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VoxPro FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions #

VoxPro #

  • I have an old hard drive with recordings on it that I’m trying to recover. The version that made them is VoxPro v1.8 but the machine will not start. Is there a utility or what is the file type for the audio?

    What kind of audio files do you have? If they’re in VoxPro Wave format which uses a .vpw suffix, then they’re compatible with current versions of VoxPro. If that is the case, they’re also “RIFF wave” files so you could rename the file extension to .wav and then use any Windows audio app to play them. The one caveat: what you’ll hear is the original recording without any of the edits which may have been made to the file using VoxPro.

    If they are the older Mac format, which was also used by VoxPro 3 on Win98 and WinXP then you’ll have separate mono files for the left and right channels without a standard header. The only way to read these is to use an older app like CoolEdit or Audacity which allows you to import files in “raw” format. This would be a slow and painstaking process to import the separate left and right channels this way but you could then use the apps to export a “mix” to a single stereo wave format file.

  • We recently added two VoxPros to a production studio and an air studio. The problem we have is the air studio VP can see the VP network but it can only communicate with two studio VPs from a different station in our cluster. The production studio VP does not see anything on the VP network. What do we need to do to get these new VPs to properly communicate with each other over the VP network?

    VoxPro networking depends on Windows remote access and sharing protocols. If a remote machine is inaccessible through Windows (e.g. File Explorer) then it will also be inaccessible through VoxPro. There are three basic conditions for remote access: the folder must be shared to the network; all users must have full read/write permission; and the folder must be accessible without requiring login credentials (i.e. no username, no password).  

    Pages 12-17 of the VoxPro Admin Guide, which you can access through VoxPro’s Help menu, describes VoxPro Network Configuration and Diagnostics, followed by File Sharing and Remote Access.

    This networking troubleshooting guide will also help you. 

  • Can different versions of the USB surfaces be used simultaneously?

    You may connect up to four controllers to the same PC. Since they’ll all be active at all times, your crew will need to work out a way to coordinate actions and not step all over each other.

  • Is it better to setup users on a new machine first then copy over audio? I copied the VP_Depot folder from the old PC into the same location on the new PC but I’m still not seeing audio from all users, only a couple show up.

    Copy all of the user accounts and their audio files first. On your old PC, copy the Users_Local.inf file, in C:UsersPublicVoxPro, into a folder in the same location on the new PC. This is the file VP uses to know who your users are and where their accounts live. It’s a text file that you can view using NotePad to make sure the information is correct. Change anything that isn’t. Save the file, then start VoxPro.

  • What configurations are needed for a remote play to work with VP7? It was working with an older version of VoxPro but with VP7 the remote play is not working.

    Is the remote hardwired to the control panel’s DB9 connector, or does the play command come over the WNIP network from a Blade logic interface? If you are using the control panel logic, please note that an option for disabling remote control was added in VP6. To reach that setting go to: Settings > Disable Remote Controller… Make sure the remote logic you want to use is not checked here, disabling it. Note that these settings can be different for each VoxPro user.

  • How do I troubleshoot problems with my VoxPro Controller?

    This document covers al l aspects of the VoxPro controller operation and has a test application you can download and use to test the connection.

  • I’m installing new VoxPro equipment and the controller’s Scrub Wheel doesn’t function properly when scrubbing forward. I tried with a different controller on the same PC/software and was unable to recreate the issue, which leads me to believe it’s a physical issue with this one controller.

    We do see this from time-to-time, but fortunately it’s a relatively easy fix. There’s an optical sensor, under the wheel, which has gotten jolted out of alignment (dropping the controller is a good way of causing that) and that’s most likely why the scrubbing is not working right. 

    Carefully remove the controller’s top cover (note that it’s a tight fit) to expose the underside of the jog wheel. You’ll see a thin disk with slits around the edge, and a small sensor on a thin metal bracket. This sensor must squarely straddle the wheel so it receives light thru the slits. Use your pinky to gently nudge it back into place. You can keep the controller plugged in during this operation so you can spin the wheel to verify proper operation before reassembling the controller.

