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[xerodiac]

Make sure .net is installed to run the Intel tools or you'll get an exception.

[syserror]

I just tried out .168 with UPnP plugin 1.0.3.

- No SSDP advertisements seen, and no response to m-search for all, root devices, or MediaServer device; not sure if these were supposed to be present in this build or not yet.
- Previous issue of completely ignoring all requests til stopped and restarted appears fixed
- SSDP responses to m-search for ContentDirectory are very intermittent, actually seems less reliable responding than was plugin 1.0.2
- When SSDP responds, the response does not trigger either SMC EZ-Stream or Intel tools to fetch its device description.  The SSDP response headers are all uppercase now, but it's missing date and has a couple typo type differences from the spec (max-age, UPnP/1.0), so SMC+Intel are probably still ignoring the response.

Aaron

[JimH]

Aaron,
Thanks very much for the deep detail on what you're seeing.  It will certainly make John's job easier.

Jim

[Raistlin2000]

Hello!

Just noticed this topic about UPNP, really cool to see this in MC.
Till now, I don't have any compliant device for testing this, but I really would like to have a look how the library is shared. Is it possible to use a software client for testing only. Tried with Windows Media Player using OnShare, but I get error:

SSDP Server requested type not found: urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:MediaServer:1

OnShare does work with Nero UPNP Server.

I'm interested if the library is shared with all it's subcategories I created manually, or not.
If not, I'll stick with an old laptop as client running MC

Thanks a lot for help
Raist

[John Gateley]

SSDP Server requested type not found: urn:schemas-upnp-org:device:MediaServer:1

This may work in the next version I get out.

j

[John Gateley]

not sure if these were supposed to be present in this build or not yet.

No, I got sidetracked with the Sony RoomLink so the major changes didn't make it out.
Hopefully today...

j

[John Gateley]

I'm close, but I'm not going to make it today. Look for a new version tomorrow for sure (I hope)

j

[john h]

Here's a couple questions for those who have experience with these devices.

(1) I noticed that the Soundbridge unit has a coaxial audio jack.  Does this allow for a purely digital stream of your files to your A/V receiver?  Or is the stream somehow converted within the A/V receiver, so the digital jacks don't make much difference anyway?

(2) Do any of these media receivers allow you the benefit of incorporating dsp effects that I use on MC10 when playing files on my computer speakers?   Or are the dsp effects lost when the audio file is streamed to the media receiver?

(3) Is there any difference (whether in the technology used or the components) between using a Tivo and any of the media receivers being discussed here?  Will these units sound better than the Tivo?

Given the rapid activity in this area (hooray!), I am thinking that if I wait about six months to take the dive and buy something, I will be rewarded by being able to choose a unit that integrates seamless with my MC10/11 library and plays the files with digital quality.  The big A/V receiver manufacturers may even just include an ethernet port and bypass the need to have one of these units entirely.  Am I in fantasyland?

Thanks for your thoughts. 

[cncb]

John Gateley,

Can you tell us if your implementation of the server will support cover art for devices that want to access it?  Thanks.

[eso]

I just tried the UPnP plugin with the Terratec NOXON Audio, but the NOXON doesn't recognize the MediaCenter server. In the server's log I saw the message "Unknown SSDP Server method: NOTIFY".

[godavego]

Here's a couple questions for those who have experience with these devices.

(1) I noticed that the Soundbridge unit has a coaxial audio jack.  Does this allow for a purely digital stream of your files to your A/V receiver?  Or is the stream somehow converted within the A/V receiver, so the digital jacks don't make much difference anyway?

(2) Do any of these media receivers allow you the benefit of incorporating dsp effects that I use on MC10 when playing files on my computer speakers?   Or are the dsp effects lost when the audio file is streamed to the media receiver?

(3) Is there any difference (whether in the technology used or the components) between using a Tivo and any of the media receivers being discussed here?  Will these units sound better than the Tivo?

Given the rapid activity in this area (hooray!), I am thinking that if I wait about six months to take the dive and buy something, I will be rewarded by being able to choose a unit that integrates seamless with my MC10/11 library and plays the files with digital quality.  The big A/V receiver manufacturers may even just include an ethernet port and bypass the need to have one of these units entirely.  Am I in fantasyland?

