[MBo72]

  I'm using a 200 gb SanDisk card as well and have never had an issue. I put the card into the DX80 straight from the packaging and have never used it for any other purpose. I keep wondering if these problems are because the cards were formatted in other devices and may have issues from those previous devices. It doesn't seem like formatting them has helped people, very interesting problem.

 
I never formatted the card, but filled the card using a windows laptop.

 

[Phil B]

   
Hi, I am using a 200GB Sandisk as well. Maybe that's a start for the analysis.

I am also using a 200gb Sandisk and mine will scan fine for days on end. Same results with my 128 gb card

 

[HungryPanda]

I'm using 2 x Samsung EVO 128 Gb cards filled on a windows 7 pc and not had a problem with any of the firmware revisions

 

[wolfen68]

   
It doesn't seem like formatting them has helped people, very interesting problem.

To troubleshoot such issues, I have fallen into the habit of using SDFormatter to format such cards.  Sometimes this will help clear up issues, particularly if there are any "residues" from another device's formatting of the card. 

 

[Dogmatrix]

I had scan issues in fw 1.3.3 with 2 200 gb sandisk cards they would scan only after many attempts . Now running fw 1.4.2 they scan ok
My unit did reboot at the end of the second card last time but all the files seem to be there

 

[zombicube]

Cards that don't scan right for me are SanDisk 200s that have never been used with any device other than the first DX80 I received (returned because of hardware problems), and the replacement DX80, which only scans correctly with FW 1.3.3. Formatted FAT32.

The problem is not with our cards, it is with sloppy programming by the person who writes iBasso firmware. The changes made to speed up scanning and permit background scanning when iBasso rolled out 1.4.1 broke the (tenuous) robustness that had had been present in the older FW. The faster scanning algorithm cannot deal with something about our files, their structure, their tags, or something else. The old algorithm could. iBasso can't figure out what is wrong because they don't understand their own code. And they won't roll back to the slower scanning version (with marked UI improvements like having the back button remember folder position) because "scan speed" is a metric that shoppers look for--shoppers will never expect that fast scanning sometimes means incomplete scanning plus weeks of frustration.

 

[zombicube]

I had scan issues in fw 1.3.3 with 2 200 gb sandisk cards they would scan only after many attempts . Now running fw 1.4.2 they scan ok
My unit did reboot at the end of the second card last time but all the files seem to be there

Same here. Even FW 1.3.3 sometimes freaks out when scanning, which is why I call it "tenuously robust." But it always eventually makes it through with all the files on each card. The 1.4 firmwares don't do that.

 

[pete99]

Cards that don't scan right for me are SanDisk 200s that have never been used with any device other than the first DX80 I received (returned because of hardware problems), and the replacement DX80, which only scans correctly with FW 1.3.3. Formatted FAT32.

The problem is not with our cards, it is with sloppy programming by the person who writes iBasso firmware. The changes made to speed up scanning and permit background scanning when iBasso rolled out 1.4.1 broke the (tenuous) robustness that had had been present in the older FW. The faster scanning algorithm cannot deal with something about our files, their structure, their tags, or something else. The old algorithm could. iBasso can't figure out what is wrong because they don't understand their own code. And they won't roll back to the slower scanning version (with marked UI improvements like having the back button remember folder position) because "scan speed" is a metric that shoppers look for--shoppers will never expect that fast scanning sometimes means incomplete scanning plus weeks of frustration.

With respect, I think your post is full of unsubstantiated assertions and assumptions.  "The problem is not with our cards..Sloppy programming .. don't understand their own code.".  You don't know any of that that.
 
Clearly there is an issue with scanning.  However, to assert that iBasso are being complacent or incompetent about addressing it, in my judgement, is wrong.  There have been 8 firmware updates since (and including) 1.1.2 on Nov 12 2015.  Sure, they've included bug fixes but also many enhancements requested in this thread and elsewhere.  You can argue it both ways in terms of the number of updates, sure, but it definitely shows iBasso are serious about getting things right.  Otherwise, why would they bother?
 
Secondly, iBasso appear to have listened to complaints about scanning speed and rewritten the algorithm for 1.4.0 on, presumably using multi-threading / background processing.  Multi-threaded programming is tough and it appears there are issues with the initial release.  But Paul's posts suggest they are trying to reproduce the issues people are seeing.  Is it right to criticise iBasso for listening and responding?  In the meantime, if 1.3.3 works for you why not just use it till the 1.4.x stream is debugged?  (To my ears 1.3.3 sounds better then 1.4.x anyway!)
 
