BigBox suddenly stops playing startup video...

[FormulaFox]

Hey, everyone, having a bit of an odd problem here... Nothing destructive to the usability of anything, thankfully, but a bit odd and mildly annoying.

Put simply, out of the blue, BigBox started deciding to cancel playback of my startup video about five seconds in. I did just recently update to the latest version of Launchbox, but the problem did not start until I had loaded up BigBox several times without this issue. It acts like I pushed the button to cancel the video after five seconds. It's clear is nothing is triggering random cancel inputs, as no other such behavior indicating such is occurring. I have no idea what setting could have been changed to cause this, or even if it IS a setting, and have no idea where to begin troubleshooting such a weird issue.

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

[Saieno]

I also have this issue, however my configuration might be a little different than yours so my solution might not work for you exactly.

Essentially I have BigBix configured to load up at boot, via a batch file which kicks off KioskBox and a couple commands to hide my task bar and other misc things. By changing how this batch file is executed, the full intro video appears to play for me now.

Granted I'm on 12.14 and ran into this same issue, but as a test, if you load up BigBox, exit it, then load it up again, does the full intro video play for you? You won't want to reboot, just load up BigBox, close it, then load it up again. I noticed on the initial load it'll cut off the video, but on subsequent loads it plays the intro in its entirety. 

[FormulaFox]

9 hours ago, Saieno said:

I also have this issue, however my configuration might be a little different than yours so my solution might not work for you exactly.

Essentially I have BigBix configured to load up at boot, via a batch file which kicks off KioskBox and a couple commands to hide my task bar and other misc things. By changing how this batch file is executed, the full intro video appears to play for me now.

Granted I'm on 12.14 and ran into this same issue, but as a test, if you load up BigBox, exit it, then load it up again, does the full intro video play for you? You won't want to reboot, just load up BigBox, close it, then load it up again. I noticed on the initial load it'll cut off the video, but on subsequent loads it plays the intro in its entirety. 

I also have BigBox configured to load this same way. I have tested by exiting out of BigBox(but not shutting down) and opening it again, and it cuts off the video every time.

[Saieno]

3 hours ago, FormulaFox said:

I also have BigBox configured to load this same way. I have tested by exiting out of BigBox(but not shutting down) and opening it again, and it cuts off the video every time.

I might be able to help then! Can you provide your batch script you're using to launch BigBox? Might be able to help with reformatting it to something similar to mine.

[FormulaFox]

2 hours ago, Saieno said:

I might be able to help then! Can you provide your batch script you're using to launch BigBox? Might be able to help with reformatting it to something similar to mine.

I'll have to dig that up when I have time later, and at this time I can't remember where that batch file gets put to dig it up anyway! I'll get to it as soon as I have time, though.

[Saieno]

No worries, I'm watching this thread so whenever you get to it!

[FormulaFox]

Okay, the way I have BigBox set to boot on startup is just by putting a shortcut to BigBox.exe in the Windows Startup folder. There's no dedicated script to launch it, so it can't be related to it being set to start on boot - which doesn't surprise me since this is an issue EVERY TIME I start BigBox, even when I'm not booting up the PC.

[skizzosjt]

 @FormulaFox  have you confirmed the video(s) play all the way through if you opened them outside of Big Box? Best to make sure you're not chasing your tail if they got corrupted one way or the other

[FormulaFox]

3 minutes ago, skizzosjt said:

 @FormulaFox  have you confirmed the video(s) play all the way through if you opened them outside of Big Box? Best to make sure you're not chasing your tail if they got corrupted one way or the other

Yeah, that was the first thing I did. I didn't expect it to go anywhere since the amount of time it played was pretty random(I know I said "About five seconds in" but that was the upper end - sometimes it barely plays for a full second), but I know to always check the video first when you have these types of issues. It plays in VLC just fine with no discernible issue(and yes, Launchbox is set to use VLC for playback).

First thing I did after confirming the video was fine was update VLC just to be sure there wasn't an issue there and the problem persisted.

[Saieno]

Have you tried reverting to 12.14? Do you still have the issue there?

