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kamby19 · 2015-06-24, 06:12

While playing music under Kodi 14.2, I was getting frequent audio pauses/dropouts lasting between approximately 1/2 to 1 second each on my Fire TV Stick. It would pause an average of 15 times per track. All the music files are AAC/m4a (if that makes a difference), and they are delivered via Windows SMB. I also ensured that there were zero fragmented files.

I guessed -- apparently mistakenly -- that these pauses were most likely a consequence of the relatively low processing power of the Stick version, so I went ahead and purchased the full Fire TV.

While all the pauses playing video that I saw on the Stick are now gone with the full FTV, the music pauses are just as frequent and intolerable as they always were!

What's going on, and how can I resolve this horrible problem?

Koying · 2015-06-24, 07:59

Sample, please

Fist · (This post was last modified: 2015-06-24, 09:28 by Fist.)

As an experiment, try playing from a USB stick. I suspect your WIFI is the problem.

Another thing it could be is updates happening in the background. If you have a load of plug-ins, that could be the culprit. There's nothing wrong with the Fire for playing music.

vjmcdonnell · 2015-06-24, 13:39

I have noticed the same issue but would be about 1 or twice each song. Im using home plugs which play moves with out issues.

kamby19 · 2015-06-30, 06:36

(2015-06-24, 07:59)Koying Wrote: Sample, please

Sorry for the delay in responding...

I assume you asked for a sample music track to examine it for irregularities. However, there are no problems with the files themselves. They all play perfectly on the source computer with all of the various players I've tried. Also, if I play the same track again and again, the pauses show up in completely different places and with different counts.

kamby19 · 2015-06-30, 06:50

(2015-06-24, 09:27)Fist Wrote: As an experiment, try playing from a USB stick. I suspect your WIFI is the problem.

Thanks for the excellent suggestion! The samples I tested from USB played fine, but of course I only tested a few that way.

Even though my high-end router is only 15 feet away from my Fire TV and I have an excellent, high-speed connection, I really can't think of a more likely explanation than some kind of Wi-Fi problem such as interference.

(2015-06-24, 09:27)Fist Wrote: Another thing it could be is updates happening in the background. If you have a load of plug-ins, that could be the culprit. There's nothing wrong with the Fire for playing music.

I have almost no plugins and the Windows file host computer is always idle (I use other computers when I have things to do), with no updates going on. Therefore, your Wi-Fi hypothesis remains the most likely explanation, especially since there are days when the music files play fine.

Thanks!

kamby19 · 2015-06-30, 06:54

(2015-06-24, 13:39)vjmcdonnell Wrote: I have noticed the same issue but would be about 1 or twice each song. Im using home plugs which play moves with out issues.

Thanks for your reply.

The problem I described in my OP is less common now, and as I wrote above there are days when it doesn't happen at all. That pretty much has to mean intermittent Wi-Fi problems it seems to me.

I just find it curious why there are never any glitches paying video Huh

vjmcdonnell · (This post was last modified: 2015-06-30, 13:47 by vjmcdonnell.)

(2015-06-30, 06:54)kamby19 Wrote:
(2015-06-24, 13:39)vjmcdonnell Wrote: I have noticed the same issue but would be about 1 or twice each song. Im using home plugs which play moves with out issues.

Thanks for your reply.

The problem I described in my OP is less common now, and as I wrote above there are days when it doesn't happen at all. That pretty much has to mean intermittent Wi-Fi problems it seems to me.

I just find it curious why there are never any glitches paying video

I played some music at the weekend and still having the issue but 6Gb movies rips play with no issue.
The music seems to pause for a second before restarting, a few times each song.
Would a Debug log help
Im on a Nightly from a few weeks ago Kodi 15, not sure of the date.

TeflonDog · 2015-07-04, 04:39

I and others have the same problem (see this post for more details.)
Tried NFS and SMB - still stutters. Hardwired, so wi-fi not to blame.
I haven't found a solution. Undecided

jac55 · (This post was last modified: 2015-07-04, 12:55 by jac55.)

(2015-06-30, 06:50)kamby19 Wrote:
(2015-06-24, 09:27)Fist Wrote: As an experiment, try playing from a USB stick. I suspect your WIFI is the problem.

Thanks for the excellent suggestion! The samples I tested from USB played fine, but of course I only tested a few that way.

I am just seeking clarification (and have been trying to assist TeflonDog with similar issues in the other thread he links to ). In your OP you said you were using a Fire TV stick, so how did you test with a USB music source? Was it from a USB port on your router because AFAIK the Fire TV stick has no USB port.

If it was plugged into your router - then it would be accessed by your Fire TV stick over WiFi, which you suspect as a possible cause of your problem. So why does USB storage over WiFi work well, whereas your normal Windows SMB connection over WiFi does not?

EDIT - Just spotted in your OP that you went ahead and got the Fire TV Box after using the stick. Sorry for not spotting that when I made this post.

vjmcdonnell · 2015-07-04, 10:36

I have the same issue. HD 8gb movies play with out issue from my Unraid Server. Using a fire TV box. Which is connect via homeplugs. Both server and avtv have static ip.
I'll transfer some music to the HD connection to my avtv and see if it makes a difference.