Roon / Tidal playback delay

[richidoo]

Does anyone ever get a delay of 5-15 seconds after pressing play before the music starts while playing Tidal on Roon? Sometimes it delays the start, then a few seconds after it starts it pauses for a couple seconds again before continuing, just to twist the knife. 

All my Roon endpoints have the same problem, SMS200, Laptop and Sonos. Wired or wireless. My network is otherwise fine. Streaming HD video no problem.

Playing the Tidal App on Windows is fine. Their own app responds fast, but other Tidal clients delay.

Technically everything seems OK.

Thought I'd ask here before posting on Roon forum for help.
Thanks for any insight or ideas.
Rich

[Nick B]

I do get a delay sometimes at the start, but after that, it plays fine to conclusion.

[shadowlight]

Rich,
There is a thread on Roon’s forum where other folks have reported the exact problem.  Delay with Roon but Tidal app works fine.

[richidoo]

I searched but only found one thread from 18 months ago, unresolved. 
Is it easy for you to post a link to the thread you found? Thanks

I started a new thread on Roon forum
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/roon-tidal-playback-delayed-and-pauses/49840

[shadowlight]

Let me see if I can find the thread.  I was reading that thread couple of days ago.  Here are couple that seem to be similar.  I also saw your post.

https://community.roonlabs.com/t/tidal-playback-delay-via-roon-on-innuos-zen/44286/4
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/tidal-is-verrrrry-slow-under-roon/49035/30

[richidoo]

Thanks a lot Deepak!!!

[shadowlight]

Hopefully, the suggestion in those threads helps you to resolve the issue.

[richidoo]

I'm already using Google DNS in DHCP. Hopefully other options or explanations will arise.

Always trouble when you have two vendors "cooperating" on a project. It's too easy to blame the other.

[shadowlight]

I doubt it is DNS but you could try Cloudflare DNS to see if they work - 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 or OpenDNS -208.67.222.222 · 208.67.220.220

[richidoo]

Thanks, I'll try those.

Here's a funny story, I use eero for DHCP, and it's config is accessed by phone app. On my Android (5.1) phone the app runs, but the number keyboard that pops up in the app has no decimal point key, so it's impossible to type in an IP address. The eero tech thought that was pretty funny, but doubted they would debug that since my Android version is so old. I have to use my wifes iPhone to change the DNS IPs because it has decimal point on the number keyboard dialog. Isn't that funny?

No. I know... 
 

[richidoo]

It works right when Core's connected to internet thru my T-Mbile phone's hotspot.
It doesn't work when on my ATT internet and LAN. Will mess with the ATT stuff next.

[shadowlight]

It works right when Core's connected to internet thru my T-Mbile phone's hotspot.
It doesn't work when on my ATT internet and LAN. Will mess with the ATT stuff next.

That is strange.  Is the T-Mobile hotspot connected to eero's also?  Is it possible for you to connect up eero's to tmobile hotspot and see if you are having the same issue?

[richidoo]

That is strange.  Is the T-Mobile hotspot connected to eero's also?

Thanks Deepak. No, the hotspot was my cellphone and WiFi on the phone was disabled, as it usually is.

Is it possible for you to connect up eero's to tmobile hotspot and see if you are having the same issue?

No, eero WAN connection must be wired ethernet. It can't be a wireless repeater.


Along your train of thought, I went a step further this morning, and removed eero from the network entirely, took the ATT router out of bridge mode and connected Core directly to ATT router by wire. Rebooted ATT hardware and Core, but no change.

I will admit my conspiratorial tendencies did pop up this morning, when I thought that Softbank is largest investor in Tidal and they own Sprint, which is trying to merge with T-Mobile. So Tidal might give preference to streaming requests originating on T-Mobile network to please their future masters?    

More likely, being broke, nobody at Tidal is monitoring their quality of service anymore. Maybe the network engineer wore a MAGA hat to work.