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[Bulkhead]

Hi All,

I have been searching the forums and wiki for instructions on how to set up a whole house audio solution for a simple scenario: play the same content on all devices simultaneously.

At the moment, the environment is a single Windows v7 PC running MC 20.0.63 and a Samsung Galaxy S4 (to a speaker via blue tooth)

I have downloaded Gizmo and can play tracks, video and images from my server, but what I want to do is stream the music currently playing on the PC to the Android (Samsung) device. Effectively, extending my stereo system wirelessly to areas of my house where there are not speakers with wire run back to the PC connected receiver.

Can someone please let me know how to do this either via explanation or link to forum/wiki posts?

Following the ability to play the same content on both devices, I would like to play an internet stream on both. I am currently playing Pandora through MC as a result of specifying that the JRiver MC is the default audio device on my PC. I have saved the stream to a playlist and am hoping I can route that "playlist" stream out of MC to the Android device.

I am guessing that many of you have done this or would like to, so hopefully others will benefit from this question as well.

Thank you in advance for your direction!

[AndrewFG]

^

Look under Zones on the Wiki here http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Zones

[Hilton]

Hi All,

I have been searching the forums and wiki for instructions on how to set up a whole house audio solution for a simple scenario: play the same content on all devices simultaneously.

At the moment, the environment is a single Windows v7 PC running MC 20.0.63 and a Samsung Galaxy S4 (to a speaker via blue tooth)

I have downloaded Gizmo and can play tracks, video and images from my server, but what I want to do is stream the music currently playing on the PC to the Android (Samsung) device. Effectively, extending my stereo system wirelessly to areas of my house where there are not speakers with wire run back to the PC connected receiver.

Can someone please let me know how to do this either via explanation or link to forum/wiki posts?

Following the ability to play the same content on both devices, I would like to play an internet stream on both. I am currently playing Pandora through MC as a result of specifying that the JRiver MC is the default audio device on my PC. I have saved the stream to a playlist and am hoping I can route that "playlist" stream out of MC to the Android device.

I am guessing that many of you have done this or would like to, so hopefully others will benefit from this question as well.

Thank you in advance for your direction!

Hi to do synchronous streaming to multiple zones you can try the linked zones with a new feature that's just been added for adjusting playout speed to synchronise for clock drift between devices.
The link Andrew provided talks about the zones part and I'll dig up the link to the new feature which isn't documented yet.
If that doesn't work you can do exactly what your asking with a couple of add-on pieces of software using AirPlay.
links to follow:

New track sync feature using linked zones (you'll still need to read up on zones from Andrews link too)
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=95967.0

Sync Audio with add-on software using AirPlay and TuneBlade Server
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=95760.0

[Bulkhead]

Thanks for the input so far...

So does Gizmo become a new zone?

How would the Android based phone (running Gizmo) access the HTPC running MC so that it can play the same track/feed as the HTPC?

I looked at zones, but it doesn't specifically reference connecting another device to the HTPC where MC is running. It speaks to pushing multiple music streams out of the HTPC, but it appears those streams are primarily directed to amplifiers that are hard-wired to speakers.  Again, I'd like to wirelessly connect my phone to the HTPC running MC so the phone plays whatever I am playing on the HTPC.

Thanks for additional direction!

[Bulkhead]

Hi to do synchronous streaming to multiple zones you can try the linked zones with a new feature that's just been added for adjusting playout speed to synchronise for clock drift between devices.
The link Andrew provided talks about the zones part and I'll dig up the link to the new feature which isn't documented yet.
If that doesn't work you can do exactly what your asking with a couple of add-on pieces of software using AirPlay.
links to follow:

New track sync feature using linked zones (you'll still need to read up on zones from Andrews link too)
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=95967.0

Sync Audio with add-on software using AirPlay and TuneBlade Server
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=95760.0

Thanks Hilton - What is the add-on piece of software you are referring to that utilize AirPlay? I'd be interested in exploring those if Gizmo can't access the currently playing track on the HTPC.

THX!

[JimH]

Probably Tuneblade.  You can read about it on the Apple board here.

[mp48]

Hi to all in this thread,
I am also searching for a solution for synchroneous music streaming in my house (without going for SONOS & Co, and I am sure there are many other users too). The linking of zones and also the new "track synch feature" does not work satisfactory ( I tested it and only when the music was completely out of synch the music stopped and started new (after a short pause; which is really annoying). Also after that "restart" the music starts to run out of synch after a short while).
I learned from older threads here in the forum, that it is the problem that JRiver cannot control the renderers behavior. That was understood, but in the meantime JRiver offers also its own hardware (NUCīs, Raspberrys) and has therefore the whole chain (server, control point and renderer) under their control.
In the UPNP AV Architecture v2 (from 2011 ! ) it is already defined how to handle synchronous audio streaming (see also the thread "New UPNP synchronized audio zones standard" from March 2014). I don't really understand why JRiver does not jump on this unique selling point and leaves this field without a struggle to other commercial competitors (SONOS, Audiofly, Qualcomm, Denon....).
I hope, I can give this feature a new push with this input. I would be very glad about it.