[skizzosjt]

5 minutes ago, FormulaFox said:

Yeah, that was the first thing I did. I didn't expect it to go anywhere since the amount of time it played was pretty random(I know I said "About five seconds in" but that was the upper end - sometimes it barely plays for a full second), but I know to always check the video first when you have these types of issues. It plays in VLC just fine with no discernible issue(and yes, Launchbox is set to use VLC for playback).

First thing I did after confirming the video was fine was update VLC just to be sure there wasn't an issue there and the problem persisted.

ok very good then, all thorough checks there! I don't got much for ideas here but I do know there are two ways to make the startup videos appear.

Method #1 is putting a video file called "Startup" in your LaunchBox\Videos folder

Method #2 is putting a folder called "Startup" in your LaunchBox\Videos folder. Inside the Startup folder, place any number of videos named whatever you want, it doesn't matter since it cycles through them for random videos at startup.

Depending on which method you're using, see if the opposite offers anything different?

I would go so far to physically disconnect my peripherals, or really just any keyboards and controllers. The mouse is not supposed to not be capable of disrupting the startup video. So the idea here is if you removed the peripherals from your system that could interrupt it, and it doesn't happen anymore, maybe one of them are acting up and sending some phantom inputs without you knowing? Might sound silly but it's easy to check! And Saieno has the right idea.....just gotta start eliminating variables here so BB version is good one to add to the list of stuff to check.

 

[FormulaFox]

24 minutes ago, Saieno said:

Have you tried reverting to 12.14? Do you still have the issue there?

How do I do that?

[skizzosjt]

4 minutes ago, FormulaFox said:

How do I do that?

navigate to LaunchBox/Updates. All the install packages that were downloaded through LB will be in there.

[FormulaFox]

9 minutes ago, skizzosjt said:

I would go so far to physically disconnect my peripherals, or really just any keyboards and controllers. The mouse is not supposed to not be capable of disrupting the startup video. So the idea here is if you removed the peripherals from your system that could interrupt it, and it doesn't happen anymore, maybe one of them are acting up and sending some phantom inputs without you knowing? Might sound silly but it's easy to check! And Saieno has the right idea.....just gotta start eliminating variables here so BB version is good one to add to the list of stuff to check.

 

It's this. But now we have a bigger problem.

The peripheral that's doing this is the ONE peripheral that I CAN'T remove from the equation: The Minipac arcade encoder.

Thing is, though, I've monitored it in the Windows settings for the controller inputs and it's NOT showing any detected uncommanded inputs. I'm not getting any uncommanded inputs in any games, or on any menus, it is ONLY causing this.

[FormulaFox]

Rolling back Launchbox version had no effect. However, I MIGHT have figured out the issue, but there IS an open question mark about it still.

I opened up the control panel and took a look, and found my 2P Start button's ground wire was bumping up against the 2P Coin/Select button's main wire. Manipulating the ground connector could trigger uncommanded 2P coin/select inputs. I bent the prong on the ground wire a bit to prevent further interactions and the problem seems to have cleared.

HOWEVER, at no point before doing this did any uncommanded inputs ever go off that could be read by Windows, or any games, without me manipulating the ground connector. It only impacted the startup video. What's more, the connectors were both covered by a rubber sheath so they shouldn't have been able to short each other, so I'm not convinced there isn't another issue in play.

 

Can anyone think of anything else I should check?

[skizzosjt]

2 minutes ago, FormulaFox said:

It's this. But now we have a bigger problem.

The peripheral that's doing this is the ONE peripheral that I CAN'T remove from the equation: The Minipac arcade encoder.

