Foobar alternative for PC and Android remote control

[Firulais71]

Hello friends, I use Foobar on my computers to play my FLAC files. I've always liked the program because it allowed me to control playback remotely from my Android devices, basically my phone. But the mobile app hasn't been working. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the program on both my PC and my phone, and there's no way for my phone to detect the program on my PC. I've followed the same steps as always, but the connection between the devices is impossible, and therefore, so is remote control. I don't know if it's due to the Foobar versions I've downloaded, if I'm missing a DLL or plugin, if I need to use older versions, etc. I don't know, and I don't want to find out anymore. So:

¿Would you be so kind as to recommend a freeware alternative to Foobar that would allow me to install/use the player on a Windows 10/11 PC and also control it from an Android phone or tablet?

Sincerely.

 

[linuxfan]

I like foobar2000, myself, and have been using it for over 20 years ...
but for remote client control of a music server the go-to application is Lyrion (formerly LMS, formerly Squeezeserver) -
https://lyrion.org/

 

[john61ct]

A general-purpose "PC Screen Remote control / access" app may work for you, like what remote techs use to support users.

Just do NOT allow access outside your local WiFi / LAN.

 

[Firulais71]

I like foobar2000, myself, and have been using it for over 20 years ...
but for remote client control of a music server the go-to application is Lyrion (formerly LMS, formerly Squeezeserver) -
https://lyrion.org/

Hello Linuxfan, thank you for your kind reply. From what I saw on your website, Lyrion is essentially a media player that I install on Windows, similar to Foobar, but for remote control I don't use an app, but rather a URL, ¿is that correct?

I'm going to try it out; I want to see how user-friendly it is, because frankly, Foobar has set the bar very high.

However, if I wanted something similar to Foobar, that is, a media player installable on Windows plus an Android app for remote control, do you know of anything like that?

Greetings from Peru

 

[Firulais71]

A general-purpose "PC Screen Remote control / access" app may work for you, like what remote techs use to support users.

Just do NOT allow access outside your local WiFi / LAN.

Hi John, I've used remote desktop solutions like Google Desktop, Iperius Remote, and others, but they're a disaster in terms of user experience. We're talking about displaying a 16:9 desktop on a phone screen, which is anything but user-friendly and easy to use. That's why I need an alternative to Foobar that has a remote control app for Android.

Regards.

 

[john61ct]

Personally I do not like having my phone even enabled, I set DND and hide it away while I'm relaxing listening to music.

A tablet IMO makes a great remote control, and of course is great for many other purposes as well.

Just wanted you to be aware of an alternative approach if that specific player is important to you

If not I personally think LMS is even better, separating your library Storage from your Music Server, Renderer devices and Control Points gives much more flexibility

 

[Ruediger]

I'm going to try it out; I want to see how user-friendly it is, because frankly, Foobar has set the bar very high.

I know of no other PC player with so many features, superb performance and handling of files/formats/large libraries. Not even close.

Maybe it's worth it to find out why your remote doesn't work. I don't use an app but read there are several. Within localnet the top prob would be the PC firewall. And maybe ip/hostname. On the mobile a VPN could block the connection.

I might try some app and see how it goes.

 

[RdM]

Both Kodi and MusicBee are remote controllable by Android or iOS smartphone/tablet apps.

 

[Berwhale]

Both Kodi and MusicBee are remote controllable by Android or iOS smartphone/tablet apps.

Welcome to ASR!

 

[Berwhale]

As @RdM mentioned, MusicBee has an Android remote, it worked fine the last time I tried it and it seems to have some active development... https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=7221.735

 

[popej]

But the mobile app hasn't been working.

What mobile app?
I use Foobar on Windows, but never tried any remote for it. I have UPnP installed in Foobar, both server and renderer. Any UPnP controller should work with it. I have checked BubbleUPnP on Android and it works as a remote for Foobar using UPnP.

 

[linuxfan]

Lyrion is essentially a media player that I install on Windows, similar to Foobar, but for remote control I don't use an app, but rather a URL, is that correct?

An app and/or a URL. The URL requires a bit more screen real-estate, so:
- on your host computer, use the browser-based controller. Go to -
http://localhost:9000

- on a tablet computer, use the browser-based controller. Go to -
http://<your-Windows-IP-address>:9000
or
http://<your-Windows-hostname>:9000

- on an Android phone, install Squeezer to control Lyrion.
- on an iPhone, install iPeng.

 

[linuxfan]

What mobile app?

Firulais71 is probably referring to foobar2000 Controller/Pro, but this app no longer works with recent Android releases.

