What file types are they?

MP4 Videos

Hi vio0633,

It is possible that the file does not support metadata and Scratch Live is writing this information to an .xml and .ovb file.

I would suggest that you download and install MPEGStreamclip from this link;

www.squared5.com

Drag and drop the file into MPEGStreamclip and then 'Save As' .mp4. This will rebuild the container file and should now be fine to use in Scratch Live and write metadata.

Let me know how you go and if you are still having issues we will look at other options.

Anthony

Just played a mini set and noticed this was going on with MP3's as well. Rebuilt my entire library again and still it rewrites the tags a couple of times here and there.

This issue is still unresolved as well....

serato.com

Also just to let you know Anthony....I get all of my music videos from Smashvision which has all the cue points and tags ready for serato.

Hi vio0633,

Did you try the workaround on any of your files ? video or audio ?

A file should only re-write tags if a new cue point is added, tag fields edited or files are associated etc..

If this is happening with the .mp3 files also then it may be due to security settings. Check that all your files have READ and WRITE permissions. Are these files from iTunes ?



Great, they are one of the few recommended video pools.


Are you talking about the issue with Jerky waveforms in the OFFLINE player ?

Its not just happening in the offline player. That is going on at my gigs. Im not sure if this is linked up to this specific issues but I'm still trying to get help on that as well. 2.3.3 has to be the worst version of serato I have ever ran. No offense but I miss 1.9.2 and the stability we had back in the day.

As far as the id3 tags rewriting....its happening at random times. Its happening when I load a new video onto a cued up deck. So if I have a live deck spinning and load up a cued up deck while its rewriting the tags on an MP4 file....it buffers a lot and my system starts to hang.

Last gig I had a music video audio waveform and video just go black but the weird part is....it only happened on one turntable. I was able to cut out of it to the other turntable and kept the show going in. Serato kept rocking out....its just the waveform went blank, audio cut in and out, and the video was stuttering.

Performance on my machine is horrible! Any help is appreciated!

I didn't try the workaround either. I have too many files on my HD to re encode. If this is then only option we have them please let me know.

Hi vio0633,

The solution I posted above regarding MPEGStreamclip does NOT re-encode the video file but re-builds the .mp4 container file.

I would check the file format of the videos that keep writing tags to make sure they adhere to our recommended format for use with Scratch Live. .mp4 ( container ) H.264 ( video codec ) AAC ( audio codec ).

If the files are encoded correctly and still writing tags on track load then follow the workaround because the file header maybe corrupt and the metadata is not being read correctly.

There have been a lot of fixes specifically for .mp4 files since Scratch Live 1.9.2. Scratch Live 2.4.2 will be available for download very soon with a number of fixes also.

I suggest that you update to the most recent version and test that on your setup.

This problem still exists. I can't upgrade to 2.4.2 because of the incompatibility with Mix Emergency. I tried to downgrade to 1.9.2 but my 57 doesn't link up to SSL. Can you help with downgrading to it please?

And to answer your question AnthonyS, all of my files I get from Smashvision which are all encoded H.264 with AAC audio.

Hi vio0633,

I'm not sure what is going on here.

Can you clarify when you updated to Scratch Live 2.3.3 did you analyze all of your files in that version of Scratch Live ?

There shouldn't be any problem with connecting to the Rane TTM 57SL in Scratch Live 1.9.2 if thats what you want to do.

Honestly, the best thing to do would be un-install all Scratch Live and Video-SL system files then re-install Scratch Live 2.3.3 and Video-SL. Analyze all your files in Scratch Live 2.3.3, remove any corrupt files from your library and then re-build the database V2 file.

I did re analyze my files when I upgraded to 2.3.3. I have a new late 2011 Macbook Pro. I tried to run 1.9.2 but when I first install it and run it, it connects to the program just fine. When I shut it down and try to connect my 57 to SSL, the program says that the interface is still awaiting to be connected.

I have tried to uninstall 2.3.3 and rebuild the overviews. It still tried to write every time I load certain videos and tracks. I can also tell that its affecting my performance as I will lose my wave form audio and video sometimes (this is rare but when it happens, I get a lot of the WTF looks from my crowd). I think what is going on is the rewriting of my tags and the streaming of videos and audios is making my video output choppy and performance not running smooth.

Hope this helps some. I can upload a video of what I have been seeing at my shows if need be. Thanks for your help!

Quick question, how do I rebuild my database V2 file? Will I have to add all of my files all over again and add new crates? Maybe I have a corrupt V2 file? Can you guys look at this file and tell me?

AnthonyS....I found this guide and followed it to the T.

serato.com

I will try again tonight and see whats going on. This has to be the issue because SSL is acting like its rebuilding the overview....but in reality its already built. With tags getting re written as well, it really slows my system down and may be causing a lot of my performance issues. I hope this fixes it!

Off topic...the directions on the site state to make a crate called "backup crate". Was this really needed? When SSL loaded up it looked for a database file and couldn't find it, so it imported the crates in my Serato folder and started up again reimporting all of the files. Not sure what the backup was there for....

Just to report back....its still occurring offline my tags getting re written. Im going to try a fresh install as you stated above AnthonyS. If this doesn't fix it....I give up :(

Hi vio0633,

Sorry to hear you are still having problems with Tags re-writing.

Are you sure that the files are .MP4 ?

Can you attach a couple of the files that keep re-writing tags to this help thread so I can test them here ?

Can you also clarify which version of Scratch Live that you are running now ?

