Access to music server

[Brad225]

My music server, and Laptop and IPad controlling the laptop is in my music room. I would like to have access to the music on the server in the living room for background listening.

How can I accomplish this and still use my IPad to control the laptop and Synology NAC upstairs. There is ethernet access at both locations
.
The living room has no DAC capabilities at this time. I realize that would be needed in the path before it entered the prepro and then amps.
Is there more to this that I don't understand? The company I have used to set my server system up said I would not be able to have it work this way.
They are going to look into it a bit more and get back to me.

Do I need another laptop in the living room with JRiver on it also then to a DAC?

Signed
Technically Challenged

 

[amey01]

My music server, and Laptop and IPad controlling the laptop is in my music room. I would like to have access to the music on the server in the living room for background listening.

How can I accomplish this and still use my IPad to control the laptop and Synology NAC upstairs. There is ethernet access at both locations
.
The living room has no DAC capabilities at this time. I realize that would be needed in the path before it entered the prepro and then amps.
Is there more to this that I don't understand? The company I have used to set my server system up said I would not be able to have it work this way.
They are going to look into it a bit more and get back to me.

Do I need another laptop in the living room with JRiver on it also then to a DAC?

Signed
Technically Challenged

It's easy, but how you accomplish this depends on your setup. Eg. What software are you running? What is the laptop being used for?

One of the great advantages of network audio is that you don't need a computer/hard disk in the listening room, so not exactly sure what you're doing here.

But essentially - however you're playing the music - just duplicate that in the other room (eg. a UPNP streaming device) and you should be set to go. If you're playing music directly from the laptop, then all you need to do is put another laptop in the second room. But that is making things more complex than they need to be.

 

[Brad225]

This project is to have back ground music nothing fancy or hi end in the living room. Just access to music files.


In my listening room I have a Synology 1515D+ NAS connected > network switch > dedicated laptop running JRiver > Playback Designs USB-X clocking unit > Playback Designs MSP-5 using its DAC only > preamp and so on. The laptop is controlled by an IPad with JRiver remote.

In the living room there is our TV/HT equipment. That is where I would like to access NAS files. It looks like I will need to use the existing network switch to send a signal to where the living room equipment is, via CAT5 wire that's existing. Probably another basic laptop with JRiver on it and a basic DAC will be needed to send an analog signal to the
Marantz AV-7730 PrePro controlling the system. I can then use the same IPad to control the music from either the living room or listening room.

I would prefer to stay with the JRiver format for the sake of simplicity.

The only other thing that may complicate this is my wife would like to have a single touch screen remote that would automatically control all combinations of equipment needs. Roku>Netflix, Amazon movies, DVD movie, program on standard TV or Music to another zone without needing to have 5 remotes.
I am fine with the 5 remotes but grumble and drink too much when I need to deal with a computer so I totally understand her feelings.

And no, I will be hiring someone to set up and program the remote system it's cheaper than the wine bill and meds for a out of control heart rate.

Any suggestions I would appreciate.

 

[amey01]

So you're playing directly from the JRiver laptop? That's a pretty rudimentary way of doing things, but I guess it works.

The good news is with that setup, your options are pretty much limitless.

You could do many things, including:

Put another laptop running any DLNA/UPNP client software in the other room and connect it to JRiver
Use an old laptop and run up Linux/UPNP client on that. If it is just for background music, use the analogue output of the laptop, or buy a cheap USB DAC like the Dragonfly
Buy a Raspberry Pi and set up a dedicated music server like Rune or Volumio
Use an old smartphone/tablet with UPNP client and either use the analogue output of the phone, or cast/airplay to the secondary system
Buy a dedicated streaming device such like Bluesound or Auralic Aries mini and connect it to the central JRiver.

The latter option is a better option for the listening room too - and put the laptop/NAS in a faraway cupboard/basement.

 

[Brad225]

Rudimentary? Hell I thought i was living the high life. Well for me anyway. As I said Tecno-challanged.

Another JRiver person locally that has helped me in the past suggested I switch the laptop in the music room to linux. I sent him an email today to see if the old Dell I have with Vista can be rehabbed with Linux or not. If it can't or he doesn't reply I will purchase a new cheap one.

The Dragonfly was about as sophisticated as I was thinking.

I am looking for the most basic setup as I can. Plus it will match the format I currently have. Less to remember.

I did have the NAS and power back up on the floor below my listening room but the sound was clearly degraded with the extra CAT 5 wire run.

I know all you cable doesn't matter people are crapping a brick right now. Sorry there was a big difference, even for these old ears.

Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[amey01]

I did have the NAS and power back up on the floor below my listening room but the sound was clearly degraded with the extra CAT 5 wire run.

I know all you cable doesn't matter people are crapping a brick right now. Sorry there was a big difference, even for these old ears.

Sorry, but I'm confident enough to say this without qualification.

There was NOT a difference with an extra network run. You have imagined it, so re-calibrate your ears.

