[Bug] C200 no longer plays M4A with new F/W

[congo181]

After updating to the new C200 firmware I can no longer play M4A files. The C200 freezes with no input possible as soon as an M4A file is selected to play.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21143255/01%20Dream%20On.m4a

The above is a sample file which used to play before the update.

All files on a Synology NAS accessed via Samba.
Output to AVR via HDMI.
Both passthrough and Downmix tried.
Static IPs throughout and speed set to 10/100.
All other files tested thus far work OK.
Did a factory reset after upgrading, and another since with no change.
I will attempt to downgrade and then upgrade as Accident suggests next.
Anyone else with this problem and/or could test this file?

Cheers.

Edit: what version should I owngrade to before trying the new f.w again, and can someone point me to its location? Thanks

[halfelite]

only way to downgrade is flash the recovery firmware located on the popcorn hour support webpage

[Willem53]

Look OK to me.....



General
Complete name :01 Dream On.m4a
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Apple audio with iTunes info
Codec ID : M4A
File size : 6.15 MiB
Duration : 4mn 27s
Overall bit rate mode : Constant
Overall bit rate : 193 Kbps
Album : Aerosmith's Greatest Hits
Album/Performer : Aerosmith
Part/Position : 1
Part/Total : 1
Track name : Dream On
Track name/Position : 1
Track name/Total : 10
Performer : Aerosmith
Composer : Steven Tyler
Genre : Rock
Recorded date : 1973
Encoded date : UTC 2006-01-10 19:00:03
Tagged date : UTC 2006-01-10 19:07:53
Writing application : iTunes v6.0.1.3, QuickTime 7.0.3
Cover : Yes
Xtra : WM/MediaClassPrimaryID

Audio
ID : 1
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 4mn 27s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 6.08 MiB (99%)
Encoded date : UTC 2006-01-10 19:00:03
Tagged date : UTC 2006-01-10 19:07:53

[accident]

the recovery and reflash should fix him up, it helped the couple unstable testers.

[congo181]

I will try it tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

[NodNarb012]

I'm experiencing the same issue. I was really hoping for a better fix than downgrading to the recovery firmware and reflashing.

[accident]

@congo, I just noticed your sample, I get the same behavior from that file.. not sure I have others to check.

[congo181]

Want me to upload some others?

Edit: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/21143255/01%20Fo...0Salut.m4a
Is it still worth me doing the downgrade/upgrade cycle? Think I'll wait a while.
Edit: screen saver still works in the 'frozen' state, so something is still running in the background.

[accident]

Testing from pch interface, No nmt, no drives, smb network share, all mixdown, hdmi audio disabled, rca audio out, screen saver enabled.

- When playing a file with the ext of m4a, hardware fully locks up.
- rename the file to .mp4 and it'll play in the video player
- rename the file to .aac and it'll play in the audio player..

So there is something broken in the handling of files with .m4a extension. I also reported it elsewhere, just updating my findings here in case an engineer reads this while fixing it.

[Willem53]

from WiKipedia:

M4A stands for MPEG 4 Audio and is a filename extension used to represent audio files.

The existence of two different filename extensions, .MP4 and .M4A, for naming audio-only MP4 files has been a source of confusion among users and multimedia playback software. Some file managers, such as Windows Explorer, look up the media type and associated applications of a file based on its filename extension. But since MPEG-4 Part 14 is a container format, MPEG-4 files may contain any number of audio, video, and even subtitle streams, making it impossible to determine the type of streams in an MPEG-4 file based on its filename extension alone. In response, Apple Inc. started using and popularizing the .m4a filename extension, which is used for MP4 containers with audio data in the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) or its own Apple Lossless (ALE, ALAC) formats. Software capable of audio/video playback should recognize files with either .m4a or .mp4 filename extensions, as would be expected, since there are no file format differences between the two. Most software capable of creating MPEG-4 audio will allow the user to choose the filename extension of the created MPEG-4 files.

[accident]

why are you quoting wikipedia?

[congo181]

Thanks for your efforts in looking into this. I guess I dont need to try the f/w down/upgrade now then.
I'd rename my M4As, but then my NMJ database would be screwed, and its taken years to get it to the state its in now...

Seeing as this is posted as the last Gaya based f/w before the new non-flash based release, I guess its broken forever in Gayaland?
Not so good.

[accident]

(05-26-2012 07:56 AM)congo181 Wrote:  Thanks for your efforts in looking into this. I guess I dont need to try the f/w down/upgrade now then.
I'd rename my M4As, but then my NMJ database would be screwed, and its taken years to get it to the state its in now...

Probably not worth doing, but then again I never did it either. If you can find someone working then I would.

Quote:Seeing as this is posted as the last Gaya based f/w before the new non-flash based release, I guess its broken forever in Gayaland?
Not so good.

the app market problem is pretty big, I could see another patch coming out. It wouldn't be the first time there was rapid firmware releases and then an a200 port.

[Willem53]

(05-26-2012 07:11 AM)accident Wrote:  why are you quoting wikipedia?

for anyone else who reads this tread and wonders what the bug is going on... sorry

[chris57]

M4A files from the DVD9 Test Compilation:-
http://www.datafilehost.com/download-bfcc25d4.html
Playlist using aac, mp3, m4a, flac, ogg, and ape clips. You can play using the m3u playlist or by pressing play on first track it should then change and play each short audio clip:-
http://www.datafilehost.com/download-93092696.html

The M4A audio files must have been from Willem I think he's an Eagles fan.

Haven't tried them but if they exhibit the same problem then as they are part of the NMT Test files we can all use them. They are both AAC-HE audio with SBR (v1) and one SBR/PS (v2).