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Tinlinmusic
6 years agoHelpful | Level 6
When previewing audio files on Dropbox, the playback skips or drops out. Any ideas?
Hello, just wondered if any other music tech-y people have had any trouble with glitchy audio files when using Dropbox to share them? A track that I have mixed and bounced down on my studio pc, whic...
kroft
6 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Well, there goes the theory that the problem is only with compressed files. Thanks for saving me the trouble of testing more AIFFs and WAVs! Let's hope they sort it out soon.
SECRETSOUND
6 years agoHelpful | Level 5
After I gave my clients the workaround I got this from one of them:
Something is definitely off with these files. After downloading you are correct there is no more skipping. But after (deleted) and (deleted) there is this drop off of volume for the next 3 songs and almost sounds like it’s in mono not stereo. Vocals sound like they are coming thru a transistor radio. So that’s as far as I got I’m stopping there.
When I listen to (deleted) wav file directly from Dropbox is sounds perfect. And doesn’t have this drop off. Only when listening after downloading.
May I suggest trying Google Drive if you have that option? I use it for all my videos and films and it has always worked perfectly. I think Dropbox is just having some issues.
So I wound up using Google Drive. Reported all this to Dropbox. Waiting...
- Tinlinmusic6 years agoHelpful | Level 6Wow, that’s not good :/
- kroft6 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Really? Wow -- that's much more serious than bad playback. If it mangles the file then Dropbox is not a safe repository for files, which is its main purpose. Are you sure this is happening?
- SECRETSOUND6 years agoHelpful | Level 5
No, I only know what he told me which I reprinted. Too many issues though. My ticket is in. This needs to get fixed pronto. I've used DB for years and have never had a single problem until this week.
- Daphne6 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Hey everyone, just jumping in here!
For those who mentioned submitting a ticket with our team, can you please let me know the ticket numbers (eg. #1234567) you received so I can check up on those?
Thanks!
- kroft6 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Hi Daphne,
Mine is 10657128.
Thanks!
- SECRETSOUND6 years agoHelpful | Level 5
10669675
- Daphne6 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Thank you very much for those ticket numbers!
Could you let me know which file types you're having this issue with? I noticed some mentions of MP3 and WAV files.
Just to clarify, you mentioned this occurred both on the website and through the mobile app, correct?
If you're using the website, please let me know the following:
- What browser and version are you using?
- Do you have the same behaviour with another web browser and incognito window?
- If you change the shared link for one of these files to force render, do you get the same behaviour?
If you're using the mobile app, please let me know:
- Which OS version is your device?
- What version of the app do you have installed?
This info will be very helpful for investigating this further. I understand that you're sending these files to your clients too where they will be using a variety of the above, but some examples of what you're using would great.
Also, not everyone has been able to create a support ticket. If you've already provided this info in your tickets then there's no need to repeat it again for me here if you don't have the time.
Keep me posted!
- Tinlinmusic6 years agoHelpful | Level 6
Hi Daphne,
In my experience I first noticed the problem around 3 weeks ago on mp3 files which played fine on the computer used to create them, but as soon as the file was copied to the Dropbox folder there seemed to be random instances of distortion, then full on audio dropouts for a few milliseconds (but enough to be noticeable). I rarely use the 'website' version of Dropbox as all the devices I use have Dropbox installed as an app (on my iPhone and Ipad), and as a local folder on my laptop and studio pc.
Each time I tried re-exporting the same file(s) the same problem would occur, although at different points on the file.
I found that the 'make available offline' option on my iPhone seemed to sort the problem out. But as it has already been mentioned on this thread, it doesn't fill one with confidence when sharing these files with clients, or other people who might be using a different device and may not be able/want to download the file, as I have done.
I hope that you or one of your colleagues can shed some light on this problem,
Many thanks!
- bassdude0076 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi, I'm having these same dropout glitches on MP3's that I upload to dropbox. I haven't tested wav files. Hopefully this can be solved very soon because I mix for a living and I can't have these issues. The mp3's play perfecty but not the ones uploaded to dropbox... the glitches happen at exactly the same times so it's not related to an internet connection. Thanks
- Daphne6 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Thanks for the info peeps!
Have you submitted a ticket with our team for this issue Tinlinmusic and bassdude007? If not, would you mind letting me know some additional info that I mentioned here?
