DS Audio/Chromecast issues

[keef]

Hi All,

Long time reader, first time poster. If you reply, speak to me like I have no idea what I am doing. Because it's close to the truth.

I have a DS 220+. I use the DS Audio app (android) to cast to an old Chromecast Audio disc. Well I did and now it doesn't work.

A few observations:

• DS Audio plays the music fine on my phone. In fact it can play music on my old Roberts i93 Radio which has no casting built in but the app recognises. No idea how.
• When I select the Chromecast as the output I get the "bing" connection noise. But when I select the album it flicks through all the tracks instantly.
• The BBC Sounds app can cast. The casting disc seems to work. Actually I can cast, outside the app. So I do have a workaround but not one I like.
• I have played with the backward compatibility type options to no avail.

I conclude it's something else in the settings I must change. But what? Suggestions welcome.

Thanks,

Keith

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[fredbert]

It sounds like the audio files are in formats that the Chromecast Audio doesn't support. The later versions of DSM removed the transcoding of formats as Synology assumed modern client devices all can do this themselves.

 

[keef]

It sounds like the audio files are in formats that the Chromecast Audio doesn't support. The later versions of DSM removed the transcoding of formats as Synology assumed modern client devices all can do this themselves.

So I had a thought and downloaded VLC Media Player to my PC. And that can cast my FLAC files that are sitting on the NAS. It's not that.

 

[n3rv0x]

It no longer works with Chromecast. The issue has already been reported, but has not yet been resolved.

 

[fredbert]

So I had a thought and downloaded VLC Media Player to my PC. And that can cast my FLAC files that are sitting on the NAS. It's not that.

You didn’t say what file formats you had. After I replied I did search the formats the CC Audio supported and saw it had a good range, so should work. But didn’t have time to add that.

If it is a bug then that’s annoying.

Regarding your Roberts 93i: it may advertise as a DLNA/UPnP player/speaker. According the manual I found it can also connect to DLNA/UPnP servers (such as Synology’s Media Server) to browse and play media. My Denon amps and HEOS speaker have these features.

 

[keef]

It no longer works with Chromecast. The issue has already been reported, but has not yet been resolved.

Thanks. The DS Audio app doesn't seem to have been updated since 2024. The Chromecast Audio disc is ancient. Something else must have changed.

 

[JWN1111]

I'm having the same issue. Started about a month ago, pretty sure coinciding with a DSM update. I used to chromecast all the time using my android phone and the DS Audio app, and then all of a sudden, it stops working. Nearly identical observations as keef pointed out above:

• DS Audio plays the music fine on my phone
• When I select the Chromecast as the output I get the "bing" connection noise. But when I select the album it flicks through all the tracks instantly
  • For me, after it flicks through, I get a popup that says "DS audio: Connection expired. Please login again." and then it logs me out
• I can go to Google Home app and have it cast audio coming from DS Audio, which works fine, but is an awkward work around

I can't find anything else about this online. n3rv0x do you know where I can find the reported issue? Anybody else know anything?

Thanks

 

[n3rv0x]

Stesso problema, nessuna soluzione.

 

[keef]

I gave up. I installed Jellyfin. Although I am not a computer person, it was not too difficult. Until it stopped working. I may start another post to try to address that. But I feel quite discouraged. The DS Audio app hasn't been updated for yonks so I guess that tells us what Synology thinks about 'retail' users like myself.

 

[Telos]

Since you have a docker capable NAS, just run Jellyfin (for video) and Navidrome (for audio). They run circles around Synology's apps.

 

[keef]

I am sure this is good advice. It feels Jellyfin is a bit much just for music. And my experience so far is mixed. But the instructions to install it were easy to follow. With Navidrome the very first line is: "Create a docker-compose.yml file". And my instant reaction is how and where?

 

[Telos]

my instant reaction is how and where

If you traveled over to the Navidrome site, you'll find this page (5 seconds on Google).

 

[keef]

If you traveled over to the Navidrome site, you'll find this page (5 seconds on Google).

I found it in three seconds. But there is a huge assumption from you that it makes any sense to a interested but non-expert user. This is a much more technical set of instructions than the Jellyfin ones. I wouldn't know where to start or have the confidence to make these changes to my setup lightly. I cannot see that a docker-compose.yml file on my NAS. Neither is it immediately obvious how to create one (I guess text editor which I drag...where?). And then "Start it with docker-compose up -d". What does that mean? Do I need to open some sort of command line? How do I do that? If your base level of knowledge is low, these instructions don't help.

 

[Telos]

We all had to learn docker once before, but if that intimidates you, why not install the Synology Navidrome package from SynoCommunity?

 

[keef]

I didn't realise you had to learn Docker in order to use this forum and follow the earlier instructions. My mistake. That new link not available in my country apparently. I should move somewhere else I guess.

 

[keef]

OK. Here is my idiot's guide for fellow idiots. If I can do this, so can you.

DS Audio is broken for casting as far as I can tell. No investment in the app so let's count that out:

Jellyfin: well written instructions on the official site. Jellyfin. It involves installing the Container Manager and doing something with an image. You need to enter your NAS IP address and preferably make sure it is static (doh). Put that into a browser and set up username and password. There's an app in the Android Store. I found the casting a bit patchy. And it's a bit much if you only want to use it for music.

Navidome: the official instructions on the Navidrome site are not for 'civilians'. Instead go to the SynoCommunity homepage and follow the instructions to make that repositiory a trusted site. Then you can install it really easily in the usual Package Manager place on the NAS. So it skips the container bit above. You put the IP address into a browser, set a username and password. Then you are good to go. There is no official Android app, but loads available. Not all with casting or in the App store. I am trying Symfonium which is a few £s (after a trial) but seems to do the job.

Hope this helps others.

 

[JWN1111]

FYI, this should be fixed in DSM 7.3.3 when released. I submitted ticket 3987875 and worked with Kenneth from Synology Support and they fixed the bug on my NAS. Chromecasting is back to it's normal, functional yet buggy self.

For what it's worth, I had also installed Jellyfin to give it a shot but found it a worse experience compared to DS Audio (when it works).

Cheers,
Jack

 

[n3rv0x]

FYI, this should be fixed in DSM 7.3.3 when released. I submitted ticket 3987875 and worked with Kenneth from Synology Support and they fixed the bug on my NAS. Chromecasting is back to it's normal, functional yet buggy self.

For what it's worth, I had also installed Jellyfin to give it a shot but found it a worse experience compared to DS Audio (when it works).

Cheers,
Jack

Do we know the release date?
Grazie

 

[u100009]

There is supposedly a release 7.4.90075 that can be downloaded from the official patch site.
Download Center - download | Synology Inc.
It looks like it has to be installed manually in DSM as there will be no auto-update for this one..
I'm installing it right now and will report back if the issue with ChromeCast cert is fixed after that..

 

[u100009]

There is supposedly a release 7.4.90075 that can be downloaded from the official patch site.
Download Center - download | Synology Inc.
It looks like it has to be installed manually in DSM as there will be no auto-update for this one..
I'm installing it right now and will report back if the issue with ChromeCast cert is fixed after that..

After reboot of my DS1520+ and confirmed that 7.4-90075 is installed, I tried to cast DS Audio to my Google speaker and it still keeps failing with the same error message.. even without the HTTPS option checked it fails too.
Very disapointing, as this had been working before I updated to 7.2
Going to look at an alternative media server on my NAS.. It is just sad that Synology keeps breaking things that worked well for so long..