Third, let's be fair to the software developer.  We want stability, and we want enhancements right?  These two elements have a large degree of mutual exclusivity.  Enhancements invariably risk introducing new bugs and may impact the stability of existing features.  So if you really want stability then you'll probably have to accept delayed enhancements.  (FWIW I am a software developer and also software consumer.  I hope I can see it from both sides.)
 
Fourth, there is invariably pressure to release new software because people want it bad.  Look back over this thread at the number of "when's the next firmware due" posts.  Not all to address bugs.  If you really want (near) bug free code you're going to have to wait a lot longer.  Is that what you want?
 
Conclusion - I'm not saying iBasso get totally off the hook.  I hope they get it sorted for all of us.  But I do think a greater level of understanding is required.  As consumers we want it both ways, but I, for one, do believe they are trying hard to get it right and to be responsive to their customers.
 
Finally, if 1.4.x works for you and you like the sound then enjoy the music!  If it doesn't but 1.3.3 works, just use it and enjoy the music!  The SQ versus price equation on the DX80 is so favourable, surely it's worth trying to find acceptable workarounds, to enjoy the music?

 

[Eric Koh]

I am neutral party at this point, I do not own any iBasso products, just have been lurking around as I am looking to buy (now skewing more towards DX200).

Wanted to shed light that there are indeed issues with fake SD cards out there, sharing for awareness. So some of it may contribute as probable causes to reported scanning issues .... just stating !

http://forums.sandisk.com/t5/Mobile-memory-professional-cards/Fake-micro-SD-cards/td-p/221176/page/3
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Beware-of-fake-microSD-cards-Heres-how-to-tell-a-counterfeit-from-the-original_id77769

 

[pholcus1975]

Good point, I checked mine with SD insight and it seems legit. Still scanning issues, anyway.

 

[WriterHead]

  With respect, I think your post is full of unsubstantiated assertions and assumptions.  "The problem is not with our cards..Sloppy programming .. don't understand their own code.".  You don't know any of that that.
 
Clearly there is an issue with scanning.  However, to assert that iBasso are being complacent or incompetent about addressing it, in my judgement, is wrong.  There have been 8 firmware updates since (and including) 1.1.2 on Nov 12 2015.  Sure, they've included bug fixes but also many enhancements requested in this thread and elsewhere.  You can argue it both ways in terms of the number of updates, sure, but it definitely shows iBasso are serious about getting things right.  Otherwise, why would they bother?
 
Secondly, iBasso appear to have listened to complaints about scanning speed and rewritten the algorithm for 1.4.0 on, presumably using multi-threading / background processing.  Multi-threaded programming is tough and it appears there are issues with the initial release.  But Paul's posts suggest they are trying to reproduce the issues people are seeing.  Is it right to criticise iBasso for listening and responding?  In the meantime, if 1.3.3 works for you why not just use it till the 1.4.x stream is debugged?  (To my ears 1.3.3 sounds better then 1.4.x anyway!)
 
Third, let's be fair to the software developer.  We want stability, and we want enhancements right?  These two elements have a large degree of mutual exclusivity.  Enhancements invariably risk introducing new bugs and may impact the stability of existing features.  So if you really want stability then you'll probably have to accept delayed enhancements.  (FWIW I am a software developer and also software consumer.  I hope I can see it from both sides.)
 
Fourth, there is invariably pressure to release new software because people want it bad.  Look back over this thread at the number of "when's the next firmware due" posts.  Not all to address bugs.  If you really want (near) bug free code you're going to have to wait a lot longer.  Is that what you want?
 
Conclusion - I'm not saying iBasso get totally off the hook.  I hope they get it sorted for all of us.  But I do think a greater level of understanding is required.  As consumers we want it both ways, but I, for one, do believe they are trying hard to get it right and to be responsive to their customers.
 
Finally, if 1.4.x works for you and you like the sound then enjoy the music!  If it doesn't but 1.3.3 works, just use it and enjoy the music!  The SQ versus price equation on the DX80 is so favourable, surely it's worth trying to find acceptable workarounds, to enjoy the music?

We need patience, I agree. But come on, we are asking for things that an iPod from 10 years ago did with no problems.  

