UPNP Help - losing sleep over this

[andyiacovou]

Hi. I got this device only 2 days ago. I'm struggling with a problem, was hoping someone could help. OK, The N800 has detected my networked NAS drive and I can play all my MP3's on the media streamer. Have also installed Canola (class software). I would like to be able to use the N800 to select a song and then play it through my AV setup.

I already have a Philips SLM5500 media adapter which currently does this quite well, but wouldn't it be great if I could use the N800 anywhere in the house to select any MP3 of my NAS drive and somehow send a upnp signal to my Philips media adapter to play on my AV. The problem is the N800 does not see the philips or vice versa. What is more likely to blame for this and if I replaced the Philips with say a Dlink or netgear adapter would they see the N800.

Or am I asking too much from the N800 to use it in this way.

Any suggestions welcome.

Cheers

[tolou]

I cannot see how this will work, really. So turn around and go to sleep again...
Seriously, this is a bit of asking too much. Even in this age, I know.

The only thing I can come up with is if N800 where A2DP enabled you could use a bluetooth receiver at your AV using the N800 as a streamer, but your Philips would then be redundant. Unfortunately the A2DP profile isn't supported on N800 at this stage.

[dandrep]

Under UPNP this would be possible. Basically you want the N800 to be a UPNP Control Point. Unfortunately, the N800 does not have software for that functionality (not that I know of anyway). Most users (including myself) are getting similar functionality by using a web interface on the UPNP Media Server or on the UPNP Media Renderer (player). This is a good software idea though.

[Texrat]

I'm with dandrep. Surely this can be done via software.

[peetmossfloss]

Would mmpc fit into your environment? http://mmpc.garage.maemo.org/. It's a front-end for the Music Player Daemon. Personally I use an xbox and the web interface for XBMC. Works great.

[andyiacovou]

Great, thanks everyone for your suggestions. Unfortunately i had the feeling this might be asking to much. However when upnp becomes truly universal this kind of usage could add serious value to this device!

Can I ask what type of web interface you guys are using to get this functionality?

[peetmossfloss]

I have an xbox doing everything that your Philips SLM5500 is doing. Included with that setup is a web interface to the xbox media center
http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Web_Interface
allowing remote control of the xbox from anything that can view the web page that it is serving.

However I dug a little deeper into the MP daemon. You can set it up to output a ShoutCast stream to your Philips SLM5500 which you could then control with MMPC for the n800 http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Configuration look under Icecast.

[andyiacovou]

I have an xbox doing everything that your Philips SLM5500 is doing. Included with that setup is a web interface to the xbox media center
http://www.xboxmediacenter.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Web_Interface
allowing remote control of the xbox from anything that can view the web page that it is serving.

However I dug a little deeper into the MP daemon. You can set it up to output a ShoutCast stream to your Philips SLM5500 which you could then control with MMPC for the n800 http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Configuration look under Icecast.

Mate, i really appreciate your help but to be honest thats way above my level of talent, and i dont really think i understand how to set that up. Also just bought a PS3 so the xbox solution is not possible either. will just have to wait for someone considerably smarter to develop a program thats easy to install. cheers

[tolou]

However I dug a little deeper into the MP daemon. You can set it up to output a ShoutCast stream to your Philips SLM5500 which you could then control with MMPC for the n800 http://mpd.wikia.com/wiki/Configuration look under Icecast.

Hmm, if I were you I would give this a shot. Just to prove that I was wrong... :cool:

[MikeL]

I already have a Philips SLM5500 media adapter which currently does this quite well, but wouldn't it be great if I could use the N800 anywhere in the house to select any MP3 of my NAS drive and somehow send a upnp signal to my Philips media adapter to play on my AV. The problem is the N800 does not see the philips or vice versa. What is more likely to blame for this and if I replaced the Philips with say a Dlink or netgear adapter would they see the N800.

Or am I asking too much from the N800 to use it in this way.If you tried Media Streamer you should be able to see and control UPnP Media Players that conform to the UPnP standard required to be controlled from a UPnP control point such as that provided within Media Streamer to control playback events etc.

