Qute + Vortexbox NAS

If I were being facetious, I'd point out that this never happens with a UnitiServe. So it seems that there are some things it really does do better to justify its price. I have loads of compilations, and it would be a nightmare if they were divided into individual tracks.

As to how to fix it, is there a Vortexbox help section on the website?

I have had the odd issue with the tagging and metadata that my Vortexbox assigns to some of the more esoteric and/or boutique CDRs in my collection. I generally just open up MP3Tag on a PC and edit the metadata. It takes very little time and always yields the results I need. Don't forget to rescan your media once you have saved the edited FLACs or the changes won't show up automatically.

I could try the various artists trick. I'm not sure what UPnP server I'm running, just whatever came with the server. I didn't realise it was something you could change.

The problem, I've discovered, is with the N-stream app (and the Qute display) not recognising compilations properly. If I try other apps to play back with (such as PlugPlayer) the compilation tracks are displayed correctly, as an album.

Haven't seen this happen on my Vortexbox (USA model). I do recommend running Bliss on your files, which can sort out the correct file path directory, though best to first assign the discnumber in MP3Tag first. N-stream does mangle a few of my comps despite that. 

The VB I have runs both miniDLNA and Logitech Media Server (LMS). I use LMS (be sure to use the rescan function on LMS when adding new discs) as I found miniDLNA to not play well with n-stream. 

I've never had the slightest problems with VB and NStream using both 'Qute and SU. Perfect bed-fellows in my experience. It does depend on how you prefer your tags and folders in relation to Various Artists and Multi albums I guess. My system works for me just fine.

Interesting, So how do you tag compilation albums so they are viewed as albums in N-Stream?

I'd suggest this is a failure in the metadata extraction at source, as it occasionally happens even with iTunes, J River, etc.  Therefore (facetiousness above duly noted) this could just as easily happen with a Unitiserve, or whatever else.

I have a vortexbox too, but I guess the advantage of a computer rip is the ability to review the metadata in detail before it starts, and spot obvious errors such as non recognition of a compilation album etc.....

Further to my post directly above,

I may have misread the problem.  Is it that the UQ is 'misreading' correct metadata, or that the VB has physically stored the tracks in different folders ?

I'm not sure where the problem lies. All I know is that if I use PlugPlayer app on my iPad, the compilation album displays correctly as an album, as the tags indicate. But on the N-stream app (and the display on the Qute) the tracks are shown individually rather than an album. 

Hi Mischa,

OK, I hope I'm not going off tangent here.  But to take the iTunes analogy, it can occasionally save a compilation album scatter gun style across a folder for each artist.  iTunes in its library/player view is still capable of reading this as a single album, but I can imagine it could cause issues for other players or streamers reading the same file data (even if in theory it shoudn't).

As I'm unfamiliar with the UQ I don't know if it can provide a view of your library by folder.  However I'm sure your computer can.  Just look at the VB folders in explorer under 'Network' (sorry, PC terminology) and see what structure has been created by the VB during the rip.  This may help pinpoint whether metadata has been the root cause, or whether it is a separate server/player interface problem (ie between VB and UQ).  If the latter, I'm afraid I'm ill equipped to advise on a fix, though......

The file structure and the metadata (tagging) are two different things, of course. The file structure (standard VB file structure is album-artist rather than album/artist, though that can be changed). The file structure is what I would expect to see if using 'folders' in NStream. The 'album' or 'artist' lists will use the tags I think. I don't normally use the 'folders' list, but it can be a useful check.

On compilation albums I always use 'Various Artists' for both the folder name, album artist and track artist for each track. I then add the track artist name as part of the track title tag. I use MP3 ta to make the alterations when necessary. Obviously that wouldn't suit someone who wanted to find tracks at an artist level, but I don't do that.

All my albums are stored as folders, so I'm not sure where that leaves me. I'll try the 'Various Artists'  trick.

Everyone's albums are stored as folders, but it's the tags that will be causing the issue I think. The tags will determine how the album, artist and tracks are listed and presented by the UPnP server. I'm not an expert in this by any means, but issues like this usually relate to tags and how your UPnP server works. It may well be that each track has a different 'track artist' tag and that it is causing the effect you describe.

Yes, that is apparent. What is also apparent is that the N-stream recognises tags in a different way than other streaming apps do. So my existing tagging, (same album, same compilation, different artists), N-stream does not recognise as one album, whereas other apps do.

Both Ready DLNA and miniDLNA play fine with nStream providing the music files are properly tagged and the file structure is reasonably consistent.

For ease of use use Bliss with VB.

Tog