MP101 Health Warning

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Budgie
Posts:84
Joined:Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:41 pm
MP101 Health Warning

Post by Budgie » Sun Mar 02, 2008 12:57 am

I just want to report that the MP101, although a supported client device according to the Twonky web site, is not, in my experience, a reliable client working with Twonky. I have two such devices and both stop playing after a variable period and start again after a minute or so on the next track in a list.

This problem has been reported in various postings on these forums with several opinions as to possible causes but I have never seen a definitive statement of the real cause or how it may be fixed.

For the record I have the latest firmware installed in both machines and the symptom persists even when they are hard wired into the network with no other loads on the network or server. It is true the problem seemed worse when a wireless link was used but I have given that up for RJ45 and still no joy.

Whilst one might live with this annoying problem when playing popular music tracks, it is unacceptable with classical music.

I have solved the problem by purchasing a Noxon 2 which has so far performed 100% hard wired and over wireless link.

If anybody (Christian perhaps?) knows why the MP101 exhibits these failings please do post the fix. Meanwhile I am giving the health warning just in case anybody is thinking of acquiring an MP101.

Budgie

.

Deguello
Posts:5
Joined:Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:18 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Deguello » Mon Mar 03, 2008 9:52 pm

Just to support your report:

I'm having this Mp101 now for about half a year - and still meeting the same unsatisfying issue. Usually the stop appears after listening to my music for 30-40 minutes: the song freezes, everything seems to stop - finally the MP101 continues with the next song. This takes usually about 1 min. PURE FRUSTRATION.

I started with Wireless LAN - not acceptable! Wired LAN is definitely improved, but the issue has never gone. Meanwhile I'm working with 4.4.4 RC1 on CH3SNAS ... always hoping for final solution.

Greetings,

Frank

Budgie
Posts:84
Joined:Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:41 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Budgie » Thu Mar 06, 2008 12:13 am

Hi Frank
Deguello wrote:Just to support your report:

I'm having this Mp101 now for about half a year - and still meeting the same unsatisfying issue. Usually the stop appears after listening to my music for 30-40 minutes: the song freezes, everything seems to stop - finally the MP101 continues with the next song. This takes usually about 1 min. PURE FRUSTRATION.

I started with Wireless LAN - not acceptable! Wired LAN is definitely improved, but the issue has never gone. Meanwhile I'm working with 4.4.4 RC1 on CH3SNAS ... always hoping for final solution.

Exactly. I was hoping somebody would crack this. Most postings seem related to wireless and I haven't a clue what could be the cause with a wired connection. Strange that nobody has been able to get Netgear interested. Meanwhile I shall start reading up on the finer points of network technology

I too have been looking at NAS devices as at present I am using a retired office server which uses so much power it serves as a room heater! I believe the above problems are related to the MP101 as I do not have the same problem on a Noxon 2 but cannot afford to scrap the several MP101s I already own.

Am looking at Qnap and ReadyNAS as they are supposed to support Twonky. Trouble is I want 4 disk machines and both makes have big questions over whether these will work with current Twonky versions. Will make more enquiries and meanwhile please let us know if you find a solution to the MP101 problem.
Regards,
Budge.

Greetings,

Frank

kosh66
Posts:16
Joined:Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:20 pm
Location:germany

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by kosh66 » Thu Mar 06, 2008 10:08 am

Hi folks,

netgear is not interested because this product has reached end of life and is no more supported. Did you try the last beta firmware (yahoo) to solve your problem already?

cu

Kosh66

Budgie
Posts:84
Joined:Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:41 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Budgie » Fri Mar 07, 2008 12:52 am

Do you have a link for the beta firmware. Read about it but not tried it. What is it supposed to fix?
Any help much appreciated.
Regards,
Budge

kosh66
Posts:16
Joined:Tue Dec 18, 2007 10:20 pm
Location:germany

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by kosh66 » Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:11 am

Hi Budgie,

no link, sorry. PM me your EMail and I'll send you the file.

cu

Kosh66

Deguello
Posts:5
Joined:Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:18 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Deguello » Sun Mar 09, 2008 10:48 pm

Hi you,

meanwile I read a lot about the mystic 1.4.7 firmware from yahoo groups - but I can't find it anywhere (as most of the freaks I asked). If anybody could give me a link or send me the stuff directly - my day would be rescued!

