LMS/Squeezelite Support Mini

[T-B]

Moving this here from the thread at the old forum (https://faq-mini.wiimhome.com/support/discussions/topics/72000741459?page=1)

I quote cc, who started that:

<< There are thousands of Logitech Media Server users out there, with a very active forum dedicated to its use. It would be great if Squeezelite support were added to the WiiM Mini to make it a native LMS client, with the full feature set.
https://github.com/ralph-irving/squeezelite >>

There was a suggestion from Wiim Support that LMS was already useable via UPnP/DLNA, which is true, but using that is quite techy and beyond many customers. Captain Paranoia put it well at the old forum:

<< I think the reply from 'WiiM Support' misses the point; WiiM will be accessible via LMS using the UPnP/DLNA, Chromecast or Airplay plugins, but not via the LMS SlimProto protocl, which supports multi-room casting. Since Squeezelite is an open source implementation of the SlimProto renderer, it would seem a fairly easy win to deploy to the WiiM.>>

So, Wiim Support, can you make implementation of LMS/Squeezelite a priority, please, both on the Mini and the upcoming Pro? And personally, It would be interesting to hear Wiim's current plans for this before I buy either of these (great seeming) products.

 

[Brantome]

@Brantome - did you see our thread on this? Try the dev channel url for the UPnP plugin. 2.13.2 with the non static binary fixed it for me on PCP. Dev channel url is http://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/lms-plugins-philippe44/dev/repo-sf.xml

Thanks, will give that a go later

 

[Brantome]

But PLEASE add it to the Mini! I only see it as a future feature add to the Pro. Hope I’m missing something.

There’s going to be a limit to what they can add to the Mini given it has a quarter of the memory that the Pro has, so while this reportedly has a small footprint , it might not be able to add it. I feel they should stick to bug fixes and minor enhancements on the mini and add new features to the Pro…

 

[coyrls]

It's still on the Mini Roadmap https://www.wiimhome.com/Roadmap

 

[Brantome]

It's still on the Mini Roadmap https://www.wiimhome.com/Roadmap

Yeah, but they sensibly have added “Dates and features listed below may change or be removed at any time without any notification.”. They may find that when they properly evaluate what’s involved, it might not be feasible to implement on the Mini for whatever reason. Having had a mini for over a year now, I tend to view the roadmap as a list of stuff they’ll look into and see if they can implement it rather than committed developments.

 

[coyrls]

They may and it might not. I should have made it clearer that I was replying to the comment that said it was no longer on the Mini Roadmap by pointing out that it is still on the Mini Roadmap.

 

[cc_rider]

I notice that

• Support landscape mode on tablets (Android)

is on both the Upcoming Features and Future Updates lists for the Mini, lol

 

[pieterv1]

I still have an issue with UPnP/DLNA bridge 2.1.13.6 where, when I start playback of an album, it won't play the first track, even though it's added to the queue. Also selecting it from the queue, won't play it. I can play the single track if I select it specifically when viewing the album.

 

[T-B]

Wiim Support, please can you give us an update on progress for the implementation of LMS/Squeezelite. Also, can you confirm that it would be a relatively straightforward process to make that implementation? I believe there are many who are waiting for this! (Please note that this applies to Pro, too, despite the thread heading. And please note the 3K views of this thread.)

 

[cdg]

It will be great to have another device like the Wiim to support squeezelite - but you do recall that there is an alternative low cost solution in small form factor from Polyvection yes? Such as the DIGI32 (etc).

Just making sure you are aware of it. Yes it's squeezelite only but of course you can get all the music plugins you want in LMS.

However please put squeezelite into the Wiim - the product looks excellent.

 

[d6jg]

It will be great to have another device like the Wiim to support squeezelite - but you do recall that there is an alternative low cost solution in small form factor from Polyvection yes? Such as the DIGI32 (etc).

Just making sure you are aware of it. Yes it's squeezelite only but of course you can get all the music plugins you want in LMS.

However please put squeezelite into the Wiim - the product looks excellent.

I have a WiiM Mini and both Dac32 and Digi32. The WiiM has the advantage of being both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz capable whereas the Dac32/Digi32 are 2.4Ghz only and did struggle a little playing 24/192 content from time to time (24/192 requires transcoding to 24/96 for the Dac32/Digi32).

 

[cdg]

I have a WiiM Mini and both Dac32 and Digi32. The WiiM has the advantage of being both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz capable whereas the Dac32/Digi32 are 2.4Ghz only and did struggle a little playing 24/192 content from time to time (24/192 requires transcoding to 24/96 for the Dac32/Digi32).

OK good to know from someone with experience of this ... the only 'slight' concern I have with the Wiim is that - could it be doing too many things to appease the populous in becoming a very versatile streamer sacrificing a bit of SQ along the way? Whereas something like the DIGI32 is focussed on getting the best sound quality out of spdif (transformer isolated spdif for example and other fine tuned digital aspects)?

I could be wrong - but generally, a more specialized product (and it's still cheap) - tends to be better SQ wise. I can't say that for sure without listening of course. But I would be using the Wiim (or similar) via spdif as a transport only to a DAC.

 

[d6jg]

OK good to know from someone with experience of this ... the only 'slight' concern I have with the Wiim is that - could it be doing too many things to appease the populous in becoming a very versatile streamer sacrificing a bit of SQ along the way? Whereas something like the DIGI32 is focussed on getting the best sound quality out of spdif (transformer isolated spdif for example and other fine tuned digital aspects)?

