Chromecast Audio delay?

[Erik Tracy]

I'm now trying to trouble shoot CCA audio dropouts as I get consistent but random audio dropouts; sometimes I can go a couple of minutes with none, then within the span of 30 seconds I'll get 3, 4, or more.

I'm using my win7 laptop as the casting device, and jazz88.org 'listen live' browser option for the audio source.

So, I opened another Chrome tab to duplicated the jazz88.org feed to see if I could hear dropouts on my laptop AND the CCA, or just the CCA.

But the music is way out of sync. The CCA is a full 13-15 seconds BEHIND the laptop speaker.

????

Haven't been able to isolate dropouts yet, as I'm in a 'good window' right now.

 

[eizner23]

How far away is CCA from your router? Could be a lot of noise/interference on whatever channel your network is using. Can Try to adjust Wi-Fi channel in your router administration or move CCA around to better reception.

 

[Erik Tracy]

How far away is CCA from your router? Could be a lot of noise/interference on whatever channel your network is using. Can Try to adjust Wi-Fi channel in your router administration or move CCA around to better reception.

The wifi router is on the second floor in the master bedroom, practically just above the CCA which is downstairs - a straight shot of about 15 feet up.

The laptop is about 20 feet away from the CCA.

Just heard a CCA dropout that wasn't on the laptop.

Hmmm....

 

[eizner23]

can you get a steady stream from laptop to CCA playing an mp3 file from laptop?

What model router do you have?

 

[Erik Tracy]

I've got one of the 'problematic' routers listed on Chromes website: TPLink Archer C7, but I'm connected to the CCA using the 'recommended' 2.4GHz band, same for my older win7 laptop.

Have not tried casting a local file.

Can you cast from different laptops or smartphones to a single CCA (one at a time of course)?

I may try that as well.

TIA!

 

[GChief]

I was having these kind of problems and ended up getting a new router from my ISP. Not a problem since.

 

[GChief]

NEVER get a router from your ISP, period. Most of the ones that have issues are from ISP's. They charge so much for them it is ridiculous. Same with Cable modems.

I am using an ASUS router with no issues - I do keep up with the Firmware updates.

Well have had zero problems with it for 5 months and the service is the same price with or without their router so no $$ difference.

 

[Erik Tracy]

I was having these kind of problems and ended up getting a new router from my ISP. Not a problem since.

I really only wanted the CCA to stream my one favorite station, so it seems a$s backwards to me to have to get a new $100 router (or pay a monthly ransom fee to Wrecktum cable) to use a $30 CCA.

Still gonna try some more troubleshooting, but if it turns out to be the router - well, I'll just live with the dropouts for now.

 

[GChief]

I really only wanted the CCA to stream my one favorite station, so it seems a$s backwards to me to have to get a new $100 router (or pay a monthly ransom fee to Wrecktum cable) to use a $30 CCA.

Still gonna try some more troubleshooting, but if it turns out to be the router - well, I'll just live with the dropouts for now.

If it is a router problem it’s not the CCA. The CCA is just “seeing” the problem when other devices aren’t.

Or at least that’s how our IT weenies explained it to me... yes weenies

 

[GChief]

It can be a CCA issue. Many Android devices have been having issues with WiFi since a recent update (CCA is one).

That’s good to know

 

[chicks]

Cheap routers will sometimes reassign an IP address that’s already in use, which will cause lots of issues. Try shutting down the router, and ALL WiFi client devices, then restart everything, beginning with the router. Best to assign static IP addresses to your devices, to avoid any potential conflicts.

 

[Erik Tracy]

Cheap routers will sometimes reassign an IP address that’s already in use, which will cause lots of issues. Try shutting down the router, and ALL WiFi client devices, then restart everything, beginning with the router. Best to assign static IP addresses to your devices, to avoid any potential conflicts.

I suppose, but I've had a cmd window open since this morning and ping the CCA when I start having dropouts - it's been the same IP all morning.

 

[chicks]

I suppose, but I've had a cmd window open since this morning and ping the CCA when I start having dropouts - it's been the same IP all morning.

Yes, but that IP may also be in use by another device, which will cause the sort of issues you’re seeing. It’s unlikely, but possible. Also, switching WiFi channels may help if other routers nearby are on the channel you’re using.

 

[House de Kris]

I'm glad you started this thread. I don't have an answer, but at least I know others are having the same issues I have. In my case, I can go many minutes without an issue, then there's a rash of them. Although, I'm not sure we're having the same issue. In my case, I never notice anything out of the ordinary when using the analog outputs. But, I get 'dropouts' when using the SPDIF output. It is like it sends an illegal condition and that causes my recorder to halt. Frustrating. Makes me think I should have just gotten a USB-to-SPDIF converter for my laptop and just skipped the whole Android angle. In my case, I hope it's not the router, as I have no control over that.

