WiiM Pro problems

[Hollywood]

Hi,
I'm new here. I tried an Arylic S10 and the device was mostly unresponsive to the App while playing with it for over an hour so I returned it. It would have met all of my needs if it worked properly.

I then ordered a WiiM Pro and much of the same issues continued. Disappointing, so I started a search for another brand/device, but then I tried it again and it worked about 1.5 hours later! My Android phone found the WiiM and the Wiim found my network drive which is a Samsung 1Tb SSD connected to my Asus AX router (using WiFi).

I read later that the Arylic and the WiiM are co branded (or to that affect), so I also tried the Arylic app on the WiiM and it worked, but although the WiiM is not a not what I would called a feature rich app, the Arylic app is way behind in usability, functions, and connectivity.

The Wiim Pro would be great if it works all of the time, but like others, I get the random "Device not Found" and "Search your Media Server" (two separate issues) and you can not proceed without rebooting or restarting some hardware (WiiM, router, phone). I don't know what causes the problem and I don't know what steps I took fix it, but if it happens often, the device is useless.

I also have the HiByMusic app on my Android phone and it ALWAYS can connect, browse, and play my music from my network drive, so I know my router/SSD server is not the problem.

I am not an expert at any of this streaming technology, but are there any apps other then WiiM or Arylic that we can use to browse and play music on the Pro?

The concept of this device is great. Music is not interrupted by calls, tests, or notifications, and you can use the same library in other locations in your home. If the connectivity issue gets sorted out, I would buy more devices, including the Mini.

So far I have three suggestions for the app (that don't effect actual playback).
1. When listing Artists, Albums, etc, there should be an A-Z bar on the right side of the screen for large libraries to jump ahead. The local phone track listing has this.
2. You should be able to disable (from listing) some of the services that you do not use.
3. When you press Home Music Share it has you choose your Router and "Browse, Music, Pictures, Video". Most users will only have one router, so it would be better to, after you press "Home Music Share" it skips asking for Router and "Browse, Music, Pictures, Video", and goes directly to the Music screen. The Music screen has Artists, Albums, etc. You could put a button on that screen for the other Pictures, Videos, etc options. Basically most users will use this to stream music and it would be nice to just press Home Music Share and go right to being able to search your library.

I've had this device three days and had multiple connection issues. This morning everything was working fine and I seen there was a firmware update. I played with it several times without a problem but then got the "Search your Media Server" error. I couldn't go further without doing something. I then started to post here. While writing this I tried several more times and the error continued, but like I said HiByMusic did work.

Just as I am about to post this, the app now works again. I am baffled as to the problem or what fixes it.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Mrz7kN]

I am not an expert at any of this streaming technology, but are there any apps other then WiiM or Arylic that we can use to browse and play music on t

Yes. You may want to try BubbleUpnp (Android only) or MConnect. Both have light versions in place to try before buy.

 

[Hollywood]

Yes. You may want to try BubbleUpnp (Android only) or MConnect. Both have light versions in place to try before buy.

Thanks! I was just outside and wanted to show my neighbor my music server app. Of course it was stuck on "Search your Media Server". I tried rebooting (powering) the Pro, then my router, then holding the play button on the front of the Pro. It took awhile, and I got it back working, but as I said, I don't know what causes it to not connect or what fixes it.

I did try both of the apps you mentioned. Both "rendered" to the WiiM. I will have to see how they do the next time the WiiM has connection issues to rule out router or phone issues, OR the app.

Thanks for your reply!!

 

[Hollywood]

Yes. You may want to try BubbleUpnp (Android only) or MConnect. Both have light versions in place to try before buy.

I found a few more apps that appear to do what I want. MediaMonkey and Hi-Fi Cast, both are nice apps. Also a few others too. A question though, with the WiiM app I know the music is coming from my network drive and I am just selecting content and controlling it from the WiiM Android app. Just to be sure, while using your two suggestion apps or the two I listed, is that the same thing or is the music sent to the Android phone or tablet and then resent to the Wiim? It appears the key in search is "UPnP".

Also, when the router doesn't lose connection the WiiM is actually not that bad. I like that the Player screen besides the track progress also has a Volume slider. That is a nice touch I didn't see in the other apps.

 

[Mrz7kN]

I dont know for the apps you mentioned, but for the ones I did, your phone/tablet will not pass the physical stream. Its more like a remote and queue handling. Totally different as compared to e.g. airplay, where the streaming is done to your phone/tablet and then again from there to the airplay-device. Thats why I prefer Upnp much more as compared to airplay.

