Squeezebox (streamer) replacement?

[Fahzz]

setting up streamers isnt plug and play. none of them. it is in the nature of the beast. many people that once set up Squeezeboxes did it so long ago they forgot it wasnt something everybody could easily do... and i am among those.

Yes. There's still some trial and error, but that's how you learn things, right?
I thought about getting a ready made player, but I can't find one that is compatible with LMS out of the box. I can't give up LMS because of all its features.
PiCore is up and running now, and hopefully the playlist problems I've been having are solved. It's going to rain all day today so...

 

[Fahzz]

The SaMBa shares are only needed if you need to remotely put music on PiCore. Check this guide https://docs.picoreplayer.org/how-to/add_usb_hdd where you can skip the part about "Save LMS Server Cache and Preferences to Mounted Drive". Depending how the drive is formatted this guide https://docs.picoreplayer.org/how-to/add_4tb_usb_hdd/ is useful as it explains how to Install and Enable additional File Systems.

Thanks. Samba is the next step which can be a pain in the neck.

 

[Fahzz]

Yes. There's still some trial and error, but that's how you learn things, right?
I thought about getting a ready made player, but I can't find one that is compatible with LMS out of the box. I can't give up LMS because of all its features.
PiCore is up and running now, and hopefully the playlist problems I've been having are solved. It's going to rain all day today so...

Edit: Can't find a ready made player with LMS, AND that will also play local files. (I'm looking at you Wiim )

 

[Apesbrain]

Edit: Can't find a ready made player with LMS, AND that will also play local files. (I'm looking at you Wiim )

I can't see how it would ever be worth it to WiiM from a business perspective to address the legal/licensing/support issues necessary to put LMS into their code. Others have tried and all have failed. The recent development of WiiM folding squeezelite playback capability into some of their players is in itself a remarkable development for the Squeezebox community.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Edit: Can't find a ready made player with LMS, AND that will also play local files. (I'm looking at you Wiim )

I'm not sure you can find a ready made LMS device for the server portion. Like DLNA/UPNP you have to install software on a device on your network. As a client there are lots of choices. A mobile device could do it. There are a number of LMS clients available for Apple and Android.

 

[Apesbrain]

I'm not sure you can find a ready made LMS device for the server portion.

Surprised to see this "Vortexbox Appliance" descendant still available:

AudioStore – Enhance your music

vortexbox.co.uk

 

[Fahzz]

I can't see how it would ever be worth it to WiiM from a business perspective to address the legal/licensing/support issues necessary to put LMS into their code. Others have tried and all have failed. The recent development of WiiM folding squeezelite playback capability into some of their players is in itself a remarkable development for the Squeezebox community.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but does adding squeezelite mean the Wiim device can then run LMS as a server or not? I never fully grasped what squeeze lite is.

 

[Apesbrain]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but does adding squeezelite mean the Wiim device can then run LMS as a server or not?

Squeezelite is an open-source Squeezebox player emulator; it is not a server. In order to play local files, LMS still needs to be running on a PC/SBC/NAS somewhere on your network. The current WiiM devices do not have the hardware capability to effectively run LMS, and LMS is not open-source*.

EDIT: Sorry, I stand corrected below.

 

[somebodyelse]

LMS is not open-source.

https://github.com/Logitech/slimserver/blob/public/8.4/License.txt - code is GPL2. Firmware isn't redistributable but wouldn't be needed anyway. Might need a reskin for some of the graphics, but Material Skin probably covers that. Innuos used LMS in their older server versions.

 

[pablolie]

Squeezelite is an open-source Squeezebox player emulator; it is not a server. In order to play local files, LMS still needs to be running on a PC/SBC/NAS somewhere on your network. The current WiiM devices do not have the hardware capability to effectively run LMS, and LMS is not open-source.

LMS is open source - GNU license.

 

[MaxBuck]

setting up streamers isnt plug and play. none of them. it is in the nature of the beast.

Bluesound Node is plug-and-play.

 

[krutvs]

Hello all,
looking for advice on buying a Squeezebox successor. Currently have a SB connecting to LMS on a Synology, the latter reading an iTunes server library.
I use iTunes for management and because I created complex playlists that so far no other server supports.
(ex: all my Jazz which I rated 4+ and haven't played for more than a year)

Currently, the SBx is failing more and more.
My requirements:
- more responsive and quicker launch than SB
- being able to control from a laptop and mobile
- being able to display cover art on a tablet or so would be a very nice plus.
- preferable DAC quality comparable to the Eversolo DMP A6.
- either LMS support or alternatively being able to build complex playlists (cfr. iTunes)

Looked into Pi combo's. Although I could, DIY is not my preference if a system would do the same out of the box for a few euros more.
Player with DAC included, or separate DAC, both are options for me.
Total pref. less than €1500

Thanks in advance for any useful comments and advice.

 

[somebodyelse]

I think Wiim added squeezebox support recently. The Pro Plus has the best DAC, or you could use the digital output from one of the cheaper models to connect to an external DAC. They have 4 PEQs too - the Pro and Pro Plus are meant to be getting more at some point.

