iTouch and Pandora app....audio drop outs

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iTouch and Pandora app....audio drop outs

Anybody having audio drop outs when using Pandora? It used to work flawlessly on my home network...nothing changed except maybe the update from Pandora in Aug? Anyway- tried the Pandora app on my Apple network at work...no problem. Is it my home network?...My network is secure...I have a cable modem and Time capsule wireless router. What is REALLY perplexing is that AOL radio app. streams fine to my iTouch.

Please anybody have a solution or similar problem with a fix for this? This was/is the best app for the iTouch and a speaker dock! So frustrating.

Tried reinstalling the app.....no luck

...all updates are current.

any thoughts?

Thanks-
Steve

imac, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Oct 21, 2008 11:43 PM

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Answer 1

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 22, 2008 1:01 AM in response to sminnick

I posted about this a week or 2 ago. Pandora knows there is a problem with dropouts when the screen is locked. They emailed me that they are trying to fix the problem in the next update. IF you leave the screen active you should have NO dropouts at all. I can play Pandora for hours with ZERO dropouts on my wifi with a very fast internet connection. As soon as the screen is locked, I get six to 10 dropouts per minute. Hang tight--they are working the problem. Last FM doesn't have this issue, BTW...

Using Speedtest, I've clocked my internet speed to the Touch typically at 7Mb down, and 1.1Mb up. Pandora works fine over 120 feet away from my Netgear N router. LOVE that app!

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Answer 2

sminnick Author

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Oct 22, 2008 6:49 AM in response to David.

I saw that post...but I'm not sure it applies to my situation. It doesn't seem to be connected to when my screen is locked or not. As I stated, It works without a hitch at my work but at home it has the dropouts. I would normally think...well it HAS to be my connection or speed or traffic at home BUT Pandora used to work flawlessly...it probably started having the drops after the update. Maybe the locked screen bug has something to do with my problem but I'm not sure. Why would it work at my work w/ an apple router and NOT at home with an apple router?...just plain weird...
I get buffering with LastFM if that is any clue for you? I don't get any buffering with the AOl radio app.
As a note I get no issues when I listen to my Pandora on my desktop both wirelessly and wired....so it HAS to be an iTouch/Pandora issue. I hope you are right that the update will fix my problem.

Thanks

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Answer 3

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 22, 2008 10:20 AM in response to sminnick

Could you clarify one thing for me? When you are at work, do you lock the screen at any time while listening to Pandora? If you do, don't you get dropouts?

There's certainly something funky going on with Pandora when the screen is locked, an issue to which they readily admitted, so whatever the technical issue happens to be, lets hope an update fixes ALL dropout-related issues.

I'm still not understanding why so many people have wifi issues with Touch 2G's. I've had 3 2G's (mine, wife's, and one of mine that I exchanged after a couple weeks) and they have all readily connected to any wifi, get great range, super good speed (as shown by a free app, Speedtest). I wonder if there are batches of 2G's that work better than others...reading the long thread about wifi issues leaves me baffled as to the root cause of so many reported problems.

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Answer 4

sminnick Author

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Oct 22, 2008 12:58 PM in response to David.

Dave...I never lock the screen. I let it "go dark"...but never locked. At work, I can leave it running all day no problems ...no drops....almost perfect except for the occasional premature skip to the next song but it rarely does that anymore. Like I said it used to work flawlessly at home...now its just awful.

I don't get it...baffled. It connects great...although I will check the speed tonight from router to iTouch
Thanks for the feedback...keep me posted

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Answer 5

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 22, 2008 5:10 PM in response to sminnick

Maybe I used the wrong terminology? By "locked", I mean pushing the top button quickly to darken the screen. The same issue with dropouts, at least for me, is present from "locking" with the top button, OR if I have the screen timeout automatically. As soon as the screen goes dark, all 3 of our Touch's suffer from audio dropouts ONLY in Pandora. For that reason, I've turned off the auto lock feature. I use pandora on my touch for hours at a time, in my shop, and for that I've got it hooked up to powered speakers and also to an iPod charger. Never misses a beat.

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Answer 6

sminnick Author

Level 1

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Oct 22, 2008 10:52 PM in response to David.

never thought it was a speed issue...but guess what?....after testing my three computers and using testmyiphone.com to check the speed connection...I realized there was something wrong with my wireless connection speeds....they weren't slow enough to notice on "regular pages" but they were slow enough on some more "robust" pages...I then tested the iTouch and realized the connection was enough to receive e-mail but wasn't ever going to stream audio.

solution:
unplugged modem, unplugged time capsule...waited...plugged everything back in and reset the whole network....new IP address...and problem solved...Pandora is back!

Message was edited by: sminnick

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Answer 7

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 23, 2008 5:48 PM in response to sminnick

AWESOME!!

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