Pioneer VSX933 Chromecast problem

hornetster

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Hi,
Anyone here using the Chromecast capability of the Pioneer VSX933?
I have one, and have never been totally happy with the Chromecast (but it, generally, HAS been getting better), but in the last week or two, has stopped working totally, with a message "It may take a few days to complete the preparation of the server. Please wait until the preparation has been completed" (or similar - See photos of TV and Android App.)
The Chromecast device has totally disappeared off the network, as well, so can't cast to it from anything.
Is anyone else getting this? If you have a VSX933 (or, I assume, something similar with Chromecast...), can you test and let me know if you have the same issue?
Have queried support (in Aus), and they know nothing about it, but have messaged whoever looks after it (Google?? Main Pioneer??), but say it may take weeks/months to get a response... I DON"T think it was a firmware update that killed it - haven't had one for a month or 2?
Any response appreciated.
Thanks, John.
 

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Do you have the Google Home app installed on your phone, does the device show in there at all?
 
I have a similar problem, the VSX933 appears intermittently in my list of devices, before and after updating the firmware. But I didn't get anything like your screenshots.
 
Mine is just so ridiculously slow to connect and start playing that it’s essentially useless. AirPlay 2 connects so fast and Spotify connect not far off. Quite why Chromecast so slow (20 seconds not unusual) when my tv/google home next to it do so in several seconds is a mystery to me.

Wonder if it’s better on the 934?
 
Well, that issue was fixed back then (eventually!) They tweaked something in the background, but....
Have just done a firmware update (1071-2000-1070-0011), and back to the same issue. Anyone?
In the meantime, my 'other' issue has been that it has never worked properly with YouTube Music (generally works OK with other casting apps), so currently have an open case with them. So not sure whether this is actually a result of their playing in the background.
Ah well, will hopefully get sorted!
 
Hi i have the same problem (my device is Onkyo tx-8270) after update firmware all work fine 2-3days next I see like Your first post..... I have open ticket in Onkyo support and wait for replay...
 

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I also have this problem on Pioneer MRX-5 units.

I have four of these, behaving in three different ways:

* Two of them were recently (beginning of February) updated with new firmware, and Chromecast no longer works, and I get the same error ("It may take few days...").

* One of them was recently updated (same time as the others), same problem. But Chromecast suddenly started working again today.

* The fourth one I never updated so it's on the previous version of the firmware. Here Chromecast has worked with no problems or interruptions.

Since I have several units I can experiment a bit with setups, I'll update here.

I've also filed a support ticket (EU).

I was going to read out he firmware versions to post here, but the web page is now empty:


This page had content up until very recently, I think as recent as the last 10 days.
 
Mine up and running again - but not well! Youtube Music still not usable, and was surprised today, tried to use Spotify, and it actually uses Chromecast... Is that normal?? Thought Spotify used its own version of 'something'.
 
I have a VSX-S520D with chromecast built-in with somewhat erratic behaviour.
The original firmware update which installed the feature stated that Network standby had to be left on to ensure it worked as intended. However, on my mesh wifi network I find that the AVR tends to lose some functionality after a couple of hours where the Google Home app loses the ability to control the volume of the AVR and it only becomes partially visible on the network with the full AVR cast settings menu on the Home app not visible. I am still able to cast to the AVR. It's the same whether the AVR is connected by ethernet or on WiFi
It's behaviour is difficult to explain...I have tried various settings including giving all cast devices on the network fixed IP addresses on the router and changing the router UPnP settings so it keeps tabs on the network more often. To reset the AVR I have to turn network standby on the AVR off and then restart it . Even then sometimes it initially fails to show at all on the Cast network . I'm hoping that Pioneer/Onkyo are aware of the fragility of this feature and issue a firmware update. Chromecast Firmware has been updated before (in July 2019) so I haven't given up hope! ( VSX-S520, VSX-S520D | Firmware Update | Support | Pioneer Home Audio Visual )
 
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An update regarding my MRX-5 units:

I got a reply on my first ticket. They said: "There was a glitch with Google around this time, but it should be fixed. Can you tell me the MAC address of your device?"

