INTERACT FORUM
Networks and Remotes => Media Network => Topic started by: rippolito on August 12, 2020, 09:21:48 pm
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In the 'advanced' section, there is an item called 'audio formats to convert'. I recognize most of them (flac, wav, mp3, aif, sacd, etc), but there is one that I do not understand...
What happens when I select 'url'?
Ron
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OK, let me ask the question a different way...
When I see the long list of audio formats that could be converted (flac, aif, mp3, etc), one of the listed audio formats is 'url'.
What does that mean?
Ron
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Where do you see this?
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I am configuring a DLNA server. Under Audio>Advanced, there is an item called 'audio formats to convert'. When you click on it, 'url' is the fourth one from the bottom.
Ron
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It's a setting under "Options > Media Network > Add or configure DLNA servers > {select server} > Aduio > Advanced > Audio formats to convert", but it is only active when "Audio > Mode" is set to "Specified output format only when necessary".
Ron, with URL included in the formats to convert, when you play via DLNA to your SotM SMS-200 DLNA Renderer, MC should convert the audio format to whatever you have selected under "Audio > Format" in the DLNA Advanced settings. So for example, if your SotM SMS-200 DLNA Renderer is always able to play "PCM L16 No header" without trouble, converting the Cloudplay URL audio to that format should play successfully. Theoretically.
I don't have a similar DLNA Renderer to test what actually happens though. But I did just play the first couple of tracks of a Cloudplay Playlist (Algol's Grammy Albums, which is all FLACs) to BubbleUPnP on my Android phone, and the phone received WAV files in 44.1 16 bit, which is what "PCM L16 No header" presents as. BubbleUPnP only played two tracks, because I am using the free version and that is playback time or track number limited.
So MC is converting the URL provided by Cloudplay, which is a FLAC stream, to "PCM L16 No header". Although the MC Audio Path shows that the JRiver Audio Engine isn't being used. I expected it to be used and show what it was doing. Oh well... separate issue. I have a thread about that around here somewhere.
I also tested playing the same Cloudplay Playlist to JRiver for Android on my phone. It is up to the fourth track so far. Unfortunately, JRiver for Android doesn't show the format it is receiving, but as it is using the same DLNA Server and settings as I used for BubbleUPnP, I have to assume that it is also receiving "PCM L16 No header", which are WAV files.
Bob answered your question back here actually: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,121604.msg876810.html#msg876810
But I see you have posted a few times with similar issues: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,126506.0.html
Solving those sorts of issues requires tweaking the DLNA settings in MC for the Renderer. Specifically, Associating the correct DLNA Server with your DLAN Renderer (if you have more than one DLNA Server created in MC), and then tweaking the "DLNA Controller Options". Both of those things are on the right-click menu for the DLNA Renderer Zone under Playing Now. There are many threads discussing these issues on the forum. A search will find them.
EDIT: I just saw your third post before posting this. Seems we are on the same page.
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Thank you for the highly informative reply.
Do you have a way to identify why I sometimes cannot stream from a Cloudplay playlist? Could I post a few playlist that fail, and you could take a look at why the first song fails?
Ron
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Do you have a way to identify why I sometimes cannot stream from a Cloudplay playlist?
No. I can only play them just like you. I look at the DLNA Renderer to see what it is receiving, if it plays. I'm not using any fancy tools.
Could I post a few playlist that fail, and you could take a look at why the first song fails?
Yes, but could you do that over on your other thread: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,126506.0.html
That topic seems more appropriate than this one, which was just about the URL format.
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Okay, it seems I was wrong in saying that URL streams should be converted for playing to a DLNA Renderer, even though I did see it happening on one occasion.
You would have seen this post (https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,121604.msg876810.html#msg876810) from Bob clarifying that rippolito.
It has been asked before whether URL streams could be handled by MC so that the formats can be converted and DSP applied. So I've asked it again over here: https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,121604.msg877516.html#msg877516
Anyway, for now I think that actual answer to your original question:
What happens when I select 'url'?
Is that nothing happens, because URL streams are sent to the Renderer without being processed by MC, so there can be no conversion or DSP applied. Bummer.