Update from Original Minimserver to Minimserver 2

[Phil A]

A quick question. Was out of the loop at the time of this thread (just got out of the hospital) so I missed some of the stuff. I use Minimserver on my Synology DS716+ with my Lumin U1 in the main system primarily. I do have JRiver on a couple of secondary systems that gets the library from Minimserver on the NAS.

My NAS has prompted me about a Minimserver upgrade in the past week (the rest of the software on the NAS is up-to-date). If I purchase a Minimserver 2 license (just want to be able to use Minimserver and I guess I could play around with installing it on a small fanless Windows 10 PC in one secondary system where the DAC only does 192kHz and I have files above that - for now I have JRiver on it transcoding files or I have an Oppo 103D in the system where I can play everything up to single rate DSD via the network) will I need to do anything additional or upon start-up of my Lumin App on my iPad will I just continue to be able to use it as I did the day before?

Everything works great now (and have been using it for over 4 years). I just helped a friend install Minimserver on his Synology NAS a month or so ago and he gets the same prompt on his Synology. So he's in the same boat (and not registered here - so he's waiting for me). Thanks

[simoncn]

Upgrading should be very simple and the upgraded version should work just as it did before as long as you follow the upgrade steps carefully and in the right order.

The upgrade steps for Synology have changed recently because MinimServer 2 is now available in the Synology Package Center. I will make new instructions for the upgrade available on the MinimServer website tomorrow and I will post here when I have done this.

[simoncn]

The new instructions for upgrading/installing are now available in this section. You might also find some of the information on this page useful.

Please post here if you have any questions or if anything doesn't go smoothly.

[Phil A]

Simon, from being out of commission for a bit (and still healing up), I'm just way behind on things (and there is lots of information on the links above but on different pages). I just went through the normal install from the prompt on my Synology NAS and ended up getting this message - "MinimServer 2.0.18 update 182, Copyright © 2012-2020 Simon Nash. All rights reserved.

Your license type is Starter. For more information, select the License tab." So I guess I now have the limited version 2 license and at some point later this year when I catch up more (on audio and non audio things and that will include taking apart the entire main system, as well as another system to have a bunch of inteconnected rooms painted, and the main is an integrated AV system with lots of components and the rack assembled is 350 pounds or about 159kg) I can go and do a detailed comparison of features and just upgrade to the paid version (which I imagine will be easy). I have to get other stuff done before that so I assume when I get to that it will be a simple process. The only thing I had to do was re-enter the location of my files (which just involved going to 'File Station' and getting the properties).

I did start up the audio system and the playlist was there and I played half a song and all worked well. As I noted, I was using the original Minimserver for years and my friend had problems (and he was a computer tech for bit and builds his own PCs) getting that up and running when he got a Synology NAS (someone talked him into another brand a few years before that and after seeing how easily mine worked he bought a Synology) last year. So I did a quick (couple of minute) refresh (on general Minimserver set-up) and I only had to do one quick thing when I got over to his place (which took seconds) to get his working.

He'll eventually get a Lumin player and he's already seen how well it works with Minimserver. He bought a (used) Teac NT-503 (he has a UD-503 DAC that he got after I brought over an old UD-501 I used at one point in a secondary system). Unfortunately, it (the NT-503) was defective and he is in the process of returning that. He couldn't get that set-up and brought it over last Thursday night and I got it working (didn't have it hooked to a system but the files were showing as playing) by putting the Teac HR Audio App on his iPad. Thanks so much for such a valuable program.

[simoncn]

Thanks for sharing your upgrade experience. I'm glad it went smoothly for you and your friend.

There is one part of this that isn't as I would have expected. If you upgrade from a previous MinimServer installation without first uninstalling the previous version, you shouldn't need to re-enter the content directory (location of your audio files).

Did you uninstall the previous MinimServer before you installed the new one?

[Phil A]

Simon - no - did not uninstall the previous version. I just did what Synology prompted me to do by updating. The screen popped up with the (three) tabs (the second one being the license (which I did not look at) and the (file) location was blank. I figured it wouldn't hurt anything so I copied and pasted it.

Due to the way the current integrated AV system is set-up, until I get another amp (on my to do list and I'm using balanced in and outs vs. going through the HT Bypass on the preamp as I did a while back) I borrow an amp from a secondary system and take it into the main system and connect the left and right channel pre-outs of a receiver (since it can't drive my main speakers) and use different speaker cables (just unplug and plug as the main system is too much of a pain to get to the back of it and I don't use it for HT tons with other systems - gets used most of the time for 2-channel but did watch something last night).

So I just went through the Synology update process and then hooked the system back to 2-channel and the playlist was there and it worked as I played part of the first song. I then turned it off. My big concern was going through an update process and then not having it work as right now I have a back-log of things that I need to do. Lately, the main system is mostly used on Thursday night when my friend comes over for a listening session. When I was out of commission, it was almost 4 months that the system was not on and I'm not even caught up on a bunch of file downloads I bought in recent times. I just didn't like an update sitting there long term (I do that with everything - have helped a bunch of others with computer or mobile phone stuff that just don't do updates so I know how that can cause issues) that I didn't take action on. Even, when I didn't use the system for a bit, I'd log on to the NAS to update things now and then (and all I use the NAS for is music files and it gives me the ability to play it in multiple systems).

[simoncn]

The location might already have been set. The layout of this page is a bit confusing and needs some improvement.

See the following screenshot for an example. The content directory is already set to /volume1/Music (first line). You only need to use the blank space and Update button if you want to change this.

   

[Phil A]

(14-02-2021 19:19)simoncn Wrote:  The location might already have been set. The layout of this page is a bit confusing and needs some improvement.

See the following screenshot for an example. The content directory is already set to /volume1/Music (first line). You only need to use the blank space and Update button if you want to change this.

Simon - I figured the location might have been set. Since I had to reconnect the system for two channel to make sure I got sound vs. the Lumin App and Lumin U1 showing something playing (my friend got that on something else but no sound came out), I didn't think it would hurt anything. My biggest concern was keeping Minimserver up to date and to be able to use the system until I can look into the various features. One thing on my plate is my system with Ohm Microwalsh Tall speakers (my friend has older Ohm 2s). My friend (with the help of one of his friends) modded his (and built beautiful grill covers) by adding a tweeter and a crossover (mines on the plate but his friend that will verify stuff will work has COVID so it's on hold).

In that (secondary) system, I have 3 ways right now to play music files. My Hegel H190 integrated connects via ethernet and can do up to 192kHz via its DAC. I do have lots of DSD files (so I my want to look at the Minimserver transcoding down the line). I can use either the Bubble UPNP App or the DS Audio App (that came with the Synology) to play those files.

I also have an Oppo 103D (which can do up to single rate DSD or 192kHz) connected via analog and I have mini fanless PC running JRiver (and transcoding things) connected to a (Wyred4Sound) USB to SPDIF converter (and with that I can play everything). I have started to do comparisons (and my friend was over listening once) and still deciding what I like best (and I don't use that system tons). It would be nice to be able to just use Minimserver to transcode. I have though about selling hardware and buying a Lumin M1 (which would pretty much make it easy to play everything) but not sure its built in amp would do justice to my less than average efficient Ohm speakers (even though the room isn't huge).