Giving up, so I ask you to help me starting again with something different

[Solrac]

Hi there, I've been reading anonymously and carefully the forum several months before buying the Touch trying to figure out if it was a good investment. That has been "Phase A" for me. "Phase B" has been me struggling with Tiny SC for almost two months now and I decided to quit trying, so I really need you people to help me and, perhaps, help others too. I really would like you to help me to get to "Phase C"!

First, a little bit on what I did, so you see if I did my homework or not:


A) Having decided to improve my listening experience, I decided to go ahead and trust the specs and I started screening my music folder for those files that would make things difficult for the Touch as a standalone appliance.

B) As soon as I received the Touch, I started screening the already quite lean and polished music folder for those files that made things difficult for the Touch.

So:


1) Once I came up with a list of folders containing only the supported file formats (mostly Flacs, very few MP3s), no CUEs, no artwork (just in case) and no nested folders, I run one of the previous non beta versions of Squeezebox Server available in my Win7 laptop computer. And the updates.

2) Run the Server on my Win7 laptop computer on and on and each time and checked the server logs for warnings and errors and acted consequently.

3) Tried the Touch wireless using the web interface until everything went all right.

4) Decided to use the Touch as I hoped it would work, that is without having a computer running to make it work.

5) Found out it wasn't easy for it to scan a 32GB SD Card and keep it running for more than a few days without stopping and showing an error message. No matter if the whole folder has been played once or twice, it just does that.

6) Tried with a 250 GB (powered) USB external disc to find out that it is as unstable, no matter how much I tried, it disconnects or produces different kind of error messages. This messages are none other than those that other members report in this forum.

7) Of course, I rescanned each time I added files. I did it locally to screen for the rogue files.

8) Struggled with the each software update from 5) to 7) once, again, and again.

9) Today, while hearing a previously played file on the SD card (files added long ago), it stopped playing and said that it did so due to an error. In silence then, I purchased a Nettop* computer to help it run the software and decode the flacs and display the artwork. As it was supposed to do from an SD card or from a powered USB disk. I'm the only one to blame, and I'm paying my penitence. (*A Nettop is a tiny desktop computer usually sold with an Atom processor and without a monitor)

10) I registered to this forum and started to ask for help. Please help me bear with this, please.

While I wait for a second computer (never had two computers at once) to arrive, here I ask the Senior Members et al. if you would please let me know if you are up to make a definitive guide on how to get to:


An idea I believe is great for me, but that I cannot accomplish on my own due to lack of know-how and experience. Let me call it

Phase C)

I) Set up a dedicated Win7 computer to run Squeezebox Server 24/7 connected via Ethernet to the Touch, so wireless connections are not an issue? (For one, I don't want to wait for the server to scan for the umpteenth time the files, nor I don't want to stop listening to the music because I need to unplug the router and wait at least 20 seconds to plug it back to the wall and then to listen to the music. Last, yet important, I plan to keep few things running on the Nettop besides the server and I plan on doing maintenance via remote desktop).

II) Assign fixed addresses to each so everything works fine no matter if the power goes out?

III) Let me know if any of the Android apps for mobile phones available would help me controlling the Touch and how to do it so as to replace the remote, the (non existent) computer screen and the Touch's screen?

IV) Perhaps help me with the customizations proposed by those pioneers in making "how to" guides?

V) Help me start enjoying once and for all a stable and fully functional music server?


I hope that I didn't make a fool of myself, as English is not my native language and I don't speak computer language. I also hope that the experienced members would make this help request their own project and "save" my investment (I leave in a third-world country and paid USD300, a third of my monthly salary for the Touch, so I guess that earns me a place among the audiophiles). Thanks in advance to all who read this and might decide help at least by pointing me in the direction of the "good" threads and guides, since I found that every now and then the software updates render many well-intentioned advice useless and that some guides, for instance @ wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/Windows_Installation_Guide show sometimes very useful notes as: Please note this page is OBSOLETE


Thanks again to all of you!

[amcluesent]

Have you read through the info on the wiki - http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...rs_Guide_Pages

[JonWill]

I can't help you with the issues using TinySC as I've never tried, but by all accolunts running SBS on a sparate devices is *(a) mmore reliable and (b) gives you access to greater functionality and more plug ins ...

Just a quick pointer you do not connect your SBS device directly to the Touch via Ethernet - you need to attach both to the network via a routers/ switches. Wired connections are more reilable than wireless (although I have had no issues with my three wireless SBs).

Hope this helps,

Jon

[castalla]

You could look here: http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...x_Touch_Server

However, I would suspect that there's something messed up with your music files.
How many are there - do they play okay via usual PC programs? What tag program did you use for the files?

You also, don't say what version of SBS you are using.

[garym]

My first post here might be useful on the basic setup. You are definitely headed for trouble free with a server over tnysbs.

http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=89542

[firedog]

tiny SBS vs external

Experience with Tiny SBS and USB drives vary. I've tried mine with an iOmega
external drive and it works fine, no special problems.

But I also have a fanless ATOM based server running full SBS. Both it and the Touch are connected to a router by ethernet. I also have a Boom in another room on wireless.

This works better than the USB based setup. In my opinion it sounds better (maybe due to noise from the USB HD wall wart PS), has more SBS features, scans the library MUCH faster, and gives access to the browser based interface, which is sometimes very useful.

