Emergency Loop with CDJ 900 NXS and Link Function

So I've been running Rekordbox for the past few months now and have not had a single issue until the last 3 gigs I've done. I'll explain what happens and then post my setup. I run Rekordbox in Link mode via a netgear switch ( metal casing ones ). It's a non wireless switch.

1 of the two things happens. 1.) It will just disconnect from link mode if no music has been playing for a while. I've checked for power / sleep settings etc. can't find any in Rekordbox. All the OSX power settings have ben turned off so that's not a factor. Even if it is playing it would just disconnect. And 2.) half way through a track the link function disconnects and goes into emergency loop. I have to put in a cd as I do play a mixture from CD and laptop to mix to the next track, reboot the CD player that has gone into emergency loop. Once it has started back up and connected, I can play a track off the laptop and the other CD player that was playing the CD to get me going again, I would then have to reboot that to be able to connect that back to the link function to be able to play music of the laptop again via link mode. This has happened 3 or 4 times during the course of the night at the last 3 gigs I've done.

I've checked cables, changed switch ports as I have an 8 port switch for a back up in case any ports fail, but the same thing happened.

What makes it even weirder is that there has been times where I have played a song at the start of the night as background music without an issue, and then played the same song during a set and that would go into emergency loop mode. If it was a bad track or bad tags I would expect it to fail all the time and not work sometimes and fail the next. I am running version 4.5.0. I've been running that for a while now without an issue and have not changed anything since. The CDJ's are running on the latest firmware. I've also kept my eye on the audio dropout meter. Gets no where near max. It hardly even moves.

I don't have any USB devices plugged in at the sane tine which could possibly interfere either. The occasional CD maybe. But I don't think this could be a cause as it does it when only running off the laptop.

My setup consist of 2 CDJ 900nxs. 1 DJM 900nxs SRT. Mac Book Pro ( Mid 2017 ) running OSX 10.12.6 64 bit. Rekordbox version 4.5.0. It's connected via Link Mode on a Netgear GS108 Switch using cat 5e cables.

It's been rock solid for a while now and is just getting frustrating that this has started to occur. I need this to be stable and not requiring to reboot plays mid way through sets to get everything going again. I do use various playlists for the different events I do and am currently recreating those playlists that seem to be giving me this issue.

I'm happy to provide log files as long as I'm told where to find them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Chris T November 06, 2017 14:38

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3 comments

Sorry to hear about that -- my recommendation would be to connect one CDJ directly to the computer and try to replicate the situation of playing / not playing to see if the issue repeats itself. This will at least help narrow things down.

I might also suggest downloading a copy of rekordbox 5 and installing it along side your 4.5 and see if that makes a difference.

You didn't mention it, but have you got the firewall and wifi disabled on your computer?

Pulse November 07, 2017 17:46 0 votes

Thanks Pulse. I've narrowed it down to the two playlists that it could possibly be causing the issue. I'm re-creating those playlists and re-adding those files to see if it makes a difference.

Firewall, sharing and wireless are all switched off so I know that's not causing the issue.

Is there a specific I way I should be editing the ID3 tags of the files? I use either iTunes or Foobar2000 before I import them into Rekordbox as it's saves me a bunch of time.

In regards to Rekordbox 5, I tend to wait for un update before downloading a new release as I know there will be bugs and usually fixed in the first update. I've got another gig this weekend and will see what happens. If it happens a few times again, I will probably do the update.

Chris T November 07, 2017 20:08 0 votes

Yeah, wait until after the gig to update (almost always my suggestion).

The tags can be edited anywhere, it's the encoder itself that's more likely to cause problems (or any APE tags).

If you're finding it's only occurring with certain songs, that would be worth investigating further.

Pulse November 07, 2017 20:37 0 votes