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.

 

[kylepyke]

Ok, iirc from what @d6jg has said, one benefit of the Squeezelite client in the other WiiM devices is that they support multiroom sync whereas UPNPBridge doesn’t. But standalone, it happily supports up to 24/192 as that’s what I use on my Mini.

For my purposes, multiroom sync is much more important than higher bit-depth/samplerate. Guess I'll be sticking to the AirPlay plugin until Squeezlite is supported natively. Is there somewhere I should contact the devs to let them know I'd be another SL user on the Wiim mini?

 

[Brantome]

For my purposes, multiroom sync is much more important than higher bit-depth/samplerate. Guess I'll be sticking to the AirPlay plugin until Squeezlite is supported natively. Is there somewhere I should contact the devs to let them know I'd be another SL user on the Wiim mini?

Just via the feedback section under settings in the WiiM Home app. The issue with the WiiM Mini is lack of ram/cpu to accommodate the admittedly slim Squeezelite client code. I know there have been gripes about PEQ having been implemented on the Mini instead of Squeezelite, but that could be because of the prospective market size for each, but my guess is that adding PEQ when the Mini already had the code for GEQ was less demanding in terms of memory required.

There was also a suggestion that the Mini could drop other features (like Amazon Music HD support) to accommodate a customised version of firmware. However as it stands WiiM don’t have a means of allowing users to select which firmware they want, plus it’d be an alternative firmware version they’d need to maintain alongside the mainstream version.

I’m afraid I put Squeezelite availability in the same category as Ethernet access, chromecast, airplay casting etc - if you need any of those features then the Pro, Pro Plus or Amp are the models to go for, not the Mini

 

[kylepyke]

Just via the feedback section under settings in the WiiM Home app. The issue with the WiiM Mini is lack of ram/cpu to accommodate the admittedly slim Squeezelite client code. I know there have been gripes about PEQ having been implemented on the Mini instead of Squeezelite, but that could be because of the prospective market size for each, but my guess is that adding PEQ when the Mini already had the code for GEQ was less demanding in terms of memory required.

There was also a suggestion that the Mini could drop other features (like Amazon Music HD support) to accommodate a customised version of firmware. However as it stands WiiM don’t have a means of allowing users to select which firmware they want, plus it’d be an alternative firmware version they’d need to maintain alongside the mainstream version.

I’m afraid I put Squeezelite availability in the same category as Ethernet access, chromecast, airplay casting etc - if you need any of those features then the Pro, Pro Plus or Amp are the models to go for, not the Mini

Problem is, I already have 5 minis. I have no problem with the AirPlay plugin, it's just another point of failure. And it does fail from time to time.

 

[Brantome]

Problem is, I already have 5 minis. I have no problem with the AirPlay plugin, it's just another point of failure. And it does fail from time to time.

Well, upnpbridge isn’t without its issues as well - I think philippe over on the slimdevices forum cringes when WiiM is mentioned

 

[d6jg]

Ok, iirc from what @d6jg has said, one benefit of the Squeezelite client in the other WiiM devices is that they support multiroom sync whereas UPNPBridge doesn’t. But standalone, it happily supports up to 24/192 as that’s what I use on my Mini.

Correct

 

[d6jg]

If you use AirPlay plugin it should sync ok with other SB players but AirPlay is limited to 16/44.1 and a Sync group in LMS is established at the max capability of the lowest player so playing a source at 24/192 to a sync group of a WiiM Mini running AirPlay bridge and say a Pi capable of full 24/192 will downsample to 16/44.1 for both

 

[RoyalScam]

Well, upnpbridge isn’t without its issues as well - I think philippe over on the slimdevices forum cringes when WiiM is mentioned

I seem to be having luck with the UPnP Bridge on my Mini thus far. I might still jump on a Pro at a future price drop, but really what exactly am I missing using the UPnP Bridge vs native Squeezelite at this point?

 

[Brantome]

I seem to be having luck with the UPnP Bridge on my Mini thus far. I might still jump on a Pro at a future price drop, but really what exactly am I missing using the UPnP Bridge vs native Squeezelite at this point?

I'd say stability and the ability to sync with other players

 

[d6jg]

I'd say stability and the ability to sync with other players

Stability
Sync
Smart Crossfade
Smart Gain

 

[RoyalScam]

Stability
Sync
Smart Crossfade
Smart Gain

Smart Gain (or even track/album gain) would be a biggie for me. Like I said, I’ll stand pat until maybe the next deal. It just bugs me that you could get Roon on the mini but not Squeezelite.

 

[d6jg]

Smart Gain (or even track/album gain) would be a biggie for me. Like I said, I’ll stand pat until maybe the next deal. It just bugs me that you could get Roon on the mini but not Squeezelite.

I guess WiiM perceive Roon to represent a bigger market but personally I doubt it is.

 

[rccarguy]

Open source firmware/app/control would be good. That way if the app no longer functions on a phone (I've had that problem with official Logitech app) you can use another free app.

Logitech LMS no longer works on my Android 11, so I would have to keep a really old Gingerbread phone. Thankfull Craig Drummond and similar people have written apps for it.

Plus with standard IP control you can control it via web browser.

 

[d6jg]

Open source firmware/app/control would be good. That way if the app no longer functions on a phone (I've had that problem with official Logitech app) you can use another free app.

Logitech LMS no longer works on my Android 11, so I would have to keep a really old Gingerbread phone. Thankfull Craig Drummond and similar people have written apps for it.

Plus with standard IP control you can control it via web browser.

Material by Craig is just that. A totally cross device HTML5 control gui

 

[rccarguy]

Material by Craig is just that. A totally cross device HTML5 control gui

yeah just if wiim is open source like that..

If the squeezeboxes were a closed in system like Sonos, they would have been unusable years ago - plugin ins (like digital out kernel) , phone app, firmware and lms has been updated by end users.

 

[Brantome]

It just bugs me that you could get Roon on the mini but not Squeezelite.

Edit: The Mini isn't Roon certified as there's no Roon code there. Only the Pro is currently certified by Roon.

Title of Page

roon.app

 

[billh]

Edit: The Mini isn't Roon certified as there's no Roon code there. Only the Pro is currently certified by Roon.

Title of Page

roon.app

 

[billh]

Hello. I am very new here.
Having been a Squeezebox user for some years, my hardware failed and I looked around for an alternative.
The WiiM seemed an excellent option and I went for a Mini, having misread the stuff which said LMS was usable, not picking up the “not on the Mini” nuance!
I did ask the WiiM support, who confirmed this.
It’s been interesting to read through the blog to see how long this has been going on!
I think that I may bite the bullet and replace the Mini with a Pro, unless there has been further (unlikely?) progress from people who are in the know?
Cheers

 

[shinedou]

Hello. I am very new here.
Having been a Squeezebox user for some years, my hardware failed and I looked around for an alternative.
The WiiM seemed an excellent option and I went for a Mini, having misread the stuff which said LMS was usable, not picking up the “not on the Mini” nuance!
I did ask the WiiM support, who confirmed this.
It’s been interesting to read through the blog to see how long this has been going on!
I think that I may bite the bullet and replace the Mini with a Pro, unless there has been further (unlikely?) progress from people who are in the know?
Cheers

For Squeezelite support you will need the pro, pro Plus or the amp On the mini your only LMS option is using upnp bridge plugin. If I were you I'd get the pro at a minimum.

 

[castalla]

My mini has had no issues using the UPNPBridge plugin.

 

[Brantome]

@billh Sorry, what’s your point about the Roon link?