Wiim Pro App (Android)

[Rotho]

The app installed fine and sees all my music etc.. The problem is that some days everything acts fine and somedays trying to get into a folder or play a song is an exercise in futility. The selection greys out a sec and then nothing happens. If you reputedly tap the song, or folder you're trying to access sometime you then get 5 or six windows of the same thing. Sometime it just won't do anything at all.

I had been using Volumio and never had an issue. Any idea??

Thanx

 

[Maurizio]

The app installed fine and sees all my music etc.. The problem is that some days everything acts fine and somedays trying to get into a folder or play a song is an exercise in futility. The selection greys out a sec and then nothing happens. If you reputedly tap the song, or folder you're trying to access sometime you then get 5 or six windows of the same thing. Sometime it just won't do anything at all.

I had been using Volumio and never had an issue. Any idea??

Thanx

May be you could try BubbleUPnP App is a far better App

 

[simbun]

The app installed fine and sees all my music etc.. The problem is that some days everything acts fine and somedays trying to get into a folder or play a song is an exercise in futility. The selection greys out a sec and then nothing happens. If you reputedly tap the song, or folder you're trying to access sometime you then get 5 or six windows of the same thing. Sometime it just won't do anything at all.

As a UPnP renderer it's just about OK - assuming it works with your media server and you don't have any short gapless tracks - as a UPnP browser it's the worst I've ever seen. That being said I haven't experienced the problems you describe, although I only used the WiiM Home App for 10 minutes before I switched back to my normal UPnP control point so that could be the reason.

If we've learnt anything over the last 10 years of tech purchases it's to base our purchases on the product we have in our hands today, not on future promises. I sent my mini back a couple of days ago and if I don't hear anything constructive from a ticket I've raised then my pro will be going back early next week, with a view to checking out the NAD CS1 when it comes out, as I too just want a robust UPnP implementation.

 

[Maurizio]

As a UPnP renderer it's just about OK - assuming it works with your media server and you don't have any short gapless tracks - as a UPnP browser it's the worst I've ever seen. That being said I haven't experienced the problems you describe, although I only used the WiiM Home App for 10 minutes before I switched back to my normal UPnP control point so that could be the reason.

If we've learnt anything over the last 10 years of tech purchases it's to base our purchases on the product we have in our hands today, not on future promises. I sent my mini back a couple of days ago and if I don't hear anything constructive from a ticket I've raised then my pro will be going back early next week, with a view to checking out the NAD CS1 when it comes out, as I too just want a robust UPnP implementation.

You seem hypercritical about everything

 

[simbun]

You seem hypercritical about everything

I actually thought I was being quite generous.

As far as I can tell the WiiM UPnP implementation is essentially just the Linkplay hardware coupled with the Linkplay reference app, which Linkplay have been producing for years and years. If you search for Linkplay apps you'll see them scattered over the various app stores e.g. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wifiaudio&hl=en_GB&gl=US.

Given they've been churning these out for years you'd assume they'd get the basics of a UPnP renderer right, but in the few weeks of owning one I've identified a couple of bugs to do with their URL handling meaning they won't work with my server (MinimServer) or others like Kodi, LibreELEC e.t.c.
In addition to that, when using it as a UPnP renderer from a third-party app the WiiM only manages to play tracks that are ~>30 seconds gaplessly, whereas Sonos and Volumio (the only ones I have on hand at the moment) have no problem with tracks that are only 5 seconds. Whilst in the real world it might not be a problem it just highlights that the implementation isn't as robust as it could be.
Interestingly one of the URL/naming bugs isn't a problem if you're using the WiiM Home app nor is the gapless test, so I've no idea what's going on behind the scenes!

In terms of the in-app UPnP browsing, the media server sends the track metadata to the control point using xml in the order that it's to be presented, all the app needs to do is to parse the xml and display it. Only in the last couple of weeks did they implement the correct track ordering for multi-disc albums (at the expense of a bug), and the fact we still don't even have track number in the track listing is hard to excuse. As I said earlier I hold Linkplay to account for most of this, but the fact WiiM haven't moved this on in over a year is really disappointing.

 

[Maurizio]

I actually thought I was being quite generous.

As far as I can tell the WiiM UPnP implementation is essentially just the Linkplay hardware coupled with the Linkplay reference app, which Linkplay have been producing for years and years. If you search for Linkplay apps you'll see them scattered over the various app stores e.g. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wifiaudio&hl=en_GB&gl=US.

Given they've been churning these out for years you'd assume they'd get the basics of a UPnP renderer right, but in the few weeks of owning one I've identified a couple of bugs to do with their URL handling meaning they won't work with my server (MinimServer) or others like Kodi, LibreELEC e.t.c.
In addition to that, when using it as a UPnP renderer from a third-party app the WiiM only manages to play tracks that are ~>30 seconds gaplessly, whereas Sonos and Volumio (the only ones I have on hand at the moment) have no problem with tracks that are only 5 seconds. Whilst in the real world it might not be a problem it just highlights that the implementation isn't as robust as it could be.
Interestingly one of the URL/naming bugs isn't a problem if you're using the WiiM Home app nor is the gapless test, so I've no idea what's going on behind the scenes!

