Automattic
Android Automotive : Sync Issues
Description
We previously attempted to fix the issue here: https://github.com/Automattic/pocket-casts-android/pull/2277
However, we are still getting reports that the issue persists.
A temporary workaround for those affected is to always pause the episode before turning off the car so that AAOS does not attempt to restart it.
Multiple reports here: https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/pocketcasts-on-android-automotive-aaos-does-not-sync-reliably/
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Step-by-step reproduction instructions
- Start the car, which plays the last episode left off or start from the beginning instead of syncing with the latest episode from the phone.
- If the last episode has been completed and archived on the phone, observe that it is re-added to the top of the queue.
Screenshots or screen recording
Did you search for existing bug reports?
- [x] I have searched for existing bug reports.
Device, Operating system, and Pocket Casts app version
No response
User in #9159156-zen is reporting the same issue. However, they haven't shared their logs yet, and we've asked them if they've seen Client: <com.android.car.carlauncher> connected to media session in the logs:
[...] I don’t remember exactly what it says, but there were references to starting or connecting to a media session when I checked the logs earlier today.
Also, I had tried pausing before turning the truck off, but it resumes automatically when I get back in. The only workaround I’ve found is to select a different audio source before turning it off. Sometimes, the PocketCasts app will refresh (in the background, I assume) so that it is in sync when I launch it, but not always.
Update here. I signed out on AAOS, signed into a different profile, and signed back in, to try to clear state. After doing so, Pocketcasts showed me that I wasn’t signed in (perhaps I hadn’t been signed in before, but I swear it said I was). After signing back in, it actually started syncing, at least to the quality that it did before. The original issue of not syncing before it starts auto-playing on startup still exists. Pausing before I stop the car does work, but I never remember to do that, so that’s not a tenable solution.
https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/pocketcasts-on-android-automotive-aaos-does-not-sync-reliably/page/2/?view=all#post-7246
One of the forum users shared the following:
My cursory reading of the logs indicates it has not synced when it starts up. This would seem to be a pretty straightforward software fix. To add to the frustration, it often syncs the incorrect timestamp (to I presume “the cloud”) and then screws up playback on the phone and watch.
https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/android-automotive-sync/?view=all#post-8379
Some users have reported success with clearing cache, but its with mixed results. For example: It’s the pocketcasts app cache that I cleared After update to 7.81a go into settings – system – storage – music sound – pocketcasts on Aaos. Clear cache. Now everything seems to work for me.
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I’m convinced that it’s due to the connection not being up before the sync attempt. I have now tested and adding multiple podcasts to my queue. I had an 20 min long episode playing and had started and stopped my car about 4 times throughout the day… the new episodes in queue never showed until the 20 min episode ended. This is because each startup sync failed and the only time it tried to re-sync was when that episode ended. A delay on the sync needs to be added to wait for connection. also I would suggest a pause on startup until sync happens.
Some additional comments from the forum thread:
I have to agree that this seems very much like it’s attempting to sync before the connection is up. This is what I think is happening:
Turn on car Start sync Play current podcast at whatever position was last left off in the vehicle Internet connection comes up Sync times out Pocketcasts continues on its merry way. Sync state back up to cloud, putting an old podcast/position back on top of the queue.
What it should do is:
Turn on car Wait for/verify internet connection is up Sync state Play current podcast/position as specified in the synced state.
I would so much rather not have it play at startup and actually be correct, rather than start the wrong thing and never be correct.
yes seems correct. It times out the you have to manually sync or if you change pod and go back to the previous pod it will be either starting from scratch or just continuing from when you left the car, not caring about that you kept on listening while not in the car.
I gave up on mine and just plugged in a android auto dongle I had laying around. That works as intended but then again why wouldn’t it as it’s playing from the phone and not the car.
I also noticed that it seems to not even attempt a sync while driving. I tested by adding some new episodes to my queue. I could make 4 or 5 trips or more by starting the car and driving somewhere and the new episodes would never add until I manually synced with the car in park.
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Issue here is relating to Filters
Internal discussion: p1749455225431659/1747918064.487099-slack-C02A333D8LQ
Another comment from the forum thread:
To be honest. I gave up on this to work. I had it working a while then it stopped again for no reason and with the latest version it always tried to sync before it had a 4g LTE connection so there was a error and you had to stop the car and manually sync for it to sync. As your°te not allowed to sync while driving. If you didn’t do that it would eventually try to sync and end up in the beginning of the podcast most of the times.
https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/pocketcasts-on-android-automotive-aaos-does-not-sync-reliably/page/4/?view=all#post-10503
I was able to get some legible screenshots from my GMC Yukon today. I believe I captured all of the log entries from the startup events today. The end result of this was that it started playing a podcast that I had finished listening to this morning instead of the next one which I was halfway through. It then synced the incorrect podcast and timecode back to my iPhone and Apple Watch
https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/android-automotive-sync/page/2/?view=all#post-10632
10174727-zd-a8c Vehicle Android 12 Pixel 10 with Android 16 PC phone: v. 7.96 (9366) PC vehicle: v. 7.95a (59364)
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Vehicle Chevy Equinox EV Android Automotive Device: Pixel 9a
Manual or automatic refresh do not save play position.
Yeah like most people in this thread, the app seems to sync fine from the vehicle to my phone, but not the other direction. Which means I get back in my truck and an old podcast starts playing and messes up the correct state on my phone.
Even if you can’t repro, an option to “Delay playback until successful sync” would go a long way solving this issue. Don’t automatically start playing the last playing podcast until there’s been a successful sync call. Would work around the potential issue of not having network on startup.
I’d be happy to pay for a subscription to access more advanced sync features like this and things like faster sync intervals etc.
This app is my only hope that I’ve lost carplay.
https://forums.pocketcasts.com/forums/topic/android-automotive-sync/page/2/?view=all#post-11286
