereign bunch.

Do 24/96 discs play out of the digital output of the DV-5900?

Here's my problem. I've just tried a few of the DVD 24/96 discs. These aren't the same as the 5.1 DVD-A discs which you play out of the analog outputs of the DV-5900. I get the signal . . . and the DV-5900 is supposed to pass it.

Menu settings are correct. In the DV-5900 audio menu, PCM downconversion is set at "off" (which is the appropriate setting if one expects to get the 24/96 signal). Otherwise, when downconverted, I get the signal, but it's at 48khz.

In fact, I do get the signal at 96khz, plays for a few seconds .. . then cuts out . . .then plays again.

If any of you have any 24/96 discs (Chesky and that stuff), could you try it with your DV-5900? I'm talking digital output/PCM downconversion off, 24/96 playback.

This will help me determine if it's the processor or the player.

Nick

Don't all rush to your collection at once . . . I know you're all dying to help me out, here.

In any case, make sure of a few things:

1. The PCM setting in the DV-5900--must be off.

2. Make sure your processor will accept a 24/96 digital signal.

3. Make sure you're using one of the Digital Audio Discs, which are essentially two channel DVD discs, with limited video.

4. One of you, one of you, has to have all this stuff.

So please, with sugar on top, check this out and report back. We may have yet another Kenwood issue.

Thanks,

Nick

Nick,

I can easily check this for you, but am away on business this week. If no one weighs in before then I'll test it for you this weekend.

Tom

Actually, Tom, after you check this . . . you win one million dollars for being the first to offer!! Ahhh, unfortunately, payment is in Kenwood Sovereigns, which have sometimes demonstrated themselves to be less than face value.

But, thank you. I look forward to hearing from you. What's your processor, by the way?

Nick

Nick,

LOL!

My processor is a Theta Casablanca II w/XTREME DACs (192 kHz capable). I have several DADs from Classic and Chesky so, again, can easily test this for you. Actually, I've never tried playing one of these in my 5900M as I use a different transport for audio-only duty (Pioneer DVL-91). I'm curious to see if this is a new problem with the 5900M myself! I'll let you know this weekend.

Tom

Looking forward to your tests, Tom. I've used two separate discs, and the result is the same. I've got the Lexicon MC-12B, which is also capable of 192khz, so there's no lack for processing capability.

In reality, this will be a small issue, since these discs are such a tiny minority in the land of software. But if it's a problem I want to know it.

Thanks again,

Nick

I talked with Kenwood the other day about the 24/96 issue, and they claimed they'd never heard of it. That may be true, but it doesn't seem like anyone has yet tried it. It could well be my processor, but if the choices for screwing up are Kenwood or Lexicon, Kenwood won't get the benefit of my doubts.

And, since I was on the phone with them, I asked about the multichanger support issue. Once again, the response was the height of non-information. We know about it, don't know when or if it will get fixed, and if you want to know the answer you literally have to talk to someone in Japan.

By the way, the recent Audio Advisor catalogue was received in the mail the other day. Kenwood 5900 and the Entre are offered for sale. The ad makes clear that the Entre can control up to 3 changers. Sure, blame Audio Advisor, but Kenwood can alert people as to this misinformation.

To those of you that have cautioned patience, I'd really like to know how long we're supposed to wait. It's been six months, and other than some tidbits given to David, we have nothing from Kenwood even acknowledging the problem. I'm really beginning to feel like I've been had. I like the product, but I'm really hoping for Pioneer to step up with the Digital Library and changers of its own. Expecting us to wait without any further word is getting old.

Nick

Nick,

I for one am very tired of waiting! Unfortunately, I don't see very many options available to me. The one good thing that's come out of all this -- Kenwood has saved me alot of money. I intended to pick up a Kenwood Keg, Excelon Amps, Excelon Head Unit, and two additional DV-5900's -- it's pretty obvious that they won't be getting more of my hard earned cash anytime soon!

