Supported file types

[Melco Man]

Does MinimServer support DSD? When I play DSD files stored on my Melco N1 via USB to my Moon DAC, the Melco converts DSD to PCM and the files play perfectly. However, this is when I am using the Twonky server. When I search for the same files using MinimServer, I get a message telling me that it is an unsupported format.

[Melco Man]

How do I upload MinimStreamer? I think I might need it on my Melco to stream DSD files to my Moon 380D DAC via USB...

[simoncn]

(16-10-2016 11:15)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  Does MinimServer support DSD? When I play DSD files stored on my Melco N1 via USB to my Moon DAC, the Melco converts DSD to PCM and the files play perfectly. However, this is when I am using the Twonky server. When I search for the same files using MinimServer, I et a message telling me that it is an unsupported format.

There are three options for playing DSD files (.dsf and .dff) with MinimServer.

1) Play the files "as is" in their native format. This works if you are using a renderer that supports this, such as OPPO and LUMIN.

2) Transcode to DoP/WAV. This sends a native DSD stream wrapped as PCM. The DoP/WAV format is supported by most DSD-capable renderers and should provide better sound quality than transcoding to PCM (see below). To do this, you need to install MinimStreamer and set the stream.transcode property to 'dsf:dopwav, dff:dopwav'.

3) Transcode to PCM. This converts the DSD stream to native PCM. This should play on any renderer. To do this, the DSD files need to be in .dsf format and you need to have a recent version of ffmpeg installed on the machine running MinimServer (the Melco N1 in your case). Unfortunately, it isn't currently possible to install ffmpeg on the Melco N1 without advanced technical knowledge.

[Melco Man]

(16-10-2016 15:59)simoncn Wrote:  

(16-10-2016 11:15)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  Does MinimServer support DSD? When I play DSD files stored on my Melco N1 via USB to my Moon DAC, the Melco converts DSD to PCM and the files play perfectly. However, this is when I am using the Twonky server. When I search for the same files using MinimServer, I et a message telling me that it is an unsupported format.

There are three options for playing DSD files (.dsf and .dff) with MinimServer.

1) Play the files "as is" in their native format. This works if you are using a renderer that supports this, such as OPPO and LUMIN.

2) Transcode to DoP/WAV. This sends a native DSD stream wrapped as PCM. The DoP/WAV format is supported by most DSD-capable renderers and should provide better sound quality than transcoding to PCM (see below). To do this, you need to install MinimStreamer and set the stream.transcode property to 'dsf:dopwav, dff:dopwav'.

3) Transcode to PCM. This converts the DSD stream to native PCM. This should play on any renderer. To do this, the DSD files need to be in .dsf format and you need to have a recent version of ffmpeg installed on the machine running MinimServer (the Melco N1 in your case). Unfortunately, it isn't currently possible to install ffmpeg on the Melco N1 without advanced technical knowledge.

Thank you. Sounds like I should go for option 2 then. How do I install MinimStreamer on the Melco N1?

[Melco Man]

(16-10-2016 16:09)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  

(16-10-2016 15:59)simoncn Wrote:  

(16-10-2016 11:15)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  Does MinimServer support DSD? When I play DSD files stored on my Melco N1 via USB to my Moon DAC, the Melco converts DSD to PCM and the files play perfectly. However, this is when I am using the Twonky server. When I search for the same files using MinimServer, I et a message telling me that it is an unsupported format.

There are three options for playing DSD files (.dsf and .dff) with MinimServer.

1) Play the files "as is" in their native format. This works if you are using a renderer that supports this, such as OPPO and LUMIN.

2) Transcode to DoP/WAV. This sends a native DSD stream wrapped as PCM. The DoP/WAV format is supported by most DSD-capable renderers and should provide better sound quality than transcoding to PCM (see below). To do this, you need to install MinimStreamer and set the stream.transcode property to 'dsf:dopwav, dff:dopwav'.

3) Transcode to PCM. This converts the DSD stream to native PCM. This should play on any renderer. To do this, the DSD files need to be in .dsf format and you need to have a recent version of ffmpeg installed on the machine running MinimServer (the Melco N1 in your case). Unfortunately, it isn't currently possible to install ffmpeg on the Melco N1 without advanced technical knowledge.

