Router speed for streaming from NAS to Windows to Hi-Fi

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Level 1

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Router speed for streaming from NAS to Windows to Hi-Fi

I've been advised to post this here rather than the iTunes for Windows forum it's turned into an Airplay question.

I have just purchased a Windows 8.1 tablet and one of the main things I want to use it for is to stream music from a NAS to my Airplay enabled Hi-Fi. I haven't got a NAS yet, but have tried pointing it to the iTunes library files and media on my desktop PC. This seems to work once I relocate the files, but when I play them, they play ok through the tablet, but when I switch it to play to my Hi-Fi, it breaks up every few seconds.

I'm wondering if this is because my router is not up to the job or streaming from my desktop to my tablet and then from the tablet to my Hi-Fi?

Wired connection is 100 Mbps, Wireless 54Mbps.

Windows 8

Posted on Feb 28, 2015 11:15 AM

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Answer 1

vazandrew

Level 8

40,948 points

Feb 28, 2015 11:23 AM in response to paddybliss

It's likely an issue with interference on the local network or the router. May still want to post in the iTunes section as well as contacting support for the Hi-Fi

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Answer 2

paddybliss Author

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6 points

Feb 28, 2015 11:33 AM in response to vazandrew

Thanks. I've got a thread about this in the iTunes for Windows section:

Re: iTunes on Window 8.1 Tablet

What sort of interference could this be? I should add that streaming directly from my PC, where the music is stored, to my Hi-Fi via Airplay works perfectly. I was wondering if the fact that data is now going in two directions is causing this problem?

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Answer 3

paddybliss Author

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6 points

Feb 28, 2015 5:43 PM in response to paddybliss

I've now tried:

Updating windows network drivers

Changing to another router

I'm now not getting the Airplay icon at all. Any ideas?

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Answer 4

paddybliss Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 2, 2015 5:09 AM in response to paddybliss

I’ve now taken the networking out of the equation for the time being and tried playing music located on the actual tablet via Airplay. I get the same results.

So I was wondering if the tablet is not fast enough, but it doesn’t (from my understanding of these things) seem like its stretching the system. Task manager shows memory usage of no more than 50% and CPU of 4% while iTunes is playing via Airplay. Out of this iTunes is only using 55MB RAM and no more than 2.4% CPU.

Is there a minimum spec for Airplay? it's a Linx 10 Tablet:

Intel Atom Z3735F 1.33Ghz

2GB RAM

Window 8.1 32bit

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Answer 5

Rudegar

Level 10

181,746 points

Mar 2, 2015 7:42 AM in response to paddybliss

the only devices which officially support airplay are newer ios devices and newer macs

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Answer 6

paddybliss Author

Level 1

6 points

Mar 2, 2015 10:29 AM in response to Rudegar

Thanks

I know it’s difficult to do straight comparisons, and they have different OS, but hardware wise this tablet would seem to stack up well against the latest iPads & iPhones, and even better compared to the iOS devices that were released when Airplay was launched. As this protocol is now widely used for HD Video, I would have thought most modern hardware could cope with music.

There are some similar problems discussed in this thread, so I’ll give them a go when I get home:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2703198?start=75&tstart=0

These are mostly router tweaks though, I think it’s more to do with the configuration of the tablet and my Laptop & PC seem to be working fine with Airplay.

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Answer 7

paddybliss Author

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6 points

Mar 7, 2015 11:17 AM in response to paddybliss

I've now solved this by restoring the tablet to its factory settings and reinstalling everything. Airplay now working well, both with local tracks and streaming over my network. I'm still getting problems with my Airplay receiver often being greyed out in the Airplay link and I need to to restart iTunes, reboot the Marantz or both to get it back again.

Interesting to hear also if anyone has any ideas as to what caused the initial problem, I don't want to have to restore the tablet & start again every time something goes wrong.

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