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Author Topic: Tidal with MC from an Android Client  (Read 4714 times)

dtc

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Tidal with MC from an Android Client
« on: April 27, 2016, 02:12:16 pm »

I recently decided to experiment with Tidal and was looking for a way to us it in CD quality without using Google Chrome on a PC. There are certainly hardware options that support Tidal, but I was looking for a simple, inexpensive way to use it. My preferred interface was an Android device. I first looked at a Chrome Cast Audio, which works well with Tidal through Bubble UPnP on my Android table.  Bubble UPnP has been updated to work with Tidal and has an interface that looks a lot like the Tidal Android app. The Chromecast Audio and Bubble UPnP solution works well if you want an Android interface and if your DAC has an optical input or you are OK with the DAC in the CCA.

Then it dawned on me that the CCA is really just a DLNA renderer. So, why not use MC as a renderer, without the CCA. Sure enough, my MC system shows up in the list of recognized renderers. I simply selected my MC system as the renderer and it worked immediately.

So, there is an easy way to use Tidal with MC from an Android device. Just sign up for a Tidal trial and load Bubble UPnP onto your Android device. When you start up Bubble UPnP you select Cloud and under that Tidal. (It also works with Qubuz and Google Music.) You just log into Tidal and it it remembers your login. To play to MC, just look in the list of Renderers and select your MC system. You just have to have DNLA set up in MC.  You can also use the various MC DSPs in this configuration and Audio Path gives you the signal details.

I upgraded to the paid version of Bubble UPnP to get rid of ads and to remove some of the restrictions of the free version. It will also let you play your local files through the MC renderer.

This is a very simple way to use Tidal for CD quality audio if you have an Android device. I do not know if there is such an easy way for an Apple device.

I am a happy camper :)
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MGD_King

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Re: Tidal with MC from an Android Client
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2016, 03:31:40 pm »

I don't know what Tidal is, but I've been using EOS to stream FLAC to my Android devices since it was first offered. Easy to set up, and supports video, too.
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dtc

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Re: Tidal with MC from an Android Client
« Reply #2 on: April 27, 2016, 03:59:31 pm »

I don't know what Tidal is, but I've been using EOS to stream FLAC to my Android devices since it was first offered. Easy to set up, and supports video, too.

This is the other way around. Tidal is a streaming service from the web. The Android device with Bubble UPnP connects to the Tidal severs and directs the audio file from the Tidal server to  the MC system for playing. Alternatively, you could use Bubble UPnP to send files stored on your Android device to MC for playing.
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jcjbender

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Re: Tidal with MC from an Android Client
« Reply #3 on: July 08, 2016, 10:54:23 pm »

DTC - thanks for this.  I'm a big fan of Tidal because of the hi res streaming, plus the app is reasonably intuitive and it's NOT iTunes which I think has gone off the rails.  I'd also say Tidal does a nice job with curated playlists for music discovery.  I currently jack my iphone into my receiver and stream Tidal directly, which is not very convenient.

I've got the MC and am thinking of getting an Id.  If I read your post correctly, if I get a bog-standard Android pad, I can use that as my Tidal remote and have the stream go through the Id to my receiver?   Sounds great, although I'm not too tech adept and no experience with Bubble UPnP - anything else I should know?  I'm just using the Verizon wifi router, FIOS 5G which seems pretty quick.   Thanks.   (I use a nice old Rotel w RCA only)
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dtc

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Re: Tidal with MC from an Android Client
« Reply #4 on: July 09, 2016, 09:37:11 am »

The setup of Tidal with UPnP with MC was pretty simple. In MC , you first have to set up the DLNA server in Tools - Options - Media Network. I do not know much about the Id, but I think it just runs the standard MC DLNA renderer, so it should be fine. Then install UPnP on an Android device. I have it running on a S2 tablet. You can install UPnP on a tablet and try it to an existing MC PC  before investing in an Id.

If you are only purchasing the Id for Tidal, I might suggest looking at a Chromecast Audio instead. It is very inexpensive ($35) and UPnP streams Tidal to it fine. The CA has a cheap build in DAC (at least as good as your phone) and a optical output you can use to go to a DAC. Just make sure the DAC has optical in. UPnP and the Chromecast Audio is probably the simplest setup for a remote interface for 16/44 streaming of Tidal. Note that Chromecast Audio is an audio only device, different from the original Chromecast, which is aimed at video.

Unfortunately, UPnP does not run on your iPhone. But I was just poking around and the new version of the Tidal app on iPhones (v 1.14) says it supports Chromecast. I am not an iPhone guy and do not know the details, but you probably should look into this. You might just have to add the Chromecast Audio and be able to play Tidal from your iPhone. Also, it says Chromecast support - not sure if that applies to Chromecast Audio or not. But it is worth a look.
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