  • Who do I contact to get my controller repaired if I need to replace a button, LCD, encoder, etc.?

    Contact: JL Cooper in El Segundo, CA. They are the OEM and handle all repairs and parts. Note that they only work on controllers which are less than seven years old. If you have an older controller, replacement parts are available so you can service it yourself. Button switches and encoder parts are relatively easy to replace, but if your unit can’t connect to the PC and the cabling is not the issue, then it may be time to replace the controller.

    There’s a JL Cooper RMA Form (controlpanel_rma_instructions.pdf) that you can fill out and email them to get an RA # so you can send in a controller for service. If you’d rather do the work yourself, there’s a field replaceable parts list (voxpro_control_panel_parts.pdf). You order parts using a JL Cooper parts order form (parts_order_form_voxpro.pdf). 

  • How does one move the VoxPro hotkey audio files and other settings to a new PC?

    VoxPro maintains a configuration folder in C:UsersPublicVoxPro with a file named Users_Local.inf if you’ve created VoxPro user accounts and are not just using the generic Admin and Guest accounts. The Users_Local file is a text-only file which can be viewed using WordPad or Notepad. The file lists the full paths to the users’ various account folders.

    By default, VoxPro accounts are saved in C:UsersPublicVoxProVP_Depot so probably the easiest approach is to copy this entire folder into the same folder location on the new computer. When User accounts are used, the Users_Local.inf file tells VoxPro where the various user accounts are actually located so you can edit that file to add, remove, rename, or move user account folders.  

    For more details about all of this, here’s a link to get the Managing VoxPro User Accounts white paper

    The VP7 Admin Guide is another good source for this type of information. You’ll find a link to it under Help in VoxPro.

  • Do you have any recommendations or exclusions, from an antivirus point of view, to run VoxPro?

    Most antivirus programs have a way to whitelist applications. You may need to do that with the HASP driver installer (haspdinst.exe) and all executables in the VoxPro installation folder. CDM 2.04.16 is the control panel driver installer. VPVC.exe is a utility used for converting audio files from VoxPro3.X to VoxPro4 and later. FTD2XX.DLL is the module VoxPro uses to talk to the control panel. DSETUP.DLL is a Microsoft DLL used to query DirectX audio functions. Since we’ve not heard from other VP4 users that anything out of the ordinary was required to get it to run on Win10, other than installing the newer HASP driver, it does not appear you will typically have to go to extremes with whitelisting the VP apps.

  • VoxPro throws an unable to open record device error at startup.

    In Windows 10 and above, if there is no microphone plugged into an input on some sound cards (especially the sound card built into the motherboard), it doesn’t appear in the Windows Sound Control Panel. 

    If there is no available record input in the Windows sound control panel, then VoxPro can’t finish its setup process to open and throws the error.

    Professional and prosumer cards generally won’t do this, but “Sound Blaster” style cards will. Plug in a microphone, wait for a record input to appear in the Windows Sound Control Panel, and then VoxPro can open.

    Also, make sure that Microphone Privacy is turned on in Windows 10 and 11 and that Windows has been set to “Allow desktop apps to use your microphone.” See this Windows Support article for more information.  

  • VP looks normal until I hit record, then an error window pops up that says record error.

    That error indicates that the audio capture device assigned in VoxPro is not working properly. This may mean that the driver for the audio card on that PC was not loaded or is not compatible with Windows, if it did an update. Is this a Windows 10/11 PC? If so, it could also mean that Windows changed the “mic access” setting on VoxPro so it’s now not allowing VP to create a record buffer. 

    If you have “<Default Windows Capture Device>” selected in VoxPro (look at Settings > Audio Devices and Format… window, see attached Default Windows Capture Device screenshot) then you could select a different input source in the Sounds Control Panel, or change the selected source in the Audio Devices window, then try recording. If you don’t get an error using the alternate source then it’s most likely a driver issue for the audio input that was selected.

