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[Headkeeper]

Hello!  I’m new with JRiver and I am trying to connect my PS Audio Direct Stream Junior via the Network from a MacBook Pro (Mojave)

I’ve used the settings listed below but the DAC is still not appearing in my “Playing Now” list.  The DAC is appearing in the MControl App on my iPad so I am sure it is on the network correctly.  Could some kind person tell me what I am missing??

Tools -> Options -> Media Network
      Select AUDIOPHILE 24 BIT
Add Or Configure DLNS Servers -> Audio Mode
      Select ORIGINAL
Add Or Configure DLNS Servers -> Video Advanced
      Select Bitstream DSD
      Select DLNA
      Select DLNA Extra
Tools -> Options -> Media Network
      Select DLNA Server
      Select DLNA Renderer
      Select DLNA Controller

[Headkeeper]

Follow-up to this question as my evaluation time is running out...

Have I posted this in the wrong area?  Is there a way to contact the developers directly? Apologies in advance.  I am a newbie at this and would really like to get the network connection going...

[RoderickGI]

The developers have probably seen your message. This is the right area, and the forum is the correct way to ask for support.

Unfortunately when someone asks about a specific piece of hardware, you are less likely to get a response. What makes it worse for me is that you are on a Mac, and I haven't used one of them for years.

Interestingly the only time DLNA is mentioned in the PS Audio Direct Stream Junior is in reference to JRiver MC, and that is in the troubleshooting section! Their statement about DoP is also quite unhelpful;
"DoP (DSD over PCM) is a standard allowing single rate DSD to travel over S/PDIF (the RCA, XLR and Network Bridge digital inputs are S/PDIF compatible) as well as over USB and I2S."

So is the ethernet connection really a network connection, or is it just used to emulate an S/PDIF connection?  However it does talk about UPnP connectivity later, and a bit about the network you should be on, so it seems it should appear in MC.

First thing then, have you read through all the User Manual and checked everything they mention about the network? How about their support section?
THIS: https://www.psaudio.com/ps_how/how-to-setup-jriver-and-the-bridge-mac/

Okay, second thing, is there a Firewall running on the MacBook Pro, and if so, is it allowing traffic through port 1900, which is used for DLNA discovery?
Read this: https://www.psaudio.com/ps_how/how-to-get-through-firewalls-for-bridge-streaming/
In fact, a DLNA device will take a while, up to minutes, to be visible on the network. Sometimes a PC needs to be up and running before the DLNA Renderer (the PS Audio DirectStream Junior) is turned on, for the handshake to work correctly.

My next steps on a Windows PC would be to run AndrewFG's Whitebear Digital Media Renderer Analyser to check what the DLNA device is capable of, and if the DMRA can see it. But that is Windows only I'm pretty sure.

You could try installing a DLNA Player/Controller on your phone and see if it sees the PS Audio Direct Stream Junior, just to check that it is advertising itself properly on the network.


Otherwise, I think you need to ask PS Audio for assistance. There are similar issues, and firmware updates, here: https://www.psaudio.com/support/how-to/, like the links above.


BTW, JRiver Media Center obviously works with the PS Audio products, as it is documented in the support area enough. So if your trial runs out, buy the software anyway. After all it only costs $59.98, and you probably spent almost 100 times that on the PS Audio DirectStream Junior, according to this site: https://www.lenc.com.au/products/ps-audio-directstream-junior Or over 100 times! https://magentaaudio.com.au/product/ps-audio-direct-stream-junior-bridge-ii/

[Headkeeper]

Thanks so much for the response and suggestions!

 Indeed, I used to the PS Audio How-To to glean the setup I described previously.  As a newbie I was wondering if I had missed some fundamental setting since the Junior is still not recognized.  MControl, an app on my iPod, easily connected to the Junior and, in fact will turn it on from standby.  So I am fairly confident the Junior is set up properly.  Other posts on PS Audio suggest turning on and off the various components in certain orders which I have tried.  And other suggestions include asking the good people at JRiver, which is why I am here :-).   The firewall had not occurred to me so I shall try and disable that next.  I suspect Mojave may have something to do with this problem...

[RoderickGI]

I tried to find MControl on the Apple store and elsewhere to confirm that it is a DLNA App, and not using AirPlay to connect. But I couldn't find it, although I found lots similarly named. Could you share a link to where you got MControl from? Thanks.

