Advantages of using UPNP Server (Asset?) over ReadyDLNA

Gavin, I am afraid I cannot help you with your questions but I would be interested to know why you want to ditch the inbuilt server software of your ReadyNAS. I am currently thinking of purchasing one and it would be useful to know the possible disadvantages. Thanks!

Gavin, I am not familiar with ReadyDLNA, but why do you think that it is not a "proper" server?  Because it came bundled with the nas?  And I highly suspect that Asset will not run on a ReadyNas; the ReadyNas runs some variant of Linux I am quite sure and that won't be compatible with Asset.

Each server system has it's pro's and con's, and I think that those do not fully reveal themselves until you mate them with a player. 

But I understand the desire to learn what else is possible

I think Bart is right that Asset will not be compatible with the OS of ReadyNAS. I just checked from Illustrate web site and if I understood correctly the NAS need to have Windows Home Server in order to run Asset.

But of course Asset can be installed into a separate PC (or laptop) and use the NAS only as a storage.

Thanks, both.

I kind of assumed that since it was pre-installed software that it might be limited in functionality. Perhaps I need to look closer to see how I can configure it - I had the impression that there was just an on or off setting!

This was also partially driven by a comment from Phil in another thread which said that functionality in nStream was driven by what the upnp servers offered - it got me wondering whether a different server would give me more.

The issue of operating systems on the NAS did get me wondering.  So, if I did want to try something else (like Asset), I'd need a PC running?  Well, I think that somewhat defeats the object.  If this the same for other variants of NAS?

Gavin, there is a free trial version of the Asset available (full functionality included). You could try that in order to find out the differences (additional features and/or better performance). 

Gavin

ReadyDLNA is good piece of software that was originally written by a Netgear employee I believe. It works well, but it is very limited in its database features, navigation directories and I seem to remember from when I looked at the code, it only supported LIST INFO meta data on WAV files as opposed to also supporting ID3 tags.

The limited database features does make it a little limited and ungainly for a large CD collection - especially navigation and content searching.

Asset on the other hand  has extensive customisable navigation options, random track/album selection, recent album/track selection etc  so you can split your media as you wish via your controller such as NStream. Asset  allows various naming options and indexing options - such as The Beatles and Beatles appear under the same heading  Asset also allows the use of several on the fly transcode capabilities such as FLAC to WAV.

To get started ReadyDLNA is probably good - but I suspect you will quite quickly want to grow to a more capable server program - especially if you have a largish collection of music - or are chosey on how you wish to set up your music collection.

Simon

Simon, in your view, what's the quietest / simplest "box" on which to run Asset under windows.  I've not kept up with the market on what I used to refer to as 'micro PC boxes' and wonder what is as room-friendly as a nas, but runs Windows.

Hi Bart -

I'll also be interested in Mr. Hood's reply!  

In the meantime, IMO, and assuming the Mac version is now stable and fully featured, it would have to be a Mini!  Otherwise, the only way I know of to achieve something similar in the Wintel world is DIY. The computeraudiophile dot com site has some nice parts lists for building full-fledged music servers. They could be used as a starting point, but then cut way, way back.

Not sure if Mr. Spoon publishes minimum specs for running Asset, but I can't imagine that UPnP serving (even including on-the-fly format conversion) takes much in the way of CPU or memory.

ATB.

Hook

If your ReadyNAS has an Intel or an Arm processor you could try the Minimserver. It is a good UPnP server software, with excellent browse trees.

Bart, Hook, I use a Asus micro server, that is a little headless server running WHS. It's about the size of a large text book. Unfortunately Asus don't make these anymore but appear on eBay occasionally... But I see HP do a selection of Proliant micro servers now.

The key requirement for me is small size, efficiency-barely gets warm, silent-no fans and quiet disk, can run an OS that supports Asset and mount remote NAS's, and it can run headless, be controlled remotely and run for months and months on its own in the background.

Hook, the Asus has a little Atom CPU, and there is no difficulty with Asset transcoding, or parallel transcoding for different renderers in the house; ie wav/flac to mp3 (for wifi renderers) and flac to wav (for Naim). The server also acts as my iOS generic postscript print server for iPhones and iPads.

Simon

The Proliant micro servers are a nice find Simon -- had not seen them before. The HP G7 N54L looks like a good config, but it is more than just an "Asset appliance". I was imagining a nano-ITX Atom board with an SSD in a Mac Mini-sized enclosure, networked to a separate NAS. The Proliants look more like full-fledged file servers (WHS, up to 4 internal drives, etc.).  Am impressed by their price -- they seem more affordable than a QNAP or Synology NAS.

ATB.

Hook

Hook, I agree although 'micro' they are certainly larger than my Asus, so perhaps you might want to combine with one of your NAS's or even use a NAS backup etc. 

