DP-32SD - Writing Failed - issues with importing certain wav files - conformance errors

[FrancisT]

Hi users,

I've got a friend's DP-32SD with a frustrating problem. He's brought me in to help troubleshoot - my background is more in film & TV / camera department however I've got a reasonably strong technical / IT proficiency.

We've updated firmware from v1.05 to v1.11
We've ruled out issues with SD cards, USB cables, Chromebook (what the owner is using) vs MacBook Pro (M1)
We've done factory reset / initialisation.
... to no avail. So far I also haven't found any posts that refer to this specific problem.
This I'm told is also a new problem that was never previously an issue.

The owner has a number of tracks previously made on the unit. He's got them saved on his computer and wants to import them in through the usual process of USB connection, copy and paste to the AUDIO DEPOT folder, eject, and then import the audio wave file from AUDIO DEPOT (16bit 44.1KHz) to any particular track within the SONG.

Some tracks import fine and you can then go ahead and hit PLAY/STOP and no problem at all. There are however specific wav files that play back fine on the computer, but when after you successfully import the file from AUDIO DEPOT into any particular empty TRACK and then hit PLAY and then STOP again, you get a Writing Failed message.

The only way to start again is to QUICK format the card (from within the DP-32SD) and start all over again.

I've tried loading the file into Adobe Audition and Audacity and then re exporting the file back out as the same format of wave file in a bid to see whether any corruption may exist in the file, and this is where my technical experience may fall short of what further to do. It seems like we've ruled out all the other variables to be just an issue with the wav file and the DP-32SD not liking it.

This happens from after you have hit PLAY, and then hit STOP.


Here is a screenshot of a wave file that works no problem.


And here is a screenshot of a file that stuffs the whole system up.



Here we can see the difference and most likely the issue is - Conformance errors: 3 and then the addition of RIFF: Yes.
This is where I'm stuck. What could this mean? The file plays back fine on a computer. I've tried following some of the steps here in the Youtube video with a byte offset of 0 and 10 and same outcome.

Obviously something dodgy has happened to this and many other of his files somewhere along the way, however given the fact that they seem to play back fine on a computer (although not that I have listened to the tracks back to back), I would hope there is someway to fix the issue?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Mark Richards]

Welcome to the forum, @FrancisT .

The OM error messages section has the "writing failed" error message in the system fail section, and advises:
"If any of these errors occur, turn the unit's power off and restart it. If the error message continues to appear frequently, please contact the store where you purchased this unit or a TASCAM customer support service.

That said, there are a few things still to rule in/out as to the cause.

The owner has a number of tracks previously made on the unit. He's got them saved on his computer and wants to import them in through the usual process of USB connection, copy and paste to the AUDIO DEPOT folder, eject, and then import the audio wave file from AUDIO DEPOT (16bit 44.1KHz) to any particular track within the SONG...There are specific wav files that play back fine on the computer, but when after you successfully import the file from AUDIO DEPOT into any particular empty TRACK and then hit PLAY and then STOP again, you get a Writing Failed message.

1. File Errors, Write Errors, Freezes, Lockups, etc. have all been traced to use of SD cards not on the TASCAM tested/approved list; counterfeit SD cards; out-of-date firmware, or all three in some combination. Use of sd cards not on the approved list will behave the way you've described: they work until they suddenly/randomly don't.

2. Typically, copying the entire song folder to a computer and moving the entire song folder back works flawlessly for backup/restore purposes from/to TASCAM tested/approved sd cards formatted by the portastudio. Use of Audio Depot is not involved and unnecessary. It appears this method wasn't applied.

3. Not stated, but implied, is the tracks are being imported to a virgin, newly created song on a new sd card, and Audio Depot/Export had been used originally to create the track files being imported, yes? If one or both of the sd cards (original and new) aren't TASCAM tested/approved there could have been a fatal disconnect of the track file with the critical edit.sys and/or the song.sys files found in the individual song folders on the sd card.

4. The "Equipment Related Tips" sticky thread has a few posts about common file/sd card related problems/solutions that may trigger ideas for some additional things to pursue.

[Edited for clarity for the benefit of others who may land here with the same issue]

@FrancisT
Some Additional Thoughts
1. Does shortening the Songname/Trackname path on the SD card make a difference?
2. Might this test procedure work:
*Do a full format of a TASCAM tested/approved SD card.
*Create a new empty TEST song on the new card.
*Import to the TEST song one track file known to be problematic and observe the result.
.....Does the newly imported track file PLAY/STOP/WRITE successfully?
.....Does the new track EXPORT successfully?
.....Confirm the new track imports back into an empty track of the TEST song.
.....Confirm the reimported track PLAY/STOP/WRITE is successful.
*Will the new track IMPORT/PLAY/STOP/WRITE successfully on the original SD card? This process, if successful, may be the only way to recover the problematic tracks.

 

[-mjk-]

We've ruled out issues with SD cards

Please explain the process you used to rule out the SD card as the issue.

This happens from after you have hit PLAY, and then hit STOP.

There is no test you can perform that will guarantee any SD card will function properly in a DP machine. Volumes have been written about this issue. Cards on the list (and their immediate successors) are the only ones that will work. There is no going around this basic requirement.

Edit: I edited down my comment to the basic point.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Welcome to the forum. Agree with previous replies. Just wanted to add that the video link you provided is a great tip. There's a useful comment from @charvakkarpe re. how to work out the offset and also the idea of comparing info with a fresh/working audio file... in your case, using the export function on the Tascam with a song with the same format settings.

