WiiM- using streaming services and Synology NAS. Looking for advice on NAS issues.

[Bluedolphin]

I have ditched Sonos and moving to whole house music system with Wiim as the controlling architecture. Probably significant number of people doing this, as WiiM seems like the platform that is cost-effective and most open.

Two broad classes of users: 1) Use streaming services only 2) Use NAS and streaming services

I use NAS and streaming services. Using NAS means more complexity.

My set up:

• Synology DS214 NAS as music file source. Synology has Media Server package installed.

• WiiM Pro on wired network. Output to AV Receiver that supplies ceiling speakers in multiple rooms.

• WiiM Amp in a room that does not have ceiling speakers, driving bookshelf speakers.


I am using WiiM app on Android phone to play music, since I can now link both WiiM hardware to play same music file (or keep them separate to play different music files).

I sometimes use Android apps like BubbleUPnP to access the NAS, but I think in the future that I will simply use the WiiM app, to simplify my life and to take advantage of multi-room control that WiiM app offers….as long as WiiM app browses NAS correctly (not the case right now, compared with BubbleUPnP)

There is a LOT of experience on these boards, and I am hoping others will share their experience and knowledge about a few things;

1) WiiM app on Android— When browsing under "Genre", sort by "Artist" does not work properly on WiiM app, while BubbleUPnP sorts correctly. Not sure what the issue might be, could this also be improved if I use server software like Plex?

2) Does server software like Plex improve speed of browsing and response time when click to play a file?

3) What is best DLNA software for Synology NAS. Plex? Minimserver? Emby?

Criteria: a) easy to set up b) enhances browsing speed and sorts correctly c) Does not break with Synology software updates

I do not need to stream video. Interested only in music streaming.

Any experience would be welcome!

 

[Brantome]

Re 3) Minimserver without a doubt. Have a go with that and see if the browsing and sort order suit you better even with the WiiM Home app.

 

[simbun]

1) WiiM app on Android— When browsing under "Genre", sort by "Artist" does not work properly on WiiM app, while BubbleUPnP sorts correctly. Not sure what the issue might be, could this also be improved if I uses server software like Plex?

Are you browsing the Synology media server? Whilst I don't have a Synology, the WiiM app when browsing MiniDLNA (used in the WiiM Amp) seems to show similar functionality (it doesn't for most). I loaded some albums into MiniDLNA and Default, Track Number and Artist all seem to result in the same order. It must be a bug.

2) Does server software like Plex improve speed of browsing and response time when click to play a file?

With which server are you experiencing delay, and how many files do you have indexed?

3) Plexamp is something I have never tried….does it offer mulit-room control like WiiM or Sonos? If not, not useful in my use case

Plex can do multi-room with Chromecast or PlexAmp endpoints (which WiiM Pro/Amp may offer at some point).

3 What is best DLNA software for Synology NAS. Plex? Minimserver? Emby?

Criteria: a) easy to set up b) enhances browsing speed and sorts correctly c) Does not break with Synology software updates

If you want to use the WiiM Home app then as @Brantome suggests MinimServer is probably the best. The free version covers most cases but if you want more control there's always the licensed version (which is what I use with BubbleUPnP).

Systems like Plex offer a lot more functionality that pure UPnP servers, but for that you'd need to be using the PlexAmp Android app.

 

[ABAstroUK]

I'm using a Synology NAS with the built-in Media Server for DLNA/UPnP. I need to check the functionality as I'm not sure if searching and sorting work as expected (I normally just browse by Album). Streaming works fine over my LAN and never had any problems with this.

 

[Trailer]

I have a Synology NAS with Minimserver installed. The full licence is GBP28 but the renewal after 12 months is GBP10. All works fine for me and you can use Minimserver to transcode your files to a "higher resolution" if you want. In the WiiM app you can sort the album by track number or track title. The only thing I find annoying is when you scroll through your artist list say and you want to select Zero 7 for instance you have to scroll all the way down the list manually if you don't use the search. It would be easier if there was an A-Z option on the side so you could go to tap a letter and go to that letter instantly.

 

[simbun]

The only thing I find annoying is when you scroll through your artist list say and you want to select Zero 7 for instance you have to scroll all the way down the list manually if you don't use the search. It would be easier if there was an A-Z option on the side so you could go to tap a letter and go to that letter instantly.

Is there a reason why you don't have MinimServer group the list for you using the alphaGroup setting? Importantly you can also specify the minimum list size to apply groupings to e.g. don't group if there are less then 150 artists left in the current browsing selection.

