Stream from NAS to Mac

[Mr Frog]

I have all my music stored on a QNAP NAS, which also has MinimServer/MinimStreamer installed and MinimWatch installed on my Mac.

I usually play music by streaming from the NAS to the main home hifi.

Just wondered how I could also stream this music to play from the NAS to the Mac - on the occasions that I'm not using the home hifi.

Incidentally, all the music files on the NAS are FLAC and transcode to WAV24 for the main HiFi Naim streamer.

I know that the Mac won't be able to play FLAC files, but presumably I can transcode (MinimStreamer) to a different format (e.g.mp3 or m4a).

I wondered whether there was a Minim product to put on the Mac to access the NAS and play etc

[simoncn]

(04-02-2016 14:09)Mr Frog Wrote:  I have all my music stored on a QNAP NAS, which also has MinimServer/MinimStreamer installed and MinimWatch installed on my Mac.

I usually play music by streaming from the NAS to the main home hifi.

Just wondered how I could also stream this music to play from the NAS to the Mac - on the occasions that I'm not using the home hifi.

Incidentally, all the music files on the NAS are FLAC and transcode to WAV24 for the main HiFi Naim streamer.

I know that the Mac won't be able to play FLAC files, but presumably I can transcode (MinimStreamer) to a different format (e.g.mp3 or m4a).

I wondered whether there was a Minim product to put on the Mac to access the NAS and play etc

You need a UPnP renderer (player) that runs on the Mac. There are some listed in the clients section of this Wikipedia page and there are probably others as well.

You could also investigate ohPlayer from OpenHome (see this page). This is a free open-source UPnP renderer that was released very recently. It implements the OpenHome renderer protocol and can play FLAC files.

[simoncn]

(04-02-2016 16:21)simoncn Wrote:  You could also investigate ohPlayer from OpenHome (see this page). This is a free open-source UPnP renderer that was released very recently. It implements the OpenHome renderer protocol and can play FLAC files.

I just installed ohPlayer (also called OpenHomePlayer) on my Mac and it is working well with WAV and FLAC files.

[Mr Frog]

(04-02-2016 16:47)simoncn Wrote:  

(04-02-2016 16:21)simoncn Wrote:  You could also investigate ohPlayer from OpenHome (see this page). This is a free open-source UPnP renderer that was released very recently. It implements the OpenHome renderer protocol and can play FLAC files.

I just installed ohPlayer (also called OpenHomePlayer) on my Mac and it is working well with WAV and FLAC files.

Sounds a great solution and the exact answer to my requirement.

Problem is, having installed it on the Mac (OS X El Capitan), the software application simply doesn't open - not sure why

[simoncn]

(04-02-2016 23:48)Mr Frog Wrote:  Sounds a great solution and the exact answer to my requirement.

Problem is, having installed it on the Mac (OS X El Capitan), the software application simply doesn't open - not sure why

I am still on Yosemite. It sounds like I should stay there a little longer.

The program doesn't open in the usual way. It displays a small 'O' icon toward the right of the menu bar. You need to look quite carefully to spot this.

[bubbleguuum]

(04-02-2016 23:48)Mr Frog Wrote:  Problem is, having installed it on the Mac (OS X El Capitan), the software application simply doesn't open - not sure why

Likely this issue, easy to workaround.

[Mr Frog]

(04-02-2016 23:58)bubbleguuum Wrote:  

(04-02-2016 23:48)Mr Frog Wrote:  Problem is, having installed it on the Mac (OS X El Capitan), the software application simply doesn't open - not sure why

Likely this issue, easy to workaround.

You are absolutely right! Thanks so much for your help and assistance.

I changed the name of the MacBook Pro to something with less than 20 characters and like magic, the application opened and displayed on the top menu bar - fantastic .... but ........ Linn Kazoo can't find the MacBook (it's on) and is constantly "Searching for room"

I also have Linn Kinsky installed on the Mac and that now works perfectly with the OpenHome Player. Superb!

Obviously Kazoo would be preferable because it has the search facility.

Any suggestions as to how to get Kazoo to locate the Mac (find room)?

[Mr Frog]

(05-02-2016 21:15)Mr Frog Wrote:  

(04-02-2016 23:58)bubbleguuum Wrote:  

(04-02-2016 23:48)Mr Frog Wrote:  Problem is, having installed it on the Mac (OS X El Capitan), the software application simply doesn't open - not sure why

Likely this issue, easy to workaround.

You are absolutely right! Thanks so much for your help and assistance.

I changed the name of the MacBook Pro to something with less than 20 characters and like magic, the application opened and displayed on the top menu bar - fantastic .... but ........ Linn Kazoo can't find the MacBook (it's on) and is constantly "Searching for room"

I also have Linn Kinsky installed on the Mac and that now works perfectly with the OpenHome Player. Superb!

Obviously Kazoo would be preferable because it has the search facility.

Any suggestions as to how to get Kazoo to locate the Mac (find room)?

All sorted!!!!!

Appears that Kazoo was still only recognising the "room" re the Naim Streamer and was searching for 'other rooms'.

By ignoring the apparent endless wait to locate the MacBook 'room', I simply clicked on the Naim 'room' and Kazoo produced a drop down box - which miraculously displayed my Mac 'room' - selected and sorted!

Probably a bug in Kazoo, which seems to endlessly search, even though it's actually already found it, but not indicated so! (e.g. "new room found", or in my case ... "MacBook found" etc)

Everything is now working perfectly, with FLAC files on the NAS being transcoded to WAV and streamed to my MacBook using MinimServer/MinimStreamer and playing via OpenHomePlayer/Linn Kazoo .... Brilliant!!

Thanks Simon for a fantastic product and support (as always) and also to bubbleguuum (advice re the 20 character Mac name etc)

Now, is there something similar that I can setup on my iPhone and iPad to play the FLAC files (transcoded to WAV) stored on my NAS (MinimServer/Streamer)?

[simoncn]

I have the following on my iPad:

8player lite
mconnectFree
MediaConnect

Each of these is a combined control point (browse and select music) and renderer (play music on the iPad).

[Mr Frog]

(06-02-2016 08:39)simoncn Wrote:  I have the following on my iPad:

8player lite
mconnectFree
MediaConnect

Each of these is a combined control point (browse and select music) and renderer (play music on the iPad).

Thanks Simon - really appreciate your expertise