Seeking Validation: Liberating from Sonos with a Future-Proof Wiim Expansion Architecture

[Jls]

If Plex were excellent it would be better than the Sonos server.

 

[simbun]

The best way to describe this is to say that, with possibly one exception, music servers simply don’t understand any organization that requires the name of the composition and a list of albums that contain it. That’s how you think when selecting music. If you have duplicate performances, you need to see the conductor or the soloist.

To work around this, I put albums in folders.

There are only a few servers that support classical music, as has been mentioned before.

 

[Jls]

There are only a few servers that support classical music, as has been mentioned before.

This is not a problem if I can browse folders.

Update. I added Plex to my Sonos, and it’s thinking. I’m not sure what it’s thinking about, the PC client didn’t have to think.

 

[slartibartfast]

There are only a few servers that support classical music, as has been mentioned before.

Even then you need to use the correct tags.

 

[Jls]

Even then you need to use the correct tags.

That’s not a problem. I can fix tags.

 

[slartibartfast]

That’s not a problem. I can fix tags.

A.lot of recent work has been done regarding Classical tagging in Logitech Music Server. I am not trying to push you in that direction just letting you know it exists

 

[simbun]

Even then you need to use the correct tags.

Not always, some servers allow mapping.

 

[Jls]

A.lot of recent work has been done regarding Classical tagging in Logitech Music Server. I am not trying to push you in that direction just letting you know it exists

The moment Sonos restores access to media servers, if it does, I will have a look.

 

[Jls]

This is getting kind of old, but I just looked at my music library using sonopad, and when I list albums, they are all listed as I intended. They come up in alphabetical order, with album art. You can search.

 

[slartibartfast]

The moment Sonos restores access to media servers, if it does, I will have a look.

With LMS you would bypass the Sonos app and play to the Sonos players as UPnP devices.

 

[Jls]

With LMS you would bypass the Sonos app and play to the Sonos players as UPnP devices.

I could do it, but I have eight family members who visit. This is why Sonos is still in business

Some of them are still too young, but one will be a teenager. He’s a Phillip Glass fan and has a list of similar composers. He knows the names of video game composers.

 

[simbun]

The moment Sonos restores access to media servers, if it does, I will have a look.

We're going around in circles now. If you want to use the Sonos app then you're stuck with Sonos indexing (folders) or Plex.

 

[Jls]

We're going around in circles now. If you want to use the Sonos app then you're stuck with Sonos indexing (folders) or Plex.

Not true Sonos used to find and use UpnP servers.

 

[simbun]

Not true Sonos used to find and use UpnP servers.

Which ones? Certainly not LMS or MinimServer. I already mentioned that AssetUPnP and Windows media sharing were unusable.
If you have an Android device you can still use the old app.

 

[Jls]

Which ones? Certainly not LMS or MinimServer. I already mentioned that AssetUPnP and Windows media sharing were unusable.
If you have an Android device you can still use the old app.

I have the old app, but the page where you enable UPnP is grayed out, and says to update the app. Sonos hasn’t said specifically what services will be restored. Perhaps we’ll know more in a few weeks.

 

[hoohoohoo]

My system originated in iTunes. It’s not complicated. Album or CD by name. Followed by tracks in numeric order. Multiple CDs can have the same name, but there’s CD number.

The best way to describe this is to say that, with possibly one exception, music servers simply don’t understand any organization that requires the name of the composition and a list of albums that contain it. That’s how you think when selecting music. If you have duplicate performances, you need to see the conductor or the soloist.

To work around this, I put albums in folders.

So when I want to play something I need to be able to browse folders.

I also use Emby (a DLNA server) which has similar services to Plex. It has a recommended structure but is more permissive.

Music Naming | Emby Documentation

emby.media

It also added composer support in Emby 4.6 (currently Version 4.8.8.0). I don't have a lot of classical music to give guidance.

Emby Server 4.6 Released

Emby Server 4.6 Released

emby.media

Add a specific content type for classical music

emby.media

 

[hoohoohoo]

Emby

media server for personal streaming videos tv music photos in mobile app or browser for all devices android iOS windows phone appletv androidtv smarttv and dlna

emby.media

https://hub.docker.com/r/emby/embyserver

 

[simbun]

I have the old app, but the page where you enable UPnP is grayed out, and says to update the app. Sonos hasn’t said specifically what services will be restored. Perhaps we’ll know more in a few weeks.

I've just reinstalled the old app and wow, I hadn't realised they'd crippled the old app too! Disgusting behaviour.
I bought my Play One's about a decade ago and could see the writing on the wall then. I guess I was right to steer clear after that.
Still, I haven't used the Sonos app in all that time so I'm unaffected by this farce.

 

[Zphvrq]

The best solution to free yourself from the Sonos dictatorship (and the current chaotic farago caused by the unecessary catastrophic app updates) is to install LMS (formerly Logitech Media Server} on a low cost raspberry pi - then implement the upnpbridge plugin. Access all your Sonos devices. It works.

It's free and runs on pi, Windows, Linux and even on android. Requires some basic tech. skill - it's not plug'n'play but equally not rocket science.

Hi, it's been a while, been happily enjoying my WiiM Ultras. Have become super stable for my setup.

That being said I was struggling with DNLA search on my older WD NAS drive. It's a bit out dated and didn't seem to feed WiiM what it needed.

So I rediscovered Media Monkey 5 as I had already installed it years ago for cleaning up Tags on classical music sets.

I did recall it was a great tool for that, as mentioned above, but I also discovered it can become a media server, providing DNLA from my windows PC (which I need to leave running 24/7 anyway for other purposes).

Once Media Monkey scanned my 25,000 tracks, I was able to search, find and play music from my library much more easily than before. So for now it's given me the local storage boost I needed.

I have tried to setup the RUN AS SERVICE without luck yet, but that's my next hurdle.

I did download windows LMS and just didn't enjoy the web only interface. Media Monkey being a full native Windows software provides massively more mature user experience for myself (I work on Windows and basically have for 30+ years) so it's definitely a comfort zone thing.

Anyway, for windows folks, Media Monkey seems like an interesting and good choice, along with a tool for cleaning up Tags, which is almost always needed with Classical recordings.

Best Regards,

Jeff

 

[Zphvrq]

Hi, it's been a while, been happily enjoying my WiiM Ultras. Have become super stable for my setup.

That being said I was struggling with DNLA search on my older WD NAS drive. It's a bit out dated and didn't seem to feed WiiM what it needed.

So I rediscovered Media Monkey 5 as I had already installed it years ago for cleaning up Tags on classical music sets.

I did recall it was a great tool for that, as mentioned above, but I also discovered it can become a media server, providing DNLA from my windows PC (which I need to leave running 24/7 anyway for other purposes).

Once Media Monkey scanned my 25,000 tracks, I was able to search, find and play music from my library much more easily than before. So for now it's given me the local storage boost I needed.

I have tried to setup the RUN AS SERVICE without luck yet, but that's my next hurdle.

I did download windows LMS and just didn't enjoy the web only interface. Media Monkey being a full native Windows software provides massively more mature user experience for myself (I work on Windows and basically have for 30+ years) so it's definitely a comfort zone thing.

Anyway, for windows folks, Media Monkey seems like an interesting and good choice, along with a tool for cleaning up Tags, which is almost always needed with Classical recordings.

Best Regards,

Jeff

Please note: I am not sure if I am using DNLA or uPNP or other three letter (four letter) acronyms or technology correctly, so please forgive me if I am using them wrongly. My intention is in the right place!