    If you still get a record buffer error even when using a mic or line input on the PC, and it’s a WIN 10 PC, then most likely it’s a “Mic Privacy” settings issue. Go to the Mic Privacy Control Panel

    Click in the Windows search bar and type Microphone Privacy and pick Microphone Privacy Settings.

    Look first up top for the master switch that says Microphone Access and make sure that is set to On.

    Then scroll down to where it says “Let Desktop Apps use your microphone and make sure that’s On. You will see VoxPro in the list of desktop apps below. 

    If you’re using an audio driver for streaming audio to a WNIP system, also check your sample rate settings on each record and play channel since a Windows update can change those to 48k, and most radio users’ systems use 44k.

    Another change that occurred with Windows 10: If nothing’s plugged into an AUDIO INPUT then that audio input device does not exist, so check that you have something plugged into the selected audio input, otherwise that input will not be available as an audio input device. See if, with an active audio signal connected to the selected audio input, VP can then do a recording.

  • I accidentally left VoxPro recording for over two hours. When I again started VoxPro I got an “object reference not set to an instance of an object” error message. I had to restart the PC to clear that error. It seems OK, but does that indicate a program error?

    The “object reference” error indicates that some Windows function (a counter, file size, etc.) exceeded a maximum limit. It was nice that Windows displayed a polite message rather than simply crashing VoxPro! The theoretical maximum length of a Windows wave file is around 4 hours, so recording a lengthy file, even if it was two hours long, should not have caused any issues but it just as easily could indicate the hard disk become full as well.

    For your information, here’s the process that occurs when you start a new VoxPro recording: 

    1. A 512KB file is created to hold the RIFF wave file headers and our proprietary header information, which stores editing data including a history of all edits done to that file, so most of that file is empty when you start a recording. 

    2. A relatively small buffer is setup in RAM to hold incoming audio so it can then be transferred to the disk in chunks of data.  

    3. As the RAM record buffer fills up, the audio gets transferred to the record file on the hard drive, being continuously appended to the end of the record file so that the record file continues to grow in size dynamically until stop is pressed.

  • Does VoxPro support Livewire GPIOs?

    VoxPro has supported Axia GPIOs since VP5. If the Livewire driver is installed then you should see an Axia GPIO configuration command in the Administrator’s Settings menu. Contact Axia support if you need assistance setting up their logic.

  • How do I move audio files from one PC to another and get VoxPro to find them?

    On the existing VP PC, you’ll find a file in C:UsersPublicVoxPro called Users_Local.inf. This is a text file that’s opened using Notepad or Wordpad. It contains a list of the full paths to every user’s account. By default, the accounts are saved in C:UsersPublicVoxProVP_Depot but they can be saved anywhere, including on a secondary drive or network drive. So, for the simplest case: copy all the audio files to the new PC putting them into the same folder locations, and then copy the Users_Local.inf file as is. If you want to make any changes to your user list (delete users, add users, move them, rename them, etc.) then make the appropriate changes to the Users_Local.inf file. As to file locations, the first thing VoxPro does when it starts is to read the Users_Local.inf file, which tells it which user accounts exist and where they live.

    See this document for more information

  • We just did some updates to the PC and now it’s not recognizing the Keylok USB dongle. Can we swap it for a software license?

    VoxPro does not offer a software license. Let’s start by getting the latest Keylok driver:

    Go to https://www.keylok.com/support/install-utility-download and download Install.exe

    Follow the instructions in the setup; it will prompt you when to install the dongle.

    In the Dongle Type section check KEYLOK 2 (USB w/Driver). In the Installation Type section select Standalone.

    After installing the driver, the driver will validate. 

    In Windows 11, Windows Memory Integrity can prevent the Keylok driver from loading. If this happens, even with the latest Keylok driver installed, the USB key will have a caution sign in device manager and Windows will throw a pop-up saying a security setting prevented a driver from loading. To fix go to Windows Security, then go to Core Isolation, and turn Memory Integrity off. Reboot. The driver will load. 