 

[simbun]

3. When you press Home Music Share it has you choose your Router and "Browse, Music, Pictures, Video". Most users will only have one router, so it would be better to, after you press "Home Music Share" it skips asking for Router and "Browse, Music, Pictures, Video", and goes directly to the Music screen. The Music screen has Artists, Albums, etc. You could put a button on that screen for the other Pictures, Videos, etc options. Basically most users will use this to stream music and it would be nice to just press Home Music Share and go right to being able to search your library.

In Hi-Fi Cast you can define the level you want to start browsing in:
Music Sources > UPNP/DLNA > Server Settings: Top Level Music Folder.

Also, when the router doesn't lose connection the WiiM is actually not that bad. I like that the Player screen besides the track progress also has a Volume slider. That is a nice touch I didn't see in the other apps.

Maybe it's because you just don't know what's possible with a decent UPnP server and control point but the WiiM app really is that bad, both visually and functionally.

You can also add volume sliders by
Hi-Fi Cast - Settings > Now Playing: Volume Controls
BubbleUPnP - Settings > Now Playing: Show Volume Control

I use BubbleUPnP as I've found it the most reliable and feature complete. My recommended settings are:

• More > Settings > Library:
  • Enable 'Track number'
  • Whilst you're here you can also disable (if you're not going to use them) from the 'Virtual folders' section:
    • Bookmarks
    • Saved playlists
    • Recently Played
    • Random tracks/Random albums
• More > Settings > Local and Cloud:
  • Disable 'Enable Local and Cloud Library' (Functionality to allow you to access not only local files, but also Qobuz, TIDAL, SMB Shares, personal cloud storage e.t.c)
• More > Settings > Local Renderer:
  • Disable 'Allow remote control'
• More > Settings > Look and feel:
  • Enable 'Show Devices tab'
  • Change 'Side menu icon location' to 'Top bar'

Finally on the devices tab, select the vertical ellipis next to the WiiM renderer, select Settings and enable 'Gapless control'.

I do also have Hi-Fi Cast as I slightly prefer it's look.

If you keep having discovery issues you could also try checking your IGMP Snooping/Proxy settings as I described here.

 

[Brantome]

Personally, I think your view of the WiiM home app as a upnp client will depend very much on your expectations, how you listen to music and what music server software you use. I prefer not to use the often feature sparse NAS default media servers, but variously use Minimserver or AssetUpNp on my NAS and for my playing of playlists and the occasional non-gapless album, the WiiM app is fine. Yes, I would like it if it had an alphabetic index of artists etc, but AssetUPNp does offer some optimization of that by offering abc,def, ghi type menus that aid navigation of long lists. I don’t often interact once I start playback, so queue management isn’t something I bother with.

Re 2., you can use the music services, you can use the Manage button on the Browse page to toggle off those services you don’t use or don’t want to see on the main page.

Re 3, the WiiM app needs to scan your network for available services each time you select the Home Music Share screen even if you only have one, and once you select your service (not router btw), what you see if largely down to how that service is configured and not really up to the WiiM app.

 

[goodmore]

I was listening to my Pro last night using my Android phone. Using the Amazon app and casting it suddenly went silent about five songs in. I had to reboot the Pro so the phone could see it again. So I figured I'll switch to the Wiim app. BOOM! Same thing happened. I had to unplug the Pro again. I never really had an issue before. But last night it was buggy. Very buggy. I hope it was a one off night. I will not tolerate this for long.

 

[Brantome]

I was listening to my Pro last night using my Android phone. Using the Amazon app and casting it suddenly went silent about five songs in. I had to reboot the Pro so the phone could see it again. So I figured I'll switch to the Wiim app. BOOM! Same thing happened. I had to unplug the Pro again. I never really had an issue before. But last night it was buggy. Very buggy. I hope it was a one off night. I will not tolerate this for long.

Did you submit a ticket thru the feedback section in the WiiM app so that WiiM support have the opportunity to perhaps diagnose the issue? Just commenting here in a random thread won’t bring it to their notice. Thanks.

 

[simbun]

I prefer not to use the often feature sparse NAS default media servers, but variously use Minimserver or AssetUpNp on my NAS and for my playing of playlists and the occasional non-gapless album, the WiiM app is fine.

Out of interest why did you specify non-gapless albums? Gapless playback is actually better using the WiiM app than any other, I'm assuming because it's not actually using UPnP internally, OpenHome maybe, but probably something different entirely.

 

[Brantome]

Just because it’s often the lack of gapless support is the bête noire of many who post here…

 

[Hollywood]

In Hi-Fi Cast you can define the level you want to start browsing in:
Music Sources > UPNP/DLNA > Server Settings: Top Level Music Folder.


