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Pyramix Media Manager Troubleshooting

Updated

Cannot mount or unmount folders

You cannot mount or unmount folders in the Media Manager, or the folders are empty.
The Media Manager is using several database files, that might need a re-indexing.

  • Quickmount files:
    To force a re-indexing  of the Quickmount files of a specific folder, select the folder in the Media Manager and click on Refresh Media Folder while holding CTRL key.
    MM-RefreshFolder.png
  • Pyramix is also using a meta database, storing information on all media files.
    Go in All Settings/Application/Location and click on Browse under Default database location and set a new database location. Then restart Pyramix.
    You may also close Pyramix and go to C:\Users\username\Appdata\Roaming\MergingTechnologies\Pyramix\Database: delete all files .

BWF files in Timeline mismatch

You have different versions of a BWF file in your timeline (processed in third party applications), but when you open your project, the file in the timeline do not correspond to the version you did save.
If you open the file properties, there are several references for the file, e.g. File Name : Multiple Files and / or several file locations), even if the files have different names in Windows Explorer.
MMMultiplefiles.png
Your BWF files shares the same unique ID (also known as Originator Reference)
To identify BWF files, Pyramix is using its embedded Unique ID.  Therefore, the file names used in Windows are not used to identify such files.
If several BWF files have the same Unique ID, Pyramix cannot differentiate the files.
You can see the BWF UID in Pyramix by accessing the file Properties > iXML and/or BWF tab.  
Some third party applications, like BWFMetaEdit, can also show the file's UID.

  • In your third party application, see if you have an option to save the BWF file with a new unique ID.
    For example, in Izotope applications, using the Export feature will create a new Unique ID on the exported file (at least "BWF" option has to be checked).
    You will need to re-import this exported file in Pyramix.

  • Use standard WAV files instead of BWF.  WAV files do not include such embedded Unique ID, and Pyramix will use the filename to identify such file.
    Please note that in such case, the file will not include the TimeCode data or other BWF specific metadata.

  • Use Mounting rules in Pyramix Media Manager.
    Warning : this will change the way Pyramix identifies the files in the current project and folders.  Meaning if you apply such Mounting rules for files that are already in the timeline, all BWF files on the timeline will go offline.
    The good practice is then to create a Subfolder containing the problematic/3rd party files and apply the Mounting Rules on this subfolder only.  
    In the Media Manager, select the Subfolder, then access the Media Folder > Mounting Rules menu.
    Tick both "Ignore iXML chunk..." and "Ignore BWF chunk..." check-boxes, and click on OK to apply the rules.
    The files placed in that subfolder will then be identified as standard WAV files.  The subfolder will also appear green in the Media Manager to show that Mounting rules are applied.
    Please note that in such case, the files will not include the TimeCode data.

MXF Medias from previous versions appears offline

The MXF handler has been updated to fix several audio issues with MXF files in Pyramix 15.
Previous projects containing MXF files will not relink and show offline, due to the MXF Handler changes.

  • Close Pyramix

  • In Windows Explorer, go in your Media folder(s), and delete all the Quickmount files and all the PK2 files (waveforms files).

  • Restart Pyramix and relink the medias, in Project drop down menu >Reconform > Relink to new media, with the following options :
    Using current Media File Name (or Media Name) / Matching File Name (or Media Name) / Match exactly / Case Insensitive and Ignore TimeCodes options both ticked.

  • The waveforms should automatically regenerates.  (Right click on MXF clips and select Display > Generate Image/Waveform for manual regeneration)

  • You only have to do this relink process when opening your MXF project one time, once saved in the new version, the files will relink properly next time you open your project.

DSDIFF Medias from previous versions appears offline

Due to an update to support Unicode and special characters in V10.1, opening a project from a previous versions containing DSDIFF medias may show offline files.

  • Close Pyramix

  • In Windows Explorer, go in your Media folder(s), and delete all the Quickmount files and all the PK2 files (waveforms files).