Cheers!
- bassdude0076 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi Daphne, thanks for getting back so quickly. I've been waiting on a chat because I wanted to start a support ticket but it's been 30 minutes, probaby because others are having the same problem, so I'm going to respond here instead. I have only had the problem with mp3's probably for about a week now. I haven't tried wav files or heard from anyone having a problem with any wav files I have delivered but that may be because I send zip files within one folder for most of my work etc. I have experimented: when an mp3 that I upload is played thru the dropbox browser, I find dropouts and glitches, like a quick sort of skip. That goes the same with all connected devices, iphones, other computers, friends computers. The issues are in the same exact place in time on the mp3. *If I drag the file to my desktop and play it there, no issues at all. I couldn't check the force render question because I already deleted these files. I would experiment but I'm in the middle of a project right now. Thanks for helping us out Daphne! take care, ric
Specs: I'm using Chrome Version 81.0.4044.138 (Official Build) (64-bit),
MAC OS: 10.12.6 and also 10.13.6
- SECRETSOUND6 years agoHelpful | Level 5
It does it with .wav files too.
- Daphne6 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Thanks for the details peeps!
You mentioned trying to chat with our Support team bassdude007, did you get a ticket number (eg. #1234567)?
If so, would you mind sharing it with me here so that I can follow up with you there with all the info you've provided here already?
Cheers!
- dabu20126 years agoNew member | Level 2
I have the same problem.
File is a 6 Minute long song
16bit/44.1k .wav file
Using website dropbox
Safari 13.1
Mac OS 10.14.6
Audio file has dropout when playing back from Dropbox website and IOS App. IOS and dropbox app are up to date. Obvioulsy my computer is not up to date... cause you know if it aint broke with audio, don't touch anything!
My clients were listening to the file from IOS as well. We all heard the audio drop out in the exact same spot.
Download song and it plays fine. So for me it seems like a playback problem from Dropbox servers.
- dabu20126 years agoNew member | Level 2
Ticket# 10714597
- bassdude0076 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Hi Daphne, no, I didn't get a ticket number because no one came back to chat, they had me on hold and I run out of time. The same audio issue is still happening! I'm having clients download zip files to get around it...
- bassdude0076 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Ditto for me!!!
- Daphne6 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
Thanks for joining us here dabu2012!
I've just passed along your comments to your ticket you mentioned. I can see that you received a reply from my colleague there, can you please check your inbox for that email and reply there?
Through our Support channel we'll be able to have a better look into this with you alongside some account specific info.
bassdude007, since you didn't get a ticket number can you please submit a new ticket from here. Then if you can let me know that ticket number I can follow up with you there.
Let me know!
- bassdude0076 years agoHelpful | Level 5
Daphne wrote:Thanks for joining us here dabu2012!
I've just passed along your comments to your ticket you mentioned. I can see that you received a reply from my colleague there, can you please check your inbox for that email and reply there?
Through our Support channel we'll be able to have a better look into this with you alongside some account specific info.
bassdude007, since you didn't get a ticket number can you please submit a new ticket from here. Then if you can let me know that ticket number I can follow up with you there.
Let me know!
Hi, it seems that we are going around in circles here... It's really quite simple and I'll fill out a ticket as well but here is what the issue is. When we upload an audiofile, it plays back within dropbox with audio glitches: skips, dropouts etc. When we take the file out of dropbox and play it directly from our computers: No Problem. *If someone @ dropbox would just take the time to do this, it would be very clear to them. I know others have submitted tickets over the last few weeks so if you need redundancy, fine, I'll play along but we also need a resolution or we will have to use another service very soon because in our line of work, I can't have this issue for weeks on end. thanks
- Daphne6 years ago
Dropbox Community Moderator
If you can just let me know the ticket number if you submit one bassdude007, I can follow up with you there.
As I mentioned, this will allow us to continue looking into this as there's not much more I can do from here in terms of troubleshooting since this is a public forum.
Thanks!
- kroft6 years agoHelpful | Level 6
I've been informed that this is now fixed -- I've tried a few files that had dropouts before and they have indeed gone.
- SECRETSOUND6 years agoHelpful | Level 5
I got the same message but haven't tried it. Good to know. Thx!
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