I have been using Media streamer to successfully create on the fly playlists and control the playback of AV Media on my Philips SL300i but have a sneaky suspicion this capability may not be available on your Philips SLM5500 (But I could be wrong?)

Below is an earlier thread in my blog where the only way you actually know you have switched from the N800 to an available UPnP Hardware Media renderer is the switch option in the top right area of the Media Streamer interface, the screen captures in blog post illustrate this http://mikesl300i.blogspot.com/2006/10/media-streamer-audio-playback-with.html

[andyiacovou]

Below is an earlier thread in my blog where the only way you actually know you have switched from the N800 to an available UPnP Hardware Media renderer is the switch option in the top right area of the Media Streamer interface, the screen captures in blog post illustrate this http://mikesl300i.blogspot.com/2006/10/media-streamer-audio-playback-with.html[/QUOTE]

Hi, thanks for this suggestion but the only option in that box for me is Nokia N800! I can therefore only assume that the Philips SLM5500 media adapter is to blame. Having read several forums about the Philips it would seem it is not fully upnp compatable and there have been no firmware updates from philips. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT IF YOU NEED FULL UPNP!!! Mine will be going on Ebay

I am about to place an order for the new Netgear EVA8000. I hope this will solve the problem, otherwise i will be trying the other options you guys have suggested.

Cheers

[MikeL]

I have a sneaking feeling the the EVA8000 may have the same problem with regard to allowing a UPnP control point to take control of the device? (Manufacturers don't want to lose customers to third party capabilities such as a UPnP control point, so do not provide an interface to it, hence the partial UPnP compliance?)

Why did Philips for example, move from the SL300i/400i which had the capability but lacked processing power to a more powerful and enhanced media playback device such as the SLM5500 that did not support the capability? Anyway Philips also backed the MS "plays for sure" concept and look where that took them ;)

I think this is effectively the orginating specification that needs to be supported by the selected device to enable UPnP control from Media Streamer http://www.upnp.org/download/MediaRenderer%201.0.pdf

[andyiacovou]

Thanks MikeL, a great explanation and interesting read.

Just one question. How can i check whether the Netgear eva8000 will do this job for me? Is there any way without actually trying it?

Andy

[MikeL]

Just one question. How can i check whether the Netgear eva8000 will do this job for me? Is there any way without actually trying it?One way would be to ask Netgear directly "Does the Netgear eva800 provide a UPnP MediaRenderer interface to allow/enable a UPnP Control point to take control of the eva800?"

As you can imagine it will be difficult to get a clear answer as not many people will know the answer without some digging.

Here is a very early thread from the Cidero Forum (Cidero is UPnP control point software developed by Oliver) Where Oliver describes in detail his findings about the Netgear MP101 missing out functionality on an earlier UPnP device http://www.cidero.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=305&sid=f4832ad0b0adcfee7d001c2432495b9b

Rudeo is UPnP Control point software for a Pocket PC, you could perhaps ask them if their software will work with the eva800 ;) http://www.rudeo.com/playctrl.htm

Other than that I don't know what to propose to you, as it seems that this open UPnP method of controlling playback devices from Laptops and Tablets is being quietly killed off? :(

Lets hope this is NOT the case.

[andyiacovou]

Yes! I have finally found the solution. After digging through the depths of Google i discovered that the Roku Soundbridge M1001 is fully upnp compatable. Thought i would give it a try and it worked. I can now use the N800 as a control device for all my audio stored on my NAS drive and play it through my hifi.

I am now totally in awe of this product as for me this is the killer usage. I can finally get some sleep.

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions

Andy

[bac522]

Yes! I have finally found the solution. After digging through the depths of Google i discovered that the Roku Soundbridge M1001 is fully upnp compatable. Thought i would give it a try and it worked. I can now use the N800 as a control device for all my audio stored on my NAS drive and play it through my hifi

Andy

Wish I had seen this post earlier. I've been doing this with my Roku M500 for awhile.