Audio stops after each track

[Mike Mell]

On my new pixel 6 phone, the audio stops after each track in my library is played. On the phone's screen, the next track appears to be playing but there is no audio. If I hit pause and then play, the audio comes back. Is there a way to fix this? (This didn't happen on my previous phone - a pixel 2. 

[Neil Booth]

I have exactly the same problem on my Pixel 6 Pro.

[Hi-Fi Cast Developer]

This is often a symptom of a power saving feature of a phone stopping the app from running in the background. Does the problem occur if the screen is on and the app is in the foreground when the app moves on to the next track?

On Thursday, November 18, 2021 at 8:53:50 PM UTC+11 Neil wrote:

I have exactly the same problem on my Pixel 6 Pro.

[Neil Booth]

I open Hi-Fi cast, have a song playing and drag the slider so the song finishes in 5 seconds. This takes about 10 seconds to do. Whilst Hi-Fi cast is the top app on the screen I can watch the next song start. I can see the next song start and play but there is no volume.

So the problem happens quickly and whilst Hi-Fi cast is in the foreground.

[Mark McDaniel]

Same issue.  The next song is playing however no volume.  If I pause in Now Playing and hit play again the volume returns.

[Holger Müller]

Same issue. Adding app to Battery Unrestriced list does *not* help.

Currently this app is unusable. Hope it can be fixed soon.

This is what I see in logging output:

12-10 12:06:04.851 12687 12712 W MediaPlayerNative: info/warning (2, 0)

12-10 12:06:04.860 12687 12687 V MediaPlayer: resetDrmState:  mDrmInfo=null mDrmProvisioningThread=null mPrepareDrmInProgress=false mActiveDrmScheme=false

12-10 12:06:04.860 12687 12687 V MediaPlayer: cleanDrmObj: mDrmObj=null mDrmSessionId=null

12-10 12:06:04.860 12687 12687 V MediaPlayer: resetDrmState:  mDrmInfo=null mDrmProvisioningThread=null mPrepareDrmInProgress=false mActiveDrmScheme=false

12-10 12:06:04.860 12687 12687 V MediaPlayer: cleanDrmObj: mDrmObj=null mDrmSessionId=null

12-10 12:06:04.864 12687 12687 D MediaRouter: onRestoreRoute() : route=RouteInfo{ name=TP-LINK_Music, description=Bluetooth-Audio, status=null, category=RouteCategory{ name=System types=ROUTE_TYPE_LIVE_AUDIO ROUTE_TYPE_LIVE_VIDEO  groupable=false }, supportedTypes=ROUTE_TYPE_LIVE_AUDIO , presentationDisplay=null }

12-10 12:06:04.864 12687 12687 V MediaRouter: Selecting route: RouteInfo{ name=TP-LINK_Music, description=Bluetooth-Audio, status=null, category=RouteCategory{ name=System types=ROUTE_TYPE_LIVE_AUDIO ROUTE_TYPE_LIVE_VIDEO  groupable=false }, supportedTypes=ROUTE_TYPE_LIVE_AUDIO , presentationDisplay=null }

12-10 12:06:04.954 12687 12712 W MediaPlayerNative: info/warning (703, 0)

12-10 12:06:04.954 12687 12712 W MediaPlayerNative: info/warning (701, 0)

12-10 12:06:04.984 12687 12712 W MediaPlayerNative: info/warning (703, 0)

12-10 12:06:04.984 12687 12712 W MediaPlayerNative: info/warning (702, 0)

12-10 12:06:05.635 12687 12707 W System  : A resource failed to call destroy. 

12-10 12:06:05.635 12687 12707 W System  : A resource failed to call destroy. 

12-10 12:06:05.636 12687 12707 W System  : A resource failed to call destroy. 

12-10 12:06:05.869 12687 12901 W MediaPlayer: Use of stream types is deprecated for operations other than volume control

12-10 12:06:05.870 12687 12901 W MediaPlayer: See the documentation of setAudioStreamType() for what to use instead with android.media.AudioAttributes to qualify your playback use case

12-10 12:06:05.871 12687 12901 V MediaHTTPService: MediaHTTPService(android.media.MediaHTTPService@5c3f85f): Cookies: null

12-10 12:06:05.873   904   904 D NuPlayerDriver: NuPlayerDriver(0xee9800b0) created, clientPid(12687)

12-10 12:06:05.882 12687 12712 V MediaHTTPService: makeHTTPConnection: CookieHandler (java.net.CookieManager@2d736a6) exists.