Thank you. Sounds like I should go for option 2 then. How do I install MinimStreamer on the Melco N1?

I have worked out how to install MinimStreamer and have done so successfully. However, although the app (Songbook HD) indicates it is playing the file, no sound is coming from the speakers. Is this because my Moon 380D does not support DSD? I know I can plat DSD files on the Melco using the Twonky Server as there is a setting where the Melco converts DSD to PCM on the fly. Is this not possible with MinimServer/MinimStreamer?

[simoncn]

(16-10-2016 16:09)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  Thank you. Sounds like I should go for option 2 then. How do I install MinimStreamer on the Melco N1?

See this section for installation instructions and this section for usage instructions.

Which Moon DAC do you have? Is it connected to the Melco via USB or Ethernet?

[simoncn]

(16-10-2016 16:29)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  I have worked out how to install MinimStreamer and have done so successfully. However, although the app (Songbook HD) indicates it is playing the file, no sound is coming from the speakers. Is this because my Moon 380D does not support DSD? I know I can plat DSD files on the Melco using the Twonky Server as there is a setting where the Melco converts DSD to PCM on the fly. Is this not possible with MinimServer/MinimStreamer?

This is option 3 in my previous list. I am investigating a possible solution and I will post back here if there is any update.

Is the 380D connected to the Melco N1 using a USB cable? Are you using the USB-DAC renderer on the Melco to play DSD files from Twonky? If so, I am not sure why the DSD to PCM conversion performed by the Melco USB-DAC renderer isn't working with MinimServer.

[Melco Man]

(16-10-2016 16:41)simoncn Wrote:  

(16-10-2016 16:29)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  I have worked out how to install MinimStreamer and have done so successfully. However, although the app (Songbook HD) indicates it is playing the file, no sound is coming from the speakers. Is this because my Moon 380D does not support DSD? I know I can plat DSD files on the Melco using the Twonky Server as there is a setting where the Melco converts DSD to PCM on the fly. Is this not possible with MinimServer/MinimStreamer?

This is option 3 in my previous list. I am investigating a possible solution and I will post back here if there is any update.

Is the 380D connected to the Melco N1 using a USB cable? Are you using the USB-DAC renderer on the Melco to play DSD files from Twonky? If so, I am not sure why the DSD to PCM conversion performed by the Melco USB-DAC renderer isn't working with MinimServer.

Hi. Yes I am using a USB cable. I am using the USB-DAC renderer on the Melco to play DSD files from Twonky. I am not sure either why it is not working as I would have expected it to.

[simoncn]

(16-10-2016 17:01)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  Hi. Yes I am using a USB cable. I am using the USB-DAC renderer on the Melco to play DSD files from Twonky. I am not sure either why it is not working as I would have expected it to.

I have tried this myself and it is working fine for me. The USB-DAC renderer in the Melco N1 is converting a MinimServer native DSD stream (not DoP) to native PCM (not DoP) and sending PCM output to the DAC.

If this isn't working for you, you might have the wrong transcoding settings either for MinimServer or for the Melco USB-DAC.

My Melco firmware is at the latest 3.11 level.

[Melco Man]

(16-10-2016 22:43)simoncn Wrote:  

(16-10-2016 17:01)charlesbeckerson@yahoo.co.uk Wrote:  Hi. Yes I am using a USB cable. I am using the USB-DAC renderer on the Melco to play DSD files from Twonky. I am not sure either why it is not working as I would have expected it to.

I have tried this myself and it is working fine for me. The USB-DAC renderer in the Melco N1 is converting a MinimServer native DSD stream (not DoP) to native PCM (not DoP) and sending PCM output to the DAC.

If this isn't working for you, you might have the wrong transcoding settings either for MinimServer or for the Melco USB-DAC.

My Melco firmware is at the latest 3.11 level.

Please forgive my ignorance but I do not know what DoP stands for. Mt files are DSD in .dsf format. The Melco is set to convert DSD to PCM and the MinimStreamer is set to stream.transcode property of 'dsf:dopwav, dff:dopwav'.
I wondered if MinimStreamer might only work over ethernet? I haven't tried that.