Chromecast Issue

[Alister]

I have a Google Chromecast HD (White) that I'm having issues with

UK fully tuned HDHomeRun twin

Issue is with

UK FTA HD Channels 101 (BBC1 HD) 102 (BBC2 HD) 103 (STV HD - Scotland so STV not ITV)

When viewed through the app (latest - uninstalled and reinstalled 2025103 app / ) these channels go "Audio Only" or the picture freezes, sometime a complete clear data fixes but only briefly / that opening

YouTube HD works on device
VLC on Device plays streams 100% fine - VLC -> network -> HDHomeRun -> channel

Multiple PCs on network (wired) as well as NVidia Shield Pro (wired) and NVidia Shield TV (wireless) play streams fine

I've swapped the Chromecast to where the Shield TV is and still an issue

So I've tested WiFi, Streams, Timeshift and Tuner - these all are fine on other devices and the Chromecast can handle the stream, this is likely down to an update on the Chromecast?

[signcarver]

For me the chromecast with google tv (dongle, not the new 4K box's/"streamers") has been getting a bit strange but I can get it to work. I think some of the latest updates have caused some memory issues, particularly with the new guide centric ui, as my devices with more memory have always behaved better since the ui switch, but I do also believe it has been related to updates by google. I have seen that sometimes clearing other programs out can help as well. Often I will see audio only for a couple of seconds when first tuning a stream and if I let it go a bit after it starts playing (sometimes soon after, sometimes a few hours later) it will freeze or stutter often with audio continuing correctly, a skip forward or back usually corrects it but sometimes not around the same place, I typically let a channel go overnight and it will often require reboot to fix, though it might be responsive enough to reselect the channel, and occaionally it has shut down itself. Personally I prefer my (walmart) onn 4k pro to the google tv streamer but as I recall that isn't an option outside US/Canada but perhaps that has changed for an inexpensive solution.

[Alister]

Bugger

Well I've just ordered another shield tv to simply things

I had ordered a cheap chromecast ethernet adapter as a last resort but if there are memory issues, I don't have the energy to hassle so Nvidia Shields all round

[jasonl]

Please try again now.

[Alister]

Seems to be working but the APP version is the same

Though there are some new options on video quality?

[Alister]

Some more testing results this is on a 720p TV

Both settings LOW everything works

Video Quality HIGH / Video Quality (FHD) Low - live HD works recorded HD stutters

Video Quality HIGH / Video Quality (FHD) Medium - live HD Stutters recorded HD <not tested>

[jasonl]

The hardware video decoder in the Chromecast can't handle the 50Hz interlaced AVC content used on Freeview HD channels properly. The encoders used for Freeview HD channels in the UK dynamically switch between 25Hz progressive and 50Hz interlaced depending on the content, so it was running into a situation where some things would play fine and others were a stuttering mess. The app now blocks the broken decoders and does software decoding, which will at least play correctly, although in reduced quality mode as the CPU is not particularly powerful.

[Alister]

Thanks

It's been working a long time though which is weird - might have been a driver change?

The Shield TV arrives today which will work as it's a lot more powerful