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Topic:
Airplay skipping - router upgrade?
This thread has 11 replies. Displaying all posts.
Post 1 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 10:33
Craig Aguiar-Winter
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Hello.

A client of mine is having issues with Airplay skipping. The devices that are using Airplay are all hardwired so wireless is not a concern here. The music is streamed from a Casatunes music server using Airplay protocol. The music is stored on a hard drive on the server and both the Apple TV and Airpprt Express that receive music over the network are skipping. Zones that are hardwired to the server's audio outputs are not skipping.

The router in the system is a ISP provided router/modem which I have connected to two gigabit switches in the respective areas. Connection is with continuous runs of Cat5e.

I don't have any info on the router yet but from what I've read, this skipping is most often related to network issues, albeit, usually wireless.

Any thoughts on upgrading the router?

Any experience with skipping Airplay?

Thanks, Craig
My wife says I can't do sarcasm. She says I just sound like an a$$hole.
Post 2 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 10:36
PeterN
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What's selecting, starting, pausing, stopping the Airplay stream to the AppleTV and Airport Express? A hardwired laptop running iTunes?
OP | Post 3 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 10:39
Craig Aguiar-Winter
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Casatunes is a standalone music server which runs a program called Casaserver. The Casatunes server stores all of the music and accesses web based content which it then sends out of it's hardwired zone connections to amplifiers and receivers , or over the network to Airplay enabled devices using the Airplay protocol. Casatunes is controlled by either an app or a browser on a computer.
My wife says I can't do sarcasm. She says I just sound like an a$$hole.
Post 4 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 11:09
King of typos
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Anything new that was introduced to the system? Such as a new iPhone, iPad and what not? Whether you personally, or the client connected to the WiFi?

KOT
Post 5 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 12:09
Neurorad
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Does a reboot fix the problem? Scheduled reboots, every night or weekly, may be an option, if you can't fix the issue.
TB A+ Partner
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha
OP | Post 6 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 12:45
Craig Aguiar-Winter
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On November 13, 2014 at 11:09, King of typos said...
Anything new that was introduced to the system? Such as a new iPhone, iPad and what not? Whether you personally, or the client connected to the WiFi?

KOT

Not that I'm aware of. I will check. But remember that none of the equipment having issues is connected with WiFi, if that's what you are getting at.
My wife says I can't do sarcasm. She says I just sound like an a$$hole.
OP | Post 7 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 12:46
Craig Aguiar-Winter
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On November 13, 2014 at 12:09, Neurorad said...
Does a reboot fix the problem? Scheduled reboots, every night or weekly, may be an option, if you can't fix the issue.

Reboot the Casatunes server or the router?
My wife says I can't do sarcasm. She says I just sound like an a$$hole.
Post 8 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 13:40
King of typos
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On November 13, 2014 at 12:45, Craig Aguiar-Winter said...
Not that I'm aware of. I will check. But remember that none of the equipment having issues is connected with WiFi, if that's what you are getting at.

Actually I was thinking that the new iOS device maybe set to AirPlay and some apps will use the AirPlay while some won't.

Like the one that I have that uses the AirPlay feature and the most annoying, is the USPS tracking app. The opening "credits" for where the eagle opens up across the screen will activate the AirPlay.

Granted this shouldn't "skip" the current playing device. But I don't know how that system works as for prioritizing stuff.

Also, can't negate the player. I know that you said that the hardwire equipment doesn't skip. But still doesn't mean that the board that transfers the audio into IP for AirPlay isn't bad itself too.

Keep us updated.

KOT
Post 9 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 19:28
SysIntegration
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On November 13, 2014 at 13:40, King of typos said...
Actually I was thinking that the new iOS device maybe set to AirPlay and some apps will use the AirPlay while some won't.

Like the one that I have that uses the AirPlay feature and the most annoying, is the USPS tracking app. The opening "credits" for where the eagle opens up across the screen will activate the AirPlay.

Granted this shouldn't "skip" the current playing device. But I don't know how that system works as for prioritizing stuff.

Also, can't negate the player. I know that you said that the hardwire equipment doesn't skip. But still doesn't mean that the board that transfers the audio into IP for AirPlay isn't bad itself too.

Keep us updated.

KOT

Airplay starting automatically?
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Post 10 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 19:34
SysIntegration
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On November 13, 2014 at 10:33, Craig Aguiar-Winter said...
Hello.

A client of mine is having issues with Airplay skipping. The devices that are using Airplay are all hardwired so wireless is not a concern here. The music is streamed from a Casatunes music server using Airplay protocol. The music is stored on a hard drive on the server and both the Apple TV and Airpprt Express that receive music over the network are skipping. Zones that are hardwired to the server's audio outputs are not skipping.

The router in the system is a ISP provided router/modem which I have connected to two gigabit switches in the respective areas. Connection is with continuous runs of Cat5e.

I don't have any info on the router yet but from what I've read, this skipping is most often related to network issues, albeit, usually wireless.

Any thoughts on upgrading the router?

Any experience with skipping Airplay?

Thanks, Craig

Sounds like a casatunes problem to me. When the client airplays from an iOS device directly to the ATV, bypassing ALL THE third part nonsense, what happens? And when I say airplaying from an iOS device, I would recommend airplaying something that is stored on the device, not something streaming like Pandora. Doing this one test alone will tell you a lot. What's the verdict?

Zones connected directly to casatunes aren't skipping because at that point, CT isn't using the Airplay protocol. It it taking its music server and dumping it directly into a connected device.

A new iOS device on the network isn't going to cause this. Let's think about this logically. If one new iOS device took down airplay, don't you think the internet and most custom A/V forums would explode? Nearly every is using (or should be using) Airplay (not to mention all the major receiver manufactures that have the protocol enabled on their units, the raspberry pi owners with the reverse engineered Airplay Protocol turning their $35 circuit board into a better than ATV unit).
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OP | Post 11 made on Thursday November 13, 2014 at 20:26
Craig Aguiar-Winter
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That's all good insight guys. Reading your suggestions now I agree that it could be a Casatunes issue.

I didn't have opportunity to get over tonight to try Air Playing right from an iOS device, but I did have the customer re-boot the machine and it seems to have solved the problem for now. I imagine that it will arise again later.

I contacted Casatunes tech support, who are very good, and the next time I am over they will remote into the machine and investigate the log file. He said that sometimes they do have Airplay issues from time to time and that they have steps in place for debugging the issues. Once they remote in he is confident they will be able to solve it right away. He said that these issues can arise for lots of reasons including, but not limited to, changes made to the protocol and update made on the Apple perifferals in the system. Makes sense to me.

Thanks again for your input. You've got them up and running for the time being.

I may schedule for the machine to reboot once a week or something. I know my computer benefits form it every no and then and this is no different.

I'll update again once I go back and Casatunes tech support remedies the underlying issue.

Craig
My wife says I can't do sarcasm. She says I just sound like an a$$hole.
Post 12 made on Friday November 14, 2014 at 01:43
King of typos
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On November 13, 2014 at 19:28, SysIntegration said...
Airplay starting automatically?

Eh, not really but sort of.

What happens is that I am actually listening to some music via AirPlay. But I stop it and shut off the iPhone. Hours later I would then check something on, say the USPS app. That's when my AVR will turn on and go to AirPlay.

I've sent in a request to Apple to have AirPlay "time out" after 5 to 10 minutes of not playing music/video or whatever. To turn AirPlay off. So stuff like this won't happen.

KOT


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