Pandora Stops Playback After Several Hours

Updated: 10/16/2013
Category: Streaming Services
Products: Mirage Media Servers MMS-2, MMS-2A, MMS-5, MMS-5A 

Problem Description

After listening to Pandora Radio for several hours without user interaction, the music will stop playing. 

Possible Cause and Resolution 

Pandora radio will stop playing after 8 hours when no user interaction is observed on any user interface.  User interaction includes play / pause commands, or changing radio stations.  The server will present a dialog on all user interfaces supplied by Autonomic asking the user if they are still listening (this may not be implemented on all integrator designed control interfaces).  An affirmative response to this dialog will keep the music playing for another eight hours.  

There is no direct way to disable this function, as it is contractually imposed by Pandora Radio.

How to Confirm Root Cause

Music stops playing at a regular interval of eight hours.

Resolution

While it is not possible to subvert this functionality entirely, a workaround can be implemented if 24/7 playback is desired, by utilizing the scheduling feature of the MMS to schedule playback of the desired station every eight hours.  Music will momentarily stop between schedules.

Special Consideration For Crestron and AMX Systems.

The sample MMS control modules supplied by Autonomic include the necessary logic and user interface elements required to present the dialog box to the customer asking them if they are still listening, however these elements and logic may not have been implemented by the programmer.  The dialog box, keyboard, and associated logic from our sample program should be implemented into the control system program.