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Author Topic: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist  (Read 6461 times)

Shasta Mike

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Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« on: September 21, 2015, 06:20:49 pm »

I am trying out JRiver and trying to get the UPnP player going. Music was streaming out the connected Marantz Receiver but here is my issue: I could not find the playlist JRiver was using. My Marantz was listed but the music coming out of it was not on the list - in fact only one song showed under the Marantz.  

Also, I tried importing m3u and fpl playlists into JRiver. The fpl's import just seemed to do nothing. When bringing in the m3u the playlist never showed up but JRiver seemed to add every song from the artists on the list to the library.

So, basically two questions: 1) how do I see what is going on with the device connected via UPnP?  2) Can I bring over my m3u and/or fpl playlists somehow?  Using the Import Playlist function does not work.

Are there videos somewhere on these subjects?  I have read the wiki info over and over and it just is not making any sense to me. I also found a link on one wiki forum to an audio setup guide but the link was dead.  I have successfully set up UPnP on Windows Media, Twonky and FooBar so am not a complete idiot on this stuff by JRiver has vexed me. The controls and setup are not intuitive to me.  

I need some easy video setup guide or simple advice.

Thanks!
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JimH

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2015, 06:43:16 pm »

Welcome to the forum.

You can drag a playlist to the target device under Playing Now.

You can open Playing Now and choose the Overview or the device to see what is playing.

If you click on a destination device under Playing Now, everything you play should go there.

The wiki has topics on Media Network and DLNA that might be useful.
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Shasta Mike

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2015, 07:29:23 pm »

Thanks JimH for trying to help me. I do appreciate that.

I was not clear - what was playing over the Marantz was not the Marantz listed when I clicked Overview. I don't really know what part of JRiver was playing over the Marantz.   When I try to play a song using the method you describe, a signal is sent to the Marantz and it lights up with a 0:00 time but will not play. It acts like it is waiting for something else to happen. JRiver now says it is "waiting".

It seems to me something else inside JRiver was playing to the Marantz before that was not visible. Now, trying to get it to play the standard way is not working though definitely they are connected - just not well.

See attached pic of my screen if that is any help to diagnose.



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JimH

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2015, 07:51:32 pm »

There are two ways you can play.  

1.  "Push", when you are playing to the device.  In that case, it is a Renderer.

2.  "Pull", when you tell the device to play from a server.  In that case, you're using MC as a Server.

I think you tried the second.  Many devices that work that way, will not work in the other.
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Shasta Mike

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2015, 09:26:39 pm »

If anyone has an idea how to get the Marantz to play the song instead of stalling at 00:00 please advise. See my previous post with a pic of the player to see what I'm seeing.  I tried the obligatory reboot with no success. 
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AndrewFG

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #5 on: September 22, 2015, 06:50:29 am »

Two things:

  • Concerning the Playlist:  When you use UPnP/DLNA to push to a Renderer, the Control Point manages the playlist, and pushes the tracks one by one to the Renderer; or if the Renderer supports gapless play, it can push the tracks in pairs (current track plus next track). Therefore when you look at the Renderer in MC you will always see either just one or at most two tracks in the playlist of the Renderer. The rest of the playlist is managed within the Control Point (i.e. MC)

  • Concerning your problem with the Marantz: What type of track are you trying to play? And what settings do you have in MC Network DLNA Server Settings?
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Shasta Mike

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #6 on: September 22, 2015, 01:05:01 pm »

Thanks Andrew for your replay! This is helping back-fill my huge knowledge gap using this tool.  

While I understand your reply on only being able to see a couple tracks and my experience validates what you are saying, I am having problems getting the process to repeat itself right now. Now I cannot Push through the Renderer anymore or Pull through the server as JimH tried to explain.  From using FooBar I understand the basic concept of the Media Manager for the music library and then the UPnP Controller plugin that handles the communication with a player (in my case the Marantz). That said there is something else going on with the JRiver design that I think escapes my understanding of how this works and why I'm having so many problems with what on the surface is not that complicated. When I look at the five servers that are running though, I confess I am not grasping why it needs to be this complicated: 1) PC Library Server 2) Device Discovery Server 3)  DLNA Renderer 4) DLNA Server 5) DLNA Subscription   Yikes!  

