Local Media Streaming, trying to find the best experience...

[motleypixel]

Hey folks, I’m trying to figure out the best way, because there are multiple ways, to connect my Ultra to my home computer music share. I am familiar with SMB, CIFS, DNLA, and LMS type protocols/platforms. I have a library of flac albums on a shared folder on a Win11 PC. I use an IOS app called MusicStreamer to connect to this shared folder via simple SMB protocol. The MusicStreamer app on my iPad is VERY well developed/designed. I absolutely love this presentation of my music library. It auto downloads album covers/meta data/etc. and I can create custom playlists. Before the Ultra I would connect my ipad to my class D amp via BT and it worked well. Really, MusicStreamer via my ipad to my local music store along with Tidal on the iPad was my solution before this Ultra.

So, I have tried DNLA and if I recall correctly Plex from the baked-in Ultra apps. Plex took two components on my local Win11 PC (Plex AMP and Plex Server). The DNLA just won’t cut it, having a basic file list of album folders is not what I need. Therefore, I had high hopes that the Plex solution would be the answer. Though better, it’s still a far cry from MusicStreamer. It’s too bad there’s isn’t any stock app with the Ultra that can do what MusicStreamer can do.

I’m open for other avenues I could be missing.

Thank you.

 

[poldark]

Ultra can act as a Squeezelite player, so LMS works simply & well, mine is on a Raspberry Pi (also cheap and effective) but Win PC is an option.

 

[simbun]

Options are really limited on iOS with PlexAmp being one of the best, though it only supports AirPlay and Chromecast, ruling it out for most.
Lyrion (LMS) is definitely worth a look for those on iOS.

 

[motleypixel]

Options are really limited on iOS with PlexAmp being one of the best, though it only supports AirPlay and Chromecast, ruling it out for most.
Lyrion (LMS) is definitely worth a look for those on iOS.

Thanks, I'm not tied to iOS. My flac album library is on my Win11 PC I'm just looking for a one-stop-shop option/app w/in the Ultra app the indexes, adds album cover/art, metadata, creates play lists, etc. all from w/in the Ultra app.

Thanks.

 

[mkp1969]

It's not for everyone but I use Roon which gives me seamless access to my FLAC library and my streaming services from one UI

 

[motleypixel]

Ultra can act as a Squeezelite player, so LMS works simply & well, mine is on a Raspberry Pi (also cheap and effective) but Win PC is an option.

Okay so you mean to install and configure "Squeezelite player" on my Win11 pc where my flac music libarary is located and then connect the Ultra to the Squeezelite layer? Then when I launch the Ultra app on my phone or iPad I select it and it's feature-rich like I explain with MusicStreamer?

Thanks.

 

[motleypixel]

It's not for everyone but I use Roon which gives me seamless access to my FLAC library and my streaming services from one UI

I've heard about Roon, need to read up on it more. Again, just looking for a baked-in app on the Ultra control app that does all or most of what MusicStreamer does with my local flac library.

Thanks.

 

[motleypixel]

It's not for everyone but I use Roon which gives me seamless access to my FLAC library and my streaming services from one UI

So right now I only stream Pandora and Amazon Music, and I'm perfectly happy with the baked-in apps for this on the Ultra control app. With Roon, I really don't want to complicate with unnecessary layers/duplicates but if roon app can organize my local flac music library like MusicStream can then I'm all in.

Thanks.

 

[simbun]

Thanks, I'm not tied to iOS. My flac album library is on my Win11 PC I'm just looking for a one-stop-shop option/app w/in the Ultra app the indexes, adds album cover/art, metadata, creates play lists, etc. all from w/in the Ultra app.

Thanks.

The WiiM Home App is incredibly basic, Plex is the best option.
LMS isn't controlled through the WHA.

 

[Burnside]

Okay so you mean to install and configure "Squeezelite player" on my Win11 pc where my flac music libarary is located and then connect the Ultra to the Squeezelite layer? Then when I launch the Ultra app on my phone or iPad I select it and it's feature-rich like I explain with MusicStreamer?

Thanks.

No, rather instal Lyrion LMS on your PC and use its html Material Skin interface in any browser and play to the Ultra using its inbuilt squeezelite support. The WiiM home app wouldn’t be involved.

 

[motleypixel]

The WiiM Home App is incredibly basic,...

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!

 

[Burnside]

The WiiM Home App is incredibly basic, Plex is the best option.
LMS isn't controlled through the WHA.

Yeah, I’d agree. I don’t use Plex much if at all (I just have it loaded for test purposes) but I’d imagine it’s better when it comes to playlist creation etc than other media servers that use the WiiM home app.

 

[motleypixel]

No, rather instal Lyrion LMS on your PC and use its html Material Skin interface in any browser and play to the Ultra using its inbuilt squeezelite support. The WiiM home app wouldn’t be involved.