 

[mdiogofs]

 
We need patience, I agree. But come on, we are asking for things that an iPod from 10 years ago did with no problems.  
 

 
Are you comparing iBasso to Apple in creating software? Still, it was mediated by iTunes. In this case, they have to handle all variations and tags of your files inserted directly in a folder.
 
Just saw this in Headfonics. It's firmware 1.3.3. Developing software is not a deterministic process. So I believe all things will be OK soon in 1.4.2. Don't be so harsh (I'm a dev too).
 

"In short it works very well indeed and updating the library is very fast though dependent entirely on the size of the media card you are inserting. A single 64GB SDHC microSD card in slot one took just over a minute to compile and complete with every single meta tag being read 100% accurately. Not even AK units do that which surprised me as I normally tag FLAC and for whatever reason a few DAP’s have problems with reading FLAC file tags leaving quite a few “null” categories. Not the DX80 which capture all album art, all artist, album and genre tags. Impressive stuff!"

 

[WriterHead]

I have had a Fiio X3 2nd gen before that scanned fast and never gave me the random "null" artist I am getting with 1.4.2 (problem that did not happen with 1.3.3). We are talking about a basic music app with the same functions that a player from a decade ago did flawless, you don't need Apple dev team to make one reliable one. There are lots of much more complicated programs developed by only one person out there (games, raw pictures development software, sound synthesizers...)

 

[pete99]

  I have had a Fiio X3 2nd gen before that scanned fast and never gave me the random "null" artist I am getting with 1.4.2 (problem that did not happen with 1.3.3). We are talking about a basic music app with the same functions that a player from a decade ago did flawless, you don't need Apple dev team to make one reliable one. There are lots of much more complicated programs developed by only one person out there (games, raw pictures development software, sound synthesizers...)

 
I too have fallen into the trap of thinking that a software bug that "prevents me from using" my software must be experienced by virtually every other user and that it's scandalous the developer released such an obvious bug.  It's not necessarily the case that we all suffer the same bug.
 
We don't actually know what percent of DX80 users are suffering this problem.  Though it seems likely that those that are will be vocalising here while the rest of us, possibly the vast majority, are just quietly enjoying our DX80 experience without these issues.
 
The point made by mdigofs in post #4407 is also very valid - Apple owned the tagging software and iBasso don't, which surely gave them a huge advantage.  And without wishing to start a flame war, you don't have to look too far to find software or other defects in Apple products, which have taken a while for Apple to acknowledge in the first place and then address.  (Ditto Microsoft, for the fanbois out there!)  At least iBasso's intent appears there.
 
As a software developer myself I too have had to deal with crashes or bugs which the customer describes but which have taken me an awful long time to reproduce.  I have to be able to reliably reproduce them in order to diagnose and fix them.  So it can take a while to get to this position and I guess that's where iBasso are on this one - i.e. trying to reproduce the problem.
 
In the meantime, surely one of the firmwares released to date contains enough for 99% of us to enjoy our music while the current one gets fixed?

 

[sludgeogre]

  I have had a Fiio X3 2nd gen before that scanned fast and never gave me the random "null" artist I am getting with 1.4.2 (problem that did not happen with 1.3.3). We are talking about a basic music app with the same functions that a player from a decade ago did flawless, you don't need Apple dev team to make one reliable one. There are lots of much more complicated programs developed by only one person out there (games, raw pictures development software, sound synthesizers...)

Just because a piece of code appears more complex doesn't mean it's harder to program. I'm an engineer in a chemical plant and even the simplest little bits of code will give us head-scratching issues from time to time. As simple as we try to keep things, even the simple stuff can become complex. Guys that make a lot of that software are using tools that have a lot of the basic work done for them, and game designers aren't making their own engines. These guys are rebuilding android to interface their hardware with tons of cards and computers, which always presents a lot more problems, and it has the goal of sounding amazing first, which is why I bought the thing, and why I love it so much.
 
Just look at how many players can't be used as a USB DAC and how many USB DACs have problems. I haven't had a single problem with my DX80 as a DAC on multiple computers, which is another huge selling point I don't even know if the X7 has a USB DAC operation mode yet.
 
I will concede, though, that Fiio always scans fast and never gives "null" artists, but my X1 has definitely scanned files incorrectly and displayed tags that didn't make sense.