Channels & viewing

[OkieInCO]

After about an hour of playing, Amazon Music pauses and asks, "Are you till listening?" Following the first "yes" response to that question, Amazon Music then starts asking again at shorter intervals. I've deleted the channel, and restarted our Roku Express+ multiple times, but that has not resolved the issue. Any suggestions on how to stop the pausing, or extend the amount of time before Amazon asks if we're still listening, would be appreciated. Thanks.

[StreamerUser]

Aside from using the remote occasionally, no.

Since Amazon designs/develops/codes/distributes the Amazon Music app, you'll need to address this to them:

https://music.amazon.com/help/contact

[OkieInCO]

I'm not confident this is going to be a solution, as all previous experiences with issues involving Amazon (Prime Video or Amazon Music) have resulted in them saying the issue is with Roku, and I'm told to contact Roku. Following that, I'll post their response in this forum, and once it gets the attention of a Roku representative, the issue gets resolved. Thanks for the link, though. I've contacted Amazon, and we'll see how they respond.

[StreamerUser]

I didn't propose any specific solution, other than preventing it from happening by using the remote, and contacting them to modify their app.

Its Amazon's app - they control its behavior (not Roku or anyone else), so the change to its behavior will have to come from them.

[OkieInCO]

As I guessed, Amazon said they don't support third-party applications or devices, and had no suggestions other than to delete the channel, restart the Roku device, and add the channel back (which I've done multiple times). They also said there's no setting in Amazon Music to extend the automatic pause after one hour of listening, at which point you are asked, "Are you still listening?" This behavior consistently happens after one hour of listening to a station, so I presume Amazon is utilizing it to decrease the bandwidth consumption on their servers. I think playlists also stop playing after a given amount of time, but I'm not certain. I'll test that now, and see if playlists stops after awhile. Stay tuned . . . 

[StreamerUser]

@OkieInCO 

That's bizarre, since its not a "third party application" - its Amazon's app.

You probably got some offshore first tier support that doesnt quite understand English and is reading from a recipe/script.

You might have to be a bit more persistent and spend a little more time than you'd otherwise prefer to get the Amazon support personnel to understand the issue.

[OkieInCO]

Update (9.11.21): I take back what I said below. Playlists are pausing after one hour, now. Sometimes after only playing one song. If this is an Amazon issue, I'm out of luck, because they won't claim responsibility. So, I'm hoping an Roku agent will respond to this, and request detailed information about my device (e.g. serial number, device ID, Software OS/version, tracker number). That's the information that will help them REALLY tell if it's their issue, or Amazon's. Every time I've had issues with Amazon in the past (Prime Video not working, for instance), when Roku requests the information I've just alluded to, the problem has been resolved.

-----

Soooo, my little test worked . . . sort of.

I selected a playlist of 27 songs, and set it to repeat. It paused after about 3 hours on song number 17 in the list, and asked if I was still listening. To get an accurate result, I'll have to try another playlist and see how long it goes before it pauses. I suspect it will definitely play longer than a station, but maybe not 3 hours?

Also, after doing an online search for this behavior, I've seen several comments dating back a number of years about stations only playing for an hour on Amazon Prime Music before pausing and asking if you're still listening. So, there must also be a control set for Playlists that only allow them to play uninterrupted for 3 hours, or so, before pausing. Ostensibly to manage their streaming bandwidth? I think this is an Amazon practice, not a glitch. Still, it would be nice if they'd be more transparent about it.

Side note: Uninterrupted play time isn't listed as a benefit in any comparison list I've seen between Amazon Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited. So, if Amazon Music Unlimited does include uninterrupted play, they certainly don't advertise it.

[janez756]

I'm now not assured this is going to be a solution, as all preceding studies with troubles involving Amazon (Prime Video or Amazon Music) have ended in them announcing the difficulty is with Roku, and I'm told to touch Roku. Following that page, I'll post their response in this discussion board, and once it gets the attention of a Roku consultant, the problem receives resolved.

[StreamerUser]

---

@OkieInCO wrote:

Update (9.11.21): I take back what I said below. Playlists are pausing after one hour, now. Sometimes after only playing one song. If this is an Amazon issue, I'm out of luck, because they won't claim responsibility. So, I'm hoping an Roku agent will respond to this, and request detailed information about my device (e.g. serial number, device ID, Software OS/version, tracker number). That's the information that will help them REALLY tell if it's their issue, or Amazon's. Every time I've had issues with Amazon in the past (Prime Video not working, for instance), when Roku requests the information I've just alluded to, the problem has been resolved.

---

Roku isn't solving Amazon's Prime issue for you (depending on the issue), but passing the information along to Amazon for them to fix (its their app).

The same is true for Amazon Music - Roku doesnt code/control the app in general or its specific "Are you listening?" behavior -  Roku just collects information about the AM app and passes it along to Amazon (for them to "fix" or not, because its their app).

Whether the "Are you listening?" behavior is a defect/bug or by design, only Amazon can fix it - asking Roku to be your middleman with Amazon isnt likely to go very far or be very effective, especially considering this isnt some widespread issue preventing you from loading/using the app (if it were, then asking for Roku's collection/transfer involvement might be effective) - you need to focus on getting Amazon to change/"fix" their app.

[Michaelpotts000]

This is not a roku issue. It does exactly the same thing on my android phones. If you pay for amazon music unlimited, the problem goes away. The app plays continues long. Amazon punishing people who do not have amazon music unlimited music service.

I did not know you could get amazon music on roku. I'll download the app.