Unable to Download Podcast Episodes on Wifi
-
Is this support forum solely for users to help each other (or is there input from Pocket Casts Support)?
Anyway, I’m experiencing some strange behaviour with Pocket Casts (7.5.0) on iOS (16.7.2). Until recently, everything was working flawlessly, but now I’m unable to download podcast episodes when connected to wifi. When I tap on the download icon, nothing happens, it simply stalls. As a workaround, I switch to cellular data on my phone, download the episode and revert to wifi. Strangely, it only affects one podcast producer – Goalhanger Podcasts. I subscribe to two of their podcasts: ‘The Rest Is Politics’ and ‘Leading’. This odd behaviour only affects podcasts from this producer. No other podcast from any other producer is affected.
I have tried unsubscribing and resubscribing, but this has made no difference. I’ve already contacted the producer. Meanwhile, is there any support you can offer (besides upgrading to the latest version of Pocket Casts I mean)?
Thank you.
Tom
-
Hi, @tommyrot9e0c9208ac!
Is this support forum solely for users to help each other (or is there input from Pocket Casts Support)?
There is definitely input from us here at Pocket Casts support. Our small team does get swamped every now and then, but we do monitor the forums and assist the community whenever we can.
Anyway, I’m experiencing some strange behaviour with Pocket Casts (7.5.0) on iOS (16.7.2). Until recently, everything was working flawlessly, but now I’m unable to download podcast episodes when connected to wifi.
I’d have you first check if there’s anything new you may have added either to your iPhone or your WiFi network even. For instance, did you maybe add a firewall, VPN, ad-blocker, or filter? A common culprit on WiFI connections, for example, is https://pi-hole.net/
Strangely, it only affects one podcast producer – Goalhanger Podcasts. I subscribe to two of their podcasts: ‘The Rest Is Politics’ and ‘Leading’. This odd behaviour only affects podcasts from this producer. No other podcast from any other producer is affected.
Interesting! I wonder if there’s something in the link structure this particular producer uses. For instance, they might be using some tracking that’s on a block list.
To help us dig into this further, can you please get us the share links for these podcasts from your app? From the podcast’s page in the app, you can click on the share icon in the upper-right corner of the screen, click “Copy,” and paste the share URL into your reply.
-
Same issue here, mostly with podcasts from Goalhanger and one from a different(?) publisher, Meduza. As requested, the links:
Goalhanger:
https://pca.st/podcast/c507d410-fd89-0138-4167-0acc26574db2
https://pca.st/podcast/c24b8ea0-76eb-013b-f28b-0acc26574db2
https://pca.st/podcast/34edb770-79ec-013a-d7bd-0acc26574db2
https://pca.st/podcast/54b43bc0-fef8-013a-da93-0acc26574db2
Meduza:
-
To add to my previous reply, playing these podcasts on Sonos is also not possible. Podcasts from other publishers work fine..
-
@staff-cara,
Excellent deductions. You rightly picked up on what might be the culprit – it was indeed my network adblocker pi-hole acting as a fiercely protective guard dog.
When I examined the taillog – a live feed of domains being requested during internet activity – I noticed this particular domain ‘dcs.megaphone.fm’ was being blocked. I use various adlists, so some people somewhere have obviously flagged that domain as untrustworthy. I whitelisted that domain and now downloads are working on wifi again. Megaphone is an analytics company used by many podcasters, but it’s only Goalhanger Podcasts in my list of podcasts who appear to use it.
Anyway, while we can put to bed the question of whether Pocket Casts is at fault, there is an open question as to whether dcs.megaphone.fm is intrusive or not …
-
By the way, I’m no stranger to earlier incarnations of WordPress, but I despise this replacement for Gutenberg block editor. It’s so unintuitive it’s risible. Just my two cents’ worth.
-
Thanks for the update, @tommyrot9e0c9208ac!
I am glad to hear that you were able to solve the problem.
there is an open question as to whether dcs.megaphone.fm is intrusive or not
Megaphone does often get blocked by Adblocking services, mainly since they help serve dynamic ads into podcasts. I wouldn’t say its intrusive, but you can clarify this with the podcast author if you have concerns.
@bernard09b4c2a4e7 – could you also confirm if you have an adblocking service causing this to happen on your end too?
Pocket Casts Forum 