[csimon]

MC still can't do synched playback. I think the issue is probably to do with the fact that MC is software and to do synchronous playback, hardware support is needed at the audio renderer.  MC is not in control of the audio hardware - it sends audio to a motherboard soundcard, external USB sound card or DAC, DLNA renderer etc but it has no control over when that deivce plays the audio.  AllPlay, for example, is an open protocol and the SDK is freely available to embed into software. But that's no use without a speaker or audio device that has the AllPlay chip in it.

Similarly, UPnP sync is no use without a DLNA renderer that can support it, and not many do (if any at all).  MC as a DLNA renderer by definition can't support it as it is not in control of the hardware, for example the Id still has to output to a motherboard sound card, an external USB sound card or DAC....

However, if MC did embed these protocols then at least you could use it with the specific hardware if you had it.

http://stereos.about.com/od/portableandpersonalaudio/tp/Which-Of-These-5-Wireless-Audio-Technologies-Is-Right-For-You.htm
http://www.techradar.com/news/audio/stream-dream-the-future-of-music-streaming-services-revealed-1258766

I don't know if JRiver has any plans to put its own audio hardware into the Id, Pi etc...

[mp48]

Thank you for coming back to this thread.
It cannot be a hardware problem. I "played" some time ago with the slimserver software. I installed it on three windows PCs and the music played extremely well synchronized, even when I walked around in the house. Only when I mixed the PCs with a raspberry the music lost after a certain while the synchronization. All the software (for server and player) is free of charge and even have a controller app for android devices. With other words, it is possible to run music in sync with software!!
Now you will ask, why do I stay (actually) with JRiver and don't change to slimserver? The software is maintained from volunteers, and actually the UI of the control is not so professionally as of JRiver (and other solution where you pay for).
Since software solution are available and even UPNP v2 describes the procedure, it should be possible for JRiver to implement this feature, may be for a small extra payment for those who want to use it.

[csimon]

Well....I really don't know! Personally, I can't see how the timing of an asynchronous DAC for example can be controlled from MC - the whole point of an asynchronous DAC is that it does its own timing.  And the UPnP extension can only be used with devices that know about it, i.e. none probably.

Anyhow, a new announcement from Qualcomm Allplay....bluetooth input and external analogue-in being added, and latency (sync) being improved.  http://www.engadget.com/2015/05/14/qualcomm-allplay-bluetooth/

The analogue-in is interesting for me, as I would want to distribute other sources round the house in addition to MC audio (currently using an audio matrix switch).  Sonos can do that but apparently the latency is too high (i.e. it will be out of sync with the original source).

If there was an Allplay receiver (i.e. not an all-in-one speaker) so you could connect this to your own amp and speakers, it would be very tempting.

[EDIT: oh, actually, there already is!  http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/home-entertainment/wireless-speaker-systems/sh-all1c.html  192/24 DAC, but it doesn't look like this has the analogue-in yet. It's also a DLNA renderer. This could work right now if MC had Allplay protocol, but I assume you could send to it via DLNA anyway.]

[JimH]

If there was an Allplay receiver (i.e. not an all-in-one speaker) so you could connect this to your own amp and speakers, it would be very tempting.

[EDIT: oh, actually, there already is!  http://www.panasonic.com/uk/consumer/home-entertainment/wireless-speaker-systems/sh-all1c.html  192/24 DAC, but it doesn't look like this has the analogue-in yet. It's also a DLNA renderer. This could work right now if MC had Allplay protocol, but I assume you could send to it via DLNA anyway.]

I believe that Allplay is Samsung's branding for DLNA.  Any DLNA Renderer should work.  The JRiver Id should work.

[csimon]

No, I think it's Allshare that's the Samsung DLNA equivalent.  Allplay is the open-standard network sync protocol from Qualcomm.  There are a lot of these protocols now e.g. Denon, LG, Yamaha, Pioneer, to compete with Sonos, but Allplay is the only open non-proprietary one and has been adopted by multiple manufacturers.  The SDK is freely available to incorporate into products and software so that they can play to Allplay devices.

The Panasonic device listed above is both a DLNA renderer and an Allplay receiver, so you can either play to it using DLNA or Allplay.  (Think of it as like Apple Airplay, with the advantage that it's an open protocol and you can send independant audio to different places).  In the MC scenario that doesn't yet have Allplay protocol, you could send to it as a DLNA renderer but then link together several receivers/speakers via the Allplay protocol using a generic Allplay app (similar to a generic DLNA controller).  Like Sonos, Casatunes, and all other multiroom systems, grouping and controlling rooms is simple via an app (see attached pic).

The point here is that currently MC does not support synching protocol, in DLNA or any other way. Therefore it can send to this DLNA renderer instead as normal and it's this DLNA renderer (via its dual personality as an Allplay device) that does the synch with other renderers. The JRiver Id as a DLNA renderer won't provide this synching.

If MC incorporated the Allplay protocol, it could act as the Allplay controller instead and talk directly and sync with all the zones.

[mp48]

If MC incorporated the Allplay protocol, it could act as the Allplay controller instead and talk directly and sync with all the zones.

csimon, this would be a great idea!! I have also seen the technical data of the Panasonic.They have now also a Micro System, where you can play CD, Radio, USB etc, and you can stream it via Allplay to other Allplay devices.
http://www.panasonic.com/de/consumer/home-entertainment/hifi-audio/micro-systeme/sc-pmx100b.html
It would be very interesting if it is possible, that you can stream with MC to this unit and from there spread it over the house. But your proposal to incorporate Allplay into MC would be the best.