 

[linuxfan]

Wait, I just found another foobar2000 remote control app - Foobar Link
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deckerth.thomas.foobarremotecontroller2&hl=en_GB

For this to work you must also install the foobar2000 Beefweb Remote Control component -
https://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_beefweb

Alternatively, once the Beefweb Remote component is installed, you can also control foobar2000 from any browser on your network, by going to this URL -
http://<your-Windows-IP-address>:8880

 

[john61ct]

Unified Remote has a specific foobar2000 widget for basic playback.

MonkeyMote is native for foobar2000, but requires a dedicated foobar2000 component on the PC

also foobarCon Pro, requires the foobarCon component


others:

Beefweb Remote Control on the PC, OS-independent

BubbleUPnP with foo_upnp component.

Besides firewall issues, be careful to match 32- vs 64- bit components, lots of OG tools cannot handle the latter

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Hello friends, I use Foobar on my computers to play my FLAC files. I've always liked the program because it allowed me to control playback remotely from my Android devices, basically my phone. But the mobile app hasn't been working. I've uninstalled and reinstalled the program on both my PC and my phone, and there's no way for my phone to detect the program on my PC. I've followed the same steps as always, but the connection between the devices is impossible, and therefore, so is remote control. I don't know if it's due to the Foobar versions I've downloaded, if I'm missing a DLL or plugin, if I need to use older versions, etc. I don't know, and I don't want to find out anymore. So:

¿Would you be so kind as to recommend a freeware alternative to Foobar that would allow me to install/use the player on a Windows 10/11 PC and also control it from an Android phone or tablet?

Sincerely.

On Android I like BubbleUPNP. It plays all standard audio files. It also acts as a DLNA control point so you can use any playback device configured as a UPNP renderer. It connects to your files via DLNA or SMB. It also can play some streaming services. I use it for Qobuz. Oh, it plays to Bluetooth clients through your Android device too.

 

[RdM]

Welcome to ASR!

Thanks! I've been lurking for while, but I'm still in the throes of slowly moving in to a new place, painting walls, the whole AV & hifi systems are not yet unpacked.
I'll introduce myself and rooms appropriately later ;=})
~ RdM

 

[RdM]

As @RdM mentioned, MusicBee has an Android remote, it worked fine the last time I tried it and it seems to have some active development... https://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=7221.735

I just spontaneously thought to note those two, which I'd tried out on a Win 7 Pro PC. Haven't used for some while now; I too have been using Foobar2000.
Yet on reflection Kodi had a pretty good interface. I was using it just for flac files, although a little annoyed that I couldn't sort by AlbumArtist, as it seemed.

I'll download the latest version and have another look.
I was especially pleased that the iOS app would work on an early iPad 2, from my mother's estate, on the network. I had to relax security in Kodi at the PC.

Not sure if these photos are too large;- I searched for image posting guidelines to no avail. Hmm. I've resized pixels down and from 2+ MB to < 180KB each.

I see now that that was on Kodi 19.4.

I haven't looked at MusicBee for ages either.

There's also Quod Libet but I see no mention of remote control.

Thanks!

 

[Ruediger]

On Android I like BubbleUPNP. It plays all standard audio files. It also acts as a DLNA control point so you can use any playback device configured as a UPNP renderer. It connects to your files via DLNA or SMB. It also can play some streaming services. I use it for Qobuz. Oh, it plays to Bluetooth clients through your Android device too.

Last time I looked foobar has upnp control in the main app, just needs enabling. A controller like bubbleupnp will see it as a renderer then. If that does not work there is very likely a network/firewall issue.

What's not there is the library of foobar. That would make it a upnp media server, the role of a plugin in previous versions. I'm not sure that is still there or in 64bit.

BubbleUPNP is a great app by the way. If the library is elsewhere and accessible it will basically remote control the foobar PC. Minus volume control possibly, but would have to try out.

Thx @john61ct for the app list. Will also look into that.

The old upnp plugin (32bit):

foobar2000: Components Repository - UPnP/DLNA Renderer, Server, Control Point

foobar2000

www.foobar2000.org

No new version as it seems.

 

[Firulais71]

I know of no other PC player with so many features, superb performance and handling of files/formats/large libraries. Not even close.

Maybe it's worth it to find out why your remote doesn't work. I don't use an app but read there are several. Within localnet the top prob would be the PC firewall. And maybe ip/hostname. On the mobile a VPN could block the connection.

I might try some app and see how it goes.

Hi Rüdiger, yes, I'm looking into what else I can do. For years I used Foobar to control the client on my PCs, but it seems the Android app no longer supports that function. Otherwise, I'll have to migrate to other programs/solutions.

Regards.