Unable to retrieve dynamic links

[alicelee]

I always get the "error connecting to host" message when I tried to listen to songs (lo fi play) on the MP3.com website, while retrieving Winamp dynamic links as well as sending in survey - user information. What can I do? Thanks for your help.

[Edited by alicelee on 04-21-2001 at 04:37 PM]

[xvd]

Hello !
I had the same problem, with version 2.75.
Searching for a solution to two other problems, I installed version 2.76 and found out by accident that THIS problem had disappeared; I have not found out the reason, yet.
I still have the problem with "sending in survey" = "error connecting to host".
Hope it can help !.

[DJ Egg]

Sending in survey?
If this is what I think it is . . .
goto: Winamp Prefs (Ctrl+P) -> Setup
Uncheck "...report anonymous basic user info" & "check for new versions..."

Also make sure that the other settings in there are correct
(eg. Connection Type & proxy details, if any)

[xvd]

DJEgg : Thank you for responding to the message of a layman trying to assist another one !.
That message was but the by-product of another message (please see below) that I sent to "Support Winamp", for lack of finding something useful in this respect in the forums. "Support Winamp" is now directing me to you.

Message originally sent to Support Winamp :
Quote
Thank you for your quick and friendly response. I have taken some time to do some additional homework (FQ/Forums) - unhappily to no avail - before coming back to you.
ADDITIONAL INFO not covered in Winamp check list but which may be relevant in this case.
* I am connected via a cable modem;
* Internet settings under Winamp Preferences are checked for "Using Lan Internet connection" with the "HTTP proxy - Server port" left blank.
CHANGE TO PREVIOUS INFO
I have replaced version 2.75 by 2.76 Full, downloaded from nullsoft.com. ALL default settings have been kept.
CLARIFICATION OF MY PROBLEM
Sorry for not having been clear. English is not my mother tongue!.
* I have NO problem downloading Winamp;
* I have NO problem installing Winamp.
PROBLEM
At the end of the installation and EACH TIME I click on a Winamp icon to start, I get the "Winamp Setup : user information" dialog box. I fill it, checking all boxes (except "stop bugging me!"); click "next" and get the information Box "Sending in survey - connecting to host..." to end up, each time, with an "ERROR CONNECTING TO HOST" information box. It switches then to the Winamp Main Window/Playlist Editor (OK).
I found similar threads in the forums. The only reply to date was to check "Stop bugging me!", which I don't find very useful!.
UNQUOTE
MY SYSTEM SPECS
* PC Packard Bell iXtreme 8100 GF rw 256 MB - 1 GHz;
* Hard disk drive - 46 GB;
* Windows Lillennium 4.90 - DirectX 8.0;
* Cable modem - ISP address : http://pac.pandora.be.8080;
* Graphics acc.card 4xAGP - Leadtek GeForce 2 MX 32 MB;
* Sound card : Creative Soundblaster Live! 1024;
* Winamp 2.76/Real PLayer 8 Basic/Windows Media Player 7.01

ADDITIONAL INFO.
I HAD two other problems :
* Interference between Real Player and Winamp.
Solved applying your first fix (posts 3251 -
Tech Support Greatest hits). Thanks !
* When clicking to listen to any radio station in Winamp minibrowser, I would get a fleeing file download screen reading "getting information...034&rn=3806&file=filename.pls from http://www.shoutcast.com", followed by an information box "retrieving Winamp dynamic links - Winamp Update Site - Connecting to Host..." ending in a message "ERROR CONNECTING TO HOST". I would be switched to RealPlayer, with a variety of negative messages such as "RealPlayer cannot contact the RealNetworks AutoUpdate server. Please try again later" or "Currently AutoUpdate has no plug-in available to play your selection" or "a General Error has occured".
The following messages would appear in my Winamp minibrowser:
"Warning : Can't connect to MySQL server on 205.188.234.72(61) in /usr/www/shoutcast/inc/sqllib/new/inc on line 46".
"Warning : cannot add header information - headers already sent by (output started at /usr/www/shoutcast/inc/sqllib.new.inc:46 in /usr/www/shoutcast/inc/cookietrack.inc on line 28.".

This problem disappeared when I switched from 2.75 to version 2.76 but, as much as I hate to guess, I have the uneasy feeling that it might be coincidental and rather linked to the disappearance/removal of a SHOUTcast plug-in, during that switch.
As I have read about similar, unsolved problems (dynamic link/error connecting to host, radio, etc) in the forums, I thought this detailes sequence might help the experts narrowing their field of investigation.
------------
I have been very much impressed by the volume and quality of your assistance. (Tech Support Greatest hits or Lady_Lynn being just two). I have not found many others, and not to that extent.

I would wish (wishful thinking ?)1) that many people would refrain from using the forums for totally unrelated purposes, often of a questionable taste; 2) that some people would realize that many Winamp users throughout the world do not have English as their mother language and are not familiar with US slangs; yet they like to rely on the forums as their primary source of assistance.

I tried the solution to the "sending in survey" that you suggested, based on the very sketchy information you had. It didnot work. I would be very grateful for any other proposal, in the light of the more detailed description of the problem given above. Sorry for the length of this message and thank you. Xavier/Belgium.

[alicelee]

xvd: Thank you for the reply to my message. I really appreciate it.

[DJ Egg]

xvd
I'm pretty certain that most LAN connections require a proxy.
If this is the case, you should be able to find out the relevant info via:
Internet Explorer -> Tools -> Options -> Connections tab
(c/o LAN Settings, or Dial-Up settings -> Server -> settings)
and then type this info into the proxy field in Winamp -> Prefs -> Setup.

btw, the Shoutcast streaming/listening settings are controlled/accessible by:
Prefs -> Input -> MPEG Audio Decoder -> config -> Streaming tab.

