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VLC Media Player - 2B Problem
Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 10:10 am
by GHHoss
The other day I was using VLC on a Mac to play an e-stim video (PEP8) and another e-stim only file. VLC plays both easily enough and the signal is passed along to the 2B in Stereo mode. I have used VLC successfully in the past but last night was different. I was a few minutes into the file when the Stereo intensity level started adjusting itself. At first I thought "wow, didn't know that a stim file could modify that control." The display was also flashing a bit -- not going completely off but not stable -- something was clearly wrong. The level adjustment was going up and down and sometimes way up. I disconnected and wondered if I'd somehow broken my 2B.
I decided that I should try the same files using another player -- QuickTime. No problem at all. No display flashing, no random control adjustment. I was relieved that the 2B was still working normally. I have dropped it a couple times or walked away connected yanking the cords but the 2B always seems to work just fine. Tough little box.
So... any ideas why VLC is doing this when connected to a 2B? Anybody ever seen something similar?
Re: VLC Media Player - 2B Problem
Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 10:12 am
by estim_si
I’d suggest the output levels from VLC are different. Flashing display normally indicates overdriving on the inputs.
Si
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Re: VLC Media Player - 2B Problem
Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 12:40 pm
by tdg
GHHoss wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 10:10 am
The other day I was using VLC on a Mac to play an e-stim video (PEP8) and another e-stim only file. VLC plays both easily enough and the signal is passed along to the 2B in Stereo mode. I have used VLC successfully in the past but last night was different. I was a few minutes into the file when the Stereo intensity level started adjusting itself. At first I thought "wow, didn't know that a stim file could modify that control." The display was also flashing a bit -- not going completely off but not stable -- something was clearly wrong. The level adjustment was going up and down and sometimes way up. I disconnected and wondered if I'd somehow broken my 2B.
I decided that I should try the same files using another player -- QuickTime. No problem at all. No display flashing, no random control adjustment. I was relieved that the 2B was still working normally. I have dropped it a couple times or walked away connected yanking the cords but the 2B always seems to work just fine. Tough little box.
So... any ideas why VLC is doing this when connected to a 2B? Anybody ever seen something similar?
Yes, I've seen the setting that would normally be changed by the adjust knob change value while playing a stim file through a Mac. I've put it down to a problem with on the Mac, like electrical noise/interference on the audio port. The USB to serial has similar problems playing session files, so this doesn't seem an unlikely theory. How old is your Mac? (mine is 2010 vintage!)
Re: VLC Media Player - 2B Problem
Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 1:32 pm
by Stimaddict
Never got on with VLC. Anyone looking for a really good video player should try
PotPlayer. Very powerful, easy to use and it's free:
https://download.cnet.com/PotPlayer-64- ... 58571.html
Re: VLC Media Player - 2B Problem
Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 8:06 pm
by Deltus1
Unfortunately only for Windows up to V 8, no Mac
Re: VLC Media Player - 2B Problem
Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 9:42 pm
by GHHoss
tdg wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 12:40 pm
How old is your Mac? (mine is 2010 vintage!)
It's a brand new Mac Mini M1.
Re: VLC Media Player - 2B Problem
Posted: Thu May 27, 2021 9:47 pm
by GHHoss
estim_si wrote: ↑Thu May 27, 2021 10:12 am
I’d suggest the output levels from VLC are different. Flashing display normally indicates overdriving on the inputs.
Si
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good to know it's a VLC problem. QuickTime works fine so I'm not too concerned about using it instead. I assume that changing the output volume wouldn't change the overdriving problem.
Thanks for your insights.