Pocketcasts - Error, Unable to play, song not encoded properly or the connection was lost

@Xander P just fyi I've noticed a new behavior where playback stops in the middle of an otherwise successfully playing podcast, and gives the same encoding error, then sonos moves on to whatever is next in the queue.  

Have others seen this?

I don’t have the unexpected stop issue but I have noticed:

1. During podcast playback I cannot move from a speaker in one room to a speaker in another room
2. If I start a podcast playing on all speakers I can mute them individually by turning the volume down (in the app or using the physical button)  but I cannot disconnect a speaker.

I feel sure that it is all part of the same bookmarking feature that is filing to pick up properly.

Today’s diagnostic number 1125182448

Alan

I have no specialized insight into what is going on, but my observation is that the problem occurs when pocketcasts syncs episode position on one device (whether it’s a non-playing or other-playing Sonos device or a pocketcasts mobile app) and then it tries sync that position on the currently playing Sonos device.

I think this relates to you not being able to move from one room to another, something I also have struggled with.  I think I have “solved” for that by doing the following:

1.  Group the currently playing room together with the room to which you like to move;
2. After they are playing together for a minute or two, drop the first room from the group; and
3. Importantly, clear the queue on the non playing room (and make sure no pocketcasts episodes remain in any queues in any non playing rooms). 
4. Possibly, though I haven’t tested it, try to avoid simultaneously playing any pocketcasts episodes on any other devices, whether Sonos or non Sonos, as it appears to me that position syncing on any device other than the playing Sonos device triggers the problem.

I wonder if that might work for you  It’s not ideal, obviously, but it’s a somewhat reasonable workaround until the combined Sonos / pocketcasts forces hopefully sort this out.

Hi all,

I raised this in November last year. Basically the request times out for any tracks if playback is attempted part way through (so if paused and attempt to play later, already played elsewhere in another service or PocketCasts track is part played). It’s like it can’t search to the correct start point so throws random errors.

To get around this I have to play the track to the very end in PocketCasts (reset the track) and then open in Sonos (play from start) then search/scan to where I was. A nightmare.

Here is what Sonos emailed me in November:

“My colleague has done some experimenting on his own system and has found that the Pocketcast service has an unacceptable reaction time - the service is not responding quickly enough and your (and his) Sonos system finds this unacceptable and reports a lost connection. We have reported this to Pocketcast, but have no further information to share at this time. 

The solution for this is likely entirely at the server side of things - your Sonos system is operating as it should and when this issue is fixed, I don't think you'll need to do anything yourself.“

A quick fix Sonos should add is a ‘play from start option’ so it just plays without timing out while we wait for the actual fix.

I have been onto Sonos customer support again this morning as it’s a pretty unacceptable amount of time for a such small fix to be implemented. Hoping this is escalated and resolved soon.

Fingers crossed.

Frank

I have only been experiencing this in the last three weeks - it did not start in November for me.  I wonder if it has anything to do with the hardware?  I have a Windows 10 PC and a Samsung Android 7.0 phone

Diagnostic 966372957

Out of frustration I tried iHeartRadio for podcasts.  Same problem.  This is a SONOS issue.  Despite their claims to the contrary, SONOS doesn't do podcasts.

Just had updates to my PC and Android phone.  Looks like the problem is fixed.

Fingers crossed!

Alan

I, too, was excited to see the update on iOS. But it’s still not fixed, at least not on iOS. 🙃

This is frustrating!

Seems to be working ok but the annoying and erroneous “The OS on this device is no longer supported” messsage is back.

Just checking in with others -- I feel like I haven't seen this error in several days.  Are we fixed?