Author Topic: Music playing automatically, playback stuttering constantly, and other issues  (Read 811 times)

Necktie

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Hello all.

I've been using MusicBee for years with no problems, but I recently got a new setup in my home office and it just isn't working right in any way. I got a new laptop (HP Notebook - 14-cf0014dx) as well as a new hub (TBI Pro 12-in-1 usb-c hub, powered through a 90w usb-c charger). My music library is stored on an external hard drive, which has caused me no issues in the past. MusicBee functioned fine -- including having my library stored on my external -- when I first got this laptop a few weeks ago, but now that I have the hub set up, it is not functioning. I'm using the Windows 10 version of MusicBee for the first time, but I tried the standard version as well and am still having problems. I now have the external plugged into the hub, rather than directly into the laptop. However, this does not seem to be the source of the problems (at least not directly), since I have the same issues when it is plugged directly into the laptop.

I have not gotten any error messages. I've searched through the forums, but haven't found anyone reporting a similar combination of issues. I tried some solutions that I saw recommended for some the stuttering issue specifically, but had no luck.

My problems are the following:
1. As soon as MusicBee opens, it immediately starts playing whatever song was last played. I can't pause or stop it. Even when I navigate to controls > stop, it just stops for a moment and then immediately starts playing again.
2. The playback is incredibly choppy and pretty quiet -- it is stuttering almost constantly and is unbearable to listen to.
3. I cannot scroll properly. Sometimes, I can drag the scrollbar down to browse my library, but usually the scrollbar moves but the actual library does not scroll through. I'm on "album covers" view and it just shows me the first 10 album covers without scrolling. The same thing happens with the navigator in the left panel and all other panels that could usually be scrolled through.
4. When I move songs to playlists, sometimes it works but usually it doesn't. I can drag the track over to the playlist I want it in and everything visually seems to have worked, but when I click on that playlist, the song is usually not there.

Here's what I have tried (some on a whim, some inspired by other peoples' related other issues found through the forum):
1. I tried different skins, just in case the one I usually use was just being weird. Seemed like it was worth a shot.
2. I increased the priority of MusicBee to "high" via the task manager, in case it just wasn't being allowed to use enough memory.
3. I reinstalled MusicBee -- I tried the standard version, but had the same problems. Then I uninstalled that and reinstalled the Windows 10 version, but no changes.
4. I tried increasing the buffer size -- from 5 seconds all the way up to 30 with no avail. I also tried the 'load entire file into memory' option.
5. I tried every different playback output option, including using and not using 32 bit output.
6. I tried plugging the external into different ports (in the hub as well as directly into the laptop), but had the same issues.

hiccup

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Welcome to the forum Necktie.

It would probably be best to start with ruling out as much external factors as possible:

Install a portable version of MusicBee on a local drive, preferably on a different partition than C:, or if that's not available, at least outside Windows controlled folders such as Windows, Program Files etc.

Then create a library that directs to a folder containing music files on a local drive too.

Brands such as HP are known to come pre-configured with lots of 'helpful' tools and software.
I won't advice you to remove it all (I myself would probably do exactly that though), but take a good look if there are any applications running that might be interfering here.
Any audio related tools and software would be the first suspects to take a good look at.
Some anti-virus software is also known to interfere with MusicBee unjustified.

Also take a look at Windows' Device Manager to see if there are any exclamation marks or possible driver issues.

Before messing around with removing software, tools, drivers etc., be sure you know if and how you can revert your laptop to 'factory state' if things get messed up.

Necktie

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Welcome to the forum Necktie.

It would probably be best to start with ruling out as much external factors as possible:

Install a portable version of MusicBee on a local drive, preferably on a different partition than C:, or if that's not available, at least outside Windows controlled folders such as Windows, Program Files etc.

Then create a library that directs to a folder containing music files on a local drive too.

Brands such as HP are known to come pre-configured with lots of 'helpful' tools and software.
I won't advice you to remove it all (I myself would probably do exactly that though), but take a good look if there are any applications running that might be interfering here.
Any audio related tools and software would be the first suspects to take a good look at.
Some anti-virus software is also known to interfere with MusicBee unjustified.

Also take a look at Windows' Device Manager to see if there are any exclamation marks or possible driver issues.

Before messing around with removing software, tools, drivers etc., be sure you know if and how you can revert your laptop to 'factory state' if things get messed up.


Thank you for the reply and your help! I'll do my best to try these things out.

I don't know how to create a different partition than C:, but I installed the portable version straight to the desktop, along with a folder of music to which I directed the library. (Does that count as being outside "Windows controlled folders"? Sorry, I'm not the most tech savvy.) I still had all the same problems with the portable MusicBee as I had with the standard version.

I recently got Avira anti-virus software. Any chance that it has been known to have issues with MusicBee? A quick search didn't turn up any other users reporting issues with it.

It also looks like Realtek HD Audio Universal Service is running in the background, according to the Task Manager.

Perhaps most importantly: I just tried to play the desktop music folder that I created with VLC player and I experienced a similar stuttering problem! Weirdly, when VLC was minimized, it played perfectly. But when I maximized VLC, it began stuttering. The play/pause button appeared to be automatically toggling on and off, with seemingly no way for me to stop it. Is that a helpful clue?

phred

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Since you only have a C: drive, I suggest placing MB in C:\MusicBee. Having it on the desktop may very well be putting it under Windows control.

I also suggest whitelisting MB and its entire directory in Avast. If you don't know how to do this make Google your friend and search onlline.
Download the latest MusicBee v3.5 or 3.6 patch from here.
Unzip into your MusicBee directory and overwrite existing files.

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Posting screenshots is here
Searching the forum with Google is  here

Necktie

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Thank you phred and hiccup. I have just figured out the root of the issue -- when I unplug the usb-c hub from my laptop, everything works as usual! So the hub is certainly the problem.

The next thing I need to figure out is why exactly having the hub plugged in would cause such an array of issues with MusicBee. If anyone has any suggestions, I would be greatly appreciative.

I have the hub unplugged currently and am listening to music with no issues; however, I'd like to use the hub if I can find a way to circumvent whatever problems with audio playback and functionality it was causing.

phred

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Glad to hear you figured it out. Sorry to hear you've got other issues. I hope you can figure out the USB thing.
Download the latest MusicBee v3.5 or 3.6 patch from here.
Unzip into your MusicBee directory and overwrite existing files.

----------
The FAQ
The Wiki
Posting screenshots is here
Searching the forum with Google is  here

hiccup

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So the hub is certainly the problem.

What you could try:

See if there are any 'devices' added when you have the hub plugged-in, and see if there are perhaps some that pose a problem and you can perhaps disable without breaking the functions of the hub that you really need.

Right-click on 'This PC' on your desktop, select 'Properties', click 'Device Manager'.
Make a screenshot without the hub plugged-in, and one with the hub plugged-in.
Check the differences and see if you can do something with that.

It might be better to let somebody with experience with this kind of stuff take a look at it.
Also it could be possible the hub has some design flaw or incompatibility with your system.