THX,

Frank

umrkzappa
Posts:3
Joined:Sun Jan 20, 2008 2:00 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by umrkzappa » Wed Apr 09, 2008 3:21 pm

FYI - I have tried both the beta firmware 1.4.7 and the hardware mod (extra capacitors) and neither of these have fixed the problems with the MP101.

RTP mode plays for 2 tracks then CPU goes to 100%. Non RTP mode plays tracks for 20ish seconds then jumps to next track. This is using the latest 4.4.4 version of Twonky.

ksam
Posts:4
Joined:Fri Jul 08, 2005 2:33 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by ksam » Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:03 pm

Hi all,

just to disappoint you: my MP101 is totally healthy :D

As i started with Version 1.0.7 or so, i stopped any upgrade after 4.0!
For me this was the last version working without stoppings...
OK, remote controll does not work on all knobs, but no problems with shoutcast or files from my NSLU2.

Any newer version does have the named problems.....

ksam

spook
Posts:3
Joined:Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:09 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by spook » Wed Apr 23, 2008 12:04 am

I just wanted to add that I have this annoying habit on my MP101 too.

What I wondered was what hardware twonky was being run on. The reason I ask is I didn't have this problem last week when I ran twonky on my mac, plenty of other problems but not this one. I've just moved to running twonky on an NSLU2 and while most of the operation is improved I now get this 'freeze' after 20 to 25 minutes very reliably which moves to the next track after a short delay. I'd say the delay was less than a minute but long enough to check out the display and see that I'm only 22 mins into an hour long recording.

I did a bit of reading, and someone tried to blame various bits of networking kit in the chain between the twonky server and the client. As my current route went via 2 routers, a switch and via a DLAN bridge (ethernet via mains cable) I thought I'd simplify it and plugged the NSLU2 directly into the wireless router (last stage before mp101). I still got the 'freeze' n skip but this time it happened after 9 minutes and again 45 minutes later.
Currently Twonky 4.4.4 on an NSLU2
used to run various editions of Twonky on a Mac mini

alanrab
Posts:61
Joined:Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:22 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by alanrab » Mon May 26, 2008 4:03 pm

I own four MP-101s. I am running the latest TV server software as of this date, Ver. 4.4.5, on a PC with Vista OS. Am using a wired network. All has worked flawlessly for several years now. I can run all four MP-101s at once with no skipping for hours on end. All buttons on the MP-101s' remote controls work.

For a while, I tried running TV on a Linksys NSLU2 but found the freeze-up issue when using the MP-101s as clients. Turns out that my music library, virtually all WMA files rather than MP3, was the culprit in that case. WMAs were "unsupported" for NSLU2 per Twonky support.

Hope this helps in some way.

Budgie
Posts:84
Joined:Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:41 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Budgie » Tue Aug 26, 2008 10:35 pm

Hi all on this thread,
I have just purchased Qnap TS209 II Pro with 2 x 1TB seagates in RAID 1 array and Twonky preinstalled.
Transferred all my MP3 files across from previous server (Suse 10.0 using NFS, worked perfectly.) Very pleased with the QNAP box but the MP101 problem I reported when starting this thread is still there although much less frequent. I am sure it is a matter of tweaking some of the more obscure networking parameters but not found which. Noxon 2 still fine following firmware upgrade.

I am now looking for additional client devices, this time for video as well as music.

Will start a new thread on this but am in UK and most of the devices listed on Twonky website are either unavailable here or obsolete.

Regards,
Budgie

spook
Posts:3
Joined:Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:09 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by spook » Thu Aug 28, 2008 10:38 pm

Hi Budgie,

We're in danger of drifiting off topic here but I just bought a BT internet radio from Dabs as a 2nd client. (I'm also in the UK)
In some ways it's a downgrade from the mp101, bigger (built in speakers), no remote and an even smaller screen. On the upside, it gets internet radio (including BBC real streams, and 'listen again') without any kind of server being on in the house. It also picks up Twonky from my NSLU2 with ease. I have had it pause once or twice but not with the same kind of regularity my mp101 does and it hasn't skipped to the next track, just continued after a pause. They're down to 50 quid and worth a look for an audio only client. They're "reciva" licensed kit so I imagine any reciva kit will be pretty similar.