The setup you are describing should work fine. Sounds like you have the right idea. There are Android based apps for controlling using your smartphone. Look elsewhere on the forum.

[Solrac]

"Sounds like you have the right idea."

Experience with Tiny SBS and USB drives vary. I've tried mine with an iOmega
external drive and it works fine, no special problems.

But I also have a fanless ATOM based server running full SBS. Both it and the Touch are connected to a router by ethernet. I also have a Boom in another room on wireless.

This works better than the USB based setup. In my opinion it sounds better (maybe due to noise from the USB HD wall wart PS), has more SBS features, scans the library MUCH faster, and gives access to the browser based interface, which is sometimes very useful.

The setup you are describing should work fine. Sounds like you have the right idea. There are Android based apps for controlling using your smartphone. Look elsewhere on the forum.

Thanks for your support!

Just like you say, "experience with Tiny SBS and USB drives vary". As I explained, I knew that before I bought the Touch. Still, it is frustrating as while having "no special problems" as with your Iomega setup, there are problems that lead to server interruptions that occur too often. Cheers!

[Solrac]

"Get everything else setup before worrying about the remote"

My first post here might be useful on the basic setup. You are definitely headed for trouble free with a server over tnysbs.
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=89542

I've just read your valuable "australian" post. I really look forward to hearing from you again, since I couldn't understand you remark "You are definitely headed for trouble free with a server over tnysbs." Would you please explain? Cheers!

[castalla]

You say you can't reliably play the files either with the TinySBS or with the network SBS.

I still suspect that the format of your files is interfering with playback - I suggest that you recode your files into a less demanding format (eg. mp3).

If the problems still occur, then we can move on to track down the issue.

Otherwise, you are just confounding the variables - from TinySBS, Win 7 SBS, Nettop SBS and now you're adding in a plug computer to the mix.

[Solrac]

Been there, done that

You could look here: http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.ph...x_Touch_Server

However, I would suspect that there's something messed up with your music files.
How many are there - do they play okay via usual PC programs? What tag program did you use for the files?

You also, don't say what version of SBS you are using.

Thank you for your input. About the software I use: I keep everything updated so I guess I did the right thing. As for the files: Please consider I did thorough screenings and yes, they play okay via usual PC programs. Checked the tags too. Anyway, it looks like me and my music files are less suspicious than the Tiny Sc, as whenever I used the "full" version in my laptop it worked fine. Cheers.

[Solrac]

Thanks

I can't help you with the issues using TinySC as I've never tried, but by all accolunts running SBS on a sparate devices is *(a) mmore reliable and (b) gives you access to greater functionality and more plug ins ...

Just a quick pointer you do not connect your SBS device directly to the Touch via Ethernet - you need to attach both to the network via a routers/ switches. Wired connections are more reilable than wireless (although I have had no issues with my three wireless SBs).

Hope this helps,

Jon

"you do not connect your SBS device directly to the Touch" My worst fear now has a confirmation... Hopefully, someone would come up with a workaround? Cheers!

[castalla]

I misunderstood what you've written.

Can you confirm that the files play okay using the Win 7 server? If so, then you're correct in assuming it's a TinySBS problem.

Have you tried any other SD cards, usb sticks, etc.?

[aubuti]

Strictly speaking you can connect the computer or NAS running SBS directly to the Touch via ethernet, but that really is doing it the hard way. Configuring the network settings for a direct connection is a pain, especially if you also want the computer to connect to other things, such as the internet.

The standard setup is to use a home network router. The computer connects to the router, and so does the Touch. Done.

[Solrac]

Thank you very much

Strictly speaking you can connect the computer or NAS running SBS directly to the Touch via ethernet, but that really is doing it the hard way. Configuring the network settings for a direct connection is a pain, especially if you also want the computer to connect to other things, such as the internet.

The standard setup is to use a home network router. The computer connects to the router, and so does the Touch. Done.

I recognize you from other posts as one of the most helpful members, so I really appreciate your input, sir.

I see your point, but I'm not ready yet to give up my original idea. Of course, if I don't find the necessary information on how to figure it out it is doomed. My reason for a direct connection is that given the characteristics of my place in the world and my internet provider, I need to do the unplugging and plugging of the router too often and I would like to avoid as many playback interruptions as possible.

Again, I really thank you, and I'll be looking forward to hearing from you again.

[Solrac]

Hi there!

I misunderstood what you've written.

Can you confirm that the files play okay using the Win 7 server? If so, then you're correct in assuming it's a TinySBS problem.

Have you tried any other SD cards, usb sticks, etc.?

Thanks for asking.

Indeed, I played okay using the Win 7 laptop running the updated Squeezebox Server.

At this very moment, I'm hearing files stored in a USB powered drive. Along my purchase of the Touch I purchased a PNY Premium 32 GB Class 4 SD card. I tried USB sticks too. By the way, when one of them renders the Touch unusable (as you may have read in other threads it is needed to unplug the PS to restart it fully) I switch the storage and play until the next error and unplugging and rebooting.

As I stated, I screened all for files that might raise a flag in the full, Win 7 version of Sequeezebox Server before reattaching the media to the Touch.

The error is not related to a file as long as I can tell, as the scanning is usually finished without errors and all the files played at least once in standalone mode.

I'm really not going back to Tiny S.O.B, as I expect to receive the computer next month. Cheers