Trouble with Radio Paradise 320k - buffer emptying

Going to assume you mean 19Mb/s.

Thats a good speed, sure you would expect it too work, but what else is going on with your network, any other network activity? Remember simply surfing the web is using bandwidth.

I have exactly the same problem - like you thought it was a signal problem, but no, checked everything through.  

Would also be interested in user's theories

Joe

I have the same problem with Radio Paradise - 320kb/s is often very unstable and drops out/reloads. Maybe they have problems with their bandwith at higher quality. I don't listen to them anymore at "prime times" - if there is such on web radio - because thats too anoying.

Only and always happens to me when "someone else in  the house" is downloading games!

Same for me, big download or to much online. Skype is the worse....eat everything single Mb

Phil

very common at 320

Going to assume you mean 19Mb/s.

Thanks for quick the replies! 

Yes that's right.  It's virgin media 20Mb/s service and always seems to test as 19.xx using Speedtest.

Until a about a month ago it was bomb-proof even with my wife skyping etc.  Now it's dropping out the whole time even with no other network activity.  Seems I'm not alone.    Great music channel though..  the 192 stream is fine..  

Ian

hi all, just to let you know we are actively investigating this with Radio Paradise. it would be helpful to know any details about your dropout events (i've been listening for 2 hours now without issue). Does it occur at a particular time of day? certain days only? is there a pattern you are experiencing to the drop-outs, are the drop-outs regular or sporadic in nature?

all this and more would help us start hunting the issue.

Cheers

Trevor

Trevor, I've been listening to 320 now for last few days with no issue at all

I've had drop outs with netgear router I don't know my speed,  Sometimes it's a problem I go down to a lower rate, and other time it is fine.  I have had it just shut off completely several times, and when I try to get it back I get a message about not having a signal.  I really like the station, no commercials and a wide range of music, sure beats the LA rock stations.

I have had to drop down to 192. The dropout/buffering tends to happen in the evening when there is heavy traffic. It would happen every 10/15 seconds, the buffer would empty and then fill (repeat).

Wired SU to Virgin SuperHub via a switch.

I am now back at 320 (Sunday AM) and all is fine. Will continue to monitor.

Regards

Neil

Hi TJ

apart from my other half network hammering as mentioned above, I get occasional very short dropouts from about 4pm to 8pm. Not a very frequent occurrence and certainly not every day. I put it down for local kids hammering Facebook and Skype when they get home from school. I've done broadband speed tests and they don't show a speed reduction but I don't think that rules out my ISP (BT) failing to cope.

I also listen to RP in the kitchen on a Logitech Squeezebox boom which uses a different RP feed. I get at least the same number of dropouts on that, so in my case I don't think the issue is specific to the Naim 320 RP feed.

Does this only happen for people using streamers? I have not had any problems since  the storm in november. I am using a  20 mbit down connection  and no other serious downloaders on the net and ns01.

Claus

Pev, assuming you are not overloading your broadband connection, 320kbps is trivial for a multi Mbps ADSL link. The stress points in the Internet backbone in the UK are usually around 4~6pm when kids get out of school and blitz social media etc.

So if the dropouts consistently occur at this time, I could point to an issue with your ISP but it would affect most things.

It is more likely there is congestion in the routed path between Paradise ISP and your ISP. Unfortunately current web radio is extremely inefficient with IPV4, and so these problems will arise from time to time. Paradise will have stats on their ISP access links and will/should be able to confirm if they are overloading  their link or access infrastructure if you know how to contact them.

Simon

Thanks Simon - that's pretty much what I thought. I don't know how I could diagnose this myself - I'm sure the basic speed tests  don't give the whole story. I mainly posted to give a bit more information about the problem, especially as my experience leads me to believe it's not exclusive to 320 RP but also affects the 192 RP I get via my Squeezebox.

I used to have more problems with 320 RP  and mostly listened in 128 or 192 but replacing my BT Home hub with a Netgear router has made a huge difference so there are many links in the chain that can cause this problem.

Roll on IPV6!

Pev, if you know RP 320 Kbps URL you could try trace route and look at the time to live (TTL) timings at each routing hop. When you get dropouts kick off trace route and you *may* see increased timings at a particular point/router which could indicate congestion at that point- and who the guilty culprit is, which could even be RPs European peering partner.

Simon

I contacted Bill at RP yesterday and got a quick reply saying they're working with Naim to track down the cause of the issues and hopefully come up with a fix soon.

Ian

Hooray it works!  No idea why but the since yesterday morning the RP 320k stream is solid and buffer stays at 100%    ie a complete change, overnight.  Anyone else found similar?

And thanks to Trevor and Bill for taking this seriously,

Ian

Same problem in New Zealand 320k the buffer empties 192k it's fine. Shame some very good music. I spoke to my dealer and this is a common problem. 

Hi,

i'm in NZ too and it's still no good here.  Buffer just drains/fills continuously on 320kbps.  Strange and I just listen at lower bitrate - not ideal.

Hi GlenW, I'm in christchurch with Telstra as my ISP. Chris is aware of the issue and apparently some ISPs are more successful than others? But I'm experiencing exactly what you're seeing the continuous buffer reloading. What's annoying is that the 192k stream doesn't have the artist information...so if I want to find out any artist or track information I have to go the 320k momentarily then come back to 192k.

I've tried the radio paradise 320k NY stream, exactly the same problem. Shouldnt be peak traffic problem, being in New Zealand with the inherent time differences, my listening should be when the UK and USA  audiences should be in bed! 

I have two RP 320 Kbps feeds on my Uniti and I found that one of them was cutting out after around 20 or so secs so I  just tuned into the other,'NY'feed and all is well 100% buffer.

I don't listen a lot to RP but never had a problem when I have used it.  System is a Uniti.  I'm in Guildford UK,  ISP is BT over ADSL with about 16Mbps download speed.  Linksys ADSL modem router.  Network is hardwired but uses Devolo powerline adaptors (I know - I'm bad).