As for video clients. It's not a Twonky client, but I have a Kiss network DVD player. It uses it's own server software, and let's just say I'm less than impressed with it. I got some tips from "mpc club" and that's one site worth a look before you splash out on a video client.

Best of luck

Spook
Currently Twonky 4.4.4 on an NSLU2
used to run various editions of Twonky on a Mac mini

Budgie
Posts:84
Joined:Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:41 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Budgie » Mon Sep 01, 2008 12:17 am

Hi Spook,
Thanks for that. Will investigate. I never suspected that Internet Radio would pick up Twonky but the latest Noxon is now sold as internet radio and it also works with Twonky so perhaps they both use the same streaming format As the Noxon is 4 x more costly that your DABS offer looks like I shall try the BT. No rush for video.
Thanks again
Budgie

Transit66
Posts:1
Joined:Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:24 pm
AV Hardware:2xMP101 (1.3.7), Twonky (4.4), Topfield TF5800
Netgear DG834G, Shuttle-X

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Transit66 » Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:42 pm

All,

I have had a couple of MP101s for a few years and am running the latest Twonkyvision server on our general use PC with pretty good results. My 'recipe' for success has been as follows:

- Disable DHCP on the MP101 and assign it a fixed IP address (I simply assigned one at the top of my router's DHCP list, i.e. one the DHCP server will never assign)
- I use 802.11b WLAN with shared authentication with 128-bit WEP, SSID disabled (all set up on MP101)
- Ensure Twonky is explicitly set up to use MP101 RTP (an entry is shown for each player in the list on the Twonky 'Client/Security' page).
- I am using a Netgear DG834G wireless router with f/w v3.01.25.
- All my media files are MP3s

With this configuration it can take 2 or 3 goes to get the MP101 logged on to the network and talking to the Twonky server but once it does I can geneally run for many hours reliably.

As another data point - as of last week I upgraded my router to the latest version in the hope of improving ADSL stability (to v3.01.38) and had a complete failure of the MP101 streaming even with all my old router settings reloaded from a config file. When I regressed the router all came back to life. I have a tech support query in with Netgear on this. This may suggest that the MP101 is very sensitive to the router behaviour.

N

Schnitzelbrain
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:28 am
AV Hardware:NSLU2 with Twonky 4.4.6
MP-101 + IPMicro (DNT)
Sony STR-DB840
Controlled via Harmony 880 :-)))))) Radio Streaming with one click. I Love it.

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Schnitzelbrain » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:53 am

Also only positive news,

-using FritzBox 7050 hardwired to Mp-101
-NSLU2 as Media Server
-MP101 running 1.3.7
-MP101 RTP (<- very importend) set in Twonky 4.4.6
-Radio and MP3 and Playlists, working flawless

If there are any problems with playing, stops inbetween or server/songs not found or freezes of the MP101it is mostly an unstable network/server.

leopold
Posts:4
Joined:Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:30 am
AV Hardware:Windows 2003 x-64 Server with SP2
Lots of Netgear MP-101's
One Logik Internet Radio

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by leopold » Fri Oct 17, 2008 12:18 pm

Yep, I've got six of the little blighters and I can confirm that, for the most part, everything is fine. I can run all six, wirelessly, with no issues at all. Usually.

The issues I've had are mainly network. Sometimes I get streaming issues on the boxes in the wireless "shade" with files that are encoded at 320kbps. Also, when my daughter uses her laptop over wireless, the 101's struggle more because it can't seem to get to grips with a mixed B and G network when her wireless card is in use. But that doesn't occur when any other G-based wireless card is in use, weirdly.

I've also found that the album art tag can cause issues if it's very big (anything over about 300k) and it won't work at all if the file is a PNG. And I've had very little joy with album art on WMA files.

