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[tunetyme]

Is anyone using WIFI with MC? WIFI speakers? Audio and video? I would like to hear how you have your system configured and your experience with wireless.

[CountryBumkin]

I have a Laptop that is setup to run MC on startup which is "client" that connects to my MC "server" via WIFI.

Once connected to my home network, it plays live TV and videos/audio from the server computer without any problem.

The only problem I have is that when I turn on the Laptop, MC will try to load the "server library" faster than the WIFI connection is made (so it cant load), then MC goes into the Retry (loading library) mode and that fails and then requires some keyboard input. I just need to figure out how to delay MC program from starting for about 30 seconds so WIFI connection can be established first.

[MikeO]

I have a desktop running MC connected to my router.

Main system is Ethernet to my Cambridge Audio CXN, but I use WiFi as well

Samsung R1 WiFi speaker via dlna and Samsung Multiroom App

JRemote then Bluetooth to a Beoplay A1 and occasional JBL 450 headphones

No issues with either other than a few dropouts if I’m ambitious with 24/192 files. 16/44 runs fine but that’s down to my house geography more than WiFi per se, too much concrete

Hope this helps, do you have any specific issues

[tij]

for video ... wifi on ipad via JRemote is good ... as long as signal is good ... for large screen TV not so good, i prefer dedidcated LAN for TV via dedicated htpc running TheatreView (though you can use TV own DLNA browser or panel via TV web browser ... but for me those are not eyecandy solutions lol)

wifi speakers ... several standards ... bluetooth, apple AirPlay, google Cast, Sonos, DTS Playfi

Sonos is proprietry ... Playfi is a big mess ...

bluetooth (technically not wifi) is ok via JRemote or panel from handhelds

Casting and AirPlay is not supported by JRiver ... probably steep licensing fee ... there are workarounds to use both with MC, but they are not free and require dedicated PC to provide that workaround ... rogue amoeba is one of those solutions ... they adverise it can play to multiple speakers in sync (aka multi room audio) ... but i have not tested that yet

[DocLotus]

The only problem I have is that when I turn on the Laptop, MC will try to load the "server library" faster than the WIFI connection is made (so it cant load), then MC goes into the Retry (loading library) mode and that fails and then requires some keyboard input. I just need to figure out how to delay MC program from starting for about 30 seconds so WIFI connection can be established first.

I've had very good luck over many years delaying program startups with R2 Studios Startup Delayer...
https://www.r2.com.au/page/products/show/startup-delayer/

The developer lives in Australia & is one very nice guy & will go out of his way to help his users.

[tij]

I've had very good luck over many years delaying program startups with R2 Studios Startup Delayer...
https://www.r2.com.au/page/products/show/startup-delayer/

The developer lives in Australia & is one very nice guy & will go out of his way to help his users.

Can also use Windows Task Scheduler that comes with Windows to delay programs start up ... it’s has many advance features that might overwhelm you ... but once get a hang on it it’s not that complicated

Can even schedule MC launch when connected to network ... here is post that creates task when connected to network
https://www.groovypost.com/howto/automatically-run-script-on-internet-connect-network-connection-drop/amp/

[CountryBumkin]

Thanks for the tip!

[tunetyme]

I don't have an issue per se right now. I just believe that this is the next step in the evolution of listening and watching media. I started looking at Chrome cast and Sonos to help advise a friend and liked what I saw.

I have a component system that I use for both music and movies. I am tired of the wires. So, I have started to look at the products that are available now and get a feel for the direction things are moving in. It seems to be be picking up some momentum in the marketplace.

Of course I plan to use MC as the software centerpiece and I have good size UnRaid server. Works great, 13 years without a hiccup. I would hope that JRiver would start some development in this direction perhaps a open source connectivity for hardware vendors. I am sure that it could drive a lot of business in their direction.