  • Restart Pyramix and relink the medias, in Project drop down menu >Reconform > Relink to new media, with the following options :
    Using current Media File Name (or Media Name) / Matching File Name (or Media Name) / Match exactly / Case Insensitive and Ignore TimeCodes options both ticked.

  • To re-generate the waveform, select all files, right click on it and select Display > Generate Image/Waveform.

  • You only have to do this relink process when opening your DSDIFF project one time, once saved in the new version, the files will relink properly next time you open your project.

Media Recoverer - PMF or WAV files not displayed in Media Manager

If you had a system crash during a recording, you may not see the file(s) you were recording in the Media Manager, but you see it in Windows explorer.
In that case, the Media Recoverer can help you recover your file by rebuilding the file header and footer information.
Lost or corrupted audio data cannot be recreated by the Media Recoverer.
Since Pyramix V8.1, WAV and BWF files should recover automatically.

  • Download the Media Recoverer corresponding to your version :
    MediaRecoverer v3.0 64bits
    MediaRecoverer v3.0 32 bits (PMX v7.1 to 9.1)
  • The zip file must be extracted in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Merging Technologies\MediaHandlers, not in a subfolder, MediaRecoverer.exe must be in the same folder as Woam.dll (otherwise it will not be able to start)
    50fee760-28a5-4a8f-97c1-2c149277ddcb.png
  • Start MediaRecoverer
  • Enter some information about the file you need to recover:
    -Select the proper media Tab, according to your media file (PMF, SDII or Wave)
    -Enter the Sampling Rate (96000, 48000, 44100, ...) of the file to recover
    -Enter the Byte Rate value : 16 bits = 2  / 24 bits = 3 / 32 bits = 4
    -Enter the Number of Tracks (Pyramix record settings option "one file per track" will obviously create 1 file per audio track)

  • For PMF files only :
    Check the PK2 embedded box (or PK embedded for versions prior to v6.1) if it has been recorded with Waveform WHILE recording (most probably).
    Peak Block should stay to its default value - 128.
    Check your record block size, displayed in Pyramix Settings>Application>Playback/Record, and enter the Block Size and Peak Size (same value for both) according to the table below.

    Sampling Rate

    64 KB (default)

    96 KB

    128KB
    44.1-48 kHz

    65536

    98304 

    131072
    88.2-96 kHz

    131072

    196608 

    262144 
    176.4-192 kHz

    262144

    393192

    524288

  • Click Recover File
    Choose the original file to recover
    Choose a name for the recovery file
    -> This will create a new Media file containing all the data.

Caution: the end of the file could contain some random data (white noise at 0dB)
Note 1: Be patient some files can take a while to recover (process)
Note 2: Be careful to work on a NTFS formatted drive to not encounter the ~4GB size limitation.

Common Issues

-Audio wrong speed - pitched : wrong sampling rate
-Mixed blocks of audio spread among the tracks : wrong number of tracks
-White noise on audio : wrong byte rate
-White noise on audio (heavily distorted - Pyramix meters overload) : wrong byte rate
-White noise on audio, interrupted with noise regularly : wrong Block Size/ Peak Size

Media Recoverer - DSDIFF files not displayed in Media Manager

The DSDIFF recoverer can help you recover your file by rebuilding the file header and footer information (for dff file, in DSD64, 128 or 256)
Lost or corrupted audio datas cannot be recreated by the DSDIFF Recoverer.
The DSDIFF Recoverer works on the file itself, and do not create a new file, therefore it is important that you first do a copy of the files you need to recover.

  • Make a backup of your corrupted DSDIFF file

  • Download the DSDIFFRecoverer corresponding to your version :
    DSDIFFRecoverer 64bit
    DSDIFFRecoverer 32bit
    Extract the zip file in any convenient place.

  • Start DSDIFFRecoverer

  • Click on Open and Check, then select the dff file you need to recover.

Caution: the end of the file could contain some random data (white noise at 0dB)
Note 1: Be patient some files can take a while to recover (process)
Note 2: Be careful to work on a NTFS formatted drive to not encounter the ~4GB size limitation.

 

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