 

[pablolie]

....

Currently, the SBx is failing more and more.
My requirements:
- more responsive and quicker launch than SB

I think your Synology may be the weak link here. Which model is it? Many used Atom processors that simply don't have CPU power these days. I run LMS on my i7 powered home server, and it is super responsive. It is also very responive on a humble, 15 year old Lenovo Thinkpad X series running Ubuntu in my weekend cabin.

- being able to control from a laptop and mobile

The SB is super easy to control via web interface, go to LMS' IP address and add :9000
There are also apps for smartphones and tablets, Android and iOS. I use Squeezer on Android.

- being able to display cover art on a tablet or so would be a very nice plus.

See above.

- preferable DAC quality comparable to the Eversolo DMP A6.

I just use the SB Touch as a front end to a DAC via coax digital. The DAC supposedly was pretty good, but hey, that was a while ago.

- either LMS support or alternatively being able to build complex playlists (cfr. iTunes)

itunes? Ouch... :-D
I still haven't found anything that is as flexible and adaptable as the Squeezebox ecosystem, and it's been nearly 20 years.

I also used to run LMS on a Synology server for a while, but it's the Synology I kicked to the curb. Most come with underpowered CPUs that age quickly, which results in unacceptable performance for more complex apps running on them. They do well with basic storage protocols, but for anything that needs a reponsive UI they age quickly. I could see myself using one as a RAID storage unit, but with online sotrage being so cheap and very fast internet, I prefer to protect my music collection online rather than on a RAID drive at home. These days I just buy a new, high capacity drive rated high for reliability every other year, and run a script to keep a local backup. Currently my main drive is 8TB, and the "backup" (which I use for several devices) is 12TB.

 

[Smitty2k1]

I think Wiim added squeezebox support recently. The Pro Plus has the best DAC, or you could use the digital output from one of the cheaper models to connect to an external DAC. They have 4 PEQs too - the Pro and Pro Plus are meant to be getting more at some point.

I second this. Use the pro if you just want digital out or the pro plus if you want analog out or to use any of the inputs. The mini doesn't have native LMS support, you have to use "flow mode" with the UPNP bridge plugin.

 

[mjgraves]

I've separated LMS from storage. LMS runs on a Lenovo M900 Tiny server (i5). Storage is a separate NAS. This also helps provide more CPU for things like the Spotify integration with LMS. Players are multiple Pi3/4 running PiCorePlayer, with Hifi-Berry DACs. Each with an associated pair of powered monitors.

 

[guy48065]

... and they are all still going strong, albeit mostly with new power supplies.

A little late to the party here but I wanted to add to this.
I've burned thru at least 4 wallwart power supplies for my Squeezebox Classic. Must be the fluorescent display is power hungry. Finally bought a $60 "ZeroZone" linear psu off eBay and have had no further problems. Psu gets pretty warm so it's no surprise the cheap switch-mode adapters have a short lifespan.
Yesterday came home to a dead Touch and my first thought was "here we go again..." I measured 5V on the power feed. A backup wallwart also didn't ignite the Touch.
I ran across a forum post referencing a "Xilinx reset" I had never heard about. Plug in the power lead while holding "1" on your remote until a message appears on the screen.
It worked! I've found more tips here: https://joes-tech-blog.blogspot.com/2018/11/logitech-slimdevices-squeezebox-classic.html

Squeezeboxes keep going with forum support, instead of Logitech.
I won't switch until something comes along that is as polished, sounds as good AND has a video output so "What's Playing" can be displayed on the TV (my eyes are too weak to see the unit display from across the room).

Squeezebox Classic
Squeezebox Touch
Duet controller
Squeezeplayer and Orange Squeeze on my phone
LMS server running on a cheap netbook with attached 1T SS drive for my music files

 

[Piere]

Thanks for sharing! My SB Touch, one of the first delivered, is still running well on its original PSU wart. Only the paint of the RC became nasty sticky. Runs now with an external Topping E30-IIs Dac. Sounds a lot cleaner than the internal SB DAC.

 

[mjgraves]

I still have 4 SB3 on the shelf. Most have failed analogue outputs. That would be easily solved by replacing a couple of aged electrolytic capacitors. But I migrated to (6) RPi + HiFiBerry + PiCorePlayer. Most are headless, but you can get that video output to show what's playing.

 

[Ajax]

I'm an engineer myself. I learned programming by sitting on the floor after punching my deck of cards and waiting to see which card I screwed up first. I don't have any interest in learning more programming languages. But I'm happy to see so many other people seem to find it enjoyable.

I did civil engineering at Adelaide University, Aus (74-78) and remember very well punching cards while learning the Fortran language. If a program generated an error message there was no way of knowing whether it was my logic that was wrong or I'd simply made a "typo" type mistake. The memory of it still brings back nightmares.

One thing I did learn how to use was a Hewlett Packard HP12C, which incorporated the "enter" system. Wonderful technology and it still works 45 years later, now that's reliability.

(Sorry for the off topic .. I'll do 50 sit ups).