12-10 12:06:05.882 12687 12712 V MediaHTTPService: makeHTTPConnection(android.media.MediaHTTPService@5c3f85f): cookieHandler: java.net.CookieManager@2d736a6 Cookies: null

[Hi-Fi Cast Developer]

Hi all,

Apologies for not having fixed this issue yet. I don't have access to a Pixel 6 so I'm having difficulty isolating the problem.

Could someone try the following:

- Navigate to the playback devices screen

- Tap the settings (gear) icon for 'This Device'

- Set 'Audio Decoding Method' to alternative

- Clear the queue and start playback again

Do this fix the problem?

Thanks.

[Neil Booth]

Has suddenly started working again ok without doing the suggested suggestion.

[Holger Müller]

Indeed it didn't happen any more today. I switched to the alternative decoding method and it works perfect.

Switching back did not produce the error any more. Strange.

But in standard decoding method every 20-60s the sound faints for less than a second. This happens if device is awake as well as in sleep/display off.

If I switch to the alternative decoding method this doesn't happen.

Thanks!

[Holger Müller]

I can't believe it. Today same problem again with standard decoder.

The alternative decoder now shows another issue. Playback sometimes stops at the end of a song but song time keeps on going. Every time the app is opened it starts with the track length and counts up. Pressing pause does not show the play symbol. A circle is turning around ... pressing play/pause again does not do anything. If I skip to the next song playback starts. The bad thing is, that the player drains battery that way ...

OMG. What did Google do with Android 12 / Pixel 6? In my own apps I had to do a lot of changes to make them work again with Android 12 ... :-(

Have you tried to build the app with SDK 31? I see that version 1.127 is still built with SDK 30 (Android 11). Maybe this shows some incompatibilities.

[Neil Booth]

Now broken again without me changing anything. I've swapped to the alternative method but also have the issue with a song not ending as above.

[Hi-Fi Cast Developer]

I can't believe it. Today same problem again with standard decoder.

The alternative decoder now shows another issue. Playback sometimes stops at the end of a song but song time keeps on going. Every time the app is opened it starts with the track length and counts up. Pressing pause does not show the play symbol. A circle is turning around ... pressing play/pause again does not do anything. If I skip to the next song playback starts. The bad thing is, that the player drains battery that way ...

OMG. What did Google do with Android 12 / Pixel 6? In my own apps I had to do a lot of changes to make them work again with Android 12 ... :-(

Have you tried to build the app with SDK 31? I see that version 1.127 is still built with SDK 30 (Android 11). Maybe this shows some incompatibilities.

Hi. I'm using SDK 31 but the TARGET_SDK_VERSION is still 30. I haven't updated because I'm waiting for an Android 12 update for any one my Android devices.

There have been reports that uninstalling the Roku app can fix the issue. So if you have that installed maybe it's worth trying.

The announcement of the December update for Pixel phones says there are 'General fixes & improvements for audio playback issues in certain apps' so maybe it would be worth installing that update if you haven't already.

 

[Neil Booth]

With transcoding turned off and using the default decoder everything seemed to work yesterday...

[Holger Müller]

Thanks for the reply. I haven't installed the Roku app. So this can't be the root cause.

Maybe it's a Google thing and update might help. Till now I haven't got it.

But there seem to be an issue with network reception, so I am not sure if I like to install this at the moment: Google IssueTracker

Just tried transcoding turned off and using the default decoder like Neil suggested. This seams to work ok for today. Hope it stays or a while :-)

[Per Faurholt Ahle]

Have the same problem with my Samsung 21 ultra - but not with my old Samsung 7.  Before an android update during christmas I only had the problem using Chromecast. After the update it also happens using Bluetooth.  I therefore suppose it is related to the android version. 

[Holger Müller]

Installing the January update the issues stay exactly the same. Im am sorry, but this did not help.

Other apps have problems too (e.g. Synology's DSaudio). Others do not (e.g. Metro, Ultrasonic). Can't fully be compared. Just a hint ...

Hi-Fi Cast Developer schrieb am Donnerstag, 16. Dezember 2021 um 22:18:09 UTC+1:

[Matt Kraus]

Same problem on Pixel 6, latest firmware, Android version 12, build SP2A.220405.004. It will work for a few songs then stop. Hit pause-play and it starts playing again. I've checked power-saving options. I don't have the Roku app installed. It fails with and without Bluetooth devices, i.e., the native speaker also fails. When manually advancing to the next track it works every time. It fails when automatically advancing to the next track.

