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Author Topic: Headless Server with Sonos  (Read 3104 times)

stubbo

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Headless Server with Sonos
« on: May 31, 2017, 05:54:43 am »

I've read through many threads on here about Sonos, but they all seem to need to use the JRiver application on the PC to control the music distribution. However I'd much rather control it using the Sonos app....more specifically the wife really (who is not tech savvy, but at least can use an iPad) would be able to use it.

And that last point is the key one for me really. When I'm working at my PC I have my instance running and playing out of my PC sound system, but around the rest of the house we have Sonos speakers in 5 separate locations and having to fire up a PC to control them just isn't in the spirit of the always on world.

I've got around this problem in the short term by deploying subsonic on the server as well as JRiver. I use JRiver for the library management, but subsonic does all the streaming duties via the sonos app, that works really well.

What I'd love to see would be a JRiver applet on Sonos so that I can go back to a single server instance again and enjoy all the benefits of Sonos and JRiver combined.

BTW: I know there are other remote apps, but you've no idea how long it took for the wife to get used to Sonos, and I'm sure she's not alone amongst the readers on here, so this is a big please.....to the JRiver developers to deliver a proper Sonos integration for JRiver.....pretty please!
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JimH

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Re: Headless Server with Sonos
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2017, 06:01:48 am »

I think its up to Sonos to do what you want.  MC uses the standard UPnP / DLNA protocols.

A remote like Gizmo or JRemote might be easier for your wife.  Panel is another possibility.
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blgentry

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Re: Headless Server with Sonos
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2017, 06:24:34 am »

It's not clear what you want.  As far as I know, Sonos can use your PC as it's source of music.  I'm relatively certain it can do that through a file share.  It may also be able to talk to MC via DLNA as a music source.

But this, of course, requires that your PC be turned on.  Music servers are generally left on all the time.

Brian.
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stubbo

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Re: Headless Server with Sonos
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2017, 06:33:33 am »

As far as I can tell, developers can provide their own plug ins to the sonos app that appear in the list of audio sources and then they interact with their back end server to stream the music.

Subsonic for example developed their plug in for sonos, there is a Plex one as well.

If JRiver can play to sonos when controlled from the PC app, can't they develop the sonos plug on so it's all integrated and seamless.

My server is on all the time, but it runs headless and I currently only play music from it on my PC, everything else around the house is managed through the sonos app because it is so much more convenient to just pick up your phone or iPad, choose your source/playlist and select the zones and hit play...it just works......and works well....I just wish it had the JRiver plug in so I didn't have to use subsonic to get it to work.

And BTW I can't import all my music in to the sonos library, it's too big for starters, and I don't want another library to manage....that's JRiver job.
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ssands

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Re: Headless Server with Sonos
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2017, 04:14:49 pm »

I use Sonos and JRiver. The real appeal for me would be JRiver's automatic transcoding so Sonos could play my hi-res music. Currently, Sonos can't do that.

I also don't like that I don't have the option in Sonos to determine how I want things displayed (I want Bob Dylan under D, not B).
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