But when I tried to reply to the ticket, the mail bounced. I've since added two more tickets trying to follow up this, and send them my MAC addresses, but I haven't had any response to the new tickets.

Right now I have two working units (the one I didn't update, and the one that started working again after a while). This is "enough" for me right now, but in the future I want all my units to start working.

Possibly unrelated: My cable TV box (Telia/Get box) is an Android unit with Chromecast Built-in, and I've had some problems with this one as well. This leads me to think that Google is having problems with Chromecast Built-in in general, and that this is what the support guy alluded to. It feels like some kind of "registration" issue - like they can't "call home" properly, or be identified/licensed properly, and that having Google "hard code" the MAC addresses could help.

My current feeling about this:
  • The problem is caused by a glitch at Google, which probably affects Pioneer/Onkyo firmware extra, perhaps because of a poor implementation of Chromecast Built-In.
  • Pioneer is falling apart, and the support department is discarding tickets on this. Either the support department has broken down very recently (after my first ticket), or they're fed up with Chromecast related tickets probably because they can't do anything to fix things. (Possibly because the technical department has broken down.)
I'm going to continue to press Pioneer support about this. But additionally I will also try to get ahold of Google. In Norway, people have had success by pestering the managers of Google Norway (these are listed in public registers). I will also pressure the vendor where I bought my units. They are well within warranty.
 
Hi all any news in Yours case ? my Onkyo - no change.... nobody response form my ticket in Onkyo.. I hope is new owner of Onkyo will have better customer services.... interesting how will be develop new FW after separate Pioneer and Onkyo

Edit :
after my post i tray back to problem.. and now works ! i need to do back to factory settings . of cours i do same in FEB. but now chromecast back and i can now add device to google home. I hope it back forevert :)

PS. Onkyo have very old version of chromecast : 1.36...... i compare to my google home speaker use 1.54....
 
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Have had slight improvements over the last few months - think there have been a few firmware/software updates in that time.
Still misbehaves more than not, and is slow, but is usable if you can put up with the occasional glitch!
I think I still have an open case with YouTube Music, so will get back to them, as well.
 
I can report a breakthrough in this problem, in my own case:

Since I now have smart speakers in many locations (work, home, etc.) I decided to differentiate names some more, changing from just "Entrance" into "Home Entrance", etc.

THE MOMENT I changed the names for my devices, they showed up in Google Home again, and was able to cast audio to them with no problems. I had just tested things right before I did this, and it was definitely this change that caused things to suddenly work.

I am nervous about trying to recreate the problem to confirm this solution, since I'm just happy that things work now. I'll post here if I ever do.

If I am to speculate, then there was some kind of old crud (stale config or state) connected between the names and the MAC addresses of my devices, stuck somewhere - perhaps centrally at Google, in the speakers, or even on my phone (less likely, since I have tried several different Android devices earlier). Changing the names allowed things to disregard this old crud to not be relevant and affect things any longer.

Good luck to the rest of you, hope this helps!
 
I have a VSX-S520D with chromecast built-in with somewhat erratic behaviour.
The original firmware update which installed the feature stated that Network standby had to be left on to ensure it worked as intended. However, on my mesh wifi network I find that the AVR tends to lose some functionality after a couple of hours where the Google Home app loses the ability to control the volume of the AVR and it only becomes partially visible on the network with the full AVR cast settings menu on the Home app not visible. I am still able to cast to the AVR. It's the same whether the AVR is connected by ethernet or on WiFi
It's behaviour is difficult to explain...I have tried various settings including giving all cast devices on the network fixed IP addresses on the router and changing the router UPnP settings so it keeps tabs on the network more often. To reset the AVR I have to turn network standby on the AVR off and then restart it . Even then sometimes it initially fails to show at all on the Cast network . I'm hoping that Pioneer/Onkyo are aware of the fragility of this feature and issue a firmware update. Chromecast Firmware has been updated before (in July 2019) so I haven't given up hope! ( VSX-S520, VSX-S520D | Firmware Update | Support | Pioneer Home Audio Visual )
Have had a resolution to this problem too .... Coincidence?
Had a power cut 10 days ago - Obviously the whole system then reset. As it all came back to life I found that my VSX-S520D would not connect to the Google Home set up at all, despite more restarts etc . Took the decision to delete it from my Home set up. Restarted it once more and it showed up as "device not connected to a Home" in the app. I then reassigned it to Groups and a Room as before. Has since been as good as gold with the AVR fully accessible at all times.

