I looked in the FAQ and searched the forum but could not come up with answers. I am using 1.03 software on my MKIIa.

1. If I shuffle my entire collection and use the tweak feature to cue up some similar songs like "tweak by artist", sometimes I get a slight pause in the current song that is playing. It almost seems like that feature takes up too many CPU cycles for a second and causes the decode to pause.

2. If I have my car off and the EMPEG on (key turned to acc), when I start the car I sometimes get a thump from my amp. This does not happen when I start the car normally or turn it off. It only happens when I start the car and the EMPEG is already on from the key being turned to acc.

Thanks in advance!

Steve

#1 is known. The caching has been improved in 2.0b7 (in fact is has been completely overhauled for 2.0x). When doing things like inserting, tweak-ordering, and shuffling, the player should "pause" much less often.

I do still see the occasional hiccup when inserting. I hope they fix it. Can't tell if they have in the internal b8 code yet or not.

I get #2 also. Empeg guys, is this normal, or do I have the negative spike bug? The only time I ever get a thump is when I start the ignition while the player is playing.

1. This was a problem in 1.03. The reason it occured was that every process thread the player spawned was set to the highest priority. So one could easially disrupt the others. With 2.0, that was changed so that only mission critical threads like the decoder get the really high priority.

2. Not sure on this one. I do sense some other questions from other board members, so I will ask for them . Does the screen go blank when you do this? And once the car is started, does the empeg do a full boot, or resume, but with a battery icon on the screen?

Does the screen go blank when you do this?

(Speaking for my case of this problem) Yes.

And once the car is started, does the empeg do a full boot, or resume, but with a battery icon on the screen?

Resumes with the battery icon on the screen.

I was ICQing with Tony on this one, and I think it's related to this:

"I'm guessing that the kernel code drops the display so quickly that the amp looses power in a similar way to the Mk1s. I doubt they would be able to fix it properly in software, and keep the low power code as nice as it is."

This is just based off my observations from looking at the empeg_power.c file in the kernel.

I actually removed the capacitor assembly which prevented my Mk1 from doing the same thing (thump on engine start). Perhaps I should simply put it back?

Maybe it's a simple as adding a negative-spike-preventer diode. I should probably try that first. Haven't dug into my dash recently so I haven't had a chance to try.

I was thinking that adding a capicator to the remote turn on lead may help. This should prevent the amp from turning on and off so quick and causing the thump. I am not an electronics whiz. Does this sound like it would fix the problem? If so what size cap would work? Thanks!

Steve

I get this exact same thump in my civic with the same battery icon on screen. I've gotten in the habit of holding down the top button to put the player to sleep before i restart the car. I'd dig a fix for it though!

Well, I'm assuming you guys all know that accessory power is cut when (while) you start your car. That way you get your battery's full attention at the starter.

That said, if your amplifiers drop off too quickly you can get a thump. Same thing really as shutting down the car and having the amps pop. There are small circuits that can easily be made to fix this by keeping the remote line hot for a little longer. Normally done near the amps, but I suppose you could so something up front as well.

Bruno

The only times I see the battery icon is when I'm starting the car when the the player has been playing in acc mode or when I restart the car immediately (as in the first 10 secs) after turning it off.
I have no explanation for this except maybe this one : I've noticed that when I play my music really loud (more than 3/4ths of the system's capacity), the lights of my car start "flashing" to the beat. I guess this is because my alternator probably won't last much longer, or because it isn't powerful enough. I'll look into in having it replaced one of these days.
I suspect this is related to the battery icon showing up.

A Power Cap may help with the dimming lights problem. In the Power Line, close to the amp.

My amp is about 500w (RMS) and when almost flat out, with big thumping bass lines, you do still get some dimming of the headlamps although there is no dimming of the dashboard lights.

My amp is about 500w (RMS) and when almost flat out, with big thumping bass lines, you do still get some dimming of the headlamps although there is no dimming of the dashboard lights.

I'm sorry if I wasn't clear about that, but I was actually talking about the headlamps. The dashboard lights are not affected by this.

That's why I suspect the alternator going bad. Am I wrong assuming this?

I would imagine it would depend upon the current draw of your amp (which will be related to the type and output RMS of your amp).

Normally less than 300w RMS shouldn't cause heaplamp problem IMO.

I had a 150w Kenwood amp running a 10" kenwood sub, whenever the bass hit, the headlights would dim, and this was in an isuzu rodeo. I put in a 1/2 F cap and it went away. I'm not sure if it was my altenator or not, as I've recently had to replace it, and haven't tried it without the cap in.

Edit: even now, when I roll the windows all the way up and keep the buttons pressed, all of the lights dim.. but only once the windows are up..

I would imagine it would depend upon the current draw of your amp (which will be related to the type and output RMS of your amp).

Actually I 've got two amps : one 4 x 130W (4 speakers) and one 1 x 600W (Sub)

I guess that might be a bit too much. Can I solve this with a cap?