Thanks for your thoughts. 

(1) I have a Soundbridge M500.  I don't use the digital out, but my understanding is that the port will output a PCM data stream such that any digital receiver can pick it up.  It does not simply retransmit the WMA or MP3 stream from the server.

(2) The Soundbridge has no DSP controls.  All it does is convert the digital media into something a receiver will understand.  Any DSP effects will need to be done with the receiver or digital processor.

(3) I don't have a Tivo, so I can't compare.  I do know that using my WMA Lossless files and a decent tabletop receiver/CD Player, the sound I get is comparable to the built-in CD player.  I have not tried hooking it up to my high-end system in the HT.

So far, I am more than satisfied with the Roku.  It's a great little system.  Regarding A/V manufacturers adding ethernet, that's already happening.  Some HK receivers include an ethernet port for connecting to Yamaha's music server system.  I haven't seen one that uses UPnP, however.

[John Gateley]

The DSP plugins do NOT affect the stream sent by UPnP Server, TiVo Server or Library Server. Interesting idea though.

There is a difference in components, but I don't know which are better. One factor often overlooked is bandwidth - if you run 802.11b wireless, you probably will be unable to stream lossless encoded files.

As of now, cover art is not supported in UPnP server, but it will be provided that it is part of the UPnP standard (not sure about this) and I can find a device that actually wants the cover art to test with.

I've added more info for NOTIFY messages in the next version of the Server, when it comes out, would you try with the NOXON and let me know?

j

[godavego]

Using my Roku SoundBridge and Windows Media Connect, I stream WMA Lossless files using 802.11b all the time.  I also do it using MC10 server and client.  It works just fine.

[John Gateley]

Good news & Bad News:

Good news: I've got the NOTIFY stuff working, the hanging problem fixed, and lots of cleanup of the UPnP stuff done.

Bad news: there's still two small bugs before I can release it, and it won't be done tonight.

Tomorrow...

j

[John Gateley]

Okay, it really should be in the next build

I'm locking this thread and starting a new one.

j

[wisdenb]

The reverse.  You can tell the MP101 what you want to play (from MC's library).

How do I do this? I can only play on the mp101 by using the remote on the mp101. I would much rather tell it what to play from the PC...

[wisdenb]

It would depend on control point features being in MC at some point, but even more importantly on what your streamer (MP101 in your case) is capable of.  As John has noted, remotely controlling your streamer from the PC is a whole different animal than the PC making content available for the streamer to pull.  If your streamer is very UPnP compliant, it may theoretically be possible.  There is a lot of wiggle room for streamers which are only partially or not at all remotely controllable though.

If you want to check whether your streamer could even be able to be remotely controlled, get the Intel UPnP tools (http://www.intel.com/technology/UPnP/toollicense.htm).  Manually start playing some content (preferably playlist or album or something with multiple tracks) on your streamer.  Then start "AV Media Controller.exe" from the Intel tools.

If your streamer is UPnP compliant, it should show up as a rendered.  You can then use stop, pause, play, next/previous and volume controls to test it.  You'll likely encounter one of several scenarios:

1) streamer not found at all - it is probably not UPnP compliant for control, so will not be remotely controllable (pray for a firmware upgrade)
2) found, but nothing can be controlled - UPnP implementation is broken, see above
3) volume works, but play/pause/seek/etc do not - indicates a clean but partial UPnP implementation
4) all controls work - very promising.  other more esoteric Intel tools could then be checked for things like directly setting a song to play if you get this far

Actual remote control of a streamer from MC would need plenty of MC additions as well, which I think John indicated wouldn't be considered til after MC content serving is fleshed out.  Using the Intel tool just allows you right now to tell if your device could even be remotely controlled at all.

Aaron

The MP101 does not show up at all. Media Center does, though.

[wisdenb]

BTW - Intel AV Media Controller causes Media Center to CRASH when browsing content! So I don't think the UPnP implementation is as good as it could be...

[ugilt]

John,

Good news & Bad News:

Good news: I've got the NOTIFY stuff working, the hanging problem fixed, and lots of cleanup of the UPnP stuff done.

Any chance your cleanup operation has improved the DSM-320 stuff as well?