Hey, I agree with your sentiments entirely.
It irks me too when people post non-related, frivolous, ambiguous or unhelpful comments within a thread. If it helps to know, I'm in Leeds, UK . . . not USA . . . although I've got absolutely nothing against our American friends whatsoever, he he *

* Naturally, this is a very general statement. Yes, sure, there's always exceptions to the rule, especially where certain individuals are concerned . . . and this applies to ALL nations/creeds, including UK . . . though most of these exceptions tend to be people in high places (eg. government & authorities) . . . though I've never been too keen on ignorance, pomposity & pig-headed bigotry. Far out, eh !?!?

Hey, I've been to Belgium a fair few times (with friends, for holidays, on tour with Megadog, quick visits from Netherlands, etc), love it lots (Brussels, Bruges, Ostend, etc) . . . you've also got a top music scene too (Kk, SSR, R&S labels, etc)

Anyway, thanks for your kind words.
Good luck & let me know how you get on.

[xvd]

DJEgg - you did it again ! - many thanks.
Summarizing it for the benefit of others (alicelee?) :

1) PROBLEM(s) EXPERIENCED
1.1 "ERROR CONNECTING TO HOST" after downloading & installing Winamp (whether 2.72/2.75/2.76) and trying to send the "Winamp Setup - user information" dialog box. The "Sending survey - connecting to host..." information box was followed by an "error connecting to host" message.

N.B. No subsequent problem accessing Winamp player by clicking on "Later" button in the "Winamp Setup : user information" dialog box.

1.2 Associated problems to #1.1 :

"WINAMP SETUP - USER INFORMATION" dialog box was popping-up each and every time when starting Winamp;
"SENDING IN SURVEY - connecting to host" information box ending up into an "error connecting to host".

2) SPECIFIC USER's ENVIRONMENT
Cable modem connection / Windows Me.

3) SOLUTION - (as suggested by DJEgg)

3.1) Go to Winamp; click on faceplate => main menu => Options => Preferences => Winamp Setup (or use keyboard shortcuts) => HTTP proxy: "Server:Port" frame;
3.2) ENTER your ISP address in the window ! (to allow Winamp to use the proxy server of your ISP).

N.B. : in my specific case : "proxy.pandora.be:8080" where :
- pandora.be is my Internet Service Provider and
- 8080 being the port recommended by my ISP.

(my)PROBLEMS SOLVED.
--------------

DJEgg : As this part is not entirely technical, I will keep it brief in order not to fully disregard my own recommendations !.
1) no easy way for the moderators to dump unrelated comments in the Bitchlist forum ?
2) I have been associated with americans (US nationals) privately and professionally all my life and can't help liking them; well, not ALL. I visited your "Profile" and "Home Page" before sending my SOS (overwhelming !).
3) If you should ever cross the Channel again in this direction => Europe=>Belgium=>Antwerp, send me a e-mail and be my guest.
Please do not comment on the above or else take the 5th amendment otherwise we will end up in the boon-docks (US slang).
4) Should you have a solution/advice/hint for the "retrieving Winamp dynamic links" problem (solved accidentally ? in my case - see previous message), you would make additional newbies happy !.
5) I intend to send you some suggestions, through the Administrator, for improving the assistance to newcomers, laymen and other newbies.
Many thanks again ! Xavier.

[DJ Egg]

Cool
Cheers xvd
Keep in touch!

[phantombluefan]

I have been having problems with real player trying to play everything that is played with winamp even the new videos that can only be played on winamp. I actually have winamp 3 but this is the forum I found with someone else having this same problem with the evil real player. I find the only way to get shoutcast stations on winamp is to enter the stations feed url because if I click on it from the site real player will grab the feed. how can I keep real player from doing this I know the answer is probably there somewhere but it is very long and drawn out sorry thanks for listening stay cool

[DJ Egg]

Hi

Wow, this an old thread (from 2 years ago).

Try here:
How to Unassociate RP8 from Streaming Playlists & Make Winamp the Default Instead

Note: The thread relates to Winamp 2.x, not Winamp3 . . .
Also note: Installing any version of Winamp higher than 2.79 will also fix the problem (current version = 2.91) because the regfix from the above thread was implemented into the Winamp setup.
However, the same regfix has not been implemented into Winamp3 v1.0

So, you could just install Winamp 2.91 to fix it,
then go back to using Winamp3 as the default player.
Though then you'll have a choice of using either of the two different players (they can both quite happily co-exist on the same system and never conflict with each other . . . though, if you use the Winamp Agent in Winamp3, then don't install it for 2.91 - uncheck this option during setup).

Further note:
The new Media Library in 2.91 features Shoutcast stations listings


Re: Winamp3
Just to let you know that you're not alone:
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....hreadid=122054
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....hreadid=120888
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread....hreadid=117748

[phantombluefan]

thanks for the reply, when I searched forums for 'real player interfering with winamp' I happened to get taken to winamp support forum. like I said the winamp works fine, its a matter of real player btw its a real one tries to play all streams even though the default player was unchecked. a friend told me that real player is very aggresive. also do you know anything about this war between real player and windows player where one tries to kill the other so if you have the losing player it wont open no matter what even if you uninstall and reinstall? I cant make winamp full deafault player because KNAC.COM plays only on windows and real and then winamp tried to grab the stream. thanks I will look on those other threads too