Thing is, though, I've monitored it in the Windows settings for the controller inputs and it's NOT showing any detected uncommanded inputs. I'm not getting any uncommanded inputs in any games, or on any menus, it is ONLY causing this.

lol oh man of course it's something challenging like a required encoder! I assume this means you need this for an arcade/cab setup so I get the idea that it's out of the equation to remove it. Any chance it has something like a secondary engage feature? ( I Know that's not the proper term but I'm drawing a blank here) ie if you press key/button A it puts it into a mode to alter the next key/button detected? Further explaining, you hit K and get K typed out. But if you hit  the key assigned to this secondary mode and if you hit K this time it types out P ? I'm just wondering if such a feature existed on this, does it actually output something or just engage this feature? The secondary engage button might do enough to disrupt the video even though it doesn't physically make an input you can see on your display like typing out a key or moving the cursor position etc. If it exists I would turn this feature off to check and make sure it isn't a culprit to send a phantom input

 

 

errr, just saw your new post here as I wrote this. I'd say you found it with those wires more or less being crossed. Certainly sounds like it could be the smoking gun. I'd say, crack open a cold one 🍺, enjoy playing some games and see if the problem continues. No reason to fret over it if it's very possible you found the problem and solved it. Being vigilant is good, but you might really be chasing your tail looking for a problem that doesn't exist. So basically keep an eye out for any more funny behavior before you go diving head first into your cab again lol

[Saieno]

For me, when things were initializing it would trigger the video to close midway. Not sure what kind of signal is sent usually for BigBox to close it and continue, but it seems fairly sensitive. Glad you were able to get it resolved!

[FormulaFox]

9 hours ago, skizzosjt said:

I assume this means you need this for an arcade/cab setup so I get the idea that it's out of the equation to remove it.

 

Indeed this is the case. And here's a small image gallery of the cabinet: https://imgur.com/a/qSslCxV

[skizzosjt]

On 10/7/2022 at 5:05 AM, FormulaFox said:

Indeed this is the case. And here's a small image gallery of the cabinet: https://imgur.com/a/qSslCxV

nice!

You have made me curious (not hard to do lol). What's up with this potentiometer or kinda looks like a dimmer dial? Does it do that, dim/brighten all the lights ? Or perhaps a main volume control?

 

Also, please share more details about this guy! I've been investigating solutions to have an actual button work as power ON/OFF to the PC and there's a handful of ways I can utilize, but I could see something like this being just as good if not better. So I'd like to know whatever device this is that you're using!

Edited October 8, 2022 by skizzosjt

[FormulaFox]

1 hour ago, skizzosjt said:

You have made me curious (not hard to do lol). What's up with this potentiometer or kinda looks like a dimmer dial? Does it do that, dim/brighten all the lights ? Or perhaps a main volume control?

 

Volume control. It's a simple 3.5mm volume control knob(specifically, this one: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2KDL3Y1?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details ). There's a hole on the front panel that is still covered by the graphics which this will eventually stick out of for ease of access, but I have to make an extension for the knob first.

1 hour ago, skizzosjt said:

 

 

Also, please share more details about this guy! I've been investigating solutions to have an actual button work as power ON/OFF to the PC and there's a handful of ways I can utilize, but I could see something like this being just as good if not better. So I'd like to know whatever device this is that you're using!

That is the on/off remote for this: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Defiant-Wireless-Indoor-Outdoor-Remote-Control-YLT-42/301844750

The way I originally planned this is that I had a power button for the PC that would be inside of the control panel to turn things on, but I rain into a bit of a snag when I installed the LED light strip for the marquee backlight - if I plugged it into the USB ports on the PC, it would always be on, even when the PC was powered off. So I needed a pwoer switch for it. Initially I just looked for USB switches, but at some point I figured there was no reason I couldn't just get a switch for the whole system. A simple power strip would do, and while looking for deals I stumbled across that - in stock locally. Only power plugs on the system were for the PC and monitor, so two ports was just fine.

Then I got to thinking.... is there a way to make a PC boot up automatically when it gets power?

Answer? YES - at least on some motherboards - In the BIOS, go to the Advanced tab, highlight "Restore AC Power Loss" and if it has three options, "Power Off, Power On, Restore Last State" then Power On will make the system boot when you flip your power switch on. So now that remote turns on the monitor and marquee light, AND boots the PC.

I had not expected this when I started the project. I still have the power button in the control panel arrangement so I can more easily do a hard shutdown if the system freezes, but this overall arrangement is MUCH better.