Hopefully Voxx/Premium Audio, the new Pioneer/Onkyo AV brand owners, can continue to keep these products updated into the future
 
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Mine seems to be "gradually" getting a little better... Now is reasonably reliable, with YouTube music mostly working - takes a while to click in, and generally drops a couple of times, initially, but willthen work fairly reliably.. Hope it will continue to improve...
 
Hi,
Anyone here using the Chromecast capability of the Pioneer VSX933?
I have one, and have never been totally happy with the Chromecast (but it, generally, HAS been getting better), but in the last week or two, has stopped working totally, with a message "It may take a few days to complete the preparation of the server. Please wait until the preparation has been completed" (or similar - See photos of TV and Android App.)
The Chromecast device has totally disappeared off the network, as well, so can't cast to it from anything.
Is anyone else getting this? If you have a VSX933 (or, I assume, something similar with Chromecast...), can you test and let me know if you have the same issue?
Have queried support (in Aus), and they know nothing about it, but have messaged whoever looks after it (Google?? Main Pioneer??), but say it may take weeks/months to get a response... I DON"T think it was a firmware update that killed it - haven't had one for a month or 2?
Any response appreciated.
Thanks, John.
Hi John,
I have exactly the same problem and general difficulties with the Chromecast on my device (vsx 832). Were you ever able to fix it?
Thanks, Jeremy
 
Hi John,
I have exactly the same problem and general difficulties with the Chromecast on my device (vsx 832). Were you ever able to fix it?
Thanks, Jeremy
Mine has never been pefectly operational- with occasional glitches even now. I have an old Google Chromecast Audio plugged into the back of my VSX-S520D which helps but I don't actually listen to............

Let me explain ........I have grouped the Chromeacst Audio into a Chromecast group on the Home app together with the AVR itself. I always found the AVR played perfectly through the Chromecast facilty as part of a group but not when I set it to play tracks purely by itself . It seems the main problem is that whatever the glitch is, it seems to result in the AVR struggling to set up the stream before actually managing to play it.

So now when I send a stream to the AVR/ Chromecast Audio group, the CA sets up the stream and the AVR inbuilt Chromecast actually plays it straight away. I get all the correct track info on the display etc and full control of the AVR volume on the app.
(The external CA's output is plugged into the AVR via an aux adapter but I dont ever set the AVR to play via this input.)

I have not had any firmware updates to the AVR for 3 years now and I'd be surprised if there was ever anymore as the new Onkyo/Pioneer owners have rationalised the range extensively.
 
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Hi John,
I have exactly the same problem and general difficulties with the Chromecast on my device (vsx 832). Were you ever able to fix it?
Thanks, Jeremy
Nope, the amp actually crapped itself.- Digital/HDMI board failed and pioneer tell me that the parts are no longer manufactured/available. Not impressed!
Will NEVER be purchasing another pioneer product!
My amp was only about 5 years old!
Good luck with support.....
 
Ive got the VSX 932 which Im happy with. Strangely enough, decided to check for updates this morning as I knew I hadnt checked in ages. There was one. Started downloading - crashed on 86% and said ERROR. No clue what to do next. Turned it off. Switched back on. It was a bit weird then started downloading again. This time it was ok. All I got was COMPLETED! on display but remote didnt do anything. After another little panic, switched off and on again and now its fine.

Bit scary and I wont be updating again! Chromecast works fine though - was playing mp3s from my phone to it with no problem.
 

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