Apps Now Playing screens freeze when casting to Wiim Amp Pro

[Steve8650]

This is an buglet that has been annoying me for some time, but now seems to have got worse.
I listen using 3 main sources of audio - Tidal, local music on a NAS served by Plex Media Server, and BBC Sounds. I prefer to listen via the native apps (Tidal, Plexamp and BBC Sounds) - there is no choice with BBC Sounds, and the built in Plex and Tidal Connect in the Wiim app don't show the metadata (artist bio, album review etc).
Using my Pixel 7a phone, when I cast the audio via Chromecast from any of the three native apps to the Wiim Amp Pro, the Now Playing screens in the apps frequently stop updating (the progress bar freezes, track changes aren't displayed), even though the audio keeps playing through the amp. The only way to get the apps displaying properly seems to be to close them, then use the Wiim app to stop the playback and clear the Play Queue, and start again.
I understand the 'casting' involves the 3rd party app sending the url of the audio to the Wiim Amp, which then connects to it and starts streaming and playing the media. Presumably there is some sort of mechanism by which the 3rd party app is updated with the Now Playing information from the Wiim Amp, (or from the source site?), but that seems to be intermittently broken.
I've used a genuine audio Chromecast device for years, and never had this problem, but sadly I disposed of it when I got the Wiim Amp, as it was, I thought, redundant.
For info, the Wiim Amp is hardwired to the local network via a powerline adapter, the phone is on the 5Ghz band, and reports a download speed of around 150Mbits/s - we are on a full fibre connection - and I've checked that all relevant software is up to date.
Any ideas, anyone?

Thanks

Steve Morton

 

[Mr Ee]

Welcome.

Of those 3 sources I only use tidal, so will stick to commenting on that.
For clarity, tidal within the wiim app is not tidal connect per se.
When you use the tidal app are you chromecasting or tidal connecting? i.e. does it say 'Chromecast' or 'Tidal connect' under the device name?

You could try toggling the ipv6 and preferred dns server settings in Network Status.
I also recall a number of posts where people had issues using powerline adapters. Can't say I remember the specific issues they caused though! Maybe do a search.

 

[Burnside]

Is this not more of a case where the casting app, having handed control over to the device being cast to, loses track of the stream progress and times out its connection and control? I’m never quite sure whether that’s to be expected or not.

When you’re using Tidal Connect, does the Tidal app update and reflect what’s playing to your WiiM after casting has started?

 

[Steve8650]

Thanks for the responses.
Mr Ee, I tried turning off the ipv6 setting, and allowing the amp to choose its own DNS server (I had it set to Googles server at 8.8.8.8), as you suggest, and everything worked properly last evening. It is early days so far, but maybe this has cured the problem.
Burnside, you are correct - that timeout is exactly what is happening. Surely, that shouldn't be expected behaviour?
The Tidal app always connects via Tidal Connect - I can't find a way of persuading it to use Chromecast. Similarly, the Plexamp app connects via something like Plex Connect, although it doesn't really say so anywhere. I think the BBC Sounds app does connect via Chromecast, although, again, it isn't clear. the Tidal app clearly says 'Tidal Connect' under the device name, the Plexamp and BBC apps simple show 'Wiim Pro'.
Is there any way of unambiguously forcing the system to use Chromecast?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Mr Ee]

Is there any way of unambiguously forcing the system to use Chromecast?

For tidal in the tidal app, no. And I can't think of any good reason to want to use chromecast instead of tidal connect.

If you really want to chromecast tidal to your wiim (why!?) then, on android, you can use bubbleupnp where it'll show your wiim as both upnp and chromecast endpoints.

 

[Mr Ee]

I suppose I should also clarify why I asked "When you use the tidal app are you chromecasting or tidal connecting?" when, as you point out, you only ever see Tidal connect under the wiim.
Occasionally some of my wiims show Chromecast instead. I still don't know why.
Sometimes disabling then enabling wi fi on my tablet fixes it Sometimes restarting my tablet fixes it. Sometimes restarting the wiim fixes it.
It's oviously some sort of transient network issue, but can persist if I do nothing.

 

[harkpabst]

The Tidal app always connects via Tidal Connect - I can't find a way of persuading it to use Chromecast. Similarly, the Plexamp app connects via something like Plex Connect, although it doesn't really say so anywhere. I think the BBC Sounds app does connect via Chromecast, although, again, it isn't clear. the Tidal app clearly says 'Tidal Connect' under the device name, the Plexamp and BBC apps simple show 'Wiim Pro'.

Sounds weird that your WiiM Amp is shown as WiiM Pro.

Have a look at the Now Playing screen in the WiiM Home app. The logo on top of the page should clearly show what the actual source is (and in particular if it's really Chromecast). The Google Home app should also give you a hint here.

Different casting mechanisms can clearly show different behaviour and if they have something in common, the root cause might be elsewhere (like e.g. DNS setup).