Cannot access USB audio library

[codewritinfool]

I just received my Ultra today and I can report that the room correction works well. I love the overall look and feel too.

My question involves USB with a thumb drive of my music attached (mostly FLAC, some MP3).

I do not see a way to access this drive and would like guidance on this feature.

Thank you!

 

[Brantome]

You should be able to access it under home music share or at the bottom of the inputs list on the browse page

 

[harkpabst]

You will be asked to build an index for extended search capabilities on first use and you should do just that. Might take a couple of minutes, depending on how many files there are on that USB drive.

From then on everything should work a treat.

 

[codewritinfool]

Thank you both but unfortunately I do not see it at the bottom of the input list, and home music share just searches forever.

Also, I was not asked to build an index. I even rebooted and still no change.

 

[Caffeinated]

Isn't USB for output only? pg. 7 of the manual. Not listed as an input

UPDATE: OK, well it also says "You can also connect it to your personal music library stored on a computer, network-attached storage device, or USB disk for seamless playback." on pg. 5 so there's a possible contradiction (@WiiM Support) .... scant details on what it expects from the USB "disk" though, so I'd start with checking how it's formatted (NTFS, FAT, etc.) and whether it's supported, then if there's an expected folder structure. Seems to be some threads floating around on here.

 

[codewritinfool]

Thank you for your replies. It is formatted FAT32.

 

[Caffeinated]

Thank you for your replies. It is formatted FAT32.

Very common format. If you've got another stick lying around, try formatting it NTFS and put a few music files on it.... see if it works. (Disclaimer: I don't own one yet, just hypothesising based on common USB issues with devices)

 

[codewritinfool]

Great idea. I will try that tomorrow morning.

 

[Caffeinated]

Cool. Only other thought is whether it allows USB to be plugged into the Ultra itself OR, heaven forbid, a PC, router, or other external device that you then access via the App/screen after indexing. Smarter minds here should know the answer to that.

 

[harkpabst]

Maximum output current is ~650 mA. When you say thumb drive, is it really that? Not an external SSD, let alone HDD?

I have a rather cheap 512 GB thumb drive connected with ~11.000 files on it and that works flawlessly. You also need sufficient remaining storage capacity for the index, because it is actually stored on the drive. If you find a folder named wiim_cache (from the top of my head that's th name) on your USB drive, then the Ultra has started building the index.

Indexing any SMB network share and playing music from that is currently in beta testing and coming.

 

[codewritinfool]

Yes. Small SanDisk 512GB thumb drive. Full of folders of mostly FLACs ripped from my CD collection. Formatted FAT32, though I’m going to experiment with other formats today.

 

[Brantome]

Isn't USB for output only? pg. 7 of the manual. Not listed as an input

UPDATE: OK, well it also says "You can also connect it to your personal music library stored on a computer, network-attached storage device, or USB disk for seamless playback." on pg. 5 so there's a possible contradiction (@WiiM Support) .... scant details on what it expects from the USB "disk" though, so I'd start with checking how it's formatted (NTFS, FAT, etc.) and whether it's supported, then if there's an expected folder structure. Seems to be some threads floating around on here.

See https://faq.wiimhome.com/support/solutions/articles/72000617605-using-usb-disks-with-the-wiim-amp

 

[Brantome]

Yes. Small SanDisk 512GB thumb drive. Full of folders of mostly FLACs ripped from my CD collection. Formatted FAT32, though I’m going to experiment with other formats today.

That should be fine. Do you have any other small thumb drives you could try?

 

[d6jg]

There seems to be an assumption that SAMBA is involved or do we know this for a fact?

The only reason to put SAMBA onto the device would be if you wished to expose the files to something else (PC/Mac etc) on your network for read/write purposes. Is this possible with the Amp or Ultra?

 

[Brantome]

There seems to be an assumption that SAMBA is involved or do we know this for a fact?

The only reason to put SAMBA onto the device would be if you wished to expose the files to something else (PC/Mac etc) on your network for read/write purposes. Is this possible with the Amp or Ultra?

No Samba sharing is separate from usb drive support.

Edit: I think Samba only came in to the discussion when referring to,plugging the usb drive into a router or pc, I.e. not the WiiM device itself.

 

[d6jg]

No Samba sharing is separate from usb drive support.

I thought so. In which case the best way of checking the USB is to plug it into another Linux machine and check files are visible.

 

[d6jg]

This link you posted - https://faq.wiimhome.com/support/solutions/articles/72000617605-using-usb-disks-with-the-wiim-amp

Does NOT say FAT32
Supported on the AMP are :

• VFAT
• NTFS
• EXT4

 

[d6jg]

Do we know which UPnP/DLNA server WiiM have hacked onto the Amp/Ultra ? My guess is a cut down version of MiniDLNA but ......

 

[Brantome]

Do we know which UPnP/DLNA server WiiM have hacked onto the Amp/Ultra ? My guess is a cut down version of MiniDLNA but ......

Yeah, miniDLNA but @simbun will be able to judge how “cut down”.

I’ve contended from the start that USB media support is convenient for casual users, but that if you can you’re better holding your media on a NAS and using Minimserver or LMS

 

[d6jg]

Yeah, miniDLNA but @simbun will be able to judge how “cut down”.

I’ve contended from the start that USB media support is convenient for casual users, but that if you can you’re better holding your media on a NAS and using Minimserver or LMS

Totally agree.
In the wrong hands it is a recipe for disaster. As I understand it the only way of backing up the USB or putting new files onto it is to remove it and plug it into something else. Massive increase in the chances of it becoming corrupted.
In my world lots of people use USB drives attached to Pi's but the underlying file store is available via SSH or Samba so file management is easier but still a little prone to USB drive corruption.