Rockbox Unstable on iPod Video 5.5g?

[dj nellie]

I just got a WhipMOD, Whiplash Audio's new iPod mod.  I installed the latest current build of Rockbox, and certain FLAC files will randomly freeze throughout the song.  And just now, when I was browsing through my folders and selected a song, I got a whitescreen with a "Divide by zero" error.  I had to hold Menu+Select for a hard reset. 
 
This is my first time using Rockbox, but I'm a bit surprised/disappointed with how shaky it seems.  Does anyone else have problems with Rockbox on the iPod Video 5g?  Any tips for making it more stable?
 
Also, when I have the iPod plugged into an external amp via LOD, I can still adjust the volume on the iPod using the scroll wheel.  Is this normal?  It seems like Rockbox's firmware allows you to adjust the external amp's volume, even though the internal amp is being bypassed.  Any thoughts?

 

[Gradoman]

Rockbox has been out on that ipod for ages, so I doubt very much it's that unstable. Even on my brothers YH-920 Rockbox is in the experimental stage, and it's fine. As for variable line out it's possible the ipod has this feature but Apple have it disabled, so Rockbox has added this function. Although line level should always be fixed. It's the same for my H140 volume adjusts line out (stock firmware and Rockbox)

 

[Jupiterknight]

Try to use the Rockbox stable version 3.7 instead of using the current build. I have expererienced no issues with this version vs. the current build.

 

[dj nellie]

Sorry, I am using the "Release" version (3.7), not the "Current Build."  So is it an actual feature of Rockbox to be able to control the iPod's volume using the scroll wheel, even while connected to an external amp via LOD?
 
Maybe it's because I'm using a 240GB hard drive, but I do get random crashes, freezing during songs, and long load times.  I also wish it were easier to just create a playlist on the fly, maybe I need to read up on it more but it doesn't seem very intuitive.  Anyone have a simple "how-to" list to create a playlist?  Whenever I'm listening to a song, and I choose "Playlist" under my Files folder using the long select button, and choose "Insert", the song doesn't get added to that playlist.  Am I missing something? 

 

[Jupiterknight]

Yes, the Ipod 5.5g/rockbox scroll wheel volume becomes "active" around -57db (decreasing volume)  while using Lod/amp.
I only have a 80gb, it can sometimes be very slow compared to other non hard drive based DAP's.  I have also noticed that certain themes can cause more issues than others, try experimenting with different themes. You can also try to re-install the original firmware and see if this still causes issues, I guess stable doesn't necessarily mean stable.

 

[Hero Kid]

Oh you're using a 240gb HDD. I think you need a special build for that... search for it. 

 

[Jupiterknight]

I believe that since build 3.6 all upgraded/replaced hard disk incl. 240 gb is supported (except Archos DAP's)
Check this link.
 
http://www.rockbox.org/wiki/MajorChanges 

 

[warrior05]

I've been using Rockbox on my 5.5 iMod for over 2 years and have had very few issues before the official release and zero since the release.  However, a few differences with my unit:

1. I converted mine for Compact Flash and currently have a 64gb installed.
2. I select music via files - not meta data.
3. I load mine with OGG files (though I did have it loaded with MP3 Lame V0.
4. I created my own theme which is very stripped down.

 
One thing you might experiment with is the compression level of your FLAC files.  If you compress at the highest level - 8, try 5.  Otherwise, you will need to systematically troubleshoot.  All's I can say is that for me, Rockbox has been uber stable.

 

[Jwg]

I have an iPOD 5.5 video with 200GB HDD and Rockbox 3.7. It happened to me yesterday.(divide by zero at 03E81970). I restarted the iPOD pressing Menu + Center button. Then I could see that the problem was exactly at the beginning of a song. I was in suffle mode, so I went to the album (I barely saw) and went song by song until the crash happened. It turned out that when I ripped the CD, the last song of that CD generated an error and I left the bad song on my HDD and then copy to my iPOD. It was a FLAC song bad ripped. You could try to check that. Also, the album has album art embedded and I can see rockbox takes more time to load. Maybe resolution was too high. It was an early rip that I will be substituting soon.

 

[dj nellie]

Yeah, I've noticed that the crashing happens on certain songs, I guess due to rip errors or some kind of incompatibility in the format.  Also, if a song is constantly freezing up (playing, then stopping, then playing again after a few seconds), it seems the fix is to pause the player for 5-10 seconds to let the iPod due the loading that it needs (I can feel it buzzing and clicking until it's done).  Seems like Rockbox really strains the iPod's memory and loading capabilities, since it constantly has to keep loading the next track and remember the previous track.  This seems to take even longer with FLAC files.