BigMacUser

Q: Using a Mac as a Media Server

I'd like to use a Mac Mini as the Media Server input to my sound system.

I need to make the Mac Mini an iTunes DLNA server that can connect to the device that acquires the various sources and distributes the sound to the various household zones and their wired speakers.

Is anyone familiar with the various DLNA servers available?

I ripped my CD collection into MP3s awhile back so I could listen to them on mobile devices, esp. in the car.  But I'd be re-ripping them into WAV or AIFF files to produce CD quality music for the home entertainment system.  So I'd want to make sure the DLNA server is not only reliable, but high enough quality that I wouldn't run into problems streaming the music in realtime and without drop-outs or losses.

I'd welcome expertise and recommendations in this area.

Thanks.

Posted on Aug 7, 2016 5:37 AM

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Q: Using a Mac as a Media Server

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  • by John Lockwood,Helpful

    John Lockwood John Lockwood Aug 8, 2016 8:31 AM in response to BigMacUser
    Level 6 (9,215 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Aug 8, 2016 8:31 AM in response to BigMacUser

    Some DNLA software aka. UPnP software includes the ability to 'transcode' video and/or audio files from one format to another. So if you have a mixture of DNLA clients which do not all support the same format it can convert the files for those that need it. You may want to take this in to consideration when choosing a DNLA package for your Mac.

     

    Before I get on to DNLA I would say that DNLA is old, poorly supported, poorly featured and I would advise if possible to avoid it. There are other approaches which you may decide are better for you but if not then move on to the DNLA answers below.

     

    Firstly, other non-DNLA approaches. The premier approach for doing multi-room audio is to buy a Sonos system. With this you either buy Sonos speakers e.g. Play:3 or you buy a Sonos Connect which allows you to plug in to an existing amplifier. Sonos supports all the audio formats supported by iTunes including Apple Lossless which is going to be the best format to use if possible. While Sonos is the market leader there are other brands offering similar solutions. Examples of other similar systems to Sonos include Logitech Squeezebox, Roku SoundBridge (discontinued), an Apple TV3 or TV4, etc. All these support Apple Lossless and all allow different rooms to play different tracks at the same time.

     

    A second approach is to use Apple's AirPlay standard, many AV Receivers now support AirPlay if you have a network interface on your AV Receiver which these days is either standard or an option on most. iTunes would then stream directly to the AV Receiver using the AirPlay standard.

     

    A third similar approach is to get one or more AirPort Express WiFi base-stations, these have an audio out connector, you AirPlay from iTunes to the AirPort Express and it outputs via its audio connector to the attached audio device which could be speakers or an AV Receiver.

     

    Now there is a limitation with AirPlay, a single iTunes can only output via AirPlay the same content to one or more AirPlay destinations, if you want to play multiple different music tracks at the same time then this is where Sonos and similar solutions win hands down. The iTunes however can be a Mac, or Windows, or an iPhone, or an iPad.

     

    Moving on to DNLA. You are probably going to find many DNLA servers for the Mac are either discontinued, or semi-discontinued in that they have not had a recent update and therefore may have problems with newer versions of OS X, or only work with some clients, or do not do Transcoding well or at all. In other words like DNLA as a whole it is rather a mess. You will therefore find that you may have to buy a commercial DNLA package although this will be still cheaper than say buying a multi-room Sonos setup. I would advise testing the trial versions, make sure to remove each before trying the next.