HOW TO ASK FOR HELP!

[bushman4]

Good afternoon folks,

I hope we all agree that Subsonic is a FANTASTIC media streamer when it is working perfectly. And when it is NOT working perfectly, there are a whole bunch of people here who can help get it working...

But only if they have the information that they need to help diagnose the problem.

So this is an attempt at a guide for other to use when reporting a problem so that as many people as possible can help you get things fixed.

First Off: There is some critical information that can help identify where a problem lies and who will be able to help you.

Secondly: The more information you can provide up front, the better the chance that the information that we or Sindre will need is in the inital post, resulting in a quicker more accurate reply.

Thirdly: I intend for this to be a living document, so please add anything you think I am missing and I will edit the original post to include it.

So here goes:

<-------------------------Subsonic Help Request---------------------->
Problem Description: (A clear description of the problem including any error messages that you received in your playback application)
Troubleshooting Steps: (A list of the steps you have taken to try to solve this problem yourself)
Playback Application and version: (The end application that you are using to stream from Subsonic)
Subsonic Version: (copy/paste from the "About" screen in the Subsonic Web Interface)
Server Version: (copy/paste from the "About" screen in the Subsonic Web Interface)
Hardware Platform: (Windows, Mac, Linux, NAS Model, etc... Invclude version if applicable)
Java Memory Limit: (Windows: found in the Subsonic Agent in the taskbar)
Problem Filename: (If you are having difficulty with a particular file, please include it's name)
Output from ffmpeg -i: (If you open a command prompt and type 'ffmpeg -i <filename>' what is the output? Ideally put this in a "code" block)
Last ten log file lines: (The last ten or so lines copied and pasted from the About screen in the Subsonic Web Interface. Ideally these will be in a CODE block as well.)
<-------------------------Subsonic Help Request---------------------->

Again, if you can think of anything that is missing, let me know and I will add it to this first post. My goal is to have a post that people can copy/paste from as a starting point for their help reporting... the faster we can get this information into the hands of the people that can help, the faster we can get the problems solved.

A sample problem report is below in the next post...

Hope this helps,

Glenn

[bushman4]

This is just a SAMPLE of what a help request could look like using the above format.

<-------------------------Subsonic Help Request---------------------->
Problem Description: I can't get a movie to stream correctly
Troubleshooting Steps: I haven't tried anything because I don't know where to start...
Playback Application and version: Standard Subsonic Web Interface
Subsonic Version: 4.4.beta1 (build 2132) – January 18, 2011
Server Version: jetty-6.1.x, java 1.6.0_23, Windows 2003 (130.8 MB / 145.0 MB)
Hardware Platform: Windows Home Server
Java Memory Limit: 256mb
Problem Filename: Hancock (2008).mkv
Output from ffmpeg -i:

Code: Select all

C:\subsonic\transcode>ffmpeg -i "Hancock (2008).mkv"
FFmpeg version SVN-r21231-Sherpya, Copyright (c) 2000-2010 Fabrice Bellard, et al.
  built on Jan 16 2010 05:42:31 with gcc 4.2.5 20080919 (prerelease) [Sherpya]
  libavutil     50. 7. 0 / 50. 7. 0
  libavcodec    52.47. 0 / 52.47. 0
  libavformat   52.47. 0 / 52.47. 0
  libavdevice   52. 2. 0 / 52. 2. 0
  libavfilter    1.15. 0 /  1.15. 0
  libswscale     0. 8. 0 /  0. 8. 0
  libpostproc   51. 2. 0 / 51. 2. 0
[matroska @ 003dd410]max_analyze_duration reached
[matroska @ 003dd410]Estimating duration from bitrate, this may be inaccurate

Seems stream 0 codec frame rate differs from container frame rate: 47.95 (5000000/104271) -> 23.98 (24000/1001)
Input #0, matroska, from 'Hancock (2008).mkv':
  Metadata:
    title           : Hancock.2008
  Duration: 01:36:40.23, start: 0.000000, bitrate: N/A
    Stream #0.0: Video: h264, yuv420p, 1280x534 [PAR 1:1 DAR 640:267], 47.62 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn, 47.95 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: aac, 24000 Hz, stereo, s16
    Stream #0.2(eng): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.3(rum): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.4(dan): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.5(cze): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.6(hun): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.7(bul): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.8(pol): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.9(slv): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.10(gre): Subtitle: 0x0000
    Stream #0.11: Attachment: 0x0000
    Metadata:
      filename        : timesbd.ttf
    Stream #0.12: Attachment: 0x0000
    Metadata:
      filename        : CronosPro-Bold.ttf
    Stream #0.13: Attachment: 0x0000
    Metadata:
      filename        : CronosPro-Semibold.ttf
    Stream #0.14: Attachment: 0x0000
    Metadata:
      filename        : CronosPro-SemiboldIt.ttf
    Stream #0.15: Attachment: 0x0000
    Metadata:
      filename        : times.ttf

