Z9X Pro crashing on MKV files.

Just picked up this to replace my Z9S because on Dolby vision rips it often displays a link/purple image.

The Z9X Pro is stock out of the box and is crashing on most MKV files I try. Thought I had a defective unit so I ordered another and have the same issue.

Firmware is 1.0.69

Anything I should try before I send it back? Has crashed on 4 of the 5 MKV files I have tried.

I am playing files off of a usb attached hard drive using the USB 2.0 ports. I am trying to play the files by using media center and selecting the MKV from the folder structure. This issue is happening on 1080 and 2160 files

My Z9S plays every file without issue.

I can’t imagine a newer model would be a big step back in functionality

Thanks!
Ray

 

I haven't hit a file that my Z2600 (exact same chips) refuses to play. Perhaps your USB 2.0 HDD isnt keeping up somehow?

Is it powered by the USB port or an external power brick? that can also be an issue for HDDs vs Flash drives on USB.

 

Hi - these are non powered usb devices. One was a crucial SSD 2Tb, the ither PCIe ssd in a usb case and the other a regular spinning non powered usb device.

all of these drives and files work perfectly on my Z9S but the Z9S plays DV files with a purple/pink hue.

seems there has to be a setting that is wrong for me. 2 Z9X pros are doing the same thing ☹️

another thing I noticed is that my Dolby Tru HD rips play is dts surround on this device ☹️

 

Firstly try a USB3 port just in case its a power issue.

As for sound, what is your setup? I am getting DTS and Dolby lossless codecs including DTS:HDMA, DTS:X and Dolby TrueHD Atmos coming through to my receiver just fine.
You might need to try different HDMI audio settings in the configuration app.

 

Oh and consider upgrading to the 1.0.75 firmware, it does fix a few known bugs.

 

Zidoo Z9X Pro to Denon 4500 receiver to LG C3 77 inch tv.

when I plugged into the usb 3 port the other day the drive didn’t show up - I will try it again!

 

I'll double check my audio settings for you when i get home from work, just so we can be on the same page there.

Also, I personally use ZDMC as my media browser, it shouldn't make a difference in file compatibility though, as it just tells the built in player what to run anyway.

 

Tried the USB 3.0 port and still crashing.
This is very frustrating as the Z9S has been flawless playing back local media on any usb drive ☹️

 

I am about to give up on this thing

crashes constantly, even when I am trying to scan a ssd drive in media center. Crashes any time I connect a ssd drive now. Trying to update the device to 1.0.75. And it crashes constantly just browsing the menus trying to get to the update screen.

Now crashing just sitting at the main screen with a ssd drive plugged in

 

did you swap out the power bricks or just use the one from the Z9S ,ie lower powered device so brick may not be doing the 2 amps 12v

If you have a network ,try smba to a PC with the files there ,in settings network it allows smb to be turned on
PC may need file sharing too
Also always use the usb 3 for 4k files usb2 just isnt fast enuff for the data rate ,specially once DV DA are on the file

also use a HDD not ssd

also if you have just swapped the Pro for the Z9S have you upgraded the HDMI cable

the z9s would possibly just be an hdmi1.3 cable so will never work for 4k or 4k dv da files

 

Hi - will try a regular usb HDD, but all of my movies are on the SSD

I did use the power brick that came with the pro and am using a 1.4 hdmi cable from monoprice. I can try to swap cables in the morning.

my power just went out from a storm so I am done testing for tonight - I was just about to try the update with a flash drive and transfer some of the files that don’t work to the flash drive. I am thinking the unpowered usb drive is using too much power and tripping something

 

definitly need a 4k/8k certified hdmi cable ,might be lucky and issue was just the hdmi cable ,but im thinking its more likely the usb ssd drives (think i remeber this sort of issue with those on the Z9X DV range)

 

I am also going to try a powered usb 3.0 hub to see if that fixes the issue.

 

these pro and z9x range before are pretty much bulletproof when it comes to playing Mkv files even with DV DA etc and 4k

Usually the file has to have some bad corruption to not be playable ,or its HDMI or HDD source ( ie wifi or lan with cat 3 to cat 5 ..too slow )

HDD format ie NTFS Fat32 can also cause issues ie Fat32 limited to 4gig ish file sizes

As someone above said ,also do the firmware update to 75

 

Could be filesystem related indeed, but the issue with FAT32 is unlikely as you cant even write a larger than 4gb file to a fat32 disk.

 

the other option is to use MKVToolnix ,cut say 3 mins off one of the failing mkvs , test that it still crashes your Pro ,then d/l it to a Mega file and post here so we can test it

 

Power is back on

didn’t update yet but moved some non-working files to a flash drive and they all work.

So the issues is seems to be that the Z9X Pro can’t power an SSD or PCIe drive. Also plugged in a regular non powered ISB HDD and that crashes the device constantly. Seems it can only handle a flash drive.

Going to pick up a powered USB hub tomorrow and will report back.

 

I suspect its might actually be mostly that older Z9s power brick, perhaps it's not enough juice for the new one when driving external storage?

 

Hopefully its the ssd drives via usb
As i said i had a vague memory of that causing an issue a few years back

You could also possibly just run the Usb SSDs off the PC and add smb to their file sharing so zidoo can see them ,and hopefully play the files over the lan

 

You'd expect SSDs to use less power than traditional mechanical drives but that's not the case, they use more and we know these boxes are pretty much bomb proof for MKV playback so that's not the problem - most likely is power supply (ie supply of power, not the actual power supply!).

I don't know whether there's a difference in USB power spec between the Z9S and Z9X Pro but I do know that the SMD voltage regulators feeding the USB ports are tiny - basically designed to power USB sticks and little else.