 

[drew_t]

If you have an Android phone, install the Bubble UPnP app, use the jazz station's streaming url -- http://ksds-ice.streamguys.com/ksds.mp3 -- as a playlist item, and select the CCA as the "renderer."

 

[Erik Tracy]

I'm glad you started this thread. I don't have an answer, but at least I know others are having the same issues I have. In my case, I can go many minutes without an issue, then there's a rash of them. Although, I'm not sure we're having the same issue. In my case, I never notice anything out of the ordinary when using the analog outputs. But, I get 'dropouts' when using the SPDIF output. It is like it sends an illegal condition and that causes my recorder to halt. Frustrating. Makes me think I should have just gotten a USB-to-SPDIF converter for my laptop and just skipped the whole Android angle. In my case, I hope it's not the router, as I have no control over that.

I'm using the analog outs and I'm getting more and more serious dropouts as I type; like the stream stutters for 5 seconds at a time now.

 

[Erik Tracy]

So, to re-ask my question; can I have two different devices 'see' the CCA and cast to it as a test if it's my laptop or its internal wifi card/driver?

Or do I need to run setup for a different laptop that would then 'steal' the CCA from my current laptop?

 

[Wildcat]

I have two CCAs here with zero issues at all. And I'm using crappy Linksys consumer-grade routers loaded with DD-WRT. The CCAs play in perfect sync here with no dropouts, and one is a bit of a distance away. Doesn't matter if I cast with computer, phone, tablet, etc., they just work.

Definitely the router is a problem if there are dropouts, or a weak signal.

Remember that interference from neighbors (other WiFi traffic) can still wreak havoc even though you may show a strong signal in the house. And there are definitely pockets of good and bad reception even just several feet from a WAP (wireless access point) in the same room, as I've noticed with a signal strength meter. For other reasons, I am going with a pro-level WAP in a few weeks. It's not inexpensive but I just want to do the job correctly from here on out.

 

[Wildcat]

So, to re-ask my question; can I have two different devices 'see' the CCA and cast to it as a test if it's my laptop or its internal wifi card/driver?

Or do I need to run setup for a different laptop that would then 'steal' the CCA from my current laptop?

Not quite sure what you're asking--if I use an audio application on my computer, I see the "cast" icon and can send audio to any of the devices in the house. But if another device wants to cast to it, then I think the new device replaces the old as a streaming source. But I have never had to "set up" anything on a computer to get it to cast. The CCAs, the Chromecast and the Google Home devices all show as casting "renderers" from any device I use. (So nothing gets "dropped" from my computer setup, if that makes sense...)

Keep in mind that Chromecast usage is not technically "casting" from your device--the device you are using only controls the Chromecast. So if you are, say, watching Netflix or streaming Pandora, the Chromecast is the one retrieving the WiFi and playing the content. The attached phone, computer, etc.. is doing nothing more than controlling it remotely. That is why I would think the stuttering may be a WiFi signal strength problem.

Sure would be easier if one of us could make a house call to see what's happening.

 

[Erik Tracy]

Not quite sure what you're asking--if I use an audio application on my computer, I see the "cast" icon and can send audio to any of the devices in the house. But if another device wants to cast to it, then I think the new device replaces the old as a streaming source. But I have never had to "set up" anything on a computer to get it to cast. The CCAs, the Chromecast and the Google Home devices all show as casting "renderers" from any device I use. (So nothing gets "dropped" from my computer setup, if that makes sense...)

Keep in mind that Chromecast usage is not technically "casting" from your device--the device you are using only controls the Chromecast. So if you are, say, watching Netflix or streaming Pandora, the Chromecast is the one retrieving the WiFi and playing the content. The attached phone, computer, etc.. is doing nothing more than controlling it remotely. That is why I would think the stuttering may be a WiFi signal strength problem.

Sure would be easier if one of us could make a house call to see what's happening.

Ah, ok - I wasn't sure what the end to end 'path' was when casting. Good to know that the content does NOT have to go to my laptop first, then get repeated back thru the wifi/router to the CCA. So, the laptop is just a 'pointer' to the CCA on where to get the content. Makes sense.

Well, I may have an insurmountable issue then with wifi coverage; can't move the router - it is in the masterbedroom and is as close to the CCA as possible (only 15 ft - if that).

Maybe there IS something wrong with the f/w version in my CCA; 1.29.106147

Anyone else using this with good or bad results?