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In Reply to: Re: My audiophile music server system posted by ThomasPf on December 10, 2006 at 23:38:41:
Hi Thomas,I'm currently using a Squeezebox but have become increasingly fed up with the SlimServer software. Every release is buggier than the last. Version 6.5 is unusable for me, and that was the straw that broke the camel's back.
I currently have SlimServer installed on a computer with a RAID5 array in my spare bedroom. I use a laptop with a wireless network connection on a table next to my listening chair in the living room. I control SlimServer via the web interface on the laptop in the living room. So there is streaming from the server to the Squeezebox - a wired hop from server to router, and a wireless hop from router to SB.
Here's the configuration I'd like to have. I'm thinking of getting a Linksys wireless music bridge. I'd connect the S/PDIF out to the input of my Benchmark DAC1. I'd like to have server software on the RAID5 computer in the spare bedroom. Then on the living room laptop, I'd like to have a native Windows client app controlling the server in the spare bedroom. So for streaming, I want only one wireless hop - from router to music bridge. I looked at the Jriver site, but their documenmtation of this type of setup is confusing. It appears to be written in the context of using the server to play music on the client that's controlling it. But in my case, there would be three devices involved - the server, the client controlling it, and the wireless music bridge on which the music is played. I want to totally avoid multiple wireless hops here. Can Jriver accomplish this? If so, would I need two licenses (one for server, one for client)?
Follow Ups:
...I will check in the Jriver forums to get further info.
> I want to totally avoid multiple wireless hops here.
> Can Jriver accomplish this?J. River should really document the capabilities of their product more thoroughly. I'll tell you what I have learned and let you decide whether it will do what you want.
There are some powerful capabilities and some limitations in architecture.
- each Media Center 11/12 program can output to more than one soundcard. (Multiple zones.)
- MC 11/12 can output to a uPnP device. So you might be able to output from the music server PC across a wireless network to a uPnP device different part of the house. Check the J. River forum for more on this and for info on specific uPnP devices. (The Linksys device you mention has been discussed as well. I think it takes over all soundcard output so it doen't work with other output devices.)
- The Media Server capability lets one copy of the program have read/write access to the library and other copies of the s/w have read only access. Each copy of MC 11/12 outputs to soundcards or devices connected to it.
- The MC library database is separate from the music files themselves. It can be on a different PC from the music files. (The library should be on the same PC as the copy of MC useing that library. Each copy of MC could have its own library of a common set of music files. A change to one library is not reflected in the libraries on other PCs. Some users run scripts to reconcile multiple libraries.
- You can use a third party program such as Microsoft's Remote Desktop feature in Win XP Pro or VNC to operate one PC from a different PC. You can have the VNC client running on several PCs at the same time all controlling the same server PC. I've tried this using Real VNC and its works fine. You can find discussions of this approach on the J. River forum. I think this might do what you want in connection with a uPnP device.
> If so, would I need two licenses (one for server, one for client)?
Once you get a license, you can use it on all your PCs.
For in depth ansers I would try their forum.The Jriver license covers all machines in your household so you only need one. For what you describe I believe you have a couple of options.
There is an integration package to drive a squeezebox from Media Center directly.
http://www.mail-archive.com/plugins@lists.slimdevices.com/msg07917.html
If you want to use a Linksys you will want to use the UPnP server functionality.
As a control point I just use remote desktop back to my main server machine but I don't know exactly how you would control the playback to the Linksys box so I suggest you ask on thr forum.
What you describe is a pretty common scenario.
Cheers
Thomas
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