UPNP for Dell Windows 7 Laptop

J River Media Center.  Best Media Player I've used. Flawless UPNP server that takes no effort.

-patrick

Windows 7 is said to have a UPNP server capability, probably in WMP. Haven’t tried it myself, putting off the move to 7 as long as possible.

Peter

Apparently Steve Jobs asked Microsoft if they had any ideas that would make OS X look even better value for money. The Microsoft boffins went away for a year and a day and then released Windows 7. (Apologies, but I read it on a Corn Flakes box and assumed it must be true). 

I have to use it for work and can't get on with it all. Still if your version, unlike mine does not report an application cannot run because of missing DLL and then three minutes later runs that very application without apparent problem then the J River product Patrick recommends is really very good. 

Though if you are dedicating your Dell to music servering then you want to consider installing Vortexbox on it - advantage is it works like a dream (at least on the Sony Vaio I loaded it on), but the downside is your computer becomes dedicated to one task. 

think of a Porsche with the engineerng panache of an Austin Princess = Windows 7 

Tog

Windows 7 does include a UPnP server but it doesn't support 'non-Windows' file formats such as FLAC.  I use Twonky and find it a very solid product with excellent support.

I have never had one issue with running JRMC at all.  What is a DLL?

patrick, I had purchased JRMC a while ago upon your recommendation. It is really a very good media player for playing media on your computer. However, I have not managed to use it as UPnP control point to stream files to my music system. The help section mentions a UPnP plug-in, but I can not locate it. Can you give me a hint?

The good news is that you can try different UPnP solutions for a limited period for free

In addition, to J River I would also consider Asset. You could always ask Naim for a formal recommendation!

Something or other it seems to need and loses and wishes to boast about in a little pop-up window or perhaps it just does it to frustrate and annoy me.  

Still I saw this quote on a wall 

I'm a Mac and Windows 7 was my idea - S.J 

I just think it is a shame that folks write for a proprietary platform rather than using open source so we can all share in the fun, but it is up to them if I can't run their programs then I can't. I've given up on UPnP on my Apple Music Server though it works fine through the V-Link into the Naim UQ and the Sonus finds my music no problem. So it looks like moving my files to a Vortex.

One thing I agree on Patrick is I can't understand why iTunes doesn't support FLAC.  I mean it supports WAV which I've never seen the point of when you can use Amiga Interchange File Format (AIFF), so why not FLAC? 

All the best, Guy 

To be fair, WMP does not support FLAC either out of the box. Apple and Microsoft are both proprietary and will thus understandably push their own agendas.

Would anyone care to explain how this sort of stuff works?  I googled Twonky (because it seemed a 'simpler' thing to search on).  I assume I'd need to buy TwonkyManager - and this would need to be installed on my laptop.  How does this interact with iTunes?  Would it replace it?  Would I need to keep a separate copy of the files for Twonky to recognise?

How would this be further complicted by a NAS?  I've got one, but I still haven't succeeded in getting it working - mostly because I haven't had much time to devote to it.  I don't seem to be able to copy files to it with any level of success.  I'll have to see if I can do so with normal, non-music files.

Thanks for bearing with me on this.

Gavin

You don't need a separate copy of your iTunes files for Twonky - it will "see" your existing files and make them available on the Qute.  Your NAS will be a separate music repository and I think you'll end up having to switch between the two using the UPnP menu on the Qute.

Aysil,

it couldn't be easier.  There is no plug-in.  JRMC has a built in server/renderer.  It may be called DLNA Server (if you dont see "UPNP")

Go to Option>Network

Depending on if you are running MC15 or MC16, it will vary slightly.  I think you only need to tick the box for "Server".  On MC15 there are three boxes to tick if memory serves.

You will then see the server in your start bar "dock", and all UPNP control points and renderers will see both a server and renderer in J River.

Deeper settings in the same area will allow for transcoding, converting etc...  Also how it will handle streaming video and pictures (if you want to do that in addition to music).

You can also ask for the Server (or the entire media center), to start when the PC boots.  I do this.  If my PC is on, the server is running.

I set up two different servers.  One called "Naim", the other called "Remote".  I have "Naim" set-up to never transcode.  The "Remote" server is set-up to transcode to medium bandwidth MP3 for streaming to Plug Player over 3G when away from home.  This F-ing rules.  I can stream to my iPhone in the car, or to my obsolete iPhone 3 at the office.  Or to any other instance of J River running anywhere!!!

Inside PlugPlayer or eLyric, or whatever control point you want to use, you will see J river as a server and a renderer. 

Setting up either to stream remotely is a little more complicated from the PlugPlayer side, but not difficult.  You just need your actual IP address (not your local address), for the Base URL Override.

Lastly, J River also has a "Library Server" for connecting up multiple J Rivers throughout your home, and also have there own web browser option "Web Remote" for control on anything with a browser on your network.  Also they have "WebPlay" which approximates what PlugpLayer does streaming remotely.  This is a little buggy though as it runs through Quicktime in Safari on the iPhone, so I never use it.  Plug Player is much better for remote serving.

I would be more than happy to help you with anything you need.  Fire off questions, and if best we can take it to email.  But maybe others are interested in server options for their NDX, Qute Uniti etc....

have a good one!

Patrick

Regarding Windows Media Player and .Flac, the Flac format is not natively supported but one can find freeware that get them to work together. I was successful on my machine.

Patrick,

Many thanks for the detailed explanations on JRiver! I am sorry I could not respond earlier; I was travelling.

Upon my return, I did, as you explain, tick the relevant boxes in options. As yet, none of the control points have detected the new server. I don't know what is missing. I will try again tomorrow. From your explanations, I understand that it does not incorporate a control point of its own. A separate control point is necessary.