Think how many CAT-5 cable runs are between the text I'm typing here in Australia and your house in Florida. Is it degraded by the time you read it? Is it fuzzy? Has it lost resolution? Does it contain spelling errors? Are the characters out of order?

Computer technology simply doesn't work that way. An ethernet data link is not the same as a low-level analogue phono signal.

 

[TomDac]

Could you stream music to your system using an AppleTV?

 

[Brad225]

I have no idea how AppleTV works Tom. I will take a look at it. Thanks

 

[JonFo]

Brad, it think you already have everything you need to achieve your goal.

The Marantz AV7703 is a DLNA renderer out of the box, so in JRemote on the iPad, you should be able to pick it as the playback target and send it playlists, albums or whatever.

All you need to do is add the 7703 as a player target in the master JRiver instance (the dedicated laptop in your music room).

I have a very similar setup here:

Jriver MC22 on an HTPC in the HT is my master, but all media lives on a separate file server.

In my living room, I have a NAD 7050 network integrated driving a 2.1 setup.

In my media room, I have an Onyo TX-NR818 receiver with DLNA renderer, also connected to the network.

Everything is on Ethernet in my home (except iPhones and tablets, or devices that lack an ethernet jack).

Running JRemote on the iPhone or tablet, I can select which of the three (four if I count my Marantz AV8802 preamp, but the HTPC is already cabled via HDMI to it) destinations I want to 'play to', then start playback by selecting a playlist. Super easy, and quite reliable.

Attached pic is the player list from my Jriver instance on the HTPC

 

[Brad225]

Jonathan,

So, if I understand you correctly.

From the laptop with the master JRiver program I would need to use a usb port with an adapter to ethernet. Plug that into the network switch and on the Marantz plug the ethernet cable into the network connection.

Can it be the same network switch (that is connected to the internet) that the Synology plugs into and then connects to the laptop via ethernet/USB adapter?

I would then add the Marantz (some how) to the list of targets in the master JRiver. Is this via an IP address or what? How does it find the Marantz? The Marantz will then do all the digital to analog work and WALA music will play.

It seems much to easy, but it sounds good to me.

Thanks

 

[Rich]

Brad, no. Why would you need to connect via usb if everything is already connected via Ethernet on your LAN? Turn on the Marantz (assuming you have Ethernet running to it) and JRiver should be able to find it over the LAN. Then set it as a playback target. I’m not a jriver user or I would give you more detailed instructions. But all of this should be able to be accomplished over your wired and/or wireless local area network.

Edit: I guess I don’t understand the need for a usb/Ethernet adaptor. Does your laptop not have an Ethernet port or wireless capability?

 

[JonFo]

Brad it is just that easy, really

Rich is right, just add it as a player to the main Jriver. Then select it, and pick music.

The Jriver forum has WiKi's on how to add DLNA renderers to the main Jriver instance.

Or use the Jremote and pick it as the target, then select music.

Here is the Jremote view

 

[Brad225]

Brad, no. Why would you need to connect via usb if everything is already connected via Ethernet on your LAN? Turn on the Marantz (assuming you have Ethernet running to it) and JRiver should be able to find it over the LAN. Then set it as a playback target. I’m not a jriver user or I would give you more detailed instructions. But all of this should be able to be accomplished over your wired and/or wireless local area network.

Edit: I guess I don’t understand the need for a usb/Ethernet adaptor. Does your laptop not have an Ethernet port or wireless capability?

Rich, My laptop doesn't have ethernet connections so the adaptor is my only option. I will check on the wireless capability. I do have Ethernet at the equipment in the living room. it currently is connected to a Roku box but I can just install another network switch so I can add the Marantz.

One of many things that I obviously still don't understand is. Will the Master JRiver program just randomly find the Marantz once it is connected to the Ethernet connection or when I tell it there is a Marantz 7703 it will find it? How does i not just go out on the internet and find any 7703?

 

[JonFo]

Rich, My laptop doesn't have ethernet connections so the adaptor is my only option. I will check on the wireless capability. I do have Ethernet at the equipment in the living room. it currently is connected to a Roku box but I can just install another network switch so I can add the Marantz.

One of many things that I obviously still don't understand is. Will the Master JRiver program just randomly find the Marantz once it is connected to the Ethernet connection or when I tell it there is a Marantz 7703 it will find it? How does i not just go out on the internet and find any 7703?

Ah, I thought your laptop was already on the network. So yes, a USB<-->Ethernet adapter will allow you to connect to the home network.

The Marantz AV7703 should just show up in the list in JRiver (assuming they are on the same network, and JRiver has the Options->Media Network-> Share media network and enable DLNA is ON).
Also, the Marantz might need to be on, and the Network source selected.

Once it shows up, you might need to set some of the Jriver options for it, but IIRC, mine just worked. But I've read that setting the output to be PCM 24 is the best, as the JRiver computer can decode FLAC and whatever better than an AVR. Lots of discussion on this in the JRiver forums.

