Announce: Whitebear Media Server v2.2 Released

[Wigster]

Hi,

So I've completely nuked all the prefs, uninstalled SBS and WB and then reinstalled them. However, now I cannot get WB to connect to SBS: WB is complaining that the CLI connection if offline, even though it does find the CLI server on port 9090.

iPeng works ok, so the CLI interface seems to be ok. There just seems to be something about WB?

Edit: if I restart SBS and WB I sometimes get "Socket Error #10061 / Connection Refused" instead.

Edit 2: After a bunch of restarts, this seems to have cleared itself up. But I am not sure whether it is somehow related to the general problem I have.

I am PM you the HTTP server log resulting from my trying to play a local MP3 file to Squeezebox by WB from WMP-12. Let's try to solve this before looking at the FLACs.

[AndrewFG]

I cannot get WB to connect to SBS: WB is complaining that the CLI connection if offline, even though it does find the CLI server on port 9090.

Edit 2: After a bunch of restarts, this seems to have cleared itself up. But I am not sure whether it is somehow related to the general problem I have.

This is not related to your general problem. When you start Whitebear, it may take a minute or two to sort itself out. The reason is that initially it does not know the name of your music library, or how many Squeeze players you have connected, or the names of those players. So when it first starts up, takes itself online with SBS/LMS assuming a generic library name, and assuming zero players connected. Then obviously once it is talking to SBS/LMS it can discover the actual name of your music library, how many Squeeze players are connected, and their names. Then the "generic name Whitebear with no players" goes offline again, and the "proper named Whitebear with all named players" must go online. This may take 30..60 seconds to accomplish.

Edit: if I restart SBS and WB I sometimes get "Socket Error #10061 / Connection Refused" instead.

Can you confirm you are running Whitebear as a Windows service application? i.e. installed as "Start when Windows Starts" rather than "Start manually". The #10061 error is "normal" when running Whitebear as a Windows service application: during the above-mentioned online/offline/online phase, the Whitebear Tray Monitor application tries to connect to the Whitebear service application to get its status, and since the service is not yet running, the connection is refused.

I am PM you the HTTP server log resulting from my trying to play a local MP3 file to Squeezebox by WB from WMP-12. Let's try to solve this before looking at the FLACs.

Ok. I will study your PM and get back to you.

Note: in the meantime, I tried un-installing all WMP12 add on filters, codecs, plug-ins (no Shark, no WMP Tag Plus etc.) and in this "pure" native state, the WMP-12 Play To function works perfectly with all of the media formats natively supported by WMP (i.e. Mp3, Wav, Wma, Wmal, and I think also Aac). It is only when you install filters, codecs, plug-ins etc. that the trouble starts. Specifically installing the Shark codec pack does allow you to play flacs locally in WMP12, but it seems to mess royally with the Play To functionality. I believe this is a WMP-12 / Shark issue and not a Whitebear issue...

[AndrewFG]

Ok. I will study your PM and get back to you.

I believe this is a WMP-12 / Shark issue and not a Whitebear issue...

I studied your log. it shows that WMP is talking to Whitebear, and send many SOAP GetXyz() commands and one single Stop() command to the player. All of these commands are received, understood and acknowledged by Whitebear.

However what the log shows is that WMP does not send a SetAvTransportUri() command to tell the player to load your track. And also it does not send a Play() command to play anything either. This shows clearly that WMP is not sending the commands needed for it to execute the Play To functionality.

This confirms my suspicion that the problem is on the side of your codecs. And not a problem with Whitebear.

[NogNeetMachinaal]

Hi *,

I sort-off stumbled over this Whitebear Media Server.
At this time, I can not see the benefits on using it allong with LMS.
Can someone enlighten me?


