New Unitiqute user advice?

Posted by: Johnny1976 on 26 January 2015

Hi all,

 

I have just taken delivery of my UnitiQute (Mki 192 version), so far I am delighted with it (it replaced my prior MacMini-->Arcam Dac-->Primare A30 setup)

 

I have gotten everything setup so far, but am awaiting deliverly of my rs232 adapter in order to update the Firmware and use the App, so I am still in the "remote control only" domain when it comes to usage of the unit!

 

I've currently got two powerpc based macs which I can configure as UPnP servers (my macmini and my imac) and both are serving up great sounding tunes via EyeConnect....

 

The UPnP feature was the main attraction of this unit over the likes of a NAD D7050 as it will be situated in the drawing room, and for SWMBO, one subtle box is a huge win!

 

I have been trawling through the posts on here to get forewarned of potential issues and to ensure I'm optimised in my setup, but a lot of the discussions in this area date back to a couple of years ago.

 

Just wondering if the lay of the land has changed significantly with the new firmware/app? Or do most of the caveats apply still (what worries me most is the potential artwork foibles with Mac and connection instability)

 

I'm also wondering if file structure in the folder containing my ALAC files is important when I begin using the App, as it stands now navigation of the current structure using the remote control and UnitiQute display is sub-optimal! I'm also occasionally getting connection issues via UPnP but I have that chalked up to the antiquity of the hardware involved!!

 

Apologies if I have completely missed a FAQ or sticky which addresses these questions, but I think I've done a fairly comprehensive search! 

 

Many thanks in advance

 

Johnny

 

Currently--

imac G5 (powerpc) with EyeConnect --> Airport Extreme via Ethernet-->UnitiQute via ethernet

Posted on: 28 January 2015 by Johnny1976
Hi Chris,

Yes; I acces my cable/DSL modem via a web browser (Technicolor Tc7200 : UPC is my ISP) however they have disabled a lot of functionality in the custom firmware. I can assign static IPs via each device and the MAC address shows up in the register on the browser but each device can't connect to the Internet...,
Posted on: 28 January 2015 by ChrisSU

I couldn't get a stable connection until I gave my NAS (Unitiserve) a fixed IP address, but others get on OK leaving their NAS on DHCP. Looks like the only way you'd be able to fix yours would be by replacing your ISP router - so I'd only do this as a last resort.

Posted on: 28 January 2015 by Phil Harris

It is always possible to set fixed IP addresses on devices - this is not a function of a router - however you really do need to know the basics of what you are doing as otherwise you can start assigning static IP addresses incorrectly and end up creating far more issues.

 

There should be no need to set static IP addresses on streamers and there should be no need to manually add devices to the app however *IF* the router is not allowing autodiscovery then assigning a static IP address to (or reserving a DHCP address on your router for) a streamer and then manually adding a device to the app will allow the app to overcome this limitation of the router.

 

As always it is preferable to actually get the infrastructure that the kit is working on reliable and working correctly rather than resorting to setting static IP addresses and manually adding devices to the app if at all possible ... 

 

Phil

Posted on: 28 January 2015 by Johnny1976
Originally Posted by Phil Harris:

It is always possible to set fixed IP addresses on devices - this is not a function of a router - however you really do need to know the basics of what you are doing as otherwise you can start assigning static IP addresses incorrectly and end up creating far more issues.

 

There should be no need to set static IP addresses on streamers and there should be no need to manually add devices to the app however *IF* the router is not allowing autodiscovery then assigning a static IP address to (or reserving a DHCP address on your router for) a streamer and then manually adding a device to the app will allow the app to overcome this limitation of the router.

 

As always it is preferable to actually get the infrastructure that the kit is working on reliable and working correctly rather than resorting to setting static IP addresses and manually adding devices to the app if at all possible ... 

 

Phil

Hi Phil,

 

As you say, one issue which I am having, is that my router is not allowing autodiscovery, meaning that once the lease expires, I have to manually add the Qute  in the app again....

 

Using static IPs solved that issue (I wasn't having stability issues per se) but for some reason my ISP doesn't allow static IPs to connect to the Internet, only each other!) I'm trying to see if I can get a really long lease time setup for DHCP which would be a useful workaround!

 

Of course now, my new problem is that the only rs232 cable I could get my hands on won't communicate with the Qute to upgrade the software, it was bought as a PL2303 chip, but appears in fact to be a CH340/CH341

 

I'm loving the Qute, but Vinyl was much simpler!

 

Johnny

Posted on: 28 January 2015 by Phil Harris
Originally Posted by Johnny1976:

 

Hi Phil,

 

As you say, one issue which I am having, is that my router is not allowing autodiscovery, meaning that once the lease expires, I have to manually add the Qute  in the app again....

 

Using static IPs solved that issue (I wasn't having stability issues per se) but for some reason my ISP doesn't allow static IPs to connect to the Internet, only each other!) I'm trying to see if I can get a really long lease time setup for DHCP which would be a useful workaround!

 

Of course now, my new problem is that the only rs232 cable I could get my hands on won't communicate with the Qute to upgrade the software, it was bought as a PL2303 chip, but appears in fact to be a CH340/CH341

 

I'm loving the Qute, but Vinyl was much simpler!

 

Johnny

 

 

Hi Johnny,

 

Something here doesn't ring quite right ... an ISP will allocate you an external 'public' IP address but behind the router what you do with your private IP address range is completely up to you and as long as you have your static IP address on a device set correctly (in the same subnet as your router and not in the DHCP range) along with the Gateway (should be the IP address of your router), subnet mask (usually but not always 255.255.255.0) and DNS values (I usually use Googles DNS servers at 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) then your router *SHOULD* route traffic from it out to the outside world ... I've not come across a router yet that won't do this.

