Problem with casting music from Synology NAS to Cambridge Audio MXN10

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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1

Server Version#: v.1.40.1.8120
Player Version#: 4.124.1
Plex Media Server Logs_2024-02-26_09-54-31.zip (6.4 MB)
Synology DS420+ DSM Version DSM 7.2.1-69057 Update 3

Hi,

I cast my music to a Cambridge Audio MXN10 and last week that got a firmware upgrade and since then I can’t cast music to it successfully. Playback stutters and stalls and goes into a loop. The most common error is that it starts to stutter after about 12 seconds of a track but that isn’t always the case. Some things (though very few) play fine. This happens whether I’m casting from PlexAmp, browser or the Plex app on my phone.

I can cast to other Google Cast devices from Plex without any problem. If I play music on my phone using PlexAmp, it’s fine. And I can cast the music playing from Plex to the MXN10 without any problems if I cast my phone’s audio.

That’s the latest firmware for the MXN10.

I can cast music from Synology’s Audio Station to the MXN10 without any problems and things loike YT Music all work fine. It’s only Plex that doesn’t work.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Tim

Releasing the new app was a crazy decision
Bug with Google Cast for Audio 2.0 devices (playback stutters, stalls, goes into a loop)
2

I’ve installed Symphonium on my phone and Plex steams fine to the MXN10 through that. The problem only happens if I’m streaming from an actual Plex platform, web or PlexAmp.

3

Hi there,

I have the exact same issue and it is since Cambridge updated their Cast client to 2.0, making Plex impossible to cast anything on my EVO.

It would be nice if somebody can see what can be done to update Plex side because I tried to make them a rollback, it is apparently not possible.

I’m REALLY mad about their manners to push new software without testing…

Here is Cambridge latest answer:

Hi Franck,

Thanks for your patience with this issue.

Our engineers have been looking into this issue to determine the cause of it. As mentioned, we have recently updated the EVO to the latest Chromecast version, which is Cast 2.0. We are contractually obligated to update to the latest Cast versions for our new products.

We had expected this update to improve our user experience, however, we are aware that there have been a few Cast issues with some specific apps. Our engineer’s understanding is that these issues have been caused by out-of-date sender app implementations when Casting from Plex, which do not meet the current requirements as specified by Google.

As these issues can only be solved by the app providers themselves, we would suggest contacting the Plex app provider to report the issue that you’re experiencing, in the hope that they will be able to provide a future fix for this.

Please accept our apologies that we’re unable to resolve this ourselves, and do let me know if you have any questions.

Kind regards,
X
Senior Support Agent
Cambridge Audio

So is there anybody from Plex that can give us some insights and a roadmap?
Thanks in advance :slightly_smiling_face:

@ChuckPa I’m willing to test anything if you can help… my Docker setup is ready to go!!! :grin:

4

Sorry to hear you’re having the same problem.

I heard back from Cambridge last night to say there’s a new Early Update version of the firmware for the MXN10. I installed it and now Plexamp can’t play anything at all on the MXN10. It connects but nothing will play.
From Chrome and the Plex app, I can connect but then when I play something it disconnects and plays on the local device.
I’ve emailed to say that it’s not working so will see what they say.

1 Like
5

I have a few seconds of play and then it hangs, completelly unusable.

“Luckily”, I still have a Chromecast Audio that I can plug with optical cable but this things stutters quite a lot when you have higher quality audio file (24bits & >48Khz)… and it’s not a WiFi issue, connection is absolutelly stable but the buffer doesn’t work well.

Hopefully, somebody can help from Plex side! :slightly_smiling_face:

6

I’ve now had pretty much exactly the same response from Cambridge Audio as you.

Our engineers have been looking into this issue to determine the cause of it. As mentioned, we have recently updated the MXN10 to the latest Chromecast version, which is Cast 2.0. We are contractually obligated to update to the latest Cast versions for our new products.

While this update has improved the Cast implementation when Casting from the vast majority of apps, we are, however, aware that there have been a few Cast issues with some specific apps. Our engineer’s understanding is that these issues have been caused by out-of-date sender app implementations when Casting from Plex and other services which do not meet the current requirements as specified by Google.

As these issues can only be solved by the app providers themselves, we would suggest contacting the Plex app provider to report the issue that you’re experiencing, in the hope that they will be able to provide a future fix for this.

Hopefully, it’s something PLex can fix easily enough.

7

@ChuckPa a little up for this topic, we need somebody from Plex team involved.
Thx in advance :wink:

8

Morning.

May I please have the Server “DEBUG logging” Log files ZIP which captures the playback attempts and fails?

What would be ideal is:

  1. Restart Plex
  2. Attempt to play / cast
  3. Capture the error(s)
  4. Download the ZIP file
  5. Attach here

Of best help is when having an otherwise completely quiescent server if possible

9

I have a test instance, just to test transcoding BEFORE updating Plex - since the last story…
Allow me a bit of time to prepare it for audio and send you the logs.

Thanks in advance! :wink:

10

Take what you need.

11

I tried to PM you the logs with some context, but you’re not accepting PMs :wink:

How can I share the logs with you only?

12

Plex Media Server Logs_2024-05-02_20-50-35.zip (6.7 MB)
Are they any use? I couldn’t connect to the MXN10 at all today. Tried from Chrome and from Plexamp on my mobile.

13

@timtoo440

Would you please go into your NAS’s configuration and set the region then restart Plex?

I’m getting a stream of traditional Chinese characters (UTF-16) followed by errors and failure to map to English charasters (UTF-8)

Screenshot from 2024-05-02 16-30-11
Screenshot from 2024-05-02 16-30-11746×89 7.5 KB

14

I have same issue with casting to Chromecast…

I bought a Cambridge CXN100 recently, and it has same issue described above.

I have an older CXNV2 however that works perfectly fine.

I play mostly FLAC files.

Debugging to date shows that smaller FLAC file sizes (less than 6mb) have no issues… That translates roughly to 90 seconds or less songs. Try it, create a playlist of short duration songs and they work fine on both CXNV2 and CXN100.

Send larger FLAC files to older device, no issues.

Send same file to new CXN100, plays for about 6 seconds, volume drops, and then all you hear is a repeat of the first 1/4 second of the song. Like a skipping Vinyl LP.

Interestingly, though the song is ‘skipping like a scratched LP’ the front panel of the CXN100(new device) thinks the song is playing perfectly well as it increments the elapsed time.

Copy those longer/larger FLAC files to a memory stick, use as source on devices, and both older and newer Cambridge devices have no issues with source materials.

I have some MP3’s, all of small size (but long songs), no issues casting to either device.

Getting the same response from Cambridge tech support. Regression testing on their part is left wanting.

Meanwhile, I have a new CNN100 boat anchor.

I have an 80mb phone video that demonstrates the issue.

15

I had exactly the same “old vinyl issue” and since the very last Plex update, songs are not playing at all on my EVO 150.

Songs can play on a Chromecast Audio tough, but this device stutters with high bitrate :upside_down_face:

16

Just a quick update: I was able to put Plex and Cambridge teams to work together, so you don’t need to pressure anybody for now. :wink:
Information sharing for this issue is key.

Hopefully, we’ll sort that out
(I also offered my help if any test is required)

17

Same here. If either Plex and/or Cambridge Audio require any field testing, I’m all in.

18

Hi there,

@ChuckPa it has been a while, do you have some news about this topic?

Thanks in advance, enjoy your weekend! :blush::ok_hand:

19

Hi there,

a little up for this topic, before it’s getting buried…:innocent:

1 Like
20

Yep, would be great to have this working again. Other amps I use don’t have the same problem. Just Plex.