[Matt Kraus]

This suggestion works for me!
> What worked for me was to go under playback devices, and then select the little setting sign next to This Device and set the audio decoding method to Alternative

[Pepi42]

I recently changed phones (Pixel 7 from Galaxy S9) and having same issue.  I switched to alternative decoding and it seemed to solve it, only to fail again; but this time slightly different:

1)  No audio & does not advance to next track. The audio track time (counter) on the right will show 0:0 (end of track).   But the time/counter on left keeps counting up past the length of track.

2) hitting  either next/previous track buttons will start the next or previous track with audio.

3) this doesn't happen all the time; but usually about the 5th track in queue list. 

4) and at other times it will happen on alternate tracks in the queue list.

5) I'm sure there are other conditions; but no time to continue with trial and error.

Have tried different albums/playlists, etc.  with same results.  No issue when I briefly tried different player such as YT Music or Foobar.

Very frustrating.  Love the UI/organization of HI-FI Cast and have worked around other issues but this quirk seems to be a show stopper!

[W B]

Hi I have the same problem on a Pixel 7 (Android 13 latest update).
Song is playing, when the next song starts, it's playing (I see the bar moving forward) but volume is dropped to zero. Pausing and unpausing solves it. But I can't do this every fking time a song ends.
The interesting part: I have three pairs of bluetooth headphones, with two of them this happens, the third one is working absolutly fine without this problem.

I can't figure out what's the difference, because whatever I set those (AAC, AptX, Stereo, Mono, ...), this one pair is working and the other two don't.

I didn't had those problems with my Poco F1 (Android 10).
I don't have this problems with other apps like Spotify or other players.
I play music with Hi-Fi Cast from my NAS via UPNP.

[Hi-Fi Cast Developer]

There is a possible workaround for the Bluetooth issue.

• Enable developer mode
• Change the Turn off A2DP hardware offload setting

[Allan Tuchman]

I have the same problem with  Pixel 7 Pro Android 13 (feb 2023 update).  I play mostly on bluetooth to car audio, but also to Pixel Buds Pro and Isotunes. The problem is sporadic.  Sometimes it fails to produce sound after one track; sometimes after a couple of tracks.  If I skip ahead/back a track, then back/ahead a track it restarts and plays the "silent" track aloud.  Other times it just plays as expected.  I'd attributed this to changes made in the hifi cast app that were self-installing.  But I think not.

The lack of repeatability is frustrating, but also the fact that this worked fine for me until a few months ago (not sure exactly when) kind of points at the Android interface.  Until last Oct I had a Pixel 3 and never experienced this issue.  Not sure when I first noticed it on the P7P.

Just another data point.

-Allan

[entdgc]

Long time HiFicast Pro user here. I just dropped in to this forum and found this thread which covers exactly the problem I am experiencing with my new Pixel 7a having moved from a Pixel 3XL where HiFiCast worked PERFECTLY. I have not tried any of the 'fixes' mentioned in the thread yet but just letting you know that the problem persists (I note the first report was 2021!). I hope one of the fixes works as I really like HiFi Cast and don't want to move to another APP which does work. I will report back if any of the fixes work....

Dave

[entdgc]

So I changed to the ALTERNATIVE renderer as suggested above the problem SEEMS to be fixed for me. One hour dog walking with uniterupted music this morning. Hope it stays fixed. 

Thanks to the FORUM.

[entdgc]

Having changed to the ALTERNATIVE renderer with great success for 1 month the problem has reappeared out of the blue and now no matter what I do music stops playing after each track 90% of the time. Unfortunately this makes the app unusable so I am out of here.... I will try the App again from time to time to see if the problem gets resolved as it is still my favourite. But for now I am using MusicCollet which works well but the UI is not the easiest.

[mmaloser666]

Just upgraded from s9+ to s23 Ultra. Having the same problem, mostly with FLAC files for some reason. Whenever they end, they just keep playing even though the song is over. I tried the fixes, however the issue still persists. Very annoying, I love this app but this is killing me!

[Richard Cliche]

same issue with my Samsung Flip Z3 - Nearly every time a song finishes when casting to my SONOS the next song only plays when i activate the phone-screen. Hugely annoying...any ideas?

[Hi-Fi Cast Developer]

Hi,

That sounds to me like a battery/power saving feature of the phone is stopping the app from running when the screen is off.

To fix this, use the Android Settings app to adjust any settings that might be stopping the Hi-Fi Cast app from running in the background. I can't tell you the exact settings to change because this varies depending on the make and model of the phone (and I don't have an s23 Ultra).

If your phone has an 'Optimize battery use' setting then the app must be set to NOT optimized.

There is some more information here:

https://groups.google.com/g/hi-cast-help-forum/c/jSwst8wr6-A/m/SQgwAXwJCgAJ?pli=1