Unitilite Internet Radio/Spotify dropouts only in the evening

Actually you are *not* alone! It can and will happen to anyone regardless how good your network is. Common problems are:

1) Your ISP is overloaded with users, especially in the evening or at night.

2) The streaming servers (eg Spotify) is over capacity, meaning the server can only support a limited number of concurrent streams at any one time and if this capacity is exceeded, your connection will be dropped, and then it will try to reconnect.

Thanks for your reply Peter. I understand the ISP may be overloaded, but that doesn't explain why in the evening I can stream 1080p video with absolutely no lag. And that uses considerably more bandwidth than a 320k music stream.

It also doesn't explain why I can stream the same radio and Spotify services on other devices, also in the evening, with no drops at all. All I can think of is that the Lite must have a very low tolerance to network variances. In which case it must be the hardware/software/firmware within the unit which is not up to the job. So if that's the case it's very disappointing considering it's meant to be a high end piece of equipment.

Do you stream video over the internet? Netflix?

I once had the the dropout issue with Classic FM (128k - low bandwidth) but at the same time no issue with Linn, Naim radios (320k), but then I waited ~10 mins, restarted listening the classic FM again with no issue. This pointed out clearly to me that was the streaming server itself.

If that happens again, I would suggest that you use other streaming services on the same box to see if the problem is persistent?

Yes, I use Netflix and Amazon Prime. Both have no issues. With the Lite, the problem happens on any radio station (Radio 2, Naim radio, Paradise) as well as Spotify. And it's been going on for about three weeks. in that time I've reset the router and the Naim, but the problem is still there. Vey strange.

As for Netflix and Amazon Prime, there are some dynamic compression algorithms to deal with low bandwidth networks.

Very interesting that you have exactly the same dropout issue on all streaming radios on the same Unitilite at exactly the same time? Just wondering if Naim Tech Support chime in any light?

Unfortunately they didn't. Their first question was whether I was using a wireless connection. I told them I wasn't - I'm using an ethernet cable direct from the router. They then shrugged their shoulders and said it must be a network issue. 

It's been doing it all evening today. It was perfect during the day. It's driving me mad. I'm running out of ideas. I'm going to try to get a new router from EE. Maybe that could be the problem?

I would try different Unitilite or different Naim product(s) or even different brand or even return it or as you said, try different router first.

Joe T - there is (unless it has been resolved and I'm not aware of it) an ongoing problem with they way Netflix uses the bandwidth. It interacts badly with iRadio via Naim streamers.

Adam

Adam - thanks for the suggestion. I don't have Netflix and iRadio on the Lite running at the same time. It's one or the other, so it's unlikely to be that.

Joe - if Netflix runs in parallel in your house in another room, it may affect the iRadio streaming.

Adam - It doesn't run in parallel because I live alone and I either have Netflix on or I'm using the Lite. One or the other. Never both at the same time.

Another question then: do the dropouts affect all radio stations or just few?

There are two reasosn behind my question:

1. I used to get a lot of dropouts for my iRadio from all the streamers - it turned out our cable signal had to be boosted at a distribution panel in the building. That took care of this problem

2. I now occasionally get a dropout caused by a radio station's overload - other ones work perfectly fine.

Interesting I've been using an NDX for 12 months and used to get dropouts on a local station reguarly plus the NDX would show No Network Found which was strange as my PC located in another room through a Powerline adaptor fed from the same switch worked perfectly.

i recently upgraded my system keeping the NDX the dealer recommended that I should use Audioquest Cinnamon ethernet cables from the Hub to the swith and then to both the NDX and NAS drive.

Since these have been installed the dropouts have virtually dissappeared the NDX has never shown No Network Found plus when you change stations the reaction time is substantially quicker.

Thanks everyone.

Just been on the phone to Naim again and they basically said it's down to network 'contention' - i.e. when people get home in the evening everyone starts to use the internet and the latency increases which can cause the dropouts. They said that as the infrastructure in my area is upgraded the problem will disapppear. When I asked why I don't have any problems with streaming HD video I was told that 'other devices have bigger buffers'. So without admitting it, he was basically saying the Lite does not have a big enough buffer. Poor design and not fit for purpose in my opinion, especially considering the cost of the unit. So it looks like I'm stuck until the network infrastructure is improved where I live.

Joe - I think it is a bit unfair blaming a streamer for your ISP l's poor network's infrastructure. 

Hopefully once your internet service provider improves their service you will be able to enjoy the iRadio without interruptions. 

Adam

I would tend to agree with the OP, I bet that a lowly streamer like like Squeezebox or Transporter would work fine here.

Peter Dinh is right in his initial diagnosis of the problem.