Audio/Computer Problem - help diagnosing

[sic0048]

On my parents system, I have a dual core machine running as their CQC server and also their SageTV server (running a HDHR and a Hauppauge 500 PCI tuner card). I have a m-Audio Delta 410 card installed along with a USB-UIRT. I use a Digi Edgeport 416 to connect their devices via serial ports. I have three instances of the CQC audio player (regular windows NOT quicktime) and a file tree music repository for their ripped media.

The problem is that their audio sound will play fine for a while. After the system is up and running for days (if not weeks), the music output from the Delta 410 card eventually deteriorates - it sounds like there is bursts of static and skipping. It also seems to get worse as time goes on. The static/skipping happens more and more frequently. Rebooting the computer will solve the issue for a while (again, days if not weeks) until it will eventually come back.

To make it tough, I am an hour from their house, so I cannot just swing over to troubleshoot the problem when it happens. It isn't the end of the world for them to reboot the system, but obviously I need to try and find the problem.

Has anyone else experienced similar situations? Any suggestions? I'm not sure if it is a hardware problem or some software issues. Basically, I have no idea what might be causing this issue. I run very similar hardware on my system and do not have any problems like this.

[Helheim]

I've had weird problems before when my power supply was about to die.

[beelzerob]

What kind of speakers is the system connected to? What you describe sounds to me like when my PC speakers are getting a little old...after they've sat for a while, they get scratchy until I move the volume control around some. It's like it "cleans" them.

But overall, I'd suggest changing what you can before deciding it's a software issue....cables, speakers, etc.

[sic0048]

Output from the Delta 401 card goes directly to my B&K CT600 whole house amp. While I haven't tried to move inputs around on the B&K, I don't think it is related - otherwise why would a computer reboot fix the problem?

One thing I need to try to do next time I am there is take the Delta card out and change the music output to use the built in sound card. I may be limited to one music output doing that, but it would allow me to know if the Delta card is the culprit. My gut feeling is that it probably is the issue, but I wanted to see if other people have experienced anything similar.

[beelzerob]

Well, all I can say is, if you followed that cocoontech thread of mine, some mighty weird symptoms, which CONVINCED me it was a software issue, ended up being the cable....though it HAD worked just fine before, and nothing was ever done to disturb it!.

Troubleshoot with the easiest stuff first.