I will look for other micro/nano servers... Of course there is Raspberry Pi that works a dream as a upnp server, and I have got  miniDLNA working well with my NAS's all externally mounted on my Pi... So this is USB powered in the size of a kitchen box of matches... It's a shame Asset is not ported to Linux though...

Simon

I use a Dell Zino micro PC.  These are discontinued now but I managed to get one on eBay, new but barebones for £60.  I just had to add ram, a CD and hard drive. These PC's are Mac mini in size in a nice gloss black finish.  Attractive small and quiet.

It runs an Atom processor and copes well even with the base operating system I have put on it, Windows Server 2012 foundation edition (we are Microsoft Partners).

Runs well with Asset.  I have also put dbPoweramp on it which will automatically rip a CD and tag it a la Unitiserve with the batch ripper software enabled.  This works well but the low spec processor does make the encoding quite slow so I tend to use my desktop mainly.

If you add a syncronisation program like Syncback to the mix you can have a backup mirror which works instantly.  I do this to my main NAS drive (a ReadyNas) so regardless of where I rip to the folder structure always matches.

Richard

All things being equal, Hook's Mac Mini suggestion would be easiest for me.  And it's a reasonable price; not CHEAP but not too expensive IMHO.

It seems that HP are offering £100 cash back on some servers - see here: http://www.serversplus.com/microserver_cashback

Which of these would be suitable?  How would it fit in with the NAS?  (Use the NAS as the storage for this to access?)

I'm not sure I'd know which is suitable, and what I'd need to install.  Are they ready to install Asset or would a different OS be required?

It looks like those servers require an operating system.  Windows Server, which they offer as an option, costs 3 times what the server itself costs  

Bart, you are right... I hadn't really looked at prices since WHS was closed to new customers by MS.. The replacement Windows Server 2012 Essentials appears a whopping $400.. The original WHS was about $50.

Soo. The approach I took with WHS can't really be recommended for new deploys... But if you are lucky enough to legitimately 'find' the software MS appear to be supporting it to 2025.

Its makes the Pi option at the cost in total of about $60 with plastic case (plus a lot of your time) look attractive... But you DEFINITElY need to be technically computer/OS/coding savy to do it..  as is the case with many areas, if you don't have the knowledge you pay for it.... And you can understand Naim's rationale for the Uniti Serve.

Simon

Interesting thread - Asset be it on a proprietory solution; RipNas or AssetNas or home baked in self built server solution works well and is very flexible. I've avoided it in the past due to my distaste for Windows Home Server but many find it suits them well and you are unlikely to go far wrong with Mr Spoon's highly regarded software.

I have a lot more experience of ReadyDLNA and in particular its sibling/fork MiniDLNA which forms the UPnP component of the estimable Vortexbox suite. Far from being a pauper's alternative both are solid pieces of software that will run without much attention day after day without complaining. They lack the configurable flexibility of Asset in terms of the transcoding or browse tree but they are compatible with almost everything you throw at them.

An increasingly attractive alternative is MinimServer, a rapidly developing jarva based UPnP server that runs beautifully on a Mac but is also increasingly at home on Unix powered NAS drives. the key here is that it can transcode very effectively to wav24 which to my cloth ears does make a small difference on Naim gear at least. Plex, the simply wonderful media software, is also increasingly able to provide a highly effective solution for UPnP audio with transcoding only a matter of time.

Hope this helps.

Tog

Tog, minimserver looks good, but currently (or when I email/forum exchanged with the author a couple of months ago) it had no metadata support for WAV. I suggested some approaches and examples and I believe he was going to look into supporting ID3 tags in WAV, but I don't know if he has definitely committed to this nor his timeline. Minimserver is not Opensource so it's his choice...

Minimserver also can run on the Pi.

Simon

I've sent an email to the minimserver chap to see whether it'll run on the ReadyNAS duo v1.  It mentions the v2 and other netgear NAS but not specifically the v1.

Given that the v1 and V2 are completely different architectures then I doubt that Minimserver will run on the v1 ... however since the V2 is so much faster than the V1 (mine is about 10x quicker at file transfers on my network than my v1 was) and since it costs about £100 then it has to be a bit of a no-brainer, no? I gave my v1 to my parents at Christmas as a UPnP server for them to use with their Christmas pressie from me.

Phil

Hi Phil,

I have the v1 as backup for the US and a share for Hi Res files. It is very slow, and copying files can fail for this reason.

The v2 is cheap at £100, but am I right in thinking I can't stick my existing disks in it (so I have to buy new ones) and is the fan any quieter?

Keith

Minimserver won't run on v1 as it is incompatible with SPARC processor.  Upgrade to v2 might be possible if my existing disks will just swap in (as per Keith's question).  Anyone know?  It'd be worth doing if the v2 was quieter too.  The v1 fans are a bit on the noisy side (at least where I have mine).

Yes, and Minim serv might be able to use tagging applied by the US. The V1 Readynas can't so you have to use folders if the NDX streams directly from it (which only applies when US is unavailable).