I could be wrong - but generally, a more specialized product (and it's still cheap) - tends to be better SQ wise. I can't say that for sure without listening of course. But I would be using the Wiim (or similar) via spdif as a transport only to a DAC.

Totally agree. WiiM seem to be operating a scatter gun approach. You can tell from the content here that many people have zero knowledge of music streaming but equally they are attracting high end audiophile market as well. The Digi32 "just works". Its only limitations being 24/96 as opposed to 24/192 and the lack of 5Ghz WiFi. I shall be putting my Digi32 back into my system shortly to allow direct comparison.

 

[cdg]

Totally agree. WiiM seem to be operating a scatter gun approach. You can tell from the content here that many people have zero knowledge of music streaming but equally they are attracting high end audiophile market as well. The Digi32 "just works". Its only limitations being 24/96 as opposed to 24/192 and the lack of 5Ghz WiFi. I shall be putting my Digi32 back into my system shortly to allow direct comparison.

That would be useful thanks. Please report on your finding.

However I am still keen that the WiiM gets Squeezelite into its system.

 

[David Sanborn]

To the people commenting that adding Squeezbox support is "too much too fast" or whatever: they are obviously not Logitech Squeezebox owners.
I bought my WiiM specifically in the belief they had teams "working in shifts" on that proposition. When this functionality lands I'll be sure to harass my fellow audiophile friends to buy one too.

 

[d6jg]

To the people commenting that adding Squeezbox support is "too much too fast" or whatever: they are obviously not Logitech Squeezebox owners.
I bought my WiiM specifically in the belief they had teams "working in shifts" on that proposition. When this functionality lands I'll be sure to harass my fellow audiophile friends to buy one too.

Although it doesn’t make a WiiM Mini 100% like an SB player Philippe’s UPnP/DLNA Bridge 2.1.19 - the current dev version - is working very well with my Mini.
Gapless works. Short tracks seem to be OK and it plays largely glitch free. My use is local FLAC, Qobuz and some radio.

The Bridge doesn’t support Smart Crossfade or Smart Gain.

Although WiiM have said that they can’t fit RAAT onto a Mini, Squeezelite is tiny in comparison and would (I think) also make the Mini Roon compatible.

 

[T-B]

I second d6jg's comment about how well LMS's UPnP/DLNA Bridge 2.1.19 plugin is now working with WiiMs, in my case a Pro (which had been recalcitrant in earlier versions of the plugin).

But... it would indeed still be nice to have proper Squeezelite implementation. Come on WiiM people. You know you can.

 

[Brantome]

Although WiiM have said that they can’t fit RAAT onto a Mini, Squeezelite is tiny in comparison and would (I think) also make the Mini Roon compatible.

As I’ve just commented on another forum, I wish WiiM would step back and not try and please all of the people all of the time by trying to add new features into the Mini given that it only has a quarter of the Ram as the Pro and they’ve already had to curtail features like lossless amazon music multi room due to lack of memory. Leaving aside the harebrained scheme to have a custom mix firmware by leaving out existing features to squeeze in Roon, I think that if you want significant new features, like perhaps you wanted coax, Ethernet or ChromeCast, buy a Pro, they’re not that much more expensive in the grand scheme of things. By all means continue to fix the mini’s bugs and add minor enhancements, but broadly speaking call it a day there…

 

[d6jg]

As I’ve just commented on another forum, I wish WiiM would step back and not try and please all of the people all of the time by trying to add new features into the Mini given that it only has a quarter of the Ram as the Pro and they’ve already had to curtail features like lossless amazon music multi room due to lack of memory. Leaving aside the harebrained scheme to have a custom mix firmware by leaving out existing features to squeeze in Roon, I think that if you want significant new features, like perhaps you wanted coax, Ethernet or ChromeCast, buy a Pro, they’re not that much more expensive in the grand scheme of things. By all means continue to fix the mini’s bugs and add minor enhancements, but broadly speaking call it a day there…

Actually I have to agree.
Although I’m not sure how many of the issues relate to the WiiM app as opposed to the firmware on the device.
It seems to me that in certain use modes the hardware and firmware perform flawlessly but in others there are clear issues. Clearly it’s a coding issue but whether that sits in the firmware or in the app we can’t tell.
My view. There are too many sources in the app that don’t work correctly. These need fixing before more features are added and WiiM needs to start saying No to clearly edge cases.

 

[Fredio]

There are thousands of LMS users would would love this.

 

[reekers01]

Moving this here from the thread at the old forum (https://faq-mini.wiimhome.com/support/discussions/topics/72000741459?page=1)

I quote cc, who started that:

<< There are thousands of Logitech Media Server users out there, with a very active forum dedicated to its use. It would be great if Squeezelite support were added to the WiiM Mini to make it a native LMS client, with the full feature set.
https://github.com/ralph-irving/squeezelite >>

There was a suggestion from Wiim Support that LMS was already useable via UPnP/DLNA, which is true, but using that is quite techy and beyond many customers. Captain Paranoia put it well at the old forum:

<< I think the reply from 'WiiM Support' misses the point; WiiM will be accessible via LMS using the UPnP/DLNA, Chromecast or Airplay plugins, but not via the LMS SlimProto protocl, which supports multi-room casting. Since Squeezelite is an open source implementation of the SlimProto renderer, it would seem a fairly easy win to deploy to the WiiM.>>

So, Wiim Support, can you make implementation of LMS/Squeezelite a priority, please, both on the Mini and the upcoming Pro? And personally, It would be interesting to hear Wiim's current plans for this before I buy either of these (great seeming) products.

I’d like to decmissio