FLAC Files Go Missing on HDX-SSD/NAS Set-up

Try doing a rescan on the NAS. This fixed a similar issue I had on my UnitiServe - and assumes a NAS works in the same way.

Hi Hungryhalibut, thanks for your response. I had disabled and re-enabled the share multiple times to no effect, but doing a rescan instead has brought back almost all of the files for CD 1 but no further ones for CD 2. I am not sure why I have been using disable/re-enable rather than a rescan unless I had found it more effective than a scan in the past. So still missing some files but at least I now have quite a few back, thanks!

I have a Unitiserve. I have been downloading Flac albums from Linn Records with no problems at all. However, HDtracks albums give me nothing but grief. About 2 out of every 5 I download do not show up  in N-Serve once I have dragged the downloaded album into the downloads folder. I am using an iMac and OS ver 10.7.5. I gather editing the Tags can sort this out, but I haven't clue where to start with that! Help…….

Hi DHK, looks to be the blind leading the blind here! In my experience editing tags does not cause tracks to appear but helps overcome issues where tracks for an album can be arbitrarily split into smaller units because the tag for artists  in the tracks vary. Getting tracks to appear can usually be expedited on the HDX by forcing it to scan its shares Using the web app provided. I would expect that you would have the same app for your UnitiServe. The tag editor that I use is DBPoweramp and it can be found on the web and is not expensive. I would also check that the firmware on the UnitiServe is up to date.

HI Bobsp. Many thank's for the helpful response. Software all up to date. Though I gather an up-date is due any day now. I tried the software from Naim and did a re-scan. No joy though. I could try DBPowerAmp, but I fear this does not work on an iMac.

I download regularly from HDTracks and have never had a problem, although this is to a NAS. Have you tried looking at 'Recents' in then serve app, or look under 'Unknown' in the artists or album view. This could highlight a tagging issue..

Gerry

Something else worth trying, is to create a new folder on your UnitiServe storage device and copy contents of one of the existing folders that has the invisible HD tracks, into it. I have used this successfully where HDX has split the tracks into different folders due to variations in the artist names and editing the tags in situ did not rectify the situation. So whether it will work in your situation I do not know but worth a try. You could copy from your download folder or from the folder on the UnitiServe storage.

Ok, well my mystery is solved, with help from the local distributor who advised the solution and all I had to do is spend several hours fixing it, in fact I have only fixed one of two CDs so far and that at least a couple of hours.

The problem was that the filenames of the tracks were not just overly long, but did not match the track name tag and the filenames were not really in the right format either. Inspection of other filenames and tags helped get it right but it is a very tedious process.

Ah ha. That all makes sense. What software are you using the edit the file names? I have also noted that the albums/tracks that don't get recognised have underscores, and forward slashes in them. These are not allowed in DOS files so I guess the same applies to the Unitiserve firmware.

I am using Windows Explorer to change the file names and DBPoweramp to update the tags. In the process of fixing up all of the incorrect tracks,

In fixing up the problematic tracks, I managed to stuff up the only track that had been ok from the start and I cannot work out how to fix it as its format is a bit different to the rest!

It looks like a prior post has not made it to the forum.

After much fiddling around with the physical track names and tagged track names to ensure they matched and the tagged data was consistent, the ony way ultimately that I got all of the tracks for both CDs to show up was by copying them from the second level in the NAS folder hierarchy to the top level and they turned up immediately in the desktop and iPad apps. I have found before that sometimes after updating tags for tracks in the NAS, as opposed toon the download folder on the PC, that some changes will not register until they folder is copied again (with a different name. Naturally I also do scans on the NAS share To ensure that the HDX knows about the changes.

The other problem with these files was that trying to introduce new tags to define the performers separately was largely unsuccessful and in one case resulted in all the relevant tracks disappearing. So the challenge is how can you get the tags you want for the indexing if the performers to work properly without spending hours fiddling about. A lot of FLAC files seem to have a minimum of useful tags. See 

http://www.xiph.org/vorbis/doc/v-comment.html for a definition of the basic set of tags.

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice and for sharing your experiences.

The recommendation from the local Naim distributor was to choose .wav rather than .flac when downloading as the quality is better and you do not have the same hassles. I am advised that the HDtracks supports .wav downloads. In my case part of the issue in terms of the HDX registering tag changes might be the NAS share permissions, something I have not yet verified.

Two problems with .wav files. Firstly they are huge and take forever to download….Oh and BT broadband like to stab you if you go over your monthly limit. Second problem is that Linnrecords don't "do" .wav files.  With the Unitiserve, you have to decide at the outset whether to go .wav or .flac. With some 400 albums…its too late to change to .wav files now.

I also see that HDtracks do not recommend wav but as far as I know, the HDX rips CDs to wav. No point in changing the files you have. I also note that there were quite a few albums on HDtracks where download to Australia was not allowed. Is that an issue in the UK., assuming that is where you live?

Yep you are right. Around 80% of the HDtracks are not downloadable to the UK. There are of course ways around that by having ghost IP addresses…….BUT apparently HDtracks are negotiating to get licenses for these for the UK or elsewhere.