To answer your question, I am trying to play a standard mp3 track.  Regarding your 2nd question on "MC Network DLNA Server Settings", I am not sure what you are asking here. So, I have attached 4 different pictures (note - big pics you might need to use side and down bar to see the whole thing) of what I'm seeing and hopefully one of these provides the info you need to guide me.

And, to reiterate, the Marantz seems to be connected. When I try to play a track this morning the Marantz lights up and it "sees" the track transfers and even displays the name. But it stays at 00:00 on the Marantz and will not start playing (like it is waiting for another command).  That is still my current status. I also tried using my Sony Streaming interface box that I use successfully with Windows Media, Foobar and Twonky and get an error with that: JRiver says "There was a problem controlling the selected DLNA device. Double check your device, server and network settings".  

One other item: when I first set up JRiver i ended up with an icon in my System Tray.  Today that is not showing up. How does this get turned on and off? (Update: I figured out this happens in the Tools pull down)

I spent about 4 hours reading various posts, rereading wikis, and going through all the settings. I'm running out of steam to get something I want to buy to work................. :)  The only reason I'm putting so much effort in is the other players all have their issues and JRiver is touted as "the best" from many sources.......
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AndrewFG

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #7 on: September 23, 2015, 12:53:18 am »

It's not that complicated. And your screenshots indicate that everything is setup ok in MC.

Does it work when you use FooBar to push the exact same track? If so, then that would confirm that the track itself is ok.

If the track is definitely ok, then your screenshots indicate that MC is successfully sending the Push command to the Marantz, but that the Marantz may perhaps not be downloading the actual stream. Please check if you have an antivirus or firewall that is blocking MC.exe from handling Http download requests.


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Shasta Mike

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #8 on: September 23, 2015, 01:57:41 am »

I did try the same tracks today with Foobar on both the Marantz and my Sony Streaming box. Both played fine. I set up all the Firewall exceptions when first setting up JRiver but will check that again. I don't have any anti-virus programs installed except whatever Windows 10 might have running unbeknownst to me.

Its really strange that JRiver can even see what decibel setting the Marantz is set at so they are communicating back and forth.  Something is stopping or not initiating the tracks to play. It's almost like it is waiting for me to hit another play button and just stays stuck at 00:00 

Thanks so much for your assistance and feedback.  Reading another thread on DLNA I saw something about a DLNA analyzer but would have no idea about how to  interpret the results.  http://www.whitebear.ch/dmra  Any experience using this? 

I will check the Firewall and Microsoft antivirus very carefully tomorrow and report back what i find/don't find.

thx!!!
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AndrewFG

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #9 on: September 23, 2015, 10:21:57 am »

The DMRA is my test application, but reading this thread I don't think it's going to add much knowledge.

You talk about the Marantz and MC talking to each other..

In UPNP there are two sets of talking transactions going on 1) the Control Point (MC) issues HTTP POST commands and status requests, and the Renderer responds; and 2) the Renderer issues HTTP GET requests (to get track) and the CP (server) responds.

Your symptoms seem to indicate that 1) is working fine, whereas 2) is not. IMHO this is most likely a firewall issue, or perhaps an IP routing issue (e.g. do you have more than one network adapter on your PC?)

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Shasta Mike

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Re: Issues Seeing UPNP Connected Device Playlist
« Reply #10 on: September 23, 2015, 11:19:37 am »

You were correct!  There were Firewall Exceptions for "Media Center 21", BUT not for "Media Center Extenders".  I also disabled Windows Defender. I am not sure which one fixed the problem yet, but, I had success getting the Marantz to work on one song. Then something happened and JRiver locked up, went gray, and I had to relaunch it.  After relaunching the Marantz is successfully playing a second song. 

So, one problem solved today and now hopefully I can get on to exploring the library features, ease of use, app robustness and other attributes that are important to me and my assessment of Media Center 21. 

Thanks so much AndrewFG!!!  I would have given up without your guidance. 
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