Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

[bhoar]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

Does anyone have a copy of the "Microboards driver" or "Kodak driver" that have been mentioned?

Also, does anyone know what model of DVD drive is used in the stand-alone DVD version of the MicroOrbit MLDV1000? All I've been able to find is that it's a Pioneer drive. I would think that this would pretty much be a drop-in replacement to allow the Kodak kiosk duplicator to do DVDs.

Drivers are on this page (you'll need to scroll down):

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/batch-ripper.htm

You can swap drives of course, but keep in mind that, in addition to the normal alignment of the drive to have the tray placement correct and the sometime necessary removal of the drive faceplate, you'll also need to cut matching notches in the tray for the lifter wings. Drives have a "track" for the tray open/close sprockets, and some have this track right at the edge of the tray (won't work), while others have it further in (will work).

Obtain a Kodak unit. Turn it upside down or on its side. Eject the tray. You'll see what I mean. Then just find another drive where the track is at least 3mm (or so, haven't measured) away from the tray edge and you're set.

-brendan

[IamNemo]

Please HELP: my Sony does not respond anymore!

My Sony VGP-XL1B(3) was ripping perfectly this morning. At the end of that batch I emptied it and moved it a few feet further away from my computer.

I then tried to use a 15ft FireWire cable but it didn't work (it works in my recording studio though). I had to move it back where it was before and reconnected everything with the original 6ft cable. It DOESN'T work now!:(

The drives are not seen under My Computer like before (I'm running XP PRO SP3), FreeChange doesn't see it and neither does Batch Ripper. I checked the RSM service and it's set to Manual and was not running: OK

I then tried 4 different 6ft cables to no avail. I tried both plugs on back and all the ones on my PC. No other change was made than described above.

The changer does its self-test when turned on and I can load/unload several discs.

Please help me! I'm running out of ideas. :cry: Thanks! Iam Nemo

[Porcus]

Re: Please HELP: my Sony does not respond anymore!

Nemo: Tried to unplug everything and leave it off for a day? Should not work, does sometimes nevertheless.

[IamNemo]

Re: Please HELP: my Sony does not respond anymore!

Nemo: Tried to unplug everything and leave it off for a day? Should not work, does sometimes nevertheless.

Thanks Porcus. That's exactly what I did today: no luck either. I tried to plug it to a notebook and it didn't work.

Open to suggestions... Thanks! Iam Nemo

[Porcus]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

I've had similar issues, but they have resolved themselves in one way or another, without any good explanation why or why not.

[IamNemo]

Re: My Sony do not respond anymore

I've had similar issues, but they have resolved themselves in one way or another, without any good explanation why or why not.

Oh, that's disturbing Porcus. My Sony was working so well after giving up on my Powerfile C200.

Has anyone here has ever had any problems with the FireWire connectors themselves at the back of the Sony units? I now suspect that just (carefully) unplugging/replugging the FW cable might have broken something of the FW controller board (cold solder?). :headbang:

Thanks for any help! Iam Nemo

[Porcus]

Re: My Sony do not respond anymore

IamNemo: You are active at the AVS Forum. Think you would have better chances over there.

[IamNemo]

Re: My Sony do not respond anymore

IamNemo: You are active at the AVS Forum. Think you would have better chances over there.

I followed your advice and cross-posted to AVS. Thanks, Nemo.

[hofftodd]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

It's been almost 21 hours! I am beside myself with anticipation!

-brendan

Thanks for all the help with getting the Kodak robot up and running. I've had it running on a continuous batch for 30 hours and 48 minutes. It occasionally skips loading discs, but if I let it keep running it will begin to pick them up again. I'm not sure if the spindle alignments on my unit are just a bit off.

What I'm finding now is that my aging cd collection has many scratched and unreadable discs (66 discs ripped successfully, 15 discs rejected due to errors, 21 discs failed to load on the current batch). Most of the discs failed to load are due to a long wait time on load, and if I put them back in the stack, they load successfully the second time around.

Overall, I'm really happy with dBPA and the batch ripping functionality. I'm also really happy with the robot. It is great to be able to leave the system running while I am away. I can't imagine trying to rip my collection by hand...

But, I'm definitely in the market for a cd scratch repair system now. Any suggestions? I've been looking at the aleratec and skip dr. disc repair tools.

[bhoar]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

Todd-

Before we go to the scratched disc fixing, I can probably help with timeouts causing the failed loads by suggesting a minor adjustment of the kodak script. Open this file using notepad.exe:

C:\Program Files\Illustrate\dBpoweramp\BatchRipper\Loaders\Kodak Kiosk 50 disc\Load\DefaultCmdLine.txt

Actually make a backup of it first, then edit it.