Last ten log file lines:

Code: Select all

[2/2/11 3:02:19 PM EST] INFO PlaylistInputStream JHart listening to "Live at Carnegie Hall\14 - Rude Mood.mp3"
[2/2/11 3:03:06 PM EST] INFO PlaylistInputStream Glenn listening to "1977 - Terrapin Station\Grateful Dead - 1977 - Terrapin Station - 08. The Ascent (Instrumental Studio Outtake).mp3"
[2/2/11 3:03:06 PM EST] DEBUG AudioScrobblerService Successfully registered now playing for song 'The Ascent (Instrumental Studio Outtake)' for user username at Last.fm.
[2/2/11 3:03:51 PM EST] DEBUG AudioScrobblerService Successfully registered submission for song 'The Ascent (Instrumental Studio Outtake)' for user username at Last.fm.
[2/2/11 3:04:43 PM EST] INFO PlaylistInputStream JHart listening to "Money for Nothing\07 - Where Do You Think You're Going-.mp3"
[2/2/11 3:05:06 PM EST] INFO PlaylistInputStream Glenn listening to "1977 - Terrapin Station\Grateful Dead - 1977 - Terrapin Station - 09. Catfish John (Studio Outtake).mp3"
[2/2/11 3:05:07 PM EST] DEBUG AudioScrobblerService Successfully registered now playing for song 'Catfish John (Studio Outtake)' for user username at Last.fm.
[2/2/11 3:06:52 PM EST] DEBUG AudioScrobblerService Successfully registered submission for song 'Catfish John (Studio Outtake)' for user username at Last.fm.


HTH,

Glenn

[3R3]

This needs to be stickied! I only found it again through a bit of searching. Not quite ideal for new users needing a guide :/
And I think its a great proposal. With help request at least partially formalised like this (this is the theory, reality will be a good mixture I suppose), people that otherwise might be taken aback by chaotic formatting or too little info might now be more likely to share their experience/solution

[alphawave7]

Stickied, and I would also encourage users to populate their signatures with the particulars of their setups (such as OS, router maker, model and revision, firmware version, etc.) to help maintain clarity when we assist.

[GJ51]

Kudos Bushman!

I just love the "My Subsonic doesn't work, can anyone help me?" posts!

Alphawave7 - Do you see any irony in your post?

[christian.kelvin10]

Es gibt so viel im Laufe des Tages zu erreichen, die es überwältigende werden kann. Aufrufen von Hilfe ist oft die Lösung, aber um Hilfe kann schwierig sein. Einige fühle mich wie es ihr Ego um Hilfe, bitten zertreten wird, während andere einfach zu schüchtern sind oder das Gefühl peinlich. Erfahren Sie den Druck von sich selbst zu fordern, was notwendig ist. Sie sparen Sie sich vom Stress und mehr Zeit gewinnen.

[donpearson]

@ christian.kelvin10
Bitte können Sie in der Post Englisch

[atlana]

LULZ!!!!!

@christian.kelvin10
@donpearson

typical case of "Translated by Google" - and definite signs of non German's.

Don Pearson, it's written "Bitte schreiben Sie ihre Nachricht in Englisch, damit es auch Jeder verstehen kann - Danke!"


@

[manoscello]

Hallo everybody!
First of all i need to express my gratitude for the subsonic developer and all the members of this forum for the information, knowledge,and their willingness to help the newbies like me! Subsonic is a great application and especially as i own a Galaxy tab 7' it proves so useful. Never the less I am very intersted on finding a way to achieve the best results for my streams from the web too.
After reading many many posts in this forum I found out that i still dont get some things. Let me present you some of them in short:
1. when you refer to an external player (like vlc whitch i hope to get to work as a such) do you mean using this external player for video too??? or just for streaming music? i am intersted on using vlc as an exernal player for videos as you can add external subs (srt) parallel to streaming and have a total functionality this way as i am Greek (literally...!!!) and i use srt files. I allready practise this trick with the Orb software, but I find Subsonic much more better so Id prefer to stick to this great application! When I try to custumize a player as an external (with playlist or not) i cant make it work, nothing really happens. I ve tried both Chrome and Firefox, (not IE yet) and i cant get vlc pop out as it does in Orb! Please inlight me if i get something wrong!!!
2.Since iI have a rather old PC (AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4000+ ,2,00 GB RAM) I would like to have some direction to my trancoding pattern i should follow. It would be very usefull to have a short guide for low-medium-high end PC s in order to know where someone should move adgusting his transcoding settings.
Following the sticky i shall post my system specs:
Problem Description: I am not sure i have figured out the how to use the external player function especially for videos but with music too!
Troubleshooting Steps:I have tried many different combinations both of web browsers (chrome and Firefox with the mozzila pluggin intalled when i set up vlc) and different user accounts (from the same PC). I dont know what else i should try.
Playback Application and version:vlc-1.1.9-win32
Subsonic Version: 4.4 (build 2172) – February 6, 2011
Server Version: jetty-6.1.x, java 1.6.0_25, Windows 7 (32.1 MB / 74.0 MB)
Hardware Platform:Window 7 ultimate 32 bit
Java Memory Limit: 100 MB
Problem Filename : Any video Audio file...!!!
Output from ffmpeg -i: I had a problem making this to work... i get this message in translation from Greek: ffmpeg isnt recognized as internal or external executable programme or (butch file???). So i need elp with this too!!!!
The Log File :