I've found the best things to do are:
  • Don't overburden the wireless network. Add extra access points if necessary
  • Use small JPEGs for album art, if you must
  • Use a server device which can serve a stream flawlessly. I find the small and cheap NAS devices (such as the slug) can get a bit overworked.
  • Never hide the SSID, this leads to all manner of issues with wireless
  • If you have the kit to do it, try and set up a completely separate network (even down to a separate NIC in the server) and do away with any wireless encryption altogether. Or go wired.

audigo
Posts:1
Joined:Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:38 pm
AV Hardware:Dell Dimension 5150, Netgear MP101

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by audigo » Thu Oct 23, 2008 12:00 am

Hi, I see you have six MP101's. Is it possible for each MP101 to be running a different playlist, or if you have several 101's - do they all play the same thing at the same time?

They are getting so cheap now, I would like to buy several of them and have them in different rooms of my house, all running from the same PC. I would like it so the kids have their music and I have mine (all on the same server) but each of us with access to what we like. Is this possible? What is the best way to set this up? And also so that I don't see their music?
Ross.

Schnitzelbrain
Posts:8
Joined:Sun Sep 28, 2008 11:28 am
AV Hardware:NSLU2 with Twonky 4.4.6
MP-101 + IPMicro (DNT)
Sony STR-DB840
Controlled via Harmony 880 :-)))))) Radio Streaming with one click. I Love it.

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by Schnitzelbrain » Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:22 pm

Hi, I see you have six MP101's. Is it possible for each MP101 to be running a different playlist, or if you have several 101's - do they all play the same thing at the same time?

They are getting so cheap now, I would like to buy several of them and have them in different rooms of my house, all running from the same PC. I would like it so the kids have their music and I have mine (all on the same server) but each of us with access to what we like. Is this possible? What is the best way to set this up? And also so that I don't see their music?
Ross.
Well everyone playing different music, no problem. Even with one server.

Don't see their music, then u have to set up different servers. Each with the set of music whats liked. Dunno if it is possible to install twonky multible times registring with the same serial. If yes, install it several times with different search paths and diff Server IP's. then each of your mp101 can be set for a diff ip to pick the diff servers.

Normally everyone sees the same structure (database) and playlists, but each can select a diff tune or playlist.

kh1234567890
Posts:6
Joined:Tue Mar 07, 2006 10:24 pm

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by kh1234567890 » Sun Nov 30, 2008 10:49 am

audigo wrote:Hi, I see you have six MP101's. Is it possible for each MP101 to be running a different playlist, or if you have several 101's - do they all play the same thing at the same time?
The MP101 wireless never worked properly. I have two MP101s running through Devolo dLAN 'IP over mains' adaptors without any problems whatsoever. The MP101 uses a very good DAC, you may not get the same sound quality from some of the other, more 'advanced' devices.

And of course you can have each one playing a different track at the same time - that is the whole idea of a media server.

rbreitner
Posts:7
Joined:Sun Feb 08, 2009 2:16 pm
AV Hardware:NetGear MP101

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by rbreitner » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:05 pm

Hello,

I'm using a MP101 in wireless mode (no major problems with that).

I'm using Twonky media Manager (which includes MediaServer 5 I guess).

I tried to setup RTP in the server administration web interface. I'm asked for the MP101 Mac address tha tI entered. I then selected "MP101 RTP" from the remote clients drop-down list and clicked the form button to save. Unfortunately, it is not saved at all.

Am I missing something (I'm a Twonky newbie)?

Regards,

Rich

leopold
Posts:4
Joined:Fri Oct 17, 2008 11:30 am
AV Hardware:Windows 2003 x-64 Server with SP2
Lots of Netgear MP-101's
One Logik Internet Radio

Re: MP101 Health Warning

Post by leopold » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:30 pm

audigo wrote:Hi, I see you have six MP101's. Is it possible for each MP101 to be running a different playlist, or if you have several 101's - do they all play the same thing at the same time?
They can do, if you want. I've had all six churning away playing random tracks quite happily.

However, I did start getting a lot of bother from them. I got all manner of squelching, stopping, lost connections and such like. I considered the possibility of it being a 64-bit issue (the server runs Windows Server 2003 x64) but then, after some unrelated router tweaking which resulted in buggering it all up, I replaced the router with my temporary fallback one. And I've stopped seeing all these silly issues. So now I'm suspicious of my router - a Linksys WRT54G with the DD-WRT firmware. I think I updated it to the newer version about the same time. I can't be sure, but it's the most likely candidate.

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