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Author Topic: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups  (Read 1595 times)

whoareyou

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Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« on: May 20, 2021, 11:22:59 am »

I believe similar requests have been asked in past, but never really saw related discussion....

Zone switch allows automatic switching to appropriate zone configured for a specific playback requirement.  That all works fine, except each zone maintains a separate playback list.

Could there be an additional setting that would "group" zones so that all zones in the group share the same playing now list?
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mattkhan

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2021, 12:46:05 pm »

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whoareyou

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #2 on: May 20, 2021, 01:41:24 pm »

That feature synchronizes playback in multiple zones.  This request is different from that.

I see Zone switch as designed for playback in the same location and the zones are not being synchronized. 

This is requesting that each zone for the same location i.e. living room group, would share the same now playing list.
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mojave

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2021, 08:21:20 pm »

This is requesting that each zone for the same location i.e. living room group, would share the same now playing list.
As mattkhan said, linked zones is used for exactly that purpose. Linked Zones are a group that shares the same playlist.
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whoareyou

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2021, 09:05:19 pm »

Let me try different explanation.  Perhaps I was not clear in my description.

In my scenario, I create a "living room group" consisting of 3 zones.  Zone 1 is for 2 channel playback. Zone 2 is for multichannel playback.  Zone 3 is for something else. 

Similar to linked groups, there is one playlist for the group, but the intention is NOT to play the music to each zone at same time

Each item in the playlist plays to only one zone at a time, and a zone is only activated when a selection in the playlist meets the zone switch criteria. 

I don't see how linked zones accomplish this.

Is there some other configuration related to linked zones I am not aware of that you can point me to?
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JimH

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #5 on: May 20, 2021, 09:59:32 pm »

Did you read the wiki topic on Zones and ZoneSwitch?

https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Zones
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whoareyou

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2021, 09:03:42 am »

This ?  https://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/ZoneLink
I am not asking to link zones together so that each zone is synched up playing the same material.

Perhaps I am using incorrect terminology and confusing the situation.

Think of this as zone switch.  I use zone switch in the same room, and not to synchronize playback to different zones.  There is no intention of playing any of the zones simultaneously.  It works great, playing items as specified by each zone's settings. 

But with zone switch,  each zone presents it's own playing now list. 

I am requesting a feature that unifies the playing now list for each "zone" participating in the zone switch.

It would be similar to a linked zones and zone switch combined.  I've tried configuring that combination but it does not seem to work.
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JimH

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2021, 09:43:01 am »

Sorry.  ZoneSwitch on the Zones page.  Corrected above.
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whoareyou

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2021, 10:58:35 am »

Yes, I use Zoneswitch.  I would like for the playing now to share the same playback context for each of the zones I am using in the current zone switch configuration. 

I am suggesting a feature that groups the zone switch pieces together and maintains one common playing now list for all grouped zones.  This way I can simply add a new album, track, video, etc.  to that unified playing now, and zone switch would take care of the rest.

AFIK - I cannot do that today.  Is there something else I need to look at?

 



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gutierez

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #9 on: July 14, 2021, 08:53:07 am »

I agree with @whoareyou

A global playing now list for all zones could be very useful
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Dawgincontrol

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #10 on: July 14, 2021, 07:02:13 pm »

Yes, I use Zoneswitch.  I would like for the playing now to share the same playback context for each of the zones I am using in the current zone switch configuration. 

I am suggesting a feature that groups the zone switch pieces together and maintains one common playing now list for all grouped zones.  This way I can simply add a new album, track, video, etc.  to that unified playing now, and zone switch would take care of the rest.

AFIK - I cannot do that today.  Is there something else I need to look at?

The lack of being able to do this made me get rid of my 2 channel ASIO playback zone and put everything over HDMI.  It's a fantastic request.
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whoareyou

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #11 on: July 19, 2021, 09:18:51 pm »

I was hoping that the new "divert" feature could be leveraged to automate the process as part of zone playback
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fitbrit

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #12 on: July 23, 2021, 02:16:42 am »

This was a feature requested very early on in Zoneswitch's history. As you know, it's not currently possible, but it would be incredibly useful if you could start any playlist and have MC analyse it ahead of time and switch zones based on zone switch rules automatically. The whole play order and switching could be determined when the playlist is loaded. I expect there are some difficult challenges to this, which is why it cannot be currently done.
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whoareyou

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #13 on: July 23, 2021, 08:47:20 am »


I thought (right or wrong), that the rules / switching was evaluated in real time, during playback.  That is why I was hoping that the entire list could "simply" be diverted to the new zone, similar to what a user could do manually with the new option.

So you believe the appropriate zone switch is not evaluated during playback? 

Perhaps it is too much processing, but maybe a dev could provide some input?
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BigCat

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Re: Feature Request: Zone Playback Groups
« Reply #14 on: July 23, 2021, 11:40:44 am »

Anything to get us closer to my number one JRiver goal for years - Whole Home Audio! See earlier post:

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,125564.msg869803.html#msg869803
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