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Author Topic: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?  (Read 5855 times)

raldo

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Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« on: June 08, 2010, 07:39:27 am »

Does anyone know if it's possible to configure each squeezebox as a zone using logitech squeeze server?

I'm investigating various solutions for distributed music in my house via MC15...
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)p(

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #1 on: June 08, 2010, 08:04:51 am »

The only approach that has worked for me 100% is by using virtual audio cable in combination with the squeezecenter wavinput plugin.

1. Install vac. http://software.muzychenko.net/eng/vac.html
2. Create as many virtual audio cables as you need.
3. Assign in mc each vac cable to a zone.
4. Install the wavinput plugin and assign each squeezebox to a vac cable corresponding with its zone in mc. How to here: http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/WaveInput_plugin
5. I also use little autoit script that shows what is playing on the squeezebox using the mc squeezecenter fileviewer plugin.

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raldo

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2010, 09:38:44 am »

Brilliant!

Thanks for saving me hours of research. This opens up some pretty neat possibilities.
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raldo

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #3 on: June 08, 2010, 04:26:29 pm »

The VLC media player can supposedly stream an audio output to an http stream that has the squeezebox as a target.

Can this somehow be done on MC through zones??
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JimH

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2010, 04:31:48 pm »

I think that the Logitech protocol is unique.  We may support it some day. 

There was a piece of software called mc2slim that worked.  There might be another.
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raldo

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #5 on: June 08, 2010, 05:07:20 pm »

There was a piece of software called mc2slim that worked.  There might be another.

Thanks, I'll take a look at it. Hopefully it'll work on MC15.
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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #6 on: June 09, 2010, 02:27:46 am »

Thanks, I'll take a look at it. Hopefully it'll work on MC15.

In my experience it is a lot less stable as the solution I described above. I had a lot of sync issues with mc2slim. In essence with mc2slim and squeezecenter they play each on their own. This will never happen with the redirecting with vac solution because mc is the only player...squeezecenter just passes it on to the squeezebox.
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raldo

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #7 on: June 09, 2010, 07:17:36 am »

I had a lot of sync issues with mc2slim.

Good to know.

If I may, a question wrt. to the VAG/WaveInput solution. Say I'm using a logitech control unit (for example the Duet type) simultaneously with the VAG/WaveInput solution. Can both units control the output of a box simultaneously or do I need to reconfigure squeeze server between using those two solutions?

Another question: Do I understand the VAG/WaveInput solution correctly when I say that, MC, VAG, WaveInput, squeezeserver must all reside on the same computer?

If that's the case, it's a real downer. I had hoped I could start the squeeze server on my WHS and leave it there while my MC main instance resides on my office computer. (I can't use LS for reasons outlined in another thread)
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MrHaugen

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #8 on: June 09, 2010, 08:22:37 am »

I have a File server with all my media, and a HTCP in my living room. I'm just using MC, connected to some file shares for now. I've been planning on buying a couple of Squeezeboxes.

I'm glad to hear that there is ways to send music to the Squeezebox devices with MC, but unfortunately MC is not there yet when it comes to client/server functions imo. I would love to use it, but without things like auto sync and more access control, it might be to much trouble. I think I'll just have to do with my file server and the Logitech server software for now. Even if it means worse browsing, and only controls from the client.

One possibility might be able to set up a standalone MC15 copy on the server. With the use of auto import and detection of files updating from the HTPC, the music might actually be up to date. It should work...
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)p(

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2010, 09:37:37 am »

Good to know.

If I may, a question wrt. to the VAG/WaveInput solution. Say I'm using a logitech control unit (for example the Duet type) simultaneously with the VAG/WaveInput solution. Can both units control the output of a box simultaneously or do I need to reconfigure squeeze server between using those two solutions?

Another question: Do I understand the VAG/WaveInput solution correctly when I say that, MC, VAG, WaveInput, squeezeserver must all reside on the same computer?

If that's the case, it's a real downer. I had hoped I could start the squeeze server on my WHS and leave it there while my MC main instance resides on my office computer. (I can't use LS for reasons outlined in another thread)

1. yes and no. When you use the logitech unit it will start the selected item. You have to select the wavinput item again when you want to give back control to mc. Just set it up as a favorite for easy selection.

2. yes that is best.

3. that is no problem you can control mc on the whs from mc on the office computer.

From the perspective of mc this solution is no different then if you had assigned different soundcards to each zone.

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raldo

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2010, 03:11:40 am »

I think that the Logitech protocol is unique.  We may support it some day.  

Well, as far as I understand, you can subscribe directly to an html mp3 stream directly on a Squeezebox. This is not unique to Logitech Squeezeboxes.

That's basically how a Squeezebox is able to listen to internet radio.

I.e., a solution where MC serves an html stream per zone might be a working solution for Squeezeboxes. And I'm sure this solution would work for many other types of distributed systems!
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Vincent Kars

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2010, 04:51:27 am »

Maybe SqueezeServer is an option.
The SB's use a proprietary protocol but both SqueezeServer and MC15 talk DLNA
MC15 <DLNA> SqueezeServer <Squeeze protocol> SB
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raldo

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #12 on: June 14, 2010, 05:01:58 am »

The SB's use a proprietary protocol but both SqueezeServer and MC15 talk DLNA

Hm. Squeeze server as a renderer, mc as a controller?

Btw. I'm investigating using the shoutcast DSP in combination with the shoutcast server to broadcast MC output on the LAN. A squeezebox can subscribe to a shoutcast stream, supposedly.

This is in effect what I outlined above, but relatively complicated. It'll be interesting to see what the latencies are over shoutcast...
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raldo

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Re: Using Logitech Squeezebox as an audio zone in MC15?
« Reply #13 on: June 14, 2010, 07:11:15 am »

MC15 <DLNA> SqueezeServer <Squeeze protocol> SB
Some more "research results": SqueezeServer (Now: SqueezeCenter) can act as a Upnp client, dlna has still not been implemented afaik. Which could mean that, I presume, MC could serve its library to SqueezeCenter. I've seen some examples on the logitech forums that support this, but it seems as if the only way to see if it's usable would be to try it out.

But, regarding this configuration: Can MC then deetermine which squeezebox to play to, or will it only be possible to choose playback on the squeezebox?
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