Hey all! I'm generally loving my two z9x devices. Im encountering one relatively minor issue which is more a nuisance than anything. I have a 5 bay hard drive with my bluray backups. I tend to swap the USB connection from the drives to either to my z9x in the same room (flawless playback of course). For my z9x downstairs, I access the files via SMB. (Laptop directly connects to drives, both laptop and z9x hardwired). The only issue I am encountering is: let's say I fire up the laptop and then the z9x for smb playback. Most times, upon first startup.. I select a file and while it will play I can hear audio micro stutters or dropouts although the video plays smooth. I've found that usually unplugging and re-plugging the drives, or restarting the laptop while leaving the z9x on then allows me to play the same file and the dropouts cease. Has anyone encountered this or have potential troubleshooting or things to try? It's a strong fast hardwire connection, almost seems like it's all "waking up" or has a hard time stabilizing on initial startup of all devices. Again, usually restarts and reconnects of drives and laptop while z9x remains on resolves it. Just trying to rule out things. Thanks in advance all!!!
Haven't you already isolated the source of the dropouts? Seems like trying to access your files through your laptop is the source of the problem and rebooting the laptop fixes it, correct?
Hey there. Not quite because it happens pretty much every time everything is first booted up, ie laptop, z9x. I just haven't seen that issue referenced in various threads here where everyone says SMB is completely smooth. This seems to happen every time I try to first watch something on the z9x via SMB, even when first starting the laptop. Wouldn't think it would be stuttering right away. Just figured there might be a workaround.
Yes, but isn't the laptop connection the common denominator? Connection directly to your Zidoo is fine.. I use SMB network connection on multiple WD MyCloud EX2 Ultra NAS's and playback is flawless....I guess I haven't heard of your exact symptom though...maybe someone else will chime in..
I appreciate the replies, yes. I mean it's a legit laptop with good specs. Everything hardwired. Settings appear to be how they should be, so I'm not sure what triggers that initial startup audio issue. Also happened on two different laptops. One of them little things that ain't the end of the world, and sure I eventually get the stutters to stop after resetting everything but figured some zidoo owner somewhere has maybe run into this.
What happens if you copy a couple of the files directly onto the laptop and try to stream them to the Zidoo?
Thank you for the reply Deano. Although I havent tried copying the files to the laptop drive, I may have stumbled upon a resolution of sorts sifting through older threads here related to SMB sharing. Yesterday I found a thread referencing "File sharing connections" settings as I have a recent laptop and Windows 10. "use 128-bit encryption" is checked by default. I switched to "40 or 56 bit".. and I've changed nothing else but for example firing everything up today and playing a first test file, the audio stuttering that usually plagued initially is gone. Maybe it had something to do with zidoo and 128 bit encryption on windows? I did nothing else. Interesting. Not sure if this is the confirmed fix so will see over the next couple days. If so, great! And heads up to anyone else who may see this encountering the same initial startup stuttering with smb.
