How does the suffle mode work on the Uniti?

Posted by: Alamanka on 10 November 2010

I would be curious to get more details on how the shuffle mode work when used with UPNP on the NaimUniti.

I am using the NaimUniti with TwonkyMedia as UPNP server.

The tree presented by the server is by folder, looking like this:

Folder
-Classical
-Country
-Jazz
-etc...

Then under each folder there is one folder per composer or artist
-Classical
--Beethoven
---Symphony 1
---Symphony 2

When I select "Folder" (root of the tree) and press "Play" button in order to play randomly through the entire collection, here is what I notice:

a) The first piece played is always the first movement of the first symphony of Beethoven, in other words, the "first" file found in the tree.

b) The next pieces played seem to be always among the most recently added files

So it seems that shuffle mode is not starting immediately but only take effect AFTER the first piece is played.

Then, starting with the second piece, the random choice seems to occur within a subset of files, starting with the most recent.

Does this match other people's observations?
Posted on: 10 November 2010 by David Dever
Bigger question - is the shuffled playlist generated by the Uniti or by the UPnP server?
Posted on: 10 November 2010 by Alamanka
quote:
Originally posted by David Dever:
Bigger question - is the shuffled playlist generated by the Uniti or by the UPnP server?


For the shufffled play of a CD, it has to be done by the Uniti.
So I was thinking it is the same for UPNP...but you are right, maybe the Uniti is relying on the server to create the shuffled list.
Posted on: 10 November 2010 by Tonkis Q
Does the shuffle mode access all albums in the collection at every choise or is it just a part of the collctions that's included? After a time there could be a new part of the collection that work as shuffle input.

I don't get the feeling that all tracks are input for every new choise..
Posted on: 11 November 2010 by Tom_W
Alamanka,
As far as I know the shuffle is initiated by the Uniti (probably based on the list of available tracks provided by the UPnP server).
you are right though, shuffle will start after the first track it plays. If you want it to start on a different track, press list button on the Uniti, scroll down and play whichever track you want it to commence on. It will then play the next track randomly.

Tonkis nr2,
In my setup, (using Foobar UPnP) the Uniti will only shuffle tracks in the same folder. So in the example above it will only shuffle Symphony 1, and Symphony 2 within the Beethoven folder. If I want it to shuffle all my tracks I choose 'Songs' category shown in the media library, because the songs are not shown in sub-folders. I think this will vary depending on how your UPnP server 'serves' the music library to the Uniti (e.g. if it uses sub-folders or not).

If new albums are added to your collection, they may not show up immediately to the Uniti, but should refresh if you have switched inputs, or restarted your server, or switched the Uniti off since you last looked. Again, I think this behaviour may vary depending on your particular setup. Is this what you mean? Maybe others have different experiences?

Tom
Posted on: 12 November 2010 by Alamanka
Reformulating the question:

a) does the shuffle mode relies on a shuffled list?

b) does the shuffle mode relies on a random choice every time a new track is played?

Assuming the user is playing in shuffled mode the entire collection (root folder, or flat list of tracks) does the Uniti considers
- the entire collection?
- a subset of the collection?

My own subjective impression: the shuffle mode works based on subsets of the collection: not every track has the same probability of being played.
Posted on: 22 May 2011 by JeanChris

Hello,

 

Interesting topic.

 

I saw almost the same thing using Asset UPnP.

The Uniti start the first track, go on another one randomly... but after some tracks, it always play the same (saw with a 122 tracks "folder").

Second thing : the "random" order is ALWAYS the same for a same album.

 

I think, definitively, random play through UPnP is not perfect if not buggy