I have just upgraded to 2.4.2. Im rebuilding all of my overviews right now. As soon as its done, I will try it out again and see if it is still rebuilding.

The files are MP4 video files that are getting re written. It happened a couple of times here after I upgraded to 2.4.2, but I won't say for sure its still doing it until I have all of my overviews rebuilt again.

BTW, Thanks for sticking in there with me AnthonyS! I appreciate the help. I will get this fixed one way or another :)

Alright so I upgraded to 2.4.2 and I'm running my video files in the offline player after I rebuilt all of my overviews. Still getting tag re writing :(

I have found a couple of videos that are doing this. Im going to upload them and see if you can replicate this issue. I had it happen multiple times on the same files on my Mac. Its hit or miss....sometimes it does it sometimes it doesn't. I may just delete all of my serato folders and do a clean install.

Hi vio0633,

I tested those files using Scratch Live 2.4.2 OFFLINE player and managed to reproduce similar results.

I'm not sure why this is happening with those files as everything in the format seems ok.

I will have to investigate this further.

Have you done a fresh install on your system ?

Im glad you see what I'm seeing now!

I have more files if you like that I have pinpointed down to re writing as well. I can send them to you if need be. I hope this issue gets resolved. When I load a video and it does that live, it really bogs my system down with video streaming, loading, and cueing.

I haven't done the fresh install yet. As soon as I do I will let you know. I did redo the database V2 file, but it didn't help. Im not sure if a fresh install will do anything because if your seeing it and I'm seeing it, then it probably won't fix anything.

Hi vio0633,

Could you please attach more of the files that are re-writing so I can get a further understanding of what is causing the Tag re-write.

Thanks

No problem! Let me upload them for you now....

Have you found any reason as to why this is happening?

I think im able to reproduce this! Here is the steps I did to make this happen.....

1. Load track (Offline Player)
2. Play track and Add Cue Point anywhere (Or take away cue point)
3. Load another track
4. Watch SSL on the bottom say "Writing tags to XXX"

Im running a late 2011 Macbook Pro with Lion 10.7.4 installed. All these tracks I tested were MP4's. I can try MP3's later.

Here is a video of how I replicated the issue. Sorry its not HQ but you can see whats going on.

Watchwww.youtube.com

Any help or ideas please?

I have this issue also. All my files have been analyzed as well and all corrupt files deleted. Only mp3s are in my library.

It happens on random tracks saying at the bottom say "writing tags to ...." It doesnt do it every single time though.

If you watch the video....around the 23 second mark you can see that the file from Travis Porter I didn't do anything to accept load it and cue up a cue point. Then I go to the pitbull track and bam....re writing tags on the travis porter track when I didn't do a damn thing to the file.

Im telling you....this re writing of ID3 tags on mp4 tracks and streaming video can really cause alot of performance issues when your live! Your HD can only do so much reading and writing at the same time before something locks up or you get issues like a waveform disappearing or audio cutting in and out.

Is it supposed to rewrite the tags every time I add cue points to a video?

Hi vio0633,



Yes, any time you add a cue point Scratch Live will write the new tag on eject or in your case as you are not ejecting the file, it will write the new tag when it is forced to eject by the new track that has been loaded.

I tested the Fabulous ft Red Cafe file in Scratch Live 2.3.3 and was getting the same result.

I opened Scratch Live 2.4.2 Offline player and loaded the same file to the deck and triggered cue points over and over, ejected the track and no tags were re written.

I was unable to reproduce the issue with this same file in Scratch Live 2.4.2.

Are you sure this was happening in Scratch Live 2.4.2 ?

Yes...I am on 2.4.2. I attached a video of me running 2.4.2 above replicating this issue. If you notice it closely, it re wrote a video's ID3 tags without touching anything. I think it was on a travis porter track.

Hi vio0633,

Is it possible that you could attach the Travis Porter track to the thread so I can test that file here ?

Yes I can....let me just figure out what track that was....lol.

There is the file. AnthonyS...have you or your team come up to any conclusion as to why this is occurring? Im not sure what more data I can bring to you guys :(

AnthonyS, I downloaded a program to test the speed of my HD and what capabilities it has. It seems kind of slow. What read write speeds should a firewire external HD be getting?

Im going to attach a screenshot of what my results were. If you have any geeks over there, can you ask them to look at this for me and see if my external could be the cause of my performance issues?

Hi vio0633,

I downloaded the Travis Porter.mp4 and loaded it in Scratch Live 2.4.2 OFFLINE player.

On first track load it does write the Tag as usual because it is analyzing the track.

Eject the track and no tags were written.

I followed these steps numerous times and still the same result.

I can't see anything in the file metadata that stands out.

I would suggest using MPEGStreamclip's 'Save As' feature to re-build the container file for this file and any other files that keep re-writing tags.

Test a couple of files and check the tag writing behavior.

www.squared5.com



If you give me further detail on the hard drive, Make, Model, Format and size I will try and find benchmarks for this.

Here is the HD I run. Its a 1TB hard drive.

www.wdc.com

Format is MAC OS Extended (Journaled)

Question AnthonyS....you said this....

"On first track load it does write the Tag as usual because it is analyzing the track."

If I built the overviews on it already in SSL 2.4.2, then when you load it, should it rewrite them again on your machine? Once the overviews are loaded it should carry from machine to machine right?

Hey vio0633,



Yes, that is correct if the file supports metadata.

I will look into the benchmarks for that hard drive and get back to you.