Not following Burnside? I mean I know and have used LMS after Logitech cratered their Squeezebox linup service. And I know opening a browser page on my PC to it will play the "so so" organized flac music library, but through my PC headphones, not through my Ultra to my stereo 2.1 sound system. Or you mean to say there's a browser on the WHA to open to navigate to my LMS? Sorry confused?

Thanks.

 

[Burnside]

Not following Burnside? I mean I know and have used LMS after Logitech cratered their Squeezebox linup service. And I know opening a browser page on my PC to it will play the "so so" organized flac music library, but through my PC headphones, not through my Ultra to my stereo 2.1 sound system. Or you mean to say there's a browser on the WHA to open to navigate to my LMS? Sorry confused?

Thanks.

That’s you defaulting playback to the squeezelite player on your pc, it should be able to play to other squeezelite players on your local network, including your Ultra via the LMS browser interface, unrelated to the WiiM home app

I guess this may be the sort of browser interface you’re perhaps used to for LMS using its default interface. You’ll see the dropdown list of players I have on my network




Here’s the LMS browser interface using the Material Skin plugin interface, also using the Music and Artist Info plugin for the details shown:



If you need more info, I’m sure one of our resident Lyrion/LMS experts will join in…

 

[motleypixel]

Here’s the LMS browser interface using the Material Skin plugin interface, also using the Music and Artist Info plugin for the details shown:

View attachment 24551

If you need more info, I’m sure one of our resident Lyrion/LMS experts will join in…

Ahhh, okay so the Ultra has a listening service that when and LMS searches it will see it. This must be something intrinsic to the Ultra, no setup required other than connecting to my LAN (wired or wireless)?

Now, I mostly get it, but it's kind of the same where I'm at, which is I have my iPad already in front of me with WHA loaded, all I would need to do is open MusicStreamer and connect my iPad to my Ultra via BT and I'm golden. Except that I would rather not stream over BT. Man just looking for a way to use my flac library from the WHA over my LAN in the most efficient way.

Thanks for all your participation on this community, you seem to be everywhere

 

[Burnside]

Ahhh, okay so the Ultra has a listening service that when and LMS searches it will see it. This must be something intrinsic to the Ultra, not setup required other than connecting to my LAN (wired or wireless).

WiiM devices from the Pro onwards have an inbuilt squeezelite client which makes them appear as players to a Lyrion server. It’s enabled by default but you’ll see settings for it under Voice and Streaming on your WiiM device settings page in the WiiM app.

Now, I mostly get it, but it's kind of the same where I'm at, which is I have my iPad already in front of me with WHA loaded, all I would need to do is open MusicStreamer and connect my iPad to my Ultra via BT and I'm golden. Except that I would rather not stream over BT. Man just looking for a way to use my flac library from the WHA over my LAN in the most efficient way.

All I need to do on my iPad to access my Lyrion server which is on a Raspberry pi (but in your case could be on your PC) is open a safari browser to its IP address, in my case 192.168.1.154:9000/material to get the second screenshot I posted. I have that saved as an icon on my iPad home screen.

The browser is just a control point asking Lyrion to send selected audio in full resolution to my WiiM devices. Once setup, it’s very easy to operate and my interface of choice for my local music files, Radio Paradise and BBC Sounds. I seldom use the WiiM home app to control playback.

Thanks for all your participation on this community, you seem to be everywhere

Almost

 

[simbun]

Thanks, I'm not tied to iOS.

If you're not tied to iOS and open to using third-party solutions, Symfonium on Android will give you a MusicStreamer like interface with bit-perfect playback to the Ultra over UPnP.
Symfonium could index your collection from a SMB share but it's much more capable if used with a compatible server.

 

[motleypixel]

If you're not tied to iOS and open to using third-party solutions, Symfonium on Android will give you a MusicStreamer like interface with bit-perfect playback to the Ultra over UPnP.
Symfonium could index your collection from a SMB share but it's much more capable if used with a compatible server.

Oh man, the confusion runs deep now, thanks! My needs are to keep the number of clicks/touches of a screen to a min while having all the well-organized data streamed to the Ultra at the best possible quality.

 

[simbun]

Yeah, I’d agree. I don’t use Plex much if at all (I just have it loaded for test purposes) but I’d imagine it’s better when it comes to playlist creation etc than other media servers that use the WiiM home app.

Yes, purely because the Plex interface in the WHA is a little more functional as it's a pretty basic server otherwise, at least without PlexAmp it is.

 

[simbun]

Oh man, the confusion runs deep now, thanks! My needs are to keep the number of clicks/touches of a screen to a min while having all the well-organized data streamed to the Ultra at the best possible quality.

Its highly customizable home screen (Settings > Interface > Home page) might be just what you're after.

It also supports offline, Android Auto...

It has a free trial so point it at your SMB share (just for testing) and give it a go!