Spotify Connect can be initiated from Desktop, but not from Android

[besez]

Hi everyone,

First off: I have searched the Android Help subforum for ~30 minutes and have not found an answer to my question so I am posting it here.

I have a new Sony SRS-X77 with Spotify Connect support. It is connected to my home WiFi. I have spotify premium through a family plan, with my account being the main account. The SRS-X77 is updated to latest firmware as of today: 1.10.2476

Problem:

I can not initiate a Spotify Connect session from my Android phone to SRS-X77. App version: 3.1.0.1117

Additional information:

I can initiate Spotify Connect to SRS-X77 from Spotify Desktop without any problems. Desktop app version 1.0.8.59.gee82e7e6

AFTER I have connected to SRS-X77 from Spotify Desktop, the Android app can take over and start controlling it, and it is available for a while, until Spotify Desktop and Spotify Android are shut down. After both are shut down, Spotify Android can't find SRS-X77 until I start Spotify Desktop again.

If I go into the Spotify Connect UI in Spotify Android, and wait there (with empty list), and then start Spotify Desktop, the list will be populated by "this phone" and "my pc". Not until I manually select SRS-X77 on spotify desktop will it show up in the Android Spotify Connect UI.

This is really annoying and I wonder if this is really intended behavior? How can Spotify Connect be considered as even remotely usable when the Android phone is my Primary OS (I only ever start my PC when I don't have a choice)?

Best Regards

[besez]

I have been experimenting a bit more and here are some updated conculsions:

• Desktop Spotify can find ALL spotify connect devices on my network without any problems.
• Android Spotify can find a connect device SOMETIMES.
• It seems like devices connected to the same Spotify account are more likely to find each other are the only ones that can find each other. Devices that don't have a spotify account associated with them (SRS-X77 speaker) are more likely to can be found by any spotify user on the same network.

Finding a Spotify Connect device is mostly a matter of patience and/or an act of sheer will, it would seem.

In any event, here are a list of things that will make your device more likely to be found, if it is not already in the available devices list.

1. The likelyhood will be close to 100% if you are using the same spotify account on all devices, and you have been able to initiate play from some other device. Your best bet will be Spotify Desktop.
2. If you're in a hurry and don't want to start spotify desktop, one good way is to start playing on the "casting" device, alternatively if you are using another phone as a "receiver" you might want to start playing on that one, that seems to trigger a broadcast of availability.
3. Another, less effective way, is to restart / toggle wifi / kill and restart spotify app, and then you play the waiting game.
4. If your receiveing device doesn't have an app or account (i.e. it's a speaker like SRS-X77) it might help to put it in WiFi mode (as opposed to BT mode).

TL;DR

Restart everything, press play on everything: You have a 50/50 shot at Spotify Connect working the way you want it to.

 P.S.

Still haven't figured out a reliable way to get my GFs phone to find my phone and use it as a receiver. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. If anyone knows how to make it work - please share!

 Doesn't seem to work to spotify connect between devices on different accounts (but same WiFi)

I really hope someone other than me will find this post useful. Thanks for tuing in!

[Chattanoga]

I have a similar problem:

I have a family account and mine is the main account. I can see my NOCS2 speakers on spotify connect but when I try to connect it just says "connecting" for a couple of seconds and then gives up. 

Everyone else in the family can connect to the speakers.

It worked fine just three days ago.

can it be an update issue?

[sevenstars]

I reccomend starting the software update manually by using the songpal app > settings.

The orange update led on the device has to blink if the update starts, this will take up to 15 minutes.

After the update, spotify finally found the speaker. (see screenshots).