Random "pause/play" during playback

Use a 'SWITCH' instead of a HUB.

 On a layman's term:

A switch 'acts' like a traffic cop where it manages and directs the flow of the traffic.  It ensures that there is always a full or 100% transmission of signal onto a particular port that request it.  If there are 4 ports in use, each port receives 100% transmission .  Think of a pointer, that jumps from port #1 to port #4, then port #2 then port #3 - each port receives 100% signal when the device that is connected to it, requests for a 'service'.

 A hub, on the other hand, divides the speed EQUALLY and allocates it onto ALL the ports, without regard as to whether such port is in use or not.  Each port is ‘active’ but on a reduced efficiency (less than 100%).  If there is only 1 CDJ hooked-up and in use, then you will probably not notice the 'delay' since there is only 1 device being serviced.  When there are 2 or more CDJs/devices connected then the problem starts to manifest – as in your case.  The hub cannot keep up with the 'traffic’ (signal) that your CDJ demands of it.

 What I cannot explain is why it also happens when you play a CD. Maybe it is not the CD that is dirty but the laser is.  I know, a lame explanation but I would like to know how you wire/route your speakers though.

I hope some helpful souls in this forum can provide you with a better solution.

Keep in mind too that it could be hardware related, something like a faulty platter switch which would act as if your hand is touching th platter fast even though it's not

Thx guys for your tips & comments.

@GlasEye2, sorry but I meant "switch". Didn't know they were two different things, so I used one word instead of the other... What I have is a netgear switch.

I don't really see why the lens would be an issue, since that would mean that I would have 2 issues on my player(s) leading to the same observed behavior, I doubt that's possible.

If you want to know how I wire my speakers, simple enough, I use the digital out from the DJM800 into the digital in of the first active monitor, which then sends the signal to the second one... But I don't see how this would affect the players themselves? Yesterday when it happened I clearly saw the player pausing, then playing again several times. It wasn't the speakers turning on & off ;)

@BriChi Yes I have thought about that as well, however I cannot "force" the player(s) to pause the track by slightly touching the platter, only when I press hard enough does it work (as it should, right?)

Unless the pb is caused by a faulty connection within the player(s) itself/themselves...

J

I can press pretty lightly to get mine to stop, you shouldn't have to put much force into it

Yes ok, I didn't mean that I had to hammer the platters to have them stop :D Simply that the platter does not seem to be more sensitive than usual - and touching it does not lead to pause/play occurences afterwards either

@julien > It sounds like your platter may be faulty. How do you store your CDJs? Do you rest anything on them etc?

@julien > Have you tried turning your wifi OFF?

@Gavin my CDJs have always been either in a flightcase (for CDJ 2000) or protected by deck savers. I have never put anything on top of the decksavers anyway - I know the platter is a sensitive piece so I have always been careful not to rest anything on them.

@Pulse yes, the wifi is off - and the CDJ network is now physically disconnected from the wifi network.

The platter might be a path to investigate, however I don't know how I could validate the hypothesis. As said before, I cannot reproduce the error, even by touching gently the platter - it just works as usual. And it does not explain what I find are long loading times over LINK or upon fast forwarding/rewinding through a track.

Yeah, it could certainly be the platter - here's how to test that; put the player into CD mode instead of VINYL mode.  If the stoppages still occur, it's not the platter.

Just had it again. On both decks simultaneously. One was in VINYL mode, the other in CDJ mode. The trainwreck lasted a long time, I had enough time to press several times the "Jog Mode" buttons to switch between both modes on both players, but it wouldn't change anything: That's NOT the platters. As a side note, MT was off on both players.

I am almost 100% sure it has something to do with the players not storing enough of the tracks in their memory - why would it happen simultaneously on both otherwise?

It cannot be due to the fact that both are connected via link, since it has already happened when only one of the players was turned on.

I am quasi sure that I haven't had this issue with 4.05 or previous firmware versions. Isn't it possible to go back to this version? Then I could test again and check whether that's somehow linked to my config or to the firmware. Although I never experienced such an issue with former firmwares, I must emphasize.

This stuff is getting weirder and weirder.

@julienx2k2 > Please try with a player connected directly to the computer and/or using a USB drive connected directly to the player.  This is to attempt to isolate the source of the problem.

I played a whole evening on the decks without Rekordbox: they were linked through the netgear switch, and playing from a USB hard drive (also used a USB stick from time to time on the other deck). No issue.

Trying with only one player linked to RB directly from the computer did not seem to pose any issue either.

Although this does not mean that the issue won't appear on these setups (since it seems to appear randomly), as far as the tests have gone I could say that the problem happens only when the 2 players are linked via RB.

Will post any update here - thx for ur help

@julienx2k2 > Thanks for the info.  Please keep us posted; it's important to know the specific situation which causes the problems in order for us to troubleshoot and resolve.