  • How does voxpro know what computer to communicate via port 33333? Is it multicast or is there one more config file?

    That’s why we use UDP broadcast. The VoxPro machines don’t need to know about each other. They just need to be on the same LAN. The same mechanism is used to exchange user lists. When VoxPro is started it sends out a broadcast message containing the UNC paths to user accounts which it “owns” (i.e., were created on that machine). Other VoxPros on the LAN receive that message and respond with their own user lists. Thus the folder C:UsersPublicVoxPro is populated with files in the form of Users_<remoteMachine>.inf as each VP on the network sends out its list and receives others in return. A good test of the network is to delete all of these files EXCEPT Users_Local.inf, then restart VoxPro. As the user list from each VP on the LAN is received and written to the folder, you have confirmed two-way communication with that machine. It doesn’t necessarily guarantee that you have write permission into those folders, but that’s another issue…

  • Do you have any tips for deploying Voxpro over l2tp VPN? I was able to map the main server drive but haven’t done a deployment in a bit. Does it require name resolution?

    For our users only Delilah is doing this. I’m going to hazard a guess that if Windows allows you to access the mapped drive without, for example, prompting you for credentials, then VoxPro will also have no problem accessing it. Be aware that VoxPro looks in this file: C:UsersPublicVoxProUsers_Local.inf for the location of user account folders. These may be mapped drives or network locations with valid UNC paths. Note that we recommend keeping the Admin and Guest accounts on the local C: drive so that they’re available when the network or external drive is nto available. There’s a diagnostic tool in Settings/VoxProNetwork that displays network paths to accounts. It also warns you if no valid path exists. Note: You must be logged in as Admin to access that menu item.

    All in all running VoxPro over a VPN is not too tricky. The main thing is to enable NetBIOS at both ends (Firewall rule for 33333). Setup as usual just map the network drive via IP address then add the user from the mapped drive.

  • We have nine VoxPro workstations that we want to network to share resources. How is this done? Do you instructions to accomplish this?

    The folder containing each VoxPro user account must be shared to the network, and it must set for user access permissions. This allows other users on the network to read and write (“full control” in Windows parlance) to that folder without having to supply user credentials (e.g., name and password) in order to access that location.

    Win10 has made it relatively easy to share and access the VoxPro folder at C:UsersPublic, which is why this is the default location of the VoxPro configuration folder (C:UsersPublicVoxPro) and the user accounts (C:UsersPublicVoxProVP_Depot<user name>). It’s usually sufficient to share just the C:UsersPublic folder, since that will automatically share everything under it.

    To enable networking in VoxPro you must log into the Admin account on each machine that you want to join the network. View Settings > VoxProNetwork and verify it’s enabled on each PC. You can also enable/disable connections to individual VoxPro workstations on the network from this dialog box. It also contains a very useful diagnostic tool that shows if your shared accounts actually have a valid UNC path.

    Keep in mind: Admin and Guest accounts on each VoxPro machine are NEVER shared. Only “normal user” accounts other than the default Admin and Guest, can be shared to other VoxPro machines.

    One thing to note about folder updating: the first requirement is that all VoxPro versions must be the same. More specifically, if one is VP4 and the other are VP5/6/7 dynamic updates won’t happen. The second requirement is that the UDP broadcast messages on port 33333 are allowed across the LAN/VPN. Normally, all UDP broadcast messages are enabled by default among devices connected to a given switch or router–but not beyond that, so I suspect that on a VPN you might need to enable that port.

    When sharing is working, you’ll see user config files from remote machines that are saved in C:UsersPublicVoxPro. There is a file named Users_Local.inf which has a list of users on the local PC. The other files named Users_<remote server>.inf have been broadcast from the other VP PCs on your network. All of these .inf files are simple text files. The local accounts should all have a local path with drive letter, but the remote accounts will all be in UNC format.

    You will see networked accounts in the VoxPro login window. Admin, Guest, and local user accounts are at the top of the user list, followed by the users from remote PCs. 