Maybe it's because you just don't know what's possible with a decent UPnP server and control point but the WiiM app really is that bad, both visually and functionally.

You can also add volume sliders by
Hi-Fi Cast - Settings > Now Playing: Volume Controls
BubbleUPnP - Settings > Now Playing: Show Volume Control

I use BubbleUPnP as I've found it the most reliable and feature complete. My recommended settings are:

• More > Settings > Library:
  • Enable 'Track number'
  • Whilst you're here you can also disable (if you're not going to use them) from the 'Virtual folders' section:
    • Bookmarks
    • Saved playlists
    • Recently Played
    • Random tracks/Random albums
• More > Settings > Local and Cloud:
  • Disable 'Enable Local and Cloud Library' (Functionality to allow you to access not only local files, but also Qobuz, TIDAL, SMB Shares, personal cloud storage e.t.c)
• More > Settings > Local Renderer:
  • Disable 'Allow remote control'
• More > Settings > Look and feel:
  • Enable 'Show Devices tab'
  • Change 'Side menu icon location' to 'Top bar'

Finally on the devices tab, select the vertical ellipis next to the WiiM renderer, select Settings and enable 'Gapless control'.

I do also have Hi-Fi Cast as I slightly prefer it's look.

If you keep having discovery issues you could also try checking your IGMP Snooping/Proxy settings as I described here.

Thank you so much! I was just going to post about my latest adventure and see these replies. I didn't get any notification emails. I'm glad I didn't miss this!!

 

[Hollywood]

I was listening to my Pro last night using my Android phone. Using the Amazon app and casting it suddenly went silent about five songs in. I had to reboot the Pro so the phone could see it again. So I figured I'll switch to the Wiim app. BOOM! Same thing happened. I had to unplug the Pro again. I never really had an issue before. But last night it was buggy. Very buggy. I hope it was a one off night. I will not tolerate this for long.

I still don't know the source of all of the problems, but I suspect it may be a router issue. I have another router that I will just use as the NAS media server and see if that helps.

 

[Hollywood]

You can also add volume sliders by
Hi-Fi Cast - Settings > Now Playing: Volume Controls
BubbleUPnP - Settings > Now Playing: Show Volume Control

Those settings are BIG! I will 'digest" your other suggestions soon too. I purchased Bubble and MediaMonkey. I am thinking about buying Hi-Fi Cast also. I can't find a Volume Control setting on MediaMonkey, but otherwise I really like that app.

Thanks for your replies and clear detailed instructions!

 

[simbun]

You don't have to buy them all!
The next natural step would be to upgrade your music server so you have more control over how the music is presented, but that can be a slippery slope (for your free time if you're as OCD as I am).

 

[Hollywood]

You don't have to buy them all!
The next natural step would be to upgrade your music server so you have more control over how the music is presented, but that can be a slippery slope (for your free time if you're as OCD as I am).

The 3 apps were cheap enough. They all have something I like and all lack something. Some have an EQ, others don't. One didn't have a volume control. Some were easier to scroll long lists then others, some looked better then others.

Previously I had a few old smart phones I used as Bluetooth streamers. Some had a smaller mSD with not a complete library. This concept of an SSD on a router being a music server works for my needs.

I am getting old enough that I forget what input some of my stereos need to be on or how something is hooked up. Hopefully installing these streamers will refresh everything and make it more consistent to use.

 

[Hollywood]

Just a quick update. I have 2 extra routers that I was using for my VPN, both plugged into the main router. I repurposed one as a dedicated music server. I plugged in the USB SSD and basically did a factory reset. All 3 routers are Asus AX models, but my main router has a lot of connections and video streaming traffic, so maybe all of that traffic caused issues?

About the same time there was also a WiiM update, so I don't know what solved my issues, but everything is working flawlessly now.

As I wrote above I tried 3 different 3rd party Android apps. They all brought something to the table, but none had every feature I want. I find myself using the WiiM app as the primary app. I wrote some suggestions above and I hope WiiM continues to improve it.

So far I have 3 Pro's and a Mini. Two of my systems are home entertainment centers (audio/video), but my living room is stereo only. I removed the equipment rack, big CD player, and big integrated amp. I replaced the rack and equipment with the WiiM and a Fosi Audio BT20A Pro. It saves so much space! Lots of power from a very small amp! I am also adding 2 more Mini's for the patio and garage.

The concept is great, but it's no good if it doesn't work properly. I'm glad that my issues are worked out.

and to think I did this all on a whim ....Wiim? whatever