Code: Select all

[6/9/11 6:56:51 PM EEST]   DEBUG   JukeboxService   stateUpdated : OPENED:-1
[6/9/11 6:56:51 PM EEST]   DEBUG   JukeboxService   stateUpdated : PLAYING:-1
[6/9/11 6:56:52 PM EEST]   DEBUG   JukeboxService   stateUpdated : GAIN:0.8500000238418579
[6/9/11 6:56:54 PM EEST]   DEBUG   JukeboxService   stateUpdated : STOPPED:-1
[6/9/11 6:56:54 PM EEST]   DEBUG   InputStreamReaderThread   (c:\subsonic\transcode\lame) Error writing mp3 output
[6/9/11 6:56:54 PM EEST]   INFO   PlaylistInputStream   admin listening to "Borodin String Quartet-Shostakovich 3,7,8 (1991)[EACflac]\02 - No.8 II Allegro molto.flac"
[6/9/11 6:56:54 PM EEST]   DEBUG   TranscodeInputStream   Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\ffmpeg] [-i] [\\GOFLEX_HOME\GoFlex Home Public\MUSIC\Borodin String Quartet-Shostakovich 3,7,8 (1991)[EACflac]\02 - No.8 II Allegro molto.flac] [-v] [0] [-f] [wav] [-]
[6/9/11 6:56:54 PM EEST]   DEBUG   TranscodeInputStream   Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\lame] [-b] [128] [--tt] [No.8 II Allegro molto] [--ta] [Dmitri Shostakovich] [--tl] [String quartets 3,7 & 8] [-S] [--resample] [44.1] [-] [-]
[6/9/11 6:56:54 PM EEST]   DEBUG   JukeboxService   stateUpdated : STOPPED:-1
[6/9/11 11:37:39 PM EEST]   WARN   JaudiotaggerParser   Error when parsing tags in \\GOFLEX_HOME\GoFlex Home Public\MUSIC\Borodin String Quartet-Shostakovich 3,7,8 (1991)[EACflac]\01 - No. 8 I Largo.flac
[6/10/11 12:41:56 AM EEST]   INFO   PlaylistInputStream   admin listening to "A Single Man (2009)\A Single Man (2009) .avi"
[6/10/11 12:41:56 AM EEST]   DEBUG   TranscodeInputStream   Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\ffmpeg] [-ss] [0] [-i] [\\GOFLEX_HOME\External Storage\My Book\!!! ΟΙ ΤΑΙΝΙΕΣ ΜΟΥ\VIDEOS ON J\A Single Man (2009)\A Single Man (2009) .avi] [-async] [1] [-b] [1000k] [-s] [592x336] [-ar] [44100] [-ac] [2] [-v] [0] [-f] [flv] [-]
[6/10/11 12:42:47 AM EEST]   INFO   PlaylistInputStream   admin listening to "A Song of Good (2008)\A Song of Good (2008) .avi"
[6/10/11 12:42:47 AM EEST]   DEBUG   TranscodeInputStream   Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\ffmpeg] [-ss] [0] [-i] [\\GOFLEX_HOME\External Storage\My Book\!!! ΟΙ ΤΑΙΝΙΕΣ ΜΟΥ\VIDEOS ON J\A Song of Good (2008)\A Song of Good (2008) .avi] [-async] [1] [-b] [1000k] [-s] [624x352] [-ar] [44100] [-ac] [2] [-v] [0] [-f] [flv] [-]

I have the full (donation) version of Subsonic since i found it great from the begining. Everything works great at my tab too but of course i d like my videos to be played from te subsonic app and not from the web server.I hope you put this future later on!
Thank you in advance!
manoscello

[Aethies]

One thing that I think would help a TON on these threads is when an issue is fixed to change the TITLE to {SOLVED} or something similar. Also probably lock that message from further posts.

What do you guys think?

[alphawave7]

Also, please use Search. MySQL searches haven't been as useful, so I've reverted to Native text database, so at least something should turn up. Another effective technique is to use Google with the site search parameter (site:subsonic.org xxx xxxxxxx xxx). That should produce enough results to get one on the path to help faster than waiting for forum responses.