Topic: B&W Zeppelin Wireless speaker system playback (Read 6780 times)

Sky King · « **on:** February 02, 2018, 09:53:41 am »

Hi Folks,

For the life of me I can't figure out how to get JRiver MC to stream to my B&W Zeppelin Wireless speaker system. It is detected and in the list of zones, or players, available to me. When I try and stream to it I get an information pop-up saying "There was a problem controlling the selected DLNA device. Double-check your device, server and network setting". I've done that to the best of my ability to no avail. The speaker system is connected via BT to the computer that has JRiver MC installed on it and the speaker is also has an Ethernet connection.

Any idea what I am doing wrong? Thank you!

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2018, 10:23:48 am »

Please check the instructions for the device and see if you can use UPnP or DLNA with it. That it shows up in MC's Playing Now as a zone suggests that it does.

Try controlling the device itself and seeing if it can find MC's server.

Bluetooth devices won't show up in Playing Now. Check MC's Audio settings to see if there is a Bluetooth device showing there.

AndrewFG · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2018, 01:08:09 pm »

Please download and run the DMR analyzer from my sig, and post the renderer report here..

Sky King · « **Reply #3 on:** February 04, 2018, 08:18:36 am »

Hi Andrew,

Here's the output of your program for the B&W Zeppelin Wireless.... Thanks in advance!

AndrewFG · « **Reply #4 on:** February 05, 2018, 12:51:08 am »

Thanks for the report.

Hmm. It definitely shows an error “SetAVTransportURI failed”. This is rather unexpected, I have never seen a renderer report such an error. At least it tells us that the problem is in the renderer, and not in MC..

So is there something about the B&W settings that might explain why it would reject commands from MC? Is it on standby? Or is it playing something else? Or is the DLNA feature disabled?

AndrewFG · « **Reply #5 on:** February 05, 2018, 12:54:48 am »

Ok. I got it. Please ignore my prior post. The DMRA report shows that the B&W only supports L16 or L8 media. So in MCs DLNA server settings for Audio you need to set it to Always Convert and select the Output format to PCM L16 No Header.

Sky King · « **Reply #6 on:** February 05, 2018, 09:44:18 am »

Hi Andrew. I did what you said and, although I get a little bit further in the process, it still doesn't work. With the output set to PCM L16 No Header, the songs will start playing, no sound however, and get to exactly 5 seconds in each song, and then the player will stop by itself.

Additionally, I tried using the speaker via Ethernet instead of wireless with the same results. I reran your utility thinking something else might have changed going from wireless to wired and still ended up with the “SetAVTransportURI failed” error message at the end with no resulting "dolby digital" type sound that I got when scanning other renders in my system. Additionally, I tried to set DSP to convert everything to 44.1K but no joy here either.

Incidentally, is there currently a way to set the DLNA server in MC to do different things for different zones, i.e., setting the output to "original" for one zone and setting "PCM 16 No Header" for another or is it a one-size fits all?

Any other thoughts would be appreciated!

Sky King · « **Reply #7 on:** February 05, 2018, 10:00:10 am »

Quote from: JimH on February 02, 2018, 10:23:48 am

Please check the instructions for the device and see if you can use UPnP or DLNA with it. That it shows up in MC's Playing Now as a zone suggests that it does.

Try controlling the device itself and seeing if it can find MC's server.

Bluetooth devices won't show up in Playing Now. Check MC's Audio settings to see if there is a Bluetooth device showing there.

Hi Jim. The B&W Zeppelin is not much more than a speaker with a rudimentary web interface for setting up Ethernet and wireless connectivity. As far as I can tell, there's no way to do what you ask. I also cannot see a BT device showing up.

Thanks for the thoughts!

JimH · « **Reply #8 on:** February 05, 2018, 10:37:57 am »

On Amazon, someone asked if it supported DLNA. The answer was "no".

https://www.amazon.com/Bowers-Wilkins-Zeppelin-Wireless-Speaker/dp/B015XIHMQI/

DJLegba · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2018, 10:44:00 am »

An inexpensive Chromecast Audio device, along with BubbleUPnP will let you stream to your Zeppelin. It won't support gapless playback, mind you.

