Comm Error

Posted on
Mon Jun 14, 2021 9:21 am
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Comm Error

So I've got Music running on a remote iMac and it has been working well with Indigo. Recently I've noticed that Indigo is losing communication with Music on the remote iMac. I've restarted both the Indigo Server as well as the remote iMac, but still can't get Indigo to stay connected. I did go thru the Configure process for the Device, and Music gave me the blank boxes to type in digits, but then the comm enabled box just unchecked itself.

I even tried to create a new iTunes Server Device from the same remote iMac, but ran into exactly the same problem. The plugin is working just fine with the version of Music running on the same computer as the server, but don't know what else to try to get Indigo to communicate with the remote iMac.

Here is date from the Event log:
Code: Select all
Jun 14, 2021 at 10:05:17 AM
   iTunes                          Debug logging enabled
   iTunes Debug                    deviceStartComm: starting thread for 'EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac'
   iTunes Debug                    getMediaServerList: called
   iTunes Debug                        deviceStartComm: adding device id 1167267742 to the active thread queue
   iTunes Debug                    statusThread.run(): creating iTunes Controller...
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): connecting and logging in at: 2021-06-14 10:05:21.898654
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): unknown Error for EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac
   iTunes Debug                    broadcastingToSubscribers
   Trigger                         ENT- Devic state into varable
   iTunes Error                    EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac stopped due to the following error (will attempt to recover in 10 seconds):

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "statusThread.py", line 133, in run
  File "itunes.py", line 59, in iTunesLogin
ConnectionError: '501 - reason: Not Implemented'


   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): closing controller for exit at 2021-06-14 10:05:21.904424
   iTunes Debug                    deviceStopComm: stopping thread for EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac
   iTunes Debug                    deviceStopComm: stopped EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac
   Trigger                         ENT- Devic state into varable
   iTunes Error                    EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac has an unknown error - disabling
   iTunes Debug                    deviceStopComm: stopping thread for EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac
   iTunes Debug                    deviceStopComm: stopped EN-05 MUSIC-Studio iMac
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): connecting and logging in at: 2021-06-14 10:05:25.323119
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): server unavailable - retrying in 12 seconds at 2021-06-14 10:05:25.324976
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): connecting and logging in at: 2021-06-14 10:05:37.334244
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): server unavailable - retrying in 12 seconds at 2021-06-14 10:05:37.337670
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): connecting and logging in at: 2021-06-14 10:05:49.339182
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): server unavailable - retrying in 12 seconds at 2021-06-14 10:05:49.343647
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): connecting and logging in at: 2021-06-14 10:06:01.351332
   iTunes Debug                        statusThread.run(): server unavailable - retrying in 12 seconds at 2021-06-14 10:06:01.353615


Any suggestions of anything else I can try to get this working again ?

Posted on
Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:11 am
jay (support) offline
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Location: Austin, Texas

Re: Comm Error

Unfortunately, the remote Music app is returning the error to the plugin:

Code: Select all
ConnectionError: '501 - reason: Not Implemented'


when it tries to authenticate. If I had to guess, it's likely because of how they keep tightening down security and access. We're using a very old reverse engineered library to communicate which hasn't been updated in forever. And Apple has never provided an "official" API to control Music/iTunes, so it is a bit of a house of cards.

I just tried it, and it also failed for me. Apple must have changed the Music app to not allow remote control from outside the local host. We knew that eventually this was likely to break and unfortunately it looks like that time is now. I'll update the documentation to indicate that the remote feature is no longer possible as of Music v1.1.5.

If someone figures a way around this we'd be interested in hearing about it. If AppleScript will continue to control a remote Music instance then it's possible you could write some scripts that could integrate.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:25 am
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Re: Comm Error

Ok

So I just did an update recently, so I guess that blew this up. Hopefully it was a mistake in the code Apple pushed out, so with ay luck they may see the error of their ways and fix it.

As it is, I was getting title/artist/ album info from the AirFoil plugin for a web page, so at least that still works.

Thanks for your reply. I'll hang on for another update from Apple to see if they accidentally fix what they have accidentally broken... but I'm not waiting to exhale....

Posted on
Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:52 am
jay (support) offline
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Re: Comm Error

Just to verify, I tried the iTunes Remote app on iOS, which uses the API that was reverse engineered as the basis of the library we're using - it doesn't work either. My guess is that it will never work again, but who knows.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Mon Jun 14, 2021 10:59 am
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Re: Comm Error

Yes. I've had the same problem with Remote... But got sidetracked on a different project so didn't get back to looking more into it. Obviously part of the same problem. I just never connected the dots. I know Apple is pushing their streaming music service over the older concept of what iTunes used to be... but when it gets to the point of no return, I won't return to whatever Apple is pushing for listening to music...

Fingers crossed they get this fixed soon...

Posted on
Sun Jul 11, 2021 9:36 am
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Re: Comm Error

Hey Jay

just a little update on things... I have 2 Music apps, one of which is running on the Indigo Server, and both running MacOS 11.4. Funny thing is that now, the iOS remote app will work with the non-Indigo Server Music app, but not the version of Music running on the Indigo Server. I don't think the Indigo Server has any role in this, but even with the server NOT running, the Remote App won't work with that instance of Music. Even deleting the Library from the remote and adding it again... that process goes thru as normal... it still just says "Connection to XX Library...".... but it never does.

And of course, Indigo remains in "comm error" for both. Not expecting this to change as I understand it was only working based on a wing and a prayer to start with, but do find it odd that the remote app works with one of my libraries, but not the other.

I'm still halfway hoping Apple will un-do whatever change has nixed the Indigo iTunes/Music plugin from working, but I am not waiting to exhale on this one.

Posted on
Sun Jul 11, 2021 11:25 am
jay (support) offline
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Re: Comm Error

That is very odd, but given the changes to the Music app and the quality issues Apple has had in recent releases, it doesn't particularly surprise me. I hope they do fix whatever they broke, but I'm also not holding my breath.

Thanks for the update.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Mon Jul 12, 2021 8:48 am
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Re: Comm Error

Jay

One last thing:

So it appears that the Airfoil Plugin is getting Artist/Album/Track info directly from the Music app, but the "sourcePlayStatus" seems to come from the associated iTunes device. And since the associated iTunes Device isn't communicating, the PlayStatus shows up as "unavailable". Is there any chance to get the play status for the AirFoil plugin directly from the Music app as well?

Or maybe create a new Custom State for this, so as to not mess up current users?

Knowing if Music is playing or not, for me, comes in handy...

Posted on
Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:16 am
jay (support) offline
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Re: Comm Error

Actually, Airfoil itself is getting the Artist/Album/Track information (no idea how), but it doesn't (or at least didn't when we built the Pro plugin) get the play state, which is why we allow you to specify an iTunes device from which we can derive that information. I'll check, but I suspect that Airfoil still doesn't present that information.

Jay (Indigo Support)
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Posted on
Mon Jul 12, 2021 11:47 am
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Re: Comm Error

Yep.

See your point. The Airfoil desktop app has no indication of play status. Even the AirFoil iOS app only has a toggle between play/pause. No real indication of what it's doing at that moment.

Posted on
Mon Jul 26, 2021 12:29 pm
jltnol offline
Posts: 989
Joined: Oct 15, 2013

Re: Comm Error

So after upgrading to BigSur 11.5 and then immediately upgrading to 11.5.1, it seems that Indigo is now back in communications with the Music app. I understand this is jut a Ticking Time Bomb, until Apple releases an update that breaks it again, but for now, it seems to be working. I had to "redefine" the Device to get it to work, but so far, so good!

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