 

If your router really doesn't allow you to set static IP addresses and route data from those devices to the outside world then it has no right being called a router as it isn't doing routing!

 

Cheers

 

Phil

Posted on: 29 January 2015 by Johnny1976

By all accounts, from having seen people venting on separate forums here in Ireland, UPC has a tendency to cripple functionality on their residential (as to opposed to business accoutn holder) units, I can only assume its to limit the scope for Tech Support!

I know that I can't for example set the router to bridge mode and let my airport extreme handle DHCP....

 

I don't particularly mind having to add the Qute to the app now and again....

 

If I don't get the artwork sorted though I'll tear my hair out!!!

 

--- I can see a NAS looming on the horizon....!!!

 

Johnny

Posted on: 29 January 2015 by Phil Harris
Originally Posted by Johnny1976:

 

By all accounts, from having seen people venting on separate forums here in Ireland, UPC has a tendency to cripple functionality on their residential (as to opposed to business accoutn holder) units, I can only assume its to limit the scope for Tech Support!

 

 

 

OK but routing between devices on the LAN to the WAN is part of a routers basic functionality ... I honestly can't believe that they would cripple a router to that extent (or even see why they would - it's not a support issue).

 

 

Originally Posted by Johnny1976:

 

I know that I can't for example set the router to bridge mode and let my airport extreme handle DHCP....

 

 

OK - That's fair enough ... most routers probably don't have that functionality either but that shouldn't stop you using another router 'inside' theirs (set to a different non-routable range).

 

 

Originally Posted by Johnny1976:

 

I don't particularly mind having to add the Qute to the app now and again....

 

 

 OK but remember that this is indicative of an underlying issue with your network ...

 

Originally Posted by Johnny1976:

 

If I don't get the artwork sorted though I'll tear my hair out!!!

 

 

If the UPnP server doles out artwork then we display it - so I'd suggest looking at the UPnP server requirements for cover art and check to see where the issue is with another UPnP Browsing application such as UPnP browser or PlugPlayer...

 

Originally Posted by Johnny1976:

 

--- I can see a NAS looming on the horizon....!!!

 

 

 ...but remember that won't help if your actual files are maybe not tagged correctly and most NAS UPnP servers are moderately shonky.

 

Asset UPnP is about as reliable as it gets out there (sorry to all you lovers of other UPnP servers but that's our experience here seeing the issues that do get reported) and it can be popped onto a QNAP NAS but just throwing in a NAS without understanding what the root cause of the problem is not an effective way of solving the problem.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

Posted on: 30 January 2015 by Johnny1976
 

If the UPnP server doles out artwork then we display it - so I'd suggest looking at the UPnP server requirements for cover art and check to see where the issue is with another UPnP Browsing application such as UPnP browser or PlugPlayer...

 

Originally Posted by Johnny1976:

 

--- I can see a NAS looming on the horizon....!!!

 

 

 ...but remember that won't help if your actual files are maybe not tagged correctly and most NAS UPnP servers aremoderately shonky.

 

Asset UPnP is about as reliable as it gets out there (sorry to all you lovers of other UPnP servers but that's our experience here seeing the issues that do get reported) and it can be popped onto a QNAP NAS but just throwing in a NAS without understanding what the root cause of the problem is not an effective way of solving the problem.

 

Cheers

 

Phil

 

Many thanks Phil....

 

This Streaming is all new to me, (having directly conected the macmini to the DAC previously) and everyone here has been a great help so far....

 

I was thinking NAS as it would appear that a PowerPC rather than intel based Mac Media Server is a fundamentallly flawed solution (being limited ,as far as my research to date has yielded, to Elgato EyeConnect) as artwork is an important feature for me

 

Should I consider a small form factor pc running nothing but asset as a more optimal solution?

 

Johnny

 

ps love this... moderately shonky.

Posted on: 30 January 2015 by Bart
Originally Posted by Johnny1976:
 Should I consider a small form factor pc running nothing but asset as a more optimal solution?

 

Johnny, much has been written about the choice of server hardware here.  Many do very well with a nas; such is much more plug-and-play and a better choice for those without the technical ability and/or patience to maintain a general purpose computer for this task.  And if you want to run Asset, there are nas boxes from QNAP that employ Celeron cpu's; Asset runs on them I'm pretty sure. 

 

If you think you'll enjoy dealing with a small form-factor pc, by all means go for it.  There is a price premium we pay for the convenience of a nas and its dedicated os.  Horses for courses I believe is the saying.

Posted on: 02 February 2015 by Johnny1976

Yipes!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So, my supposedly correct USB to RS232 adapter arrived in the post, but couldn't locate a driver that would allow it to function on the Mac, meaning I couldn't locate the UQ

 

This meant I had to try a PC -- borrowed a laptop, and all was hunky dory, driver downlaoded automatically, update commenced, but stalled, over and over.....

 

Dug a little deeper and discovered I had bee sold a dud - chip it turns out was a CH340 and wasnt quick enough to work, from reading other posts on here about bricking when updating failed I wasn't too worried,

 

Borrowed a desktop with Serial Port, everything is connected up, but the updater can't communicate with the UQ.... no lights on ethernet socket to rear....

 

Please tell me I'm missing something obvious!?

 

Johnny