Audio drop-outs with Apple Express (AE)

[admin_exported]

I experienced quite bad audio drop-outs when I first connected up the AE to DAC to Amp and played iTunes wirelessly, I tried all the suggestions on this forum, on the Apple Support Forum... soft AE reset, hard reset to factory default on the AE, different setup methods, reinstalling all Apple Airport Utility software, turning off Windows Wireless Zero Configurator, manually setting IP addresses, giving password to the speakers in iTunes, choose both computer speakers and stereo speakers... everything. Still had drop-outs......

Then I found the answer staring me right in the face in the guise of the wireless network activities icon on my laptop. I used to run a wireless G network here and I checked and noticed the drop-outs occurred when the wireless signal strength and transfer speed dropped. So I upgraded to wireless N setup and kept everything else the same, VIOLA! No more audio drop-outs!! Happy man now, but wondered why no one advised checking signal strength on the Apple Support Forum, it is obvious now with hindsight!

Hope this helps others as I previously spent HOURS trying to get rid of drop-outs without success.

 

[Anonymous]

wzc

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry Tarquinh, maybe I am being thick but can you clarify your post?

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry for being so obscure, you'd already mentioned wzc, and possibly my temper wasn't the best for reasons described below.

Turning wzc off works in many cases, irrespective of what flavour network you are using. Signal strength is mentioned on many of the forums too.

The point is that there is more than one fix for the dropouts. The best one probably should come from Apple, since this appears an itunes 8.x problem.

Glad you've got yours fixed. I spent yesterday getting mine up and running, and the fix was changing network client then turning off wzc. On my ancient portable, which I resurrected for testing, all I had to do was - nothing. It predates built-in wireless and the pmcia card worked without a problem.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Tarquinh for clarifying. You are right, different work-arounds have worked for different people judging by the postings on various forums, and yes it started with iTunes 8.x. I was hoping my experience could help others because checking signal strength and network activities in Task Manager or Apple equivalent could pin point a potential problem (which was THE problem in my case), before one goes headlong into hours of wasteful fiddling and reinstalling like I did! Am glad you sorted yours out too, it is wonderful once it is working smoothly and now music follows me around the house with a few strategically placed AEs!