H

Nick,

I finally had a chance to check out a 2-channel 96/24 DVD for you tonight. The disc was "Dave's True Story - Sex Without Bodies" from Chesky. The disc did play through the coax digital out on the 5900M (not routed through Entre, but direct to my processor). PCM Downconversion was set to "off", and my processor reported receiving a 96K signal. The disc did play without stopping. However, there were frequent stutters and dropouts in the sound. I don't see these symptoms on my 96/24 output capable Pioneer transport. Since it sounds like you're seeing similar symptoms, it does appear that the 5900M has trouble outputting this signal from the digital outputs. Another glitch to add to the 5900M'S already long list :-( I only have 3 DAD discs, however, and since my Pioneer plays them fine it's not a huge deal for me. It would be nice if the 5900M would play them though! Please LMK if you have any questions or if there's something else you'd like me to look at.

Regards,

Tom

That's exactly what mine did. Plays . . . sometimes for as long as 10 seconds . . . then dropout . . . then back.

I'm actually relieved that the problem is in the 5900. I didn't want anything to be wrong with the Lexicon MC-12B.

Tom, since Kenwood professed complete ignorance over this when I phoned them the other day, perhaps sometime you might want to give them a call. I'd be interested in whether they tell you too that you're the "first" to have mentioned this problem.

This is not a significant issue, since there is a paucity of these discs out there to begin with. Nevertheless, the 24/96 discs are supposed to be the highest resolution discs available, and you just can't use them on the DV-5900, or at least not at the full resolution.

I'm up to 390 discs in my DV-5900, and I am not able to load the DVD-Audio discs without reaching the maximum. By the way, the Entre is useless with those discs, since there is nothing on OpenGlobe for them.

So, in order to continue to enjoy the system I thought I purchased, I'm going to have to purge some of the discs, or move them to the DV-5050M, which might as well not even be daisy chained to the DV-5900M, given the lack of control over it exercised by the Entre.

I really wish another manufacturer would step in and fill this void. No one, including myself, wants to ditch the product because of the promise it still holds. But the minute someone comes out with a competing system, I'm done with Kenwood. It has just failed in far too many respects, and the game-playing on the issues, particularly the multichanger control by the Entre, is now evident. Yeah, yeah, they keep having these unspecified "off the record" mystery persons deliver messages of hope through some people, but there's a Sgt. Schultz-like party line delivered when anyone actually calls them.

Tom, thank you for your efforts. To all other DV-5900 owners out there, we now have another problem.

Nick

Nick,

Since I had the same audio glitching with my Theta processor I'm 99% certain the problem lies with the 5900M and not your MC-12B. Both of our processors have high-end 192K DACs, so there's no doubt they can decode the 24/96 signal. It seems to me like there's a problem with the digital output section on the 5900M and it isn't capabale of passing the 24/96 bitsream cleanly. BTW I noticed this behavior from both the coax and the Toslink digital outputs. As you said, not a huge deal but disappointing nonetheless. I will call Kenwood tech support on this, but it may be a bit until I get to it. Buried at work right now!

This new problem is just further evidence that these products were shipped before they were ready for release, or their QA department is incompetent. I'm at 350 discs in my 5900M so I'm facing the same issue as you with respect to multi-changer control through Entre. However, even if they DID upgrade Entre to control 3 changers, as they promised, I'm not sure I'd put any more money into Kenwood products at this point. Like you, if Pioneer were to come out with a competing product I'd switch in a minute (at significant monetary loss, I'm sure). I've had nothing but great luck with Pioneer products and would feel much better with a 400 disc changer from them (or Sony) in my rack. Oh well, time will tell as for now the Kenwood Sovereign stuff is the only game in town. You have to give them credit for being cutting edge at least.

Tom

I'm surprised that all of us new Sovereign "field testers" don't feel angry enough to go confront Kenwood and demand fixes for the 5900M. Everyone seems resigned to accepting that since it's not software-updatable, that it's simply not updatable!

My B&K Ref30 isn't software updatable, but B&K has released several updates to their OS. Why can't Kenwood do the same for the 5900M?

Hmmm?

How about a chip update? Sure, I gotta bring it into my retailer for service, but still, a lot of the quirks/bugs/bummers could be resolved to make it a wonderful mega-changer vs. the "so close to being wonderful" changer it is today.