I have been playing with DLNA for the last couple of days, and it appears that there could be an issue with Dynamic DLNA Renderers not showing in MC ever again once they have been deleted from there. I'm still trying to work that out.

Have a read of the discussion over here: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,119136.0.html

If we solve the problem over there, it will probably give you a solution as well.

[Headkeeper]

Yes, that thread does sound strikingly familiar and may be very similar to my problem also.  I’ll still give the firewall a workout when I get a chance to play.  In the meantime for MControl search the App Store for mConnect, I use the HD Version for iPad.  Developers site is http://www.conversdigital.com.  Nice app, I have not a clue how it works but it does!

[RoderickGI]

In the meantime for MControl search the App Store for mConnect, I use the HD Version for iPad.  Developers site is http://www.conversdigital.com.

Yes, very nice. I found the Android version of mconnect Control and installed that, but it wouldn't show my TV in the PlayTo list. So I installed their mconnect Player Lite, and boom, it shows my TV separately as both a Chromecast device and a UPnP (DLNA) device. See image if there are any non-believing readers!

I think this issue comes down to having deleted a Dynamic (DLNA Renderer) Zone from within MC, it can't be added back in. It seems unlikely since you are a new user, but did you ever delete the "PS Audio DirectStream Junior" Zone from within MC?

Other than that as a cause, on Windows I have seen strange issues with the name of DLNA devices changing, but still pointing to the original device. I also think I have two devices with exactly the same "unique" identifier (UUID). I saw some improvement in those issues when I disabled the "Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service", which is the service Windows uses to share media to devices, much like JRiver Media Center does. If you have similar services on the Mac they may be interfering with MC functionality, I guess. But it would probably take some significant technical MoJo to sort that out, and my Mac MoJo is just about gone now!

Anyway, watch the other thread and see if we find a way to force MC to see a Renderer.

Note: By all means look at your Firewall. I did that also and found all MC executables are allowed through. Besides, if both Windows Explorer and mconnect can see our TVs, then the firewall probably isn't the problem.

[AndrewFG]

As Roderick already suggested, please try the DMRA from my sig, to see if it 1) discovers your player, and 2) if so determine what media formats it supports.

[Headkeeper]

A parting thanks to you both Andrew and Rodrick. 

Your suggestions and comments were most helpful and useful.  Unfortunately I deleted the app and reinstalled (it had lost my music directory and would not let me put it back) for a fresh start and now my trial period has mysteriously ended, I had 16 days left.  Also, the “extend trial period” function does not appear to work. So it appears I am done...

MC showed promise and had many features I thought were great. 

[JimH]

As Roderick already suggested, please try the DMRA from my sig, to see if it 1) discovers your player, and 2) if so determine what media formats it supports.

Did you try that?

It's very possible that your firewall is blocking access from the PC.

Tools -> Options -> Media Network
      Select AUDIOPHILE 24 BIT
Add Or Configure DLNS Servers -> Audio Mode
      Select ORIGINAL

I would also try the stock settings.  Original means that you're sending unmodified files that your device may not support.

[Headkeeper]

Thanks for the suggestions, Jim.  Unfortunately Andrews app is a Windows only program.  I am on an Apple.  Also, I get the same results without the firewall so that is not the problem.

As I am not seeing the DSJr in the play list at all would using the stock settings be worth while?  At this point I’d be willing to try anything :-).  I still feel there is a simple setting I am not using to make the DAC visible to MC...

Just a follow up to my previous note.  I have rebuilt the PC and can now use MC in trial mode again.  Still no luck in getting MC to see the DAC (I am assuming that it will appear in the “Playing Now” list following “Player” and “Playing from Main Library”, correct?)

Not sure if you are familiar with MControl.  It is an iPad app.  MControl sees the DAC with no problems, it also sees MC.  In fact I can play files from MC to the DAC via MConnect.  Go figure...

[JimH]

You could run Andrew's program on a Windows machine, just to test, if you have one.

[Headkeeper]

The problem has been solved.  I needed to turn IGMP Snooping OFF on my switches.  Once this was done the DSJr was immediately viewable in MC.

Thanks much for all the help and suggestions!!!  Thank you Andrew for DMRA, it really helped speed the troubleshooting (although my friend had no idea what I was doing with his PC).  Thank you Roderick for making sure I had MC right. And thank you Jim for letting me know the developers are alive and care :-).