    The VoxPro Admin Guide, which is accessible in the VoxPro Help menu, contains a chapter on networking and remote access, starting on page 9. That’s probably the best place to start. One other note: we’ve discovered problems with sharing the root of any drive, so don’t do that as it results in an invalid UNC path for all accounts on that drive. We’re working on a solution for that issue.

  • We are running Voxpro v7.1.0.57 and we notice a problem with all of them: When we click File > Import, VoxPro freezes and never shows the import menu. We’ve tried doing this on the admin accounts in VP and the admin accounts for the PC with the same issue.

    This was resolved in VoxPro v7.1.0.60. The current release is v7.1.0.66. Contact us in support to get the latest version.

  • How hard is it to upgrade from VoxPro 4 to VoxPro 7?

    You can keep all your audio files from VP4 and they will be completely recognized by VP7. It’s just a matter of putting them in the right spot. The VoxPro configuration folder is C:UsersPublicVoxPro. In that folder there’s a file labelled Users_Local.inf. It’s a text file which you can view in WordPad or Notepad. You’ll see a list of the full paths to the VoxPro user account folders. The default location the user folders is C:UsersPublicVoxProVP_Depot<username> but the accounts can be saved anywhere, and the Users_Local.inf file will list where each user’s files are located. The .vpd files (there will be one in every folder) are the file editing database files. You can delete the ones created by VP4 as they will be ignored on the new machine (the database format changed after VP4). You may simply copy the audio files to the appropriate places on the new machine since the audio file format is the same between VP4 and VP7. 

    You can set things up exactly the same way on the new PC if you like, or you can change things as required by editing the Users_Local.inf file to reflect your changes. You can also add/remove/rename user accounts in this same manner. When you’re ready, save Users_Local and restart VoxPro.

    The Managing VoxPro User Accounts PDF file goes over all the gory details of the VoxPro file system.

  • Can I run VoxPro 4 in Windows 10?

    VP4 will run on Win 10 although it doesn’t perform as well as VP7. Anyone can try out VP7 for 21 days using any VP security key (dongle) before purchasing it. Audio files are the same between all versions of VP. VoxPro audio files use a .vpw (VoxPro Wave) extension. The same folder hierarchy is used on VP7 as was used with VP4, VP5, and VP6: C:UsersPublicVoxProVP_Depot<users><folders>

  • How do I map the network to share VoxPro user files?

    You must map the drive by logging in as the local administrator of that VoxPro PC. When connecting from a PC that’s on a domain, to a PC that’s not on that domain, but are on the same subnet, you need to use a local user account which has administrator rights to that PC. It’s kind of confusing. The mapped drive will save the credentials and will always have a constant connection to that PC.

    The user configuration file is located on each VoxPro PC in the C:UsersPublicVoxProUsers_Local.inf file. Open the file in Wordpad or Notepad since it’s a simple list of the full paths to the various user accounts. Accounts may be saved anywhere, on any drive, and on any device on your LAN (UNC paths are allowed). You may add users, delete users, move users, or rename users simply by editing this file and restarting VoxPro. You’re responsible for ensuring that the folder locations specified in the file actually exist since VP does not correct your mistakes! The generic Admin and Guest accounts must be locally on the C: drive of that VP PC so that you always have a way to log in if the usual account location becomes inaccessible (e.g. loss of hard drive, loss of network, etc.).

  • Using VP7 and for some reason one user does not get a search window when selecting File > Search. It was working before and it works for everyone else.

    VoxPro remembers where that window was last positioned for that user, so they msot likely moved it off to one side and thus it is now appearing out of the main monitor. This can happen if a new monitor is used or if there were two monitors on that PC but only one now. So it’s opening, but just not on the main screen. To get it back we can edit their user file so that it uses the default location which is on top of the VoxPro main window. 

    View the files in that user’s folder in C:/Users/Public/VoxPro/VP_Depot/<Username>. Inside that folder is the file: ~Settings.xml. Open it using Notepad (rather than an XML editor). Note that if VoxPro was upgraded you could also have a Settings.inf file leftover from VP4 so you can delete that file since VP7 ignores it.