 

[Brad225]

Thanks Adam, Tom, Rich and Jonathan. I think I have enough information to take a stab at it. That is a frightening thought. I will probably be back with more info requests.

 

[Brad225]

I have questions related to 2 different items.

First, bought a new laptop, installed JRiver 23 and made the network connections (as suggested here) to the Marantz 7703. The system located the 7703 as a renderer no problem. The first few hours were a bit shaky in that music and images would cut out partially or completely. It then started to only play a millisecond of music and nothing.

The new laptop showed information it was bringing in from the NAS. As a few hours went by the music and meta data images on the TV screen seemed to be 95% constant.
Yesterday an album would be playing and when new tracks started the image was there but would disappear though the music would continue. If I restarted the track the image would reappear and most the time remain.

When a album ends the image of a Sports Show 98.5 from internet radio appears on the screen. At this time I have no interest in internet radio so can I come how turn it off.
I didn't find anything about that in the 352 page manual that I almost printed off before I looked at how many pages there were.

My question is does this sound like an issue with JRiver for the sporadic music and screen image and the 7703 for the internet radio?

If the sporadic music is JRiver, what should I look for in the settings? The same for the 7703 and internet radio.


Second item. After loading JRiver to the new Laptop the appearance and access to music is different. Previously on the IPad controlling the old laptop I had the option for how to select music. After selecting Audio. Vertically along the left side it offered Audio, Files,Albums, Artists, Composer, Recent, Genre, Podcast and Highly Rated.

If I touched the FILES option, a screen came up that showed all of the discs I had ripped to the NAS.
It also had an icon for PCM and DSD. Selecting those would show all of the DSD files or for PCM a sub screen that would show options to select whether it was 44.1, 352 or anything in-between that had been downloaded.

There was also the ability to see files by the record label and that is not there.

The question here is, are there settings that can reconstruct the appearance I previously had on the old laptop with JRiver 22?

Sorry this is long winded.

 

[amey01]

I have questions related to 2 different items.

First, bought a new laptop, installed JRiver 23 and made the network connections (as suggested here) to the Marantz 7703. The system located the 7703 as a renderer no problem. The first few hours were a bit shaky in that music and images would cut out partially or completely. It then started to only play a millisecond of music and nothing.

The new laptop showed information it was bringing in from the NAS. As a few hours went by the music and meta data images on the TV screen seemed to be 95% constant.
Yesterday an album would be playing and when new tracks started the image was there but would disappear though the music would continue. If I restarted the track the image would reappear and most the time remain.

When a album ends the image of a Sports Show 98.5 from internet radio appears on the screen. At this time I have no interest in internet radio so can I come how turn it off.
I didn't find anything about that in the 352 page manual that I almost printed off before I looked at how many pages there were.

My question is does this sound like an issue with JRiver for the sporadic music and screen image and the 7703 for the internet radio?

If the sporadic music is JRiver, what should I look for in the settings? The same for the 7703 and internet radio.


Second item. After loading JRiver to the new Laptop the appearance and access to music is different. Previously on the IPad controlling the old laptop I had the option for how to select music. After selecting Audio. Vertically along the left side it offered Audio, Files,Albums, Artists, Composer, Recent, Genre, Podcast and Highly Rated.

If I touched the FILES option, a screen came up that showed all of the discs I had ripped to the NAS.
It also had an icon for PCM and DSD. Selecting those would show all of the DSD files or for PCM a sub screen that would show options to select whether it was 44.1, 352 or anything in-between that had been downloaded.

There was also the ability to see files by the record label and that is not there.

The question here is, are there settings that can reconstruct the appearance I previously had on the old laptop with JRiver 22?

Sorry this is long winded.

So are all the connections wired? What about the NAS to the laptop?

Make sure the laptop is using the wired connection - turn off wireless in whatever operating system you are using.

From there, I'm not really sure - a process of elimination. You could try to put the old server back and see if the problems persist. Then you'll know if the problem is at the Marantz end.

Regarding settings, I'm not familiar with Jriver, however there is surely a way to transfer settings by way of copying a settings folder, exporting settings to a file....that sort of thing.

 

[Brad225]

Everything is wired and wifi off.

I played music yesterday on the living system in question and the music played fine but if you paused a track the image would disappear. If that is my only problem I can solve the annoyance by turning the TV off and only look at the laptop controlling it.

Still not sure why the sound is not as good as cable music selections though?

Ill keep working on it.

Thanks

 

[Brad225]

I was finally able to figure it out with another hour or two with my nose in the manual on line.

On the remote there is an input for Media Player. It made sense to me that to use that as the music was coming from the NAS so Media Player it was. It did play but with the anomalies I previously mentioned.

As it turns out I was to use the Internet Music selection that is grouped with the streaming controls for online radio, video and music. Seems odd but who am I to say.

Thanks for the input.