Sky King · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2018, 10:55:54 am »

Quote from: JimH on February 05, 2018, 10:37:57 am

On Amazon, someone asked if it supported DLNA. The answer was "no".

https://www.amazon.com/Bowers-Wilkins-Zeppelin-Wireless-Speaker/dp/B015XIHMQI/

The handwriting's on the wall I suspect.

Sky King · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2018, 10:56:40 am »

Quote from: DJLegba on February 05, 2018, 10:44:00 am

An inexpensive Chromecast Audio device, along with BubbleUPnP will let you stream to your Zeppelin. It won't support gapless playback, mind you.

Good to know! Thanks!

AndrewFG · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2018, 02:43:16 pm »

Quote from: JimH on February 05, 2018, 10:37:57 am

On Amazon, someone asked if it supported DLNA. The answer was "no".

https://www.amazon.com/Bowers-Wilkins-Zeppelin-Wireless-Speaker/dp/B015XIHMQI/

Hmm. It apparently does support UPNP but apparently not DLNA ... FWIW ..

Sky King · « **Reply #13 on:** February 08, 2018, 05:48:01 am »

I may try Minimserver as a possibility. It is UPnP and also what is recommended for use with my Lumin S1 but I like MC better

DJLegba · « **Reply #14 on:** February 08, 2018, 07:41:51 am »

It occurs to me that BubbleUPnP will probably be the answer. Install it on your MC server, let it find the Zeppelin, and create a DLNA source. You'll then see the Zeppelin in MC.

MikeO · « **Reply #15 on:** February 08, 2018, 09:19:56 am »

Are you using JRemote ?

I have a Bose Soundlink Mini which I BT from my iPad via JRemote , that’s gapless

Perhaps the Zeppelin will do the same ?

Mike

Sky King · « **Reply #16 on:** February 08, 2018, 10:05:15 am »

Quote from: DJLegba on February 08, 2018, 07:41:51 am

It occurs to me that BubbleUPnP will probably be the answer. Install it on your MC server, let it find the Zeppelin, and create a DLNA source. You'll then see the Zeppelin in MC.

Thanks for the thoughts. I can see the Zeppelin in MC even without BubbleUPnP but, of course, it doesn't work. I'll try to install BubbleUPnP on the fanless PC that I've got MC installed on.

Sky King · « **Reply #17 on:** February 08, 2018, 10:06:41 am »

Quote from: MikeO on February 08, 2018, 09:19:56 am

Are you using JRemote ?

I have a Bose Soundlink Mini which I BT from my iPad via JRemote , that’s gapless

Perhaps the Zeppelin will do the same ?

Mike

I do use JRemote. It may work via BT and I'll give it a shot. Ultimately, I'd like to go the Ethernet route into the Zeppelin. Thanks for the thought!

dtc · « **Reply #18 on:** February 08, 2018, 11:24:39 am »

Here are instructions for setting up BubbleUpNP on a server for use with Chromecast Audio. Probably the same on your device.

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,100512.msg714002.html#msg714002

Install BubbleUPnP Server 0.9-update13, or update to this version
In the web config, go to the Media Renderers tab select your Chromecast Audio in the list and check 'create DLNA renderer'
In MC, select the newly created renderer in the 'Playing Now' section of the left paneplay something
Music on Chromecast audio !

Sky King · « **Reply #19 on:** February 08, 2018, 02:50:59 pm »

Quote from: dtc on February 08, 2018, 11:24:39 am

Here are instructions for setting up BubbleUpNP on a server for use with Chromecast Audio. Probably the same on your device.

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,100512.msg714002.html#msg714002

Install BubbleUPnP Server 0.9-update13, or update to this version
In the web config, go to the Media Renderers tab select your Chromecast Audio in the list and check 'create DLNA renderer'
In MC, select the newly created renderer in the 'Playing Now' section of the left paneplay something
Music on Chromecast audio !

