Slow MP3 Playback

[semtex]

Hello there,

i have a slight problem when it comes to playing MP3/WMA etc; If i am listening to music and browsing the net, everytime i change pages the music slows down and then speeds up again when the new page has loaded. I also get the same problem if i'm listening to music and installing a program from CD - the pitch of the music does not change, just the speed - ie if i'm listenin to Alecia Keyes and it slows down, she doesn't sound like Barry White!

I wouldn't have though my computer spec is an issue as it's an XP2600 with 768mb ram and 2x 250gb SATA disks - the mp3's are stored on their own seperate physical disk (one of the SATA one's) windows also runs on it's own seperate disk. The soundcard is a Creative Live! 5.1 card. All the latest drivers are installed and windows is fully up to date. Not sure if it would make any difference but i'm using the old winamp 2.9 (because i like it)

I never used to have this problem with my machine, it's only since i did a format and reload.


So any ideas what the problem is? more specifically, any solutions?


Another problem i also have is adding files to the media library in Windows Media player - when scanning for files it gets to 1300 and won't go any further - not much use with 8000+ that still need to be added.


thankyou all

 

[acphenom]

Well, i also play music files during browsing but i have a lower-spec laptop. However, i use .ogg format for my audio files. You can get an encoder at http://www.download.com/Rippers-Encoders/3150-2140_4-0.html?tag=dir

...and a player from http://winamp.com/

It's much better than mp3.

 

[semtex]

As previously stated, i have 8000+ mp3/wma

I don't fancy converting that many mp3's/wma's to be honest, and anyway, employing a new codec isn't really a solution to the problem is it? the fact is that a computer of this spec shouldn't have any problems multitasking in this way - after all my AMD Duron 900mhz laptop manages fine.

 

[acphenom]

Oh yeah, sorry, but i really like .ogg. I think you should at least encode some of your files, just to see how great it is. Anyway, i don't really know what's going on, but my guess would be that you may have some spyware or some other nasty parasites on your PC. Bring up the Task Manager and look in your processes list. If you see 1 that looks dodgy, then you may have spyware. Get a free trial of 'Counterspy' from www.download.com

It's rated the best anti-spyware program by many sources.

 

[rymort]

nah this is better:
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

Spybot Search and destroy 1.3

 

[semtex]

Oh yeah, sorry, but i really like .ogg. I think you should at least encode some of your files, just to see how great it is. Anyway, i don't really know what's going on, but my guess would be that you may have some spyware or some other nasty parasites on your PC. Bring up the Task Manager and look in your processes list. If you see 1 that looks dodgy, then you may have spyware. Get a free trial of 'Counterspy' from www.download.com

It's rated the best anti-spyware program by many sources.

I never used to have this problem with my machine, it's only since i did a format and reload.

it's a fresh install of XP, this is the only site my computer has been to since a format and reload. Why on earth (how?) would spyware affect mp3 playback?!?

 

[acphenom]

Well, spyware can take up a lot of system resources. With that in mind, are you running a lot of programs at the same time? Also, Spybot - Search & Destroy is good as a free program, but i think that Counterspy is better as it scans quickly and is better at detection and removal.

 

[semtex]

^^^ you're missing the point - the system is only a day old! as as previously said, my 900mhz laptop can do it, so why not this machine?

 

[acphenom]

Well, how many programs are you running at the same time? Some programs in the background can take up lots of system resources. Sometimes, when i run a lot of programs in the background, the music goes a bit jumpy.