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More DAX problems

Pat N6PAT
Pat N6PAT Member ✭✭
edited June 2020 in DAX
While trying D68CCC FT8 F/H all decoding suddenly stops. I check the usual suspect DAX and see that all active channels have turned from blue to yellow with no activity in the DAX audio meters present.

I've included a screen capture showing that there is activity in the pan and DAX channels are specified in the slices yet are still yellow in the DAX panel.

Stopping and restarting DAX corrects the problem and I was able to get D68CCC in the log.

I do not recall ever having this particular issue before I upgraded to 2.6.1. Now it's happening even though I reverted back to 2.5.1 due to numerous TX power dropouts in 2.6.1

When are this DAX issues going to be fixed once and for all?


Comments

  • WX7Y
    WX7Y Member ✭✭✭✭
    edited June 2020
    This usually happens when the DAX drivers crash's, If a reboot doesn't fix it then you may need to remove the DAX drivers and the hidden DAV items and re-install them. 
    Doing a uninstall of SmartSDR usually has NO effect on DAX errors and must be manually removed, here is a link   https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/articles/204017069-How-to-Manually-Re-Install-DAX-Drivers

    73
    Bret
    WX7Y

  • Pat N6PAT
    Pat N6PAT Member ✭✭
    edited October 2019
    Thanks for the info Bret but I'm looking for a long term solution.

    It's not my desire to rip the guts out of my new computer every time DAX takes a dump

    DAX issues have been reported at least since I purchased my 6700 almost 3 years ago and they still happen.  It's time for them to be fixed

    73 Pat N6PAT
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2019
    I agree, I hope they are working on it.
  • Dudley  WA5QPZ
    Dudley WA5QPZ Member ✭✭✭
    edited March 2020
    Pat,

    Microsoft has never handled 2 sound cards correctly or with much finesse ,  much less with 28 sounds devices that SmartSDR throws at it..   MS has not come up with a permanent solution,  the latest update has helped resolve MS update issues with DAX driver for most.  Many did not have a problem until the last two major Windows updates,  which included .NETFramework updates,  as Windows continues to advance..   I have 5 running windows computers and have very little DAX issues with Win10,  but there again I do know what to look for,  and keep the Device Manager clean.   If you continue to have destructive DAX issues,  you may have to do a OS restore or try a different computer,  be careful of any odd programs or HW,   not all programs or hardware  will always play pretty,  but this last update seems to work much better for most.    

      73,
    Dudley
    WA5QPZ
  • Pat N6PAT
    Pat N6PAT Member ✭✭
    edited October 2019
    Dudley,

    Thanks for the advice. I have tried a different computer. I specifically bought this Windows 10 computer to address these types of issues.

    I also replaced my antenna, coax, power supply and tuner. Yes, I spent all that money in the hopes of solving these types of issues.

    The only thing that was not changed is this radio and the SSDR software.

    More effort to address existing issues is needed. I'm not interested in any new features until the existing ones are fixed.

    DAX has been on the issues list for as long as I've had my 6700. I'm certainly not holding my breath that it will be fixed anytime soon.
  • Ken Wells
    Ken Wells Community Manager admin
    edited March 2020
    This issue is different from the one recently addressed by the latest multiple releases of SmartSDR.
    (which was to address the problem of Windows updates corrupting the DAX device names and device drivers)


    Here are two articles that help address one of the traceable causes of DAX Buffer corruption:

    https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/search/click?data=BAh7CjoHaWRpBP4UDAw6CXR5cGVJIgxhcnRpY2xlBj...

    and

    https://helpdesk.flexradio.com/hc/en-us/search/click?data=BAh7CjoHaWRpBCoWDAw6CXR5cGVJIgxhcnRpY2xlBj...

    One of the issues affecting the high-demands of DAX is that many motherboards are simply not designed to handle the rigors of live, direct feed audio streaming.  
    Most internet users of things like Youtube, Netflix, IP Phones, and other streaming services use lots of buffering because a little time delay is no problem once the buffer is filled and the media begins to play.