No joy

I installed BubbleUPnP server (user version and not the windows service), found the Zeppelin Wireless in the list of renderers, and created an Open Home renderer that BubbleUPnP supposedly renamed to "Zeppelin Wireless (Open Home). MC found the Zeppelin Wireless without the (Open Home) rename and still I couldn't play to it.

It's clear that I am a neophyte and am not "all that" when it comes to these things. I've reached out to B&W tech support to see if they can offer any definitive thumbs up or thumbs down regarding my desire to stream to this device via methods other than BT or Airplay.

Thanks everybody!

dtc · « **Reply #20 on:** February 08, 2018, 02:55:35 pm »

Quote from: Sky King on February 08, 2018, 02:50:59 pm

No joy I installed BubbleUPnP server (user version and not the windows service), found the Zeppelin Wireless in the list of renderers, and created an Open Home renderer that BubbleUPnP supposedly renamed to "Zeppelin Wireless (Open Home). MC found the Zeppelin Wireless without the (Open Home) rename and still I couldn't play to it.

It's clear that I am a neophyte and am not "all that" when it comes to these things. I've reached out to B&W tech support to see if they can offer any definitive thumbs up or thumbs down regarding my desire to stream to this device via methods other than BT or Airplay.

Thanks everybody!

Uncheck Create an Open Home Renderer and Check Create a DLNA Renderer

Try it

Sky King · « **Reply #21 on:** February 09, 2018, 08:16:27 am »

Quote from: dtc on February 08, 2018, 02:55:35 pm

Uncheck Create an Open Home Renderer and Check Create a DLNA Renderer

Try it

Hi, the version of BubbleUPnP Server that I have installed, 0.9-update 27 (November 22th 2017) does not have a check box for creating a DLNA renderer but only has the box to create an Open Home renderer.

I'll continue to flog this dead horse $:-\$ until I can't think of anything else to do.

dtc · « **Reply #22 on:** February 09, 2018, 08:28:21 am »

If you do not see a DLNA option at the bottom of the Renderer page, then maybe there is some issue with your speaker and DLNA. With the Chromecast, the option is there. Sorry, I do not know much about your speaker.

You could get a Chromecast Audio for $35 and connect that to your speaker and use BubbleUPnP and MC to connect to that.

Bluetooth may also be an option.

Sky King · « **Reply #23 on:** February 09, 2018, 09:38:40 am »

Thanks DTC. The Chromecast Audio is probably the way to go.

I did find another utility, TuneBlade, allows me to stream to a wirelessly connected B&W Zeppelin and, in MC, I simply have to choose "Player" as the zone to which I am playing. I believe TuneBlade allows for 44.1 khz/16 bit streaming and sort of gets me to where I want to be.

Again, I will check out the Chromecast Audio device as well.

Sky King · « **Reply #24 on:** February 11, 2018, 09:21:12 am »

I apologize for keeping this thread going but here's another "twist": I decided to turn off Wifi on the computer and access the speaker via Bluetooth. I didn't see the Zeppelin renderer in the list of zones so I created one and, for whatever reason, called it Zeppelin BT. MC created the zone and, miraculously, MC can stream to the Zeppelin via BT!

This begs a couple of questions:

1) is MC smart enough to know what I wanted it to do without specifying the method of connectivity or is it simply using the information that it had about the zone called "Player" that is the audio output of the computer/server on which MC is installed? Clearly the zones "Player" and "Zeppelin BT" are somewhat "independent" because I can stream two different audio tracks simultaneously and I can hear both.

2) why will it stream to BT and not Wifi?

Your thought would be greatly appreciated!

windowlicker · « **Reply #25 on:** March 03, 2018, 07:29:49 am »

Hi Mate

I got the same Zepplin but i use the Airfoil instead of Tuneblade. Works fine

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Author Topic: B&W Zeppelin Wireless speaker system playback (Read 6780 times)