Regards,
Will

[toby10]

Pretty well explained on the home page. http://www.whitebear.ch/mediaserver

- UPnP/DLNA support for non SB players
- DLNA renderer for SB players
- transcoding to DLNA hardware limited codecs
- no need to run multiple servers (LMS for SB players, another server program for UPnP/DLNA players)

[Wigster]

A slightly less heterodox use of White Bear is to play music located on any DLNA-supporting machine on the network out through your stereo. Whitebear creates a Media Renderer target that is your Squeezebox which you can use through (for example) Windows Media Player's Play To feature. This way, you don't have to put all your music in the same place and have to rescan everything.

[NogNeetMachinaal]

A slightly less heterodox use of White Bear is to play music located on any DLNA-supporting machine on the network out through your stereo. Whitebear creates a Media Renderer target that is your Squeezebox which you can use through (for example) Windows Media Player's Play To feature. This way, you don't have to put all your music in the same place and have to rescan everything.

So in other words:
If I have another collection of MP3 stored on my laptop (for example), I can use Whitebear to stream these to the Squeezebox(es) without copying and rescanning.
The Logitech Media Server is used as a sort of proxy server to keep things in sync across multiple players (if more than one).

[AndrewFG]

So in other words:
If I have another collection of MP3 stored on my laptop (for example), I can use Whitebear to stream these to the Squeezebox(es) without copying and rescanning.
The Logitech Media Server is used as a sort of proxy server to keep things in sync across multiple players (if more than one).

No...

Whitebear does two things:

1) UPnP Digital Media Server: Whitebear allows an open standard UPnP/DLNA compliant Control Point to browse your proprietary LMS/SBS music library. And it serves the respective music tracks in that library to an open standard UPnP/DLNA compliant Digital Media Renderer (player). (So for example you can use your TV Set screen and remote control to browse your LMS/SBS music library (by Whitebear), and select tracks and play them via the TV speakers).

2) UPnP Digital Media Renderer: Whitebear presents all your Squeeze boxes as open standard UPnP/DLNA compliant Digital Media Renderer's (players). This allows other UPnP/DLNA compliant Control Points to play music to your Squeeze boxes by means of the "Play To" functionality.

So if you want to stream Mp3s from your laptop to Squeeze players (by Whitebear) then you need to install a Control Point software on your laptop. Possible Control Points could be FooBar with UPnP Plug-In (free), Asset Control (free), or J. River Media Centre (paid); (there are also various UPnP Control Point apps for the various tablet systems).

[NogNeetMachinaal]

First of all - thank you for your time and patience - really appreciated!
But still - not completely clear => some more questions. :-)

Whitebear does two things:

1) UPnP Digital Media Server: Whitebear allows an open standard UPnP/DLNA compliant Control Point to browse your proprietary LMS/SBS music library. And it serves the respective music tracks in that library to an open standard UPnP/DLNA compliant Digital Media Renderer (player). (So for example you can use your TV Set screen and remote control to browse your LMS/SBS music library (by Whitebear), and select tracks and play them via the TV speakers).

To my knowledge, LMS is DLNA compliant. Right?
Suppose I would have a TV that is also DLNA compliant and is equiped with control point software, than the combi (LMS & TV) would bring me browsing and playing sound and video. Right?
With this use-case scenario in mind and assuming that I'm overlooking something: what is the value of Whitebear?

2) UPnP Digital Media Renderer: Whitebear presents all your Squeeze boxes as open standard UPnP/DLNA compliant Digital Media Renderer's (players). This allows other UPnP/DLNA compliant Control Points to play music to your Squeeze boxes by means of the "Play To" functionality.

So if you want to stream Mp3s from your laptop to Squeeze players (by Whitebear) then you need to install a Control Point software on your laptop. Possible Control Points could be FooBar with UPnP Plug-In (free), Asset Control (free), or J. River Media Centre (paid); (there are also various UPnP Control Point apps for the various tablet systems).

Ok - this is clear. No further questions here.

[AndrewFG]

what is the value of Whitebear?

At a basic level, the LMS/SBS DLNA plug-in does the same thing as Whitebear; but IMHO the plug-in is not compatible with some Control Points and Renderers, and it lacks features too. But if the LMS/SBS DLNA plug-in works for you please use it; whereas if it doesn't, disable the plug-in and use Whitebear instead.