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Author Topic: JRiver for Android Vs Windows version  (Read 3196 times)

Adhara

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JRiver for Android Vs Windows version
« on: December 25, 2020, 12:03:29 pm »

Hi,

I'm a JRiver customer since JRiver v18... I was very happy with the Windows version but I have to downsize my equipment and so reduce the number of devices in my living room.

What are the differences between Windows version and Android version ? I would like to test it on Nvidia Shield Pro Box

On Windows, we can use madVR video renderer , the best possible video quality. MadVr is not available for Android. So can we have (for 4k TV / upscaling to 4k) the same quality (or close to) ?

Hometheater interface is similar (availability to deal with jackets, moviesdb, TheTVDB, multi languages) ?
Regarding audio quality (sox resampling, transcoder, bit perfect, internal volume, ...) is it the same ?

It would be nice to have a document describing what is implemented on Android version, what it is not (but coming..or will never be possible)... And all differences about audio/video capabilities/qualities between Android and Windows versions.

Nvidia shield pro 2021 is planned for Q2 (3x faster/powerfull CPU/GPU) so I don't think that hardware limitation will be a problem to implement all features currently available on Windows platform.

Regards.

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Awesome Donkey

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Re: JRiver for Android Vs Windows version
« Reply #1 on: December 26, 2020, 01:14:09 pm »

JRiver Media Center for Windows and JRiver for Android are two completely different experiences. Media Center for Windows has various features like LAV Filters and madVR, which are not possible outside of Windows. Android in comparison has nothing available that's remotely comparable to madVR, as far as I know. If you're looking to compare the two platforms or if you're asking if there's feature parity between Media Center for Windows and JRiver for Android, you should know immediately that they're drastically different from one another with different feature sets.

The most obvious right off the bat you'd probably notice are the major differences in the interfaces; Media Center for Windows has multiple interface choices including Theater View. JRiver for Android only has one interface (as far as I know), which is Panel. There's no home theater interface aka Theater View in JRiver for Android and there's no metadata displayed (like Media Center for Windows can display in Theater View). Media Center for Windows basically supports every audio and video format there is, JRiver for Android only supports whatever ExoPlayer (can't recall if ffmpeg extensions are being used for things like FLAC) supports. As far as I know there's still issues with video playback in JRiver for Android running on Android TV (aka the Nvidia Shield TV), with MKV files for example if I recall correctly (I'm sure Nathan or Brad can correct me). Last time I checked, there's no options for audio for things like resampling, transcoding, etc. My guess is everything goes through ExoPlayer which I guess depending on the format, may be going to the system mixer. I don't know too much about Android in that regard to tell you definitely one way or another. JRiver for Android, in my personal experience, works best as a portable music player when I'm out and about and I want to play the files I have on my Android phone's SD card which works pretty well in that regard.

Bottom line, as of right now if you want a home theater interface with the amazing things JRiver Media Center (on Windows) provides like LAV Filters and madVR and control over audio quality (resampling, internal volume, etc.), sticking with Media Center on Windows is probably your best bet. I mean, you can try JRiver for Android on your Nvidia Shield TV box and see how it works for you. You can even use is as a client and you can try loading your library from a Windows server via Media Network and see how it works for you but going by what you posted above I suspect it's not going to be what you're expecting. I just don't want you to get your hopes up, you know?
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I don't work for JRiver... I help keep the forums safe from "male enhancements" and other sources of sketchy pharmaceuticals.

Windows 11 24H2 Update 64-bit + Ubuntu 24.10 Oracular Oriole 64-bit | Windows 11 24H2 Update 64-bit (Intel N305 Fanless NUC 16GB RAM/500GB M.2 NVMe SSD)
JRiver Media Center 33 (Windows + Linux) | iFi ZEN DAC 3 | JBL 306P MkII Studio Monitors | Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Headphones

BigCat

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Re: JRiver for Android Vs Windows version
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2020, 11:54:09 am »

Thanks for this summary of where we are at with this project! The summary is helpful (as you always are as well!) for those of us with lots of stuff going on, and consequently check in here only occasionally. 

I have the Windows version on a couple computers and the Android version on a Shield and phone. Lately I have been using the Android version to listen to music on my phone, and JRemote2 to stream music from my PC remotely when away from home (which works well besides using up data). I got it working despite my various security measures.

Maybe someday JRiver for Android and JRemote2 will become one...?

I have not yet tried getting the Linux version and/or putting JRiver on my Raspberry Pi/Pie Hole or Linux systems, so I can't comment on that. Maybe someday...

Anyway, the PC version will remain necessary. The Android version is a work-in-progress, but it is really getting better! Thanks to Team JRiver for continuing this project!
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Awesome Donkey

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Re: JRiver for Android Vs Windows version
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2020, 12:46:09 pm »

JRiver for Android already can act as a client for Media Center running on another device like JRemote2 can.

I highly doubt they'll ever become one app, as far as I know they're developed completely different from each other (and they might use completely different programming languages).
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I don't work for JRiver... I help keep the forums safe from "male enhancements" and other sources of sketchy pharmaceuticals.

Windows 11 24H2 Update 64-bit + Ubuntu 24.10 Oracular Oriole 64-bit | Windows 11 24H2 Update 64-bit (Intel N305 Fanless NUC 16GB RAM/500GB M.2 NVMe SSD)
JRiver Media Center 33 (Windows + Linux) | iFi ZEN DAC 3 | JBL 306P MkII Studio Monitors | Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Headphones
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