 

[Trailer]

Is there a reason why you don't have MinimServer group the list for you using the alphaGroup setting? Importantly you can also specify the minimum list size to apply groupings to e.g. don't group if there are less then 150 artists left in the current browsing selection.

Yes there is a reason. I didn't know that was an option! I've just enabled it and all is well for me now. I had been using the Naim app to play off the server and there was an A-Z option built into the app already. Thank you for the solution.

 

[Bluedolphin]

Re 3) Minimserver without a doubt. Have a go with that and see if the browsing and sort order suit you better even with the WiiM Home app.

Thank you everyone for your replies!

I installed Minimserver and am exploring the (many) options. I think it will be part of my solution going forward.

 

[Bluedolphin]

With which server are you experiencing delay, and how many files do you have indexed?

The Minimserver pretty much eliminated the lags I was experiencing browsing

 

[WiiM Support]

I have ditched Sonos and moving to whole house music system with Wiim as the controlling architecture. Probably significant number of people doing this, as WiiM seems like the platform that is cost-effective and most open.

Two broad classes of users: 1) Use streaming services only 2) Use NAS and streaming services

I use NAS and streaming services. Using NAS means more complexity.

My set up:

• Synology DS214 NAS as music file source. Synology has Media Server package installed.

• WiiM Pro on wired network. Output to AV Receiver that supplies ceiling speakers in multiple rooms.

• WiiM Amp in a room that does not have ceiling speakers, driving bookshelf speakers.


I am using WiiM app on Android phone to play music, since I can now link both WiiM hardware to play same music file (or keep them separate to play different music files).

I sometimes use Android apps like BubbleUPnP to access the NAS, but I think in the future that I will simply use the WiiM app, to simplify my life and to take advantage of multi-room control that WiiM app offers….as long as WiiM app browses NAS correctly (not the case right now, compared with BubbleUPnP)

There is a LOT of experience on these boards, and I am hoping others will share their experience and knowledge about a few things;

1) WiiM app on Android— When browsing under "Genre", sort by "Artist" does not work properly on WiiM app, while BubbleUPnP sorts correctly. Not sure what the issue might be, could this also be improved if I use server software like Plex?

2) Does server software like Plex improve speed of browsing and response time when click to play a file?

3) What is best DLNA software for Synology NAS. Plex? Minimserver? Emby?

Criteria: a) easy to set up b) enhances browsing speed and sorts correctly c) Does not break with Synology software updates

I do not need to stream video. Interested only in music streaming.

Any experience would be welcome!

Hi Bluedolphin,

Thanks for sharing your detailed use case – it's incredibly insightful!

Here's a tip: Load your music library onto a USB disk and plug it into your WiiM Amp's USB port. This transforms your Amp into a media server, eliminating the need for an external NAS and enhancing its performance with the WiiM Home App. Give it a shot and let us know how it works out for you. We're excited to hear your feedback!

 

[Bluedolphin]

Hi Bluedolphin,

Thanks for sharing your detailed use case – it's incredibly insightful!

Here's a tip: Load your music library onto a USB disk and plug it into your WiiM Amp's USB port. This transforms your Amp into a media server, eliminating the need for an external NAS and enhancing its performance with the WiiM Home App. Give it a shot and let us know how it works out for you. We're excited to hear your feedback!

Did not know this was possible! I will probably not use this feature on a routine basis, but I can see how it could be very useful in certain situations.

 

[s3igell]

Hi Bluedolphin,

Thanks for sharing your detailed use case – it's incredibly insightful!

Here's a tip: Load your music library onto a USB disk and plug it into your WiiM Amp's USB port. This transforms your Amp into a media server, eliminating the need for an external NAS and enhancing its performance with the WiiM Home App. Give it a shot and let us know how it works out for you. We're excited to hear your feedback!

This suggestion, however, defeats much of the additional functionality that an actual NAS can offer - multi user access/streaming, remote access/streaming via VPN, resource cataloging, scrobbing, artwork and liner notes, etc

 

[harkpabst]

This suggestion, however, defeats much of the additional functionality that an actual NAS can offer - multi user access/streaming, remote access/streaming via VPN, resource cataloging, scrobbing, artwork and liner notes, etc

OP didn't request any of these features so the reply still makes a lot of sense.

Multi user access is possible, btw. Not sure how well it would deal with a whole family accessing it from different devices at the same time. I tried playing from a USB thumb drive through my WiiM Amp and a different album through my Lyngdorf simultaneously and that worked just fine.