    Locate the section that pertain to the Search window which uses this tag: <SearchWin>. In’s near the top fo the file. Here’s an example:

      <SearchWin>

        <Position Xpos=”1680″ Ypos=”289″ />

        <Size Width=”817″ Height=”540″ />

        <ResultList Col0=”300″ Col1=”90″ Col2=”175″ Col3=”175″ Col4=”100″ Col5=”100″ />

      </SearchWin>

    Delete all of that information from <SearchWin> to </SearchWin> and then save the file. When the user logs into VP7, and selects File > Search, the search window will appear in its default location on top of the main VP7 window.

  • There’s a lag between the waveform and the audio on my Windows 10/11 PC.

    Earlier versions of VoxPro did not have any buffer size adjustment whereas VoxPro 7 does. However, the issue is often the audio interface settings in the Windows Sound Control Panel.

    Go to the search bar and type control panel, then click to open the Windows Control Pannel.

    Go to Sound.

    Go to your sound card and double-click it on the Playback tab.

    Go to the Advanced tab. Uncheck “Allow apps to take exclusive control of this device.”

    This often will clear up the lag.

  • How does a VP PC know which other PCs to communicate with via port 33333? Is it multicast or is there a config file?

    VoxPro uses UDP broadcast messages so the VoxPro machines don’t need to know about each other. They just need to be on the same LAN. The same mechanism is used to exchange user lists. When VoxPro starts it sends out a broadcast message containing the UNC paths to user accounts which it “owns” (i.e., which were created on that machine). Other VoxPro PCs on that LAN receive that message and respond with their own user lists. Thus the folder C:UsersPublicVoxPro is populated with files in the form of Users_<remoteMachine>.inf as each VP on the network sends out its list and receives others in return. A good test of the network is to delete all of these files EXCEPT Users_Local.inf, then restart VoxPro. As the user list from each VP on the LAN is received and written to the folder, you have confirmed two-way communication with that machine. (Which doesn’t necessarily guaranteed that you have write permission into those folders, but that’s another issue.)

  • How can I repopulate the list of available VP PCs shown in VoxPro? Our IT guy deleted PCs listed in the Public/Global.cfg file that we did not need to access but now want to give all VP PCs access but don’t see them listed in the Voxpro Network Window–-only the ones that were not deleted are listed. Can I modify the Global.cfg file and re-add the paths or is there a simpler and quicker way to have Voxpro rescan the network?

    All VoxPro configuration files are in the C:UsersPublicVoxPro folder. The Users_Local.inf file has the list of users whose accounts were created on the local machine. It’s a simple text file containing the full path to every user’s account. By default these paths point to the C:UsersPublicVoxProVP_Depot folder but it doesn’t have to. You may add, delete, or move users by editing this file in Notepad and restarting VoxPro. Any entry in the form: Users_<remote machine>.inf, are the user accounts which reside on other PCs. If you open one of these files you’ll see the paths are in UNC format because this is how VoxPro accesses files on those remote machines. 

    In any case, you can deleting the remote user .inf files but DO NOT DELETE the Users_Local.inf file, then restart VoxPro. When VoxPro restarts, it resolves the paths in Users_Local.inf to UNC paths if they are shared, and then broadcasts that list on the local network. If there are other machines on that network running VoxPro, then they will receive that list, write it out to a file called Users_<your machine name>.inf, and then return their own user lists to you, thus creating all those Users_<machine>.inf files. This is therefore an excellent method to find out which machines you are connected to. If you’ve been making network changes then you’ll want to do this for each VoxPro machine.

  • My VP dongle was lost/broken, how can I get a replacement?

    To obtain a replacement dongle you must provide VoxPro proof-of-purchase for the version VoxPro license you’re requesting us to replace. For a broken key we need the serial number from your license key, which is etched onto the metal USB plug. WS# 071415 is the part number for a replacement USB license key. The cost is $75.00 plus shipping.