Warn: block downloader too much time waiting for block request

Roon Core Machine

Ubuntu 20.04.3 Server on custom-built passively cooled PC. OS and Roon on Samsung 970 EVO Plus NVMe M.2 drive. Intel Core i5 8600K processor, 16 GB RAM.

Networking Gear & Setup Details

Core Ethernet-connected to router.

Number of Tracks in Library

218.500 tracks

Description of Issue

This morning I saw in the Roon Server log for the first time warnings I don’t understand. In spite of these warnings, repeated every 10 seconds, Roon worked fine. I decided to restart Roon Server which got rid of the messages. I still wonder what this is about, what could have gone wrong here.

01/11 06:41:32 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/524A042C: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/11 06:41:42 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/524A042C: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/11 06:41:52 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/524A042C: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/11 06:42:02 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/524A042C: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/11 06:42:12 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/524A042C: block downloader too much time waiting for block request

Nothing has gone wrong, since these are warning messages, not errors. I suppose Roon was attempting a metadata update and for some unknown reason this timed-out, was aborted, and retries attempted.

Well, this since last night has turned into a problem, as I am no longer able to stream from Tidal. Every track after 15-45 seconds at most skips with the feared message that it is loading too slowly.

My Roon server log is filling up with warnings like these:

01/13 12:47:12 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/BF9EBE8F: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:12 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/87FB2856: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:13 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/16AB8562: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:18 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/455AC97B: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:21 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/98D07E00: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:22 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/BF9EBE8F: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:22 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/87FB2856: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:23 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/16AB8562: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:24 Info: [stats] 22565mb Virtual, 4327mb Physical, 1913mb Managed, 309 Handles, 101 Threads
01/13 12:47:24 Trace: [musicpowerstate] music has not been playing for 5 minutes, allowing idle sleep
01/13 12:47:28 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/455AC97B: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:31 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/98D07E00: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:32 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/BF9EBE8F: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:32 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/87FB2856: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:33 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/16AB8562: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:38 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/455AC97B: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:39 Info: [stats] 22565mb Virtual, 4327mb Physical, 1915mb Managed, 309 Handles, 98 Threads
01/13 12:47:41 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/98D07E00: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:42 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/BF9EBE8F: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:42 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/87FB2856: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:43 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/16AB8562: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:48 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/455AC97B: block downloader too much time locked
01/13 12:47:51 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/98D07E00: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:52 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/BF9EBE8F: block downloader too much time waiting for block request
01/13 12:47:52 Warn: FTMSI-B ti/87FB2856: block downloader too much time waiting for block request

This is the result of Ookla Speedtest run on the Roon server:

andreas@symphony:~$ speedtest 

   Speedtest by Ookla

     Server: Media Commerce Partners S.A - Bogotá (id = 15998)
        ISP: Azteca Comunicaciones Colombia
    Latency:     7.79 ms   (0.31 ms jitter)
   Download:     9.91 Mbps (data used: 14.2 MB)                               
     Upload:    10.93 Mbps (data used: 19.8 MB)                               
Packet Loss: Not available.
 Result URL: https://www.speedtest.net/result/c/df5f027e-9f44-42cb-b902-0403b4445705

This corresponds to the available bandwidth that has been the same for the last year or so. The reported latency is normal for this place, has been like this since I started using Roon for the first time.

I restarted Roon server, rebooted the host computer and restarted the Router, to no avail. I enabled an audio output on the Roon server, but streaming Tidal to this fails, too. So I assume that my local internal network isn’t the problem.

Streaming from the Tidal App on my WiFi-connected iMac which at the same time is Roon Remote and one endpoint works without problem. Streaming videos on this same iMac works fine.

I use a Pihole on the network, here are the upstream DNS server settings and the statistics for the last 24 hours:

Screen Shot 2022-01-13 at 1.03.23 PM

IPv6 is turned off on the router, both for Internet access as for the LAN.

So, what I would like to know is if these warnings and the reported behavior are rather indication for a problem with the Roon-Tidal integration (i.e., Tidal’s servers not responding adequately) or if I should rather troubleshoot my Internet connection with my ISP. These guys, seeing that I get the promised bandwidth, will have a hard time figuring out what could be amiss…

Edit:

Moments after saving this post, I once more restarted Roon Server on the Core computer. Playback seems to work for the moment being, running for near 3 minutes already…

Nevertheless, something has not been alright these last hours, maybe few days. I am very much interested in some feedback by Roon support. Thank you.

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