From your description, it sounds like your friend exported the tracks back when the machine was running out-of-date firmware. The corruption may have been caused by this, but it could also have been caused by user-error in the process. There are several things to watch when you transfer files between the Tascam and a computer (or anywhere else), such as making sure the card is 'safely removed' or 'unmounted' before removing it or disabling the USB link.

If the files really do contain metadata as opposed to being corrupted, it suggests that your friend has processed them with a DAW and not exported them from the DAW properly. As far as I know, even though DAWs work with wave files, they are usually not directly compatible with the Tascam as they contain extra items such as markers, which is why you should use the DAW's export functions to create a 'stripped-down' wave format.

You say you get the write error when you "import the file from AUDIO DEPOT into any particular empty TRACK and then hit PLAY and then STOP again". Do you only get the error when you press STOP? What happens when you just press PLAY?

 

[FrancisT]

Hi Mark, and thank you everyone else who replied.

Here's the card we are using below. I've checked the lastest pdf and can see that the card is listed there as best I can tell as the physical card doesn't actually have the specific model number printed on it.




Mark I've noted those points listed and will share with the owner.

I did try shortening the filename to TEST1.WAV and no luck.

Importing the track to a new song, freshly factory reset system (didn't have a new card to try) yielded the same result.

You can hit play, but as soon as you hit STOP, that's when the writing failed message appears.

I can tell when a track is going to play nicely as when I load it in I see the red LED flash a number of times while it loads, whereas with a track with conformance errors, the red LED flashes only a brief fraction of a second.

The user has also mentioned that some of the tracks came from a DP24 system and that may also be an issue?

For now we're confident that the system as is with SD card works fine and we'll avoid using the tracks that have the conformance errors and take note of all things mentioned above.

Thanks!

If I find a way to re-export / repair the files with conformance errors, I'll let you know.

Welcome to the forum, @FrancisT .

The OM error messages section has the "writing failed" error message in the system fail section, and advises:
"If any of these errors occur, turn the unit's power off and restart it. If the error message continues to appear frequently, please contact the store where you purchased this unit or a TASCAM customer support service.

That said, there are a few things still to rule in/out as to the cause.



1. File Errors, Write Errors, Freezes, Lockups, etc. have all been traced to use of SD cards not on the TASCAM tested/approved list; counterfeit SD cards; out-of-date firmware, or all three in some combination. Use of sd cards not on the approved list will behave the way you've described: they work until they suddenly/randomly don't.

2. Typically, copying the entire song folder to a computer and moving the entire song folder back works flawlessly for backup/restore purposes from/to TASCAM tested/approved sd cards formatted by the portastudio. Use of Audio Depot is not involved and unnecessary. It appears this method wasn't applied.

3. Not stated, but implied, is the tracks are being imported to a virgin, newly created song on a new sd card, and Audio Depot/Export had been used originally to create the track files being imported, yes? If one or both of the sd cards (original and new) aren't TASCAM tested/approved there could have been a fatal disconnect of the track file with the critical edit.sys and/or the song.sys files found in the individual song folders on the sd card.

4. The "Equipment Related Tips" sticky thread has a few posts about common file/sd card related problems/solutions that may trigger ideas for some additional things to pursue.

[Edited for clarity for the benefit of others who may land here with the same issue]

@FrancisT
Some Additional Thoughts
1. Does shortening the Songname/Trackname path on the SD card make a difference?
2. Might this test procedure work:
*Do a full format of a TASCAM tested/approved SD card.
*Create a new empty TEST song on the new card.
*Import to the TEST song one track file known to be problematic and observe the result.
.....Does the newly imported track file PLAY/STOP/WRITE successfully?
.....Does the new track EXPORT successfully?
.....Confirm the new track imports back into an empty track of the TEST song.
.....Confirm the reimported track PLAY/STOP/WRITE is successful.
*Will the new track IMPORT/PLAY/STOP/WRITE successfully on the original SD card? This process, if successful, may be the only way to recover the problematic tracks.

 

[-mjk-]

@FrancisT, Thanks for the followup. Sure sounds like you're doing everything you can.

Would you consider putting the troublesome files somewhere for us to download to take a look at them? Might be worth having some other eyes on it.

 

[FrancisT]

@-mjk-, Thank you, sure. Try this one here - https://we.tl/t-aM1a0DRymB

This is a WeTransfer link and will expire around the 15th November. If anyone else comes along after the link expires, let me know. Cheers!

 

[-mjk-]

Thanks @FrancisT.

 

[Phil Tipping]

Thanks for sharing the file.
I tried it on my DP-32SD and got a File Error as soon as I pressed Play. It then took a few attempts to get it to stop, and it displayed a few other error messages during that time, so this confirms the original file has been corrupted.

I imported it into Audacity and exported as a signed PCM Microsoft file in both 16 bit and 24 bit formats.
Both of these files loaded ok into corresponding 16/44,1 and 24/44.1 songs on the DP machine, and they both played (and stopped) with no errors.

There was no need to edit headers, so not sure why you found this was necessary, unless it's a different version of Audacity. Mine is 3.2.5 running on linux. The DP-32SD is on v1.11 firmware.

 

[-mjk-]

I'll be in the studio later and I'll take a look. I'm very curious to see what's up with those files.