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Author Topic: [20.0.17] Playback zones from server not appearing on client  (Read 2416 times)

csimon

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[20.0.17] Playback zones from server not appearing on client
« on: September 21, 2014, 10:28:06 am »

I have Upstairs-PC currently connected as a "client" to Intense-PC which has 4 zones. The option to show zones from the "server" on the "client" is checked. But those zones do not appear, only the single zone from Upstairs-PC.  See attached screenshot.
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mwillems

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Re: [20.0.17] Playback zones from server not appearing on client
« Reply #1 on: September 21, 2014, 10:46:53 am »

I have Upstairs-PC currently connected as a "client" to Intense-PC which has 4 zones. The option to show zones from the "server" on the "client" is checked. But those zones do not appear, only the single zone from Upstairs-PC.  See attached screenshot.

I think you have to enable media network in order to see remote zones (it's unchecked in your picture).  I can never see remote zones unless media network is enabled.  If that alone doesn't work, make sure that the intense PC has the Media Renderer box checked, and that the Upstairs PC has the Media Controller box checked.
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csimon

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Re: [20.0.17] Playback zones from server not appearing on client
« Reply #2 on: September 21, 2014, 11:08:38 am »

So you have to make the PC a "server" and share its library over the network in order to make it fully functional as a "client"?

I think the controller and renderer functions are only for DLNA. I'm just trying to use MC's built-in client/server functionality but obviosuly still failing to understand it.
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mwillems

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Re: [20.0.17] Playback zones from server not appearing on client
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2014, 12:16:02 pm »

So you have to make the PC a "server" and share its library over the network in order to make it fully functional as a "client"?

I think the controller and renderer functions are only for DLNA. I'm just trying to use MC's built-in client/server functionality but obviosuly still failing to understand it.

You can enable the Media Network checkbox without checking any of the DLNA options (i.e. you can have media network on without having Server, Renderer, or Controller checked), and you don't have to run media server to enable Media Network.  To be clear, as far as I can tell, Media Network needs to be enabled on all instances for all of JRiver's network functions to work correctly (to include tremote), but you don't have to use any of the DLNA options and you don't have to run Media Server on the client boxes.  For example just having Media Network enabled on one of my client boxes (with none of the three DLNA options checked and no Media Server running) is enough for me to see my server's zones on my client.  

I just offered the secondary DLNA suggestions about enabling renderer and controller as a fallback in case just turning on Media Network didn't work for you; I have a mixed environment (Windows and Linux) so everything may not work the same for you as for me, and I seem to recall needing to enable those DLNA functions at one point when trying to do something complicated with zone linking.
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csimon

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Re: [20.0.17] Playback zones from server not appearing on client
« Reply #4 on: September 21, 2014, 12:47:10 pm »

Enabling Media Network automatically turns the instance into a library server, it says that when you enable it, there is no choice. I didn't want this machine to be a server, just a client. But it seems you have to make it into a server in order to use it as a client. The option "show playback zones from server on a client" is available even if the client is not a server and that's how it should work, but it doesn't as shown in the screengrab. There should be no reason to turn the client into a server in order to see zones from the server.

The Server/Controller/Renderer options are something separate and for DLNA only.

Quote
For example just having Media Network enabled on one of my client boxes...

Then you have turned your client box into a server!
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mwillems

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Re: [20.0.17] Playback zones from server not appearing on client
« Reply #5 on: September 21, 2014, 01:32:30 pm »

Enabling Media Network automatically turns the instance into a library server, it says that when you enable it, there is no choice. I didn't want this machine to be a server, just a client. But it seems you have to make it into a server in order to use it as a client. The option "show playback zones from server on a client" is available even if the client is not a server and that's how it should work, but it doesn't as shown in the screengrab. There should be no reason to turn the client into a server in order to see zones from the server.

Enabling media network is the only way I know of to get the functionality you want; the remote zones show up when media network is enabled, and don't when it isn't.  

Quote
The Server/Controller/Renderer options are something separate and for DLNA only.

Yes, that's what I was trying to say above, but you might need to enable those, nonetheless, to achieve certain types of remote playback configurations. For example, if you want to control an MC client from a second MC client (rather than controlling a server from a client) you need to enable DLNA options.

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Then you have turned your client box into a server!

My clients do have access keys and are accessible through gizmo within my LAN, but they don't serve any local content to gizmo. Library clients only "serve" what's on the library server they're logged into (at least to gizmo anyway). So in that context they're not independent servers, they're just access points for the content the original library server is serving.  I prefer having them available for remote control in Gizmo (which also doesn't work if media network is disabled).  

If you don't run the media server widget, the clients aren't available even in that limited capacity unless there's a JRiver window currently open on them.  If you have security concerns, enable authentication and no one will be able to log in without a password (you can set different passwords per box).  If you don't enable port forwarding on your router, nothing should be reachable from outside your LAN in any event.

I'm not aware of another way to do it right now. If the current status quo is unacceptable, you might want to make a feature request.

[edited for accuracy]
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