WiiM Pro: Squeezelite Client Beta - Testing Experience

[Brantome]

Please use this thread only to discuss your personal experience with the testing of the Squeezelite Client feature and the beta firmware you requested. This thread should not replace submitting tickets as that route provides WiiM support with the necessary device and app logs to diagnose and hopefully fix any issues.

• Squeezebox FAQ

From what WiiM have already posted:

"We appreciate your ongoing participation as a Beta tester.

If you encounter any issues during the update process or while using this function, please do not hesitate to contact us. Your feedback is invaluable to us.

Thank you for your continued support and contribution to our Beta testing program!"

** 4.8.526553 Squeezelite beta FW released 18Aug23 **

[Latest update on Squeezelite development, 24Aug23]

Dear Team,

I am happy to inform you that we have fixed all reported issues by our Beta users and will release Beta 2 later today. It includes the following fixes:

• Unable to do source switching between squeezelite and CAST
• Incorrect metadata display for squeezelite on the WiiM Home App
• Incorrect playback status for Squeezelite on the WiiM Home App
• Incorrect sample rate for squeezelite

Thank you all once again for your invaluable feedback.

 

[Brantome]

As per the post header, please keep comments on this thread specifically about testing the beta. Some comments (new user) moved . Thx

Edit: signing off for the afternoon. Hopefully you'll have identified all the bugs and quirks by the time I return

 

[onlyoneme]

For sure using one WiiM as the multiple devices in LMS, and switching between them is buggy, especially between chromecast interface and squeezelite.

I know, it's not a common scenario.

 

[Stessull]

Two things noticed up to now. Firstly, with smart cross-fade turned on in LMS I'm getting an audible pop around 5 seconds into the following track regardless of any change in bitrate or sample change. Secondly, there is no control with the WHA as the controls are greyed out, but if you reduce now playing to the tray you can pause and restart.....a bit strange!

 

[d6jg]

Two things noticed up to now. Firstly, with smart cross-fade turned on in LMS I'm getting an audible pop around 5 seconds into the following track regardless of any change in bitrate or sample change. Secondly, there is no control with the WHA as the controls are greyed out, but if you reduce now playing to the tray you can pause and restart.....a bit strange!

Do you have crossfade on or off in WHA settings?

 

[onlyoneme]

Secondly, there is no control with the WHA as the controls are greyed out, but if you reduce now playing to the tray you can pause and restart.....a bit strange!

It's an app issue. Squeezelite client is a kind on new content vendor and the WiiM informs about it using the new "mode" value mapped to this type. WHA is unaware of that, so Android app thinks that it's a DLNA content but iOS app is completely confused.

 

[d6jg]

Beta has appeared



Left image is Material on my iPhone
Right image is WHA on same iPhone

 

[d6jg]

Two things noticed up to now. Firstly, with smart cross-fade turned on in LMS I'm getting an audible pop around 5 seconds into the following track regardless of any change in bitrate or sample change. Secondly, there is no control with the WHA as the controls are greyed out, but if you reduce now playing to the tray you can pause and restart.....a bit strange!

Running a playlist that I know well and that was designed for smart crossfade. No such issue. The crossfade setting in WHA is OFF in my case.

 

[timw99]

Just got access. My issues I experienced with the UPNP plugin are completely fixed. Playback is flawless so far. The controls in the WiiM app don't seem to be working though (they're greyed out). Not sure if this is a Squeezelite limitation or not. There's also no data on the quality of the file being played. These are minor issues though. Good job team!

 

[d6jg]

Just got access. My issues I experienced with the UPNP plugin are completely fixed. Playback is flawless so far. The controls in the WiiM app don't seem to be working though (they're greyed out). Not sure if this is a Squeezelite limitation or not. There's also no data on the quality of the file being played. These are minor issues though. Good job team!

If you control with Material you will see track data.
As the only thing in WHA that isn't in LMS is Amazon you would typically only use WHA to setup device then use Material on your device to control everything.
NB It is easy to install Material in app mode.

 

[Stessull]

Do you have crossfade on or off in WHA settings?

Having now looked, cross-fade is on in WHA but I wouldn't have known without looking as I've never noticed any cross-fading regardless of source.

 

[d6jg]

Having now looked, cross-fade is on in WHA but I wouldn't have known without looking as I've never noticed any cross-fading regardless of source.

If you switch off does the pop at 5 seconds into crossfade disappear?

 

[d6jg]

From an LMS persepective I can't find anything wrong with this at all. I can see that swapping between sources inside WHA is flaky and that the fact controls are greyed out in the WHA is a bit confusing but all in all its good. If you are going to use with LMS you are not going to control with the WHA and very unlikely to change source.

 

[onlyoneme]

I can have issues for any solution

 

[d6jg]

The things that didn't work properly with the UPnPBridge were

Player synchronisation with other native SB players and instances of Squeezelite - now works perfectly
Smart Crossfade - now works perfectly (if Crossfade is OFF in WHA)
Smart Gain - now works perfectly

 

[onlyoneme]

I always had issues with seeking and skipping to another track with UPnPBridge. Native client handles it well.

BTW, even my special "case" with flac and wav in the same queue is fully supported with uninterrupted gapless playback. Does LMS send decoded PCM stream or original one?

 

[d6jg]

I always had issues with seeking and skipping to another track with UPnPBridge. Native client handles it well.

I am not surprised. Its Squeezelite - its been around for years and is very mature as a result.

BTW, even my special "case" with flac and wav in the same queue is fully supported with uninterrupted gapless playback. Does LMS send decoded PCM stream or original one?

I honestly don't know. I have no WAV so never had cause to look deeper but the general principle in LMS is unaltered stream if the player can handle it.

EDIT
This should as good as Roon audio wise (but without the bloated code).

 

[Stessull]

If you switch off does the pop at 5 seconds into crossfade disappear?

Turned off the cross-fade in WHA and all good now. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Stessull]

Turned off the cross-fade in WHA and all good now. Thanks for the tip.

I spoke too soon! I'm still getting the pop sound on some transitions. It doesn't appear to be sample rate dependant.

 

[DryTortuga]

I’ve been using Moode on my Pi’s while I’ve been waiting and hoping for native WiiM squeezelite. In Moode’s case you can “turn off” the player in the LMS interface to release control back to the other Moode functions. I wonder if you can turn off a WiiM squeezelite player to make other source selections less flaky? Looking forward to release… do you think I should ask @Brantome if there’s no chance they’re releasing it for the Mini? The Mini fits on the base of my iPad docking station which is hooked up via USB-c for hi res Apple Music (oh, and a display screen for the WiiM).

 

[Brantome]

I’ve been using Moode on my Pi’s while I’ve been waiting and hoping for native WiiM squeezelite. In Moode’s case you can “turn off” the player in the LMS interface to release control back to the other Moode functions. I wonder if you can turn off a WiiM squeezelite player to make other source selections less flaky? Looking forward to release… do you think I should ask @Brantome if there’s no chance they’re releasing it for the Mini? The Mini fits on the base of my iPad docking station which is hooked up via USB-c for hi res Apple Music (oh, and a display screen for the WiiM).

Been mentioned a few times that they hope to bring Squeezelite and PEQ to the mini