Unable to play FLAC files on NDX

Posted by: EnataiDan on 30 May 2014

Recently acquired and NDX and looking for guidance on why it's not playing FLAC files.

Here's my setup:

NDX running 3.22 firmware
Music currently resides on Win8 pc (sharing files through HomeGroup settings) (will be migrating library to NAS drive shortly)
Controlling with n-Stream version 3.6.7479

Problems experienced:

Using UPnP input, n-Stream shows the folders are empty when I drill down into the HDTrack folders that contain a few files I've purchased (I've read posts that recommend copying the folder into the iTunes music library, but get the same result)
Using USB/iPod Input, I get "Source Err. Press OK To Re-Try". (USB input does work fine with an iPod attached and I'm able to read the FLAC files from the thumb drive on another PC and play them using MusicMonkey)

I am able to play high res AIFF files from HDTrack, just not FLAC files. Before I re-do my CD library on the NAS in the highest resolution, I hoping someone can point me in the right direction to solve this issue.

Thanks,

Dan

Posted on: 30 May 2014 by garyi

FLAC = free, therefore neither apple or MS support it. This is the route of your issues.

If you set up a UPNP server from the nas there should be no issue.

Posted on: 30 May 2014 by hafler3o

Not sure whether this is related in any way to your problem EnataiDan but last week my SuperUniti stopped playing or recognizing flacs. The vast majority of my collection is WAV with a few wma and mp3 rarities. All those would still play but I got the "source err" message (I only stream). Powering off the unit cured it's bizarre behaviour. So far so good...

Posted on: 30 May 2014 by Bart

Dan I'm 99% sure it's a server issue. Have you tried the DLNA server built into Win8? That is separate from HomeGroup, but maybe it's what you're doing. I've not tried it myself and have no idea if it's willing to serve flac files or not.

Moving to a nas is the right way to go. You'll use a different server on the nas, and have a totally different set of issues with it, but playing flac should not be an issue.

Posted on: 30 May 2014 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Dan, I agree with Bert, the NDX is happy with FLAC but the supporting server has got to recognise the FLAC files for it to play them. From how you describe it your UPnP/DLNA server is not finding your FLAC files, which is why NStream its not showing them and therefore why the NDX can't play them.

On your other point, for the most part Apple devices don't recognise FLAC, so again it appears the Apple device is not sending the FLAC file to NDX.

Use a UPnP/DLNA player like Asset/Minimserver etc and they will happily send the FLAC files to the NStream, and allow the NDX to pull the files back from the UPnP server.

Simon

Posted on: 01 June 2014 by EnataiDan

Thanks all for the advice. Have set up the NAS and able to successfully play 192kHz/24bit FLAC files. All I can say is WOW!