    In the FlexRadio, however, timing is everything.  If a device or another piece of software demands the computer's attention and the process call or interrupt is not handled properly, then it forces a delay in the DAX data and this long-duration Deferred Process Call will trigger a buffer overflow or other buffer corruption in the DAX driver.

    This is one reason that many stations never have this issue - they are not loading their mother board sufficiently to cause sufficient numbers or lengths of DPC's. 

    But if a station opens just ONE MORE slice using DAX, or another process that further demands the CPU's attention, then that is the straw that broke the computer's back and they experience the problem.

    Usually these issues are only experienced by High-end gamers, People doing extensive live audio/video editing, and folks using software like DAX.


  • Dan-N7HQ
    Dan-N7HQ FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager admin
    edited April 2020
    Pat,

    The last time we discussed your DAX issues, I noted that you were running eight slices, each connected to a separate instance of WSJTX software. You had eight separate installations of WSJTX too.  I suggested you reduce your WSJTX installation to a single instance and use their command-line option(s) to launch and run separate instances of that program to meet your multi-slice needs. If you are running eight slices simultaneously, the comments above are especially relevant.  WSJTX instances also write media files to your hard disk as part of their normal processing.  With eight simultaneous streams (if that is still how you operate) I would suspect your file system and related hardware are also working overtime and contributing to your experience. 

    73,
    Dan
  • Pat N6PAT
    Pat N6PAT Member ✭✭
    edited October 2019
    I am using a single instance of the program with command line parms for each slice and have been for a while.  I've limited my slices to only 4 these days but the problem continues.

    It's interesting that I have other devices and drivers on my computer yet DAX is always the only one that fails. My USB drives (2TB, Blueray), headphones, mike, 4TB NAS, etc never fail at all. Only DAX continues to give me trouble.

    Everything has been replaced in my shack except for the radio. I've even added many ferrite beads on every cable. and connecting wire.

    DAX continues to be the bane of my existence.
  • Steve K9ZW
    Steve K9ZW Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2019
    I had extensive DAX buffering issues a year or so back, which were resolved by replacing the PC with a higher end machine.

    When I had those issues another Flex-Ready i7 machine never experienced them.

    The new machine is also an i& with plenty of RAM and a separate gamer-type video card.

    Where the i5 machine with 8GM RAM would give grief if additional programs were also run, this i&-4770 3.4GHz with 16GB RAM doesn't miss a beat if I run several productivity programs at the same time.

    If you want to mess things up though streaming other video/audio can upset things.

    73

    Steve
    K9ZW

    Blog:  https://k9zw.wordpress.com
      
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2019
    I just bought a used i3 8gig mem computer using the on board graphics. I have been running ft8 for many hours without any problems, still waiting for something to fail.
  • Pat N6PAT
    Pat N6PAT Member ✭✭
    edited October 2019
    This radio has a history of unexplained problems. Even Gerald could not diagnose the problems and ended up replacing the entire transceiver board as a last resort yet the problems continue. This rig is a lemon and it's time for Flex to admit it.

    Sadly, it appears that FRS is more interested in chasing new money than supporting the folks that already ponied up the coin. Case in point: the continued rollout of new features while existing issues remain sometimes for years.

    Cue the usual Knights of the Royal Order of Flex and their unrelenting defense of Flex.  Oh but for the want of an ignore button.....
  • Dan-N7HQ
    Dan-N7HQ FlexRadio Employee, Community Manager admin
    edited April 2020
    I have suspended Pat's access to these forums for 30 days, and not because he is often an outspoken critic of FlexRadio or our products.  We always welcome both good and bad feedback, from customers and bystanders alike. 

    However, we cannot and will not tolerate inflammatory commentary on other members' points of view.

    I am always reachable in email dan@flexradio.com or at extension 225.  
  • Bill -VA3WTB
    Bill -VA3WTB Member ✭✭✭
    edited October 2019
    You were doing so well up untill you started your usual rant.

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