At this point I am at the planning stage. I need to sort out what hardware I can keep or need to replace as well as determine a migration sequence. My file server needs to be upgraded. The motherboard, CPU, power supply and RAM are 13 years old. The drives are upgraded regularly. I plan on sticking with AMD, I have had excellent reliability with their products. With the upgrade I will be able to switch MC over to Linux and put one more nail into leaving Microsoft.

I am thinking that the server could then be directly connected to the receiver via HDMI for both audio and video. I will need to start shopping around for a receiver that is able to use WIFI to connect to the surround sound speakers and of course I will need to upgrade the speakers and some TV's. That is a quick look at the surface issues. It doesn't look like it's going to be cheap. I would guess that a $4k budget would be adequate.

I certainly welcome comments and thoughts on this preliminary plan and if you have some experience with various products I would like to know about it. Besides AMD for my CPU I have no other strong preference.

Thanks
 

[tij]

i am in intel camp lol ... my NAS is freeNAS in separate room cause its fans are freaky noisy

i actually prefer wired solution partly cause it feels more reliable ... and its modular ... can replace/upgrade components in chain easily if choose component carefully

wireless speakers for surround sound can be complicated ... cause most use proprietry protocols (chromecast and airplay is not for surround sound imo) ... and speakers are usually powered speakers ... you will have receiver sending proprietry wireless signal to speakers ... so you will be locked to one mafufacturer

dts playfi supposed to address this ... but its a big mess ... and you probably not gonna get atmos with that lol

only time i consider wireless speakers is for casual multi room listening

only reason i am sticking with Windows for htpc is madVR

as with all projects ... consider what you want first in terms of functionality ... do list of functions you want your system to do ... once satisfied, only then start looking for solutions that meets your functional requirements

[tunetyme]

i am in intel camp lol ... my NAS is freeNAS in separate room cause its fans are freaky noisy

As they say you get what you pay for....lol. My fans operate on temperature control...very quiet. My drives never get above 29C. 

I built my server long before NAS existed. There was a time that I had to have the latest and greatest, now I skip a couple of generations between upgrades. With the upgrade to my server, I may be able to eliminate my Windows PC altogether.  From what I have been reading, under Linux, Windows wants a minimum of 4 cores and runs much better with  6 cores. The new Ryzen 2 CPU's do have up to 32 cores. My Win PC has a FX 8350 4 Ghz with 8 cores that I rarely get above 40% utilization with Win 7. I just used MC to analyze about 30k FLAC tracks. Using 6 cores and pulling files from my server, I averaged 108 tracks per minute. I think 12 or 16 cores with 32 GB of RAM should crush anything I can throw at it including up-sampling videos.

I haven't verified this, but, I believe that UnRaid will create a constant back up on each write to disk if you are running Widows under Linux and using it as your main PC. (They use 1 or 2 parity disks and a cache disk depending on your paranoia. lol)   

Your analysis of the current state of the technology looks spot on. I am not ready to jump in at this point but I want to monitor the developments and track those soles who like to be on the bleeding edge of Tech. I think the Ryzen CPU's have been out long enough to start looking to upgrade on the next sale. I suspect that JRiver has been looking at this for awhile.  I certainly hope they weigh in on this technology soon. They have done a good job of staying on the leading edge.

I have dabbled with bluetooth but it doesn't have the range I need.

[MikeO]

Beware the wireless bit , I went effectively wireless but the rats nest still exists

I have a Samsung HW 950 , sub and backs are wireless.... except the power cables which were a pain to hide for the backs. And as someone said above I am stuck with Samsung, not a problem but ...

By the time you include routers switches wall warts etc wireless is a misnomer. Mine are all hidden in the drawer of the hi fi box with high WAF but it’s often not that easy to hide

Alas ....

[tunetyme]

It seems wireless is along the same lines as paperless...

This started because we have a wall that would be ideal to hang the TV on. the problem is, there isn't a good way to run wires to it. Time to tank that idea.