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Author Topic: Stream to Roku  (Read 2772 times)

edbro

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Stream to Roku
« on: March 04, 2008, 07:42:10 pm »

I have a new Roku Soundbridge but I don't know how to use MC as the server. I have upnp set up and running. The Roku sees the library hosted by MC but it can't play any of the songs. I've tried ape, flac and mp3. I'm confident that the Roku doesn't understand ape but I can successfully stream flac from Firefly server. And the Roku should play the mp3s from MC but it doesn't. Does MC convert on the fly to a server?

I have Firefly setup fine but I'd like to have MC be the server. I've noticed others here mention the Roku but I don't see any instructions on setting it up. If anyone can help me out, I'd appreciate it.
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John Gateley

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2008, 08:15:17 pm »

I'm listening to a Roku via MC12 right now. :) What are your settings? Is it set for Roku? You should also enable coversion.

Is the Roku on the latest firmware?

Which version of MC?

j

edbro

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2008, 08:35:46 pm »

It looks like I wrote too soon. I found the appropriate options and I have it working. Thanks anyway.

By the way, this Roku is a very nice piece of hardware for the price!
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John Gateley

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2008, 09:42:50 pm »

I'm very happy with it, a nice replacement for the MP101. Glad it's working...

j

MrHaugen

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2008, 06:01:41 am »

How well does the Roku work with MC12 exactly?

I have never used something like this, so things I'm wondering about is
- costum Text output possible?
- playback of playlists, tracks albums or genres?
- playing from library with costum panes. Possible?

Someone care to give a briefe explanation of how it's working before I go of and buy one?

- Carl
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edbro

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2008, 08:38:18 am »

How well does the Roku work with MC12 exactly?

I have never used something like this, so things I'm wondering about is
- costum Text output possible?
- playback of playlists, tracks albums or genres?
- playing from library with costum panes. Possible?

Someone care to give a briefe explanation of how it's working before I go of and buy one?

- Carl
Well, I've only had the Roku a couple of days yet and haven't been able to play with it much but here goes:
- I am very pleased with it. It integrates with MC nicely. Just go to options in UPnP server and select the Roku.
- I don't think you can customize the text. What do you want to do?
- It will allow you to select by playlist, genre, artist or album
- Don't think custom panes has anything to do with it.
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MrHaugen

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #6 on: March 07, 2008, 09:00:36 am »

Ok. That sounds promising.
I mentioned the panes because I just wonder how the browsing is done on such a unit. I basicly have no ide. You see the tree stucture on the Roku or what?
Also wondered if the text could be based on the "customize display - title" field or something. But I guess this upnp units don't read much data except the media it self...
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John Gateley

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #7 on: March 07, 2008, 09:04:55 am »

When it starts, you choose your library (in case there are multiple servers).
Then you see "Audio" and "Playlists" as the two choices.
If you select Audio, you see the view schemes under Audio, typically this is by Genre, Disc Location, Artist/Album etc.
If you select Playlists, you see what is in the Playlist portion of the tree.

I use mine at home in a couple of ways. I have smartlists set up for my wife, and for me. These play a mix that she or I like.
I have several playlists that I play often. And I play CDs on occasion (last night was Johnny Cash, with the NIN Hurt cover).

j

DWAnderson

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #8 on: March 07, 2008, 11:14:57 pm »

As Soundbridge users you probably know that Roku has not implemented any kind of FF or RW for files being streamed. This creates a real problem when listening to any long audio file like a podcast in that it is impossible to stop listening and then pick up again where you left off later. I have give up on getting Roku to try to address this.

Is there any way you can think of to address this on the server side, e.g. resume, advance to some fixed portion of the file, etc.?

John Gateley

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #9 on: March 08, 2008, 10:07:13 am »

I hadn't noticed that - I usually just skip to the next track if I want a change.

I can't think of a way elegantly to do what you are asking (mostly because the elegant solution is for the Roku to do the seeking). Perhaps this is fixed in their newer models?

j

Listener

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #10 on: March 08, 2008, 10:12:29 am »

When it starts, you choose your library (in case there are multiple servers).
Then you see "Audio" and "Playlists" as the two choices.
If you select Audio, you see the view schemes under Audio, typically this is by Genre, Disc Location, Artist/Album etc.
If you select Playlists, you see what is in the Playlist portion of the tree.

I use mine at home in a couple of ways. I have smartlists set up for my wife, and for me. These play a mix that she or I like.
I have several playlists that I play often. And I play CDs on occasion (last night was Johnny Cash, with the NIN Hurt cover).

j


A uPnP device like the Roku might be a solution for casual listening for me in a room away from my music computer.  I'd like to select music to play on the uPnP device using a laptop running VNC to control my music MC.  Can I do that rather than using the uPnP device's UI?

Bill
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John Gateley

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2008, 11:31:17 am »

A uPnP device like the Roku might be a solution for casual listening for me in a room away from my music computer.  I'd like to select music to play on the uPnP device using a laptop running VNC to control my music MC.  Can I do that rather than using the uPnP device's UI?


Short answer: probably not.

Longer answer: some devices can be controlled remotely (I don't know if the Roku is one of them). But there is no way to tell Media Center what to send to the device, instead you remotely tell the device what to play, and it gets it from Media Center.

j

MrHaugen

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2008, 12:55:37 pm »

Good enough for me. I'll buy one when my account get a little more stable.
Anyone tried the one with integrated speakers? I wonder how good the sound is....
Would preffer not to have cables, amp and multiple speakers in the bathroom.
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Listener

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2008, 07:04:58 pm »

John,

Thanks for both answers.  Too bad.

Bill
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Shasta Mcnasty

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #14 on: March 10, 2008, 01:53:45 pm »

A uPnP device like the Roku might be a solution for casual listening for me in a room away from my music computer.  I'd like to select music to play on the uPnP device using a laptop running VNC to control my music MC.  Can I do that rather than using the uPnP device's UI?

Bill


Yes you can, but not with MC alone.  You'll need to download, install, and configure some additional software.  It's not terribly complicated though.  This is how I normally use my Roku (MC running on remote server, use xpTunes on laptop to control MC, send stream to Roku). 

See here for more info:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=45164.0

and also here:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=28560.0

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Listener

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Re: Stream to Roku
« Reply #15 on: March 11, 2008, 02:05:22 am »

Shasta Mcnasty,

Thanks for those links.  I'm not sure whether I need all of it to stream to a single device on a LAN but I'll keep reading.

Bill
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