Make sure Format/Word Wrap is *not* checked before editing, because the lines are very very long and we don't want notepad to auto-wrap, which will break the script.

Hit ctrl-f to Find, then type --sleep=2 then hit enter, which should bring you to the post-load post-close sleep command (note there are two --sleep=2 instances, we want the first one).

Hit right arrow to unselect the nine chars of text, hit left arrow to move back to right after the 2, hit backspace once to erase the 2 and then type 10 to change the 2 to a 10.

e.g. we change this:

... --closeblind --sleep=2 --unbindtodrive ...

to this:

... --closeblind --sleep=10 --unbindtodrive ...

Do a File/Save from the menu.

Restart the batch ripper.

This change ensures the code does inform the batch ripper that the disc was inserted for at least 10 seconds after it was inserted. Should be enough time for it to spin up and start recognition before the batch ripper regains control and *should* help to prevent the batch ripper from timing out. You can experiment with different values.

-brendan

[hofftodd]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

This change ensures the code does inform the batch ripper that the disc was inserted for at least 10 seconds after it was inserted. Should be enough time for it to spin up and start recognition before the batch ripper regains control and *should* help to prevent the batch ripper from timing out. You can experiment with different values.

-brendan

Brendan, thanks again for the suggestions. I'll make this settings change and see if I get fewer failed to load discs.

[bhoar]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

This change ensures the code does inform the batch ripper that the disc was inserted for at least 10 seconds after it was inserted. Should be enough time for it to spin up and start recognition before the batch ripper regains control and *should* help to prevent the batch ripper from timing out. You can experiment with different values.

Er, I meant to type "This change ensures the code does *not* inform the batch ripper...". Basically, add a delay before telling the batch ripper that it can look at the drive...to ensure the initial spin-up is not interrupted.

-brendan

[bhoar]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

Brendan, thanks again for the suggestions. I'll make this settings change and see if I get fewer failed to load discs.

Todd - for the record, changing that sleep from 2 to 10 seconds has fixed a similar issue on one of my machines. So, perhaps everyone should make that change.

Also, for anyone else who has problems with the USB to Serial adapter inside the kodak units not being recognized by windows, here's the driver page for the 2303 chipset:

http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/downloads.asp?ID=31

-brendan

[bhoar]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

Re: loading the Kodak spindle

I'm now finding it more reliable to:

a) load the discs onto the spindle
b) click the disc lock into place
c) invert the spindle, but use a hand grip that holds the discs up against the *top* instead of the lock.
d) move a (clean, recently washed) hand up into the cage from underneath
e) lower the spindle into place using the lower hand to keep the discs compressed up to the top
f) click the top of the spindle into the three bolts at the top of the cage
g) using the hand still under the discs, slowly and *evenly* drop the disc stack into place.

Note that this may not be a recommended method if you were using blank discs (e.g. unit as a duplicator) because even vague fingerprints can be fatal when burning, but I find the results more than acceptable for ripping.

I'm doing some additional testing to ensure the drivers work correctly in parallel...e.g. today I have three kodak units stacked on my desk, with phone books as spacers and tupperware above the first and second spindles to prevent dropped discs from skittering off.

So...how're the rest of the kodakians robot-related experiences going?

-brendan

[hofftodd]

Re: Discussion of Automated CD Loaders

I've had my Kodak robot running round the clock for about 2 weeks now. I've ripped through most of my collection and had a mostly good experience with the robot.

The few issues I have had:

* It sometimes takes up to 6 minutes to recognize a disk after load. I think there is something wrong with my cd drivers running in Vista. When this occurs, there is almost no cpu resources being used but all cd/dvd drive and hard drive access freeze up until the disk is finally recognized.

* I occasionally load a bad stack of discs, and the robot cannot knock the bottom disc off of the spindle. The "black finger" activates when it should and hits the bottom of the stack, but no disc falls off. This quickly results in 10 failed disc loads and ends the batch. I haven't quite figured out what the problem is when this occurs. Reloading the stack has always solved the problem.

* My cd collection is less than pristine, and I'm getting lots of errors during ripping. I'm not doing any pre rip cleaning, and I'm using the robot to sort through the discs that are in need of buffing. This slows down the process, but who cares... The robot is doing the work. I've ordered a disc buffing tool (aleratec) and will start cleaning and re-ripping the error pile soon.

Overall, great experience. I've been very happy with the robot and the dBpoweramp software. Thanks to everyone on the forum for the help!