VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

[Jake]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

Thus both devices dropped back to PCM and disabled bitstreaming. When this happenend, I would experience frequent crashes of the VUDU app on the Chromecast (always after pausing and resuming).

What does the crash look like? Does it just stop playing, or does the entire Chromecast restart? And does it happen on any particular content more than others?

[nimmzwei]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

What does the crash look like? Does it just stop playing, or does the entire Chromecast restart? And does it happen on any particular content more than others?

The VUDU app on the Chromecast / Shield force-closes. It happens anywhere between 2 and 20min and it happens always when pausing and then resuming a stream (it plays for 2 min or so after resuming, then crashes).

[Jake]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

The VUDU app on the Chromecast / Shield force-closes. It happens anywhere between 2 and 20min and it happens always when pausing and then resuming a stream (it plays for 2 min or so after resuming, then crashes).

Our QA is trying to reproduce this, but haven't been able to yet. Are there specific movies this happened on that they could try? (or is it all movies for you?). Also, what model of A/V receiver & projector are you using? (it's possible that there is some issue with HDMI/HDCP/audio negotiation by Chromecast that's triggering a Chromecast bug).

Do you have a TV you can plug the Chromecast into directly (to simplify the connections), and if so do you mind trying to reproduce with that on your end?

[nimmzwei]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

Jake, I also have an LG-TV with a Chromecast (first gen). Haven't used that one for a while, but I'll give it a try.

The reciever is a Yamaha RV-something (not at home atm) from 2012 and the projector is an Epson TW3600 from the same year.

I used to access VUDU on my Panasonic BD-65 player and never had any issues. But after comparing the picture of VUDU on the Chromecast to that on the Panasonic, I had to change (Even though the Pana showed HDX he was putting out 720p-only in streaming mode).
The BD player could "force" bitstream mode so no problem there. Unfortunatly there is no similar option on the Chromecast or the Shield.

Concerning the "old vs. new movies" issue: The only thing I can verify is that recent releases all show the same A/V issues on the Shield (chipmunk audio, stuttering, freezing) no matter the audio mode (bitstream or PCM).
Thus this seems to be an issue of the Shield or the Google Cast implementation on the Shield.

2 movies you might test from the top of my head:

"Goosebumps" on Shield: Chipmunk audio
"Rambo: First Blood" on Shield: OK

BUT: Even with the movies that don't have the "Chipmunk audio" on the Shield, video and audio tend to go out of sync (usually after pausing / unpausing) or when resuming a movie. Again, this only happens on the Shield. Can't say yet, if that behavior is linked to the bitstream / pcm issue.

I'm having high hopes for the native VUDU app on the Shield. Considering VUDU wants to sell its 4K content, support for the Shield should be a top priority (as its the only 4k ATV player out there atm).

I'll give may old CC and TV a runthrough during the next few days and let you know what I find.

Thanks for looking into this!

[Donborvio]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

I'd just like to add my voice to wanting a native NVIDIA Shield/Android TV app ASAP. Casting is an ok workaround but you have the same PC-side restrictions for streaming as always. Many of my titles will only play/cast in SD from a PC. CinemaNow app is slow and clunky and I have a few non-UV/DMA titles bought through Vudu I cannot watch either.

[nimmzwei]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

After some more tests this is what I've found. Please post, if you have other findings!

- Chromecast only bitstreams DD+ from VUDU
- Titles encoded in DD are converted to PCM (btw, VUDU, you should really check your audio descriptions. A lot of titles say DD+ and they are actually only DD! e.g. "Reign of Fire")
- The problem on the Shield seems to be related to DD+. All titles encoded in DD+ have the chipmunk audio. DD is fine.

I've switched to CinemaNow app for the moment (although not all my titles are showing) but at least their casting works. Although they only have stereo and picture quality isn't even close to VUDU.

I even sideloaded the VUDU app to the Shield. It works (make sure you use WIFI or you will get a warning, that it can't connect), BUT it streams only in SD because "an HDMI device was detected and licensing bs doesn't allow...". *shakes head*.

I really hope VUDU gets its act together and releases that app for Android TV soon. It can't be that much work, considering the app already works...

[Maisy]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

I have a Forge TV. Casting to it wasn't a problem when I first got it (Dec/Jan) but at some point it became a spotty issue of buffering and not playing HDX or HD or SD without buffering. Starting the movie on tablet was an option, or pausing movie then unpausing would make HDX or HD play without buffering.

This past week though it's to the point I can't cast Vudu to Google Cast on any Android TV. I have two Sony Bravia 2015's that have the Vudu app native, but Google Cast also works, but now with this Forge TV problem, I try casting Vudu to those TV's as well, and get the same variety of results, no movie, just a loading screen with nothing going on. Sometimes "error casting content" but usually the same thing: just a 0:00 movie length, movie thumbnail on TV nothing more, Same thing on tablet but a swirling blue circle and sometimes CC lights up green, eventually, but the movie never plays.

I can start a movie on tablet, then turn on Cast, and it's just like opening Vudu, starting Cast, then choosing a movie and hitting play. But even now I can send Vudu to my old Chromecast no problem.

Tablet: Android 6 Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet
Phone: Android 6 Samsung Galaxy S6+
Old Phone as Wifi device: Android 4.3 HTC Evo LTE

Those are the devices I've tried, all to Chromecast work. All to Google Cast devices are exactly the same.

Powered all devices off. That did nothing. Rebooted my router. No change. All other content casts as it should or can. Vudu just won't work with Google Cast anymore.

[diamond204]

Re: VUDU on Android-TV and casting problems with new app / Marshmallow

Moving my issue from another thread to here. It seems like the issue remains unresolved. As noted below, Gen 2 of Chromecast is confirmed affected by the issue. Not sure about the new 4k Chromecast. Hope this issue can be resolved as waiting for all streams to be converted to the newer adaptive format could take quite a while I imagine...

My original post:
I have been having issues with buffering with Chromecast and the Vudu app and am wondering if I am the only one?

I am experiencing buffering issues with HDX movies. I start off HDX, and then Vudu will step down to HD after about 15 minutes or so, and then another 15 minutes down to SD. I can stop the film and restart in HDX, and the process will repeat again.

Some notes : My Internet is cable internet and at least 50 mbps

Have tried with two different routers, the current is Asus RT-AC68R AC1900.

Reception of Wireless N is excellent in my living room. Using the Vudu speed test is 14.58 down, 9.49 up while streaming a Netflix HD show at the same time as running the test on my PC in the room.

Also have tried two different Chromecasts - one 1st gen and one 2nd gen, both were the same.

I have never experienced the skipping on any other service including Netflix and Hulu. They can maintain HD quality levels for all streams of any duration.

Any ideas how to fix or is there a known issue either with the Chromecast, the Vudu mobile app, or both?