Popcorn Hanging

[rmsapanza]

everytime I try to burn a DVD, Popcorn hangs. It gets about halfway through the compressing stage and then freezes my computer, or I get a kernal panic. This is the only program it happens with. I'm using an iMac G4 800 with 768 Ram. Anybody have any clues, anybody, . . . Roxio, . .. . Bueller. . . . . .

[rmsapanza]

So it's the "bugs" in the API in Apple's OS that causes the kernel panics, not Popcorn. That's wierd. Then that means all the other programs deal with the "bugs" in Apple's OS API in a way that DOESN'T create Kernel Panics like Popcorn does. Do you think the Popcorn programmers are missing something that the other programmers know, on how to deal with the 'bugs" in the API of Apples OS?

 

I'm using 10.3.9 and the stock superdrive (Pioneer DVR-104)

Why does it sound like I have a burner problem to you?

 

 

BTW, I've burned 8 DVDs with DVD2oneX2 with no problems so far. Each time prior to burning, I've given Popcorn a chance to redeem itself first. But no such luck. 8 Times Popcorn failed, and 8 times DVD2oneX2 succeeded.

 

Do you really think it is a hardware problem. Should I take it to Apple to fix?

[freshburn]

If you are getting a kernel panic that is bring down the whole system, you have a system problem. It could even be your RAM. If just Popcorn crashes, then there is something with the source files.

 

DTOX may not access the hardware or RAM the same. It's really impossible to tell. I compress all kinds of DVD with Popcorn and Toast with out issue. Chances are you are seeing early signs of a problem. Popcorn uses as much RAM as possilbe and OS X doesn't handled bad RAM well.

[rmsapanza]

I think you are confused by what a kernel panic is. If the entire system crashes and must be powered off and rebooted, then that is a kernel panic. If Popcorn just quits, then that is just an application crash. If it just an application crash, the is most likely something wrong with the source content or something about it that Popcorn doesn't like. You can post the crash info for the thread that crashes.

 

 

 

It's a kernel panic and Popcorn causes it. The fact that it only happens on Popcorn and nothing else, says so. There is nothing wrong with the source content because DVD2oneX2 burns it with no problems. It appears that whatever Popcorn doesn't like about it, DVD2oneX2 handles it better, whatever it is.

[rmsapanza]

Wow.. I just burned the DVD using a different program(shareware) with no problems. No freezing or kernal panics. Gee, that's funny. Two different programs, written to do the same job, but one causes kernal panics and crashes, and the other program, . . . . well, just works. As I mentioned before, Popcorn is the only program that crashes my system. The many other programs I have work perfectly with no issues. Can any programmers explain why that is?

[freshburn]

Kernel Panic are low level hardware issues. If it crashes, Apple needs to fix it. What other program did you you that it worked with?

[tsantee]

That's odd, but the kernel panic during a long process makes me suspicious there may be a problem with the RAM. I suggest running the extended test on your hardware test CD to check this out. (I once had defective RAM that worked fine for nearly everything and it passed all tests except the extended hardware test).

[rmsapanza]

Kernel Panic are low level hardware issues.

 

 

So you're saying it's a hardware issue, and not a software issue. How can that be when I only get Kernel panics when I use Popcorn. I never ever get these panics anytime else. I use all the iApps, MS Office, Safari, ichat, and a gang of other misc. apps with no problems.

 

The other program I used to burn and get the job done was DVD2oneX2.

 

BTW, I ran the "Extended" hardware test, and everything passed.

 

So it seems to be software related, because it is isolated to Popcorn, and Popcorn Only.

 

Can any programmers out there explain how two different programs, written to do the same job, one crashes and causes kernel panics, yet the other just works the way it's suppose to.

 

It just doesn't make sense other than better programmers(competencies) than the other.

[freshburn]

Popcorn accesses low level API in the OS that communicate with the Hardware. Apples API are full of bugs that cause kernel panic. It sounds to me like you have a problem with the burner. From what I've read about DTOX2, it is very good at burning and is problematic, so use at your own risk.

 

What OS and burner to you have.

[rmsapanza]

If you are getting a kernel panic that is bring down the whole system, you have a system problem. It could even be your RAM.

 

 

 

Even if I checked the system using the Apple hardware Test " Extended" test, and it passed. I still could have bad RAM?

[freshburn]

Yes, it is possible. But I thinks is the drive more then the RAM, especially if it happens during a burn. What Mac do you have?

[firenhancer]

It's a kernel panic and Popcorn causes it. The fact that it only happens on Popcorn and nothing else, says so. There is nothing wrong with the source content because DVD2oneX2 burns it with no problems. It appears that whatever Popcorn doesn't like about it, DVD2oneX2 handles it better, whatever it is.

 

I think this is just system specific issue. Thousands of users have been using Popcorn without any issues. Surely, DVD2One should be a great product as well however, bypassing some crucial flags without prompting the user

[rmsapanza]

Aha !!!!. . . I finally got Popcorn to burn. I had to make sure I wasn't running ANYTHING else though. I shut down all my other programs so that the Finder was the only thing running, and it finally completed a burn. Interesting thing to note though is that I did the same thing with DVD2oneX2, and it burned it faster. There you go.

 

 

On a separate note, why does it take so long to compress. The actual burning time isn't that bad. It's the compressing time that takes up most of the time. Is there anyway to speed up the compressing time.

[rmsapanza]

Yes, it is possible. But I thinks is the drive more then the RAM, especially if it happens during a burn. What Mac do you have?

 

 

 

It doesn't happen during the actual burning process. It happens during the compessing process. Popcorn never gets far enough to crash during burning. It always crashes during the compressing process. I have an iMac 800, 768 mb RAM.

 

BTW, since the last time I posted, I've burned another 6 DVDs with DVD2oneX2 with no problem. Again, each time I gave Popcorn a chance to burn it first and Popcorn failed as always.

 

So, it cannot be the drive. Nor can it be the RAM. It appears that DVD2oneX2 is just written better.

[freshburn]

I think you are confused by what a kernel panic is. If the entire system crashes and must be powered off and rebooted, then that is a kernel panic. If Popcorn just quits, then that is just an application crash. If it just an application crash, the is most likely something wrong with the source content or something about it that Popcorn doesn't like. You can post the crash info for the thread that crashes.