In terms of the in-app UPnP browsing, the media server sends the track metadata to the control point using xml in the order that it's to be presented, all the app needs to do is to parse the xml and display it. Only in the last couple of weeks did they implement the correct track ordering for multi-disc albums (at the expense of a bug), and the fact we still don't even have track number in the track listing is hard to excuse. As I said earlier I hold Linkplay to account for most of this, but the fact WiiM haven't moved this on in over a year is really disappointing.

I agree that WHA has a lot of gaps (Options to sort the Albums-Lack, near the cover of the number of tracks and Album duration.-Duration of each single track etc.) that should surely be filled. For this reason I no longer use WHA. Perhaps, in other respects, I'm less severe because I use the WiiMs only as streamers to listen to music from various services. Qobuz & AMU.
You mentioned the CS1, we'll see the reviews, which seems interesting, but it doesn't seem without problems at the moment.
1) It doesn't have a reference App, like its older brothers
2) Will it be visible to Bubble UPnP as a renderer?
3) Qobuz, not having Qobuz connect yet, will see it as Chromecast? If yes, however, it will have the limits of ChC i.e. 24/96, which would be tolerable, but NO Gapeless Music. Intolerable when it comes to classical music.
4) AMU? How will it be integrated? I don't think it will have Alexa Cast, so the Amazon App won't see it- ChC again? I searched for a long time, but for AMU there are no third-party apps like BUPnP
So interesting yes, but for my use, the WiiMs seem to have something extra. They have built-in integration with pretty much every streaming service out there.

 

[Mr Ee]

24/96, which would be tolerable,

lol, I first read this as terrible, but even then, tolerable seems harsh.
Nothing wrong with a good 16/44.1 file (Devil's advocate...)

 

[simbun]

Perhaps, in other respects, I'm less severe because I use the WiiMs only as streamers to listen to music from various services. Qobuz & AMU.

I did try and make it clear that my comments were only in reference to UPnP as that's all I care about, I've got to assume/hope the other areas are better catered for.

You mentioned the CS1, we'll see the reviews, which seems interesting, but it doesn't seem without problems at the moment.
1) It doesn't have a reference App, like its older brothers

If you wanted one app to search across all your services then yes that will be a problem, otherwise I don't think it'll make a difference. It obviously means there won't be UPnP multiroom (as there's no way to define it) but I personally wouldn't use that anyway.

2) Will it be visible to Bubble UPnP as a renderer?

If it's UPnP compliant then yes.

3) Qobuz, not having Qobuz connect yet, will see it as Chromecast? If yes, however, it will have the limits of ChC i.e. 24/96, which would be tolerable, but NO Gapeless Music. Intolerable when it comes to classical music.
4) AMU? How will it be integrated? I don't think it will have Alexa Cast, so the Amazon App won't see it- ChC again? I searched for a long time, but for AMU there are no third-party apps like BUPnP

I'd be amazed if anyone can ABX 24/96 and above (I'd bet most people couldn't 16/44), and personally I care more about the mastering than the bit/sample rate so this won't be an issue for me. Similarly, as long as I can cast a music service for supplementary listening then that'll be fine for me, like I said, I'm more interested in a robust UPnP implementation but I do appreciate that everyone has different priorities.

I do hope the WiiM devices get there, but right now I feel the community is the only thing keeping it together.

 

[Maurizio]

I did try and make it clear that my comments were only in reference to UPnP as that's all I care about, I've got to assume/hope the other areas are better catered for.

If you wanted one app to search across all your services then yes that will be a problem, otherwise I don't think it'll make a difference. It obviously means there won't be UPnP multiroom (as there's no way to define it) but I personally wouldn't use that anyway.

If it's UPnP compliant then yes.

I'd be amazed if anyone can ABX 24/96 and above (I'd bet most people couldn't 16/44), and personally I care more about the mastering than the bit/sample rate so this won't be an issue for me. Similarly, as long as I can cast a music service for supplementary listening then that'll be fine for me, like I said, I'm more interested in a robust UPnP implementation but I do appreciate that everyone has different priorities.

I do hope the WiiM devices get there, but right now I feel the community is the only thing keeping it together.

When CS1 will be available, if reviews confirm its full compatibility to UPnP (Bubble) i will do a try with it

 

[Maurizio]

I did try and make it clear that my comments were only in reference to UPnP as that's all I care about, I've got to assume/hope the other areas are better catered for.

If you wanted one app to search across all your services then yes that will be a problem, otherwise I don't think it'll make a difference. It obviously means there won't be UPnP multiroom (as there's no way to define it) but I personally wouldn't use that anyway.

If it's UPnP compliant then yes.

I'd be amazed if anyone can ABX 24/96 and above (I'd bet most people couldn't 16/44), and personally I care more about the mastering than the bit/sample rate so this won't be an issue for me. Similarly, as long as I can cast a music service for supplementary listening then that'll be fine for me, like I said, I'm more interested in a robust UPnP implementation but I do appreciate that everyone has different priorities.

I do hope the WiiM devices get there, but right now I feel the community is the only thing keeping it together.

Sorry, i forgot. What i don’t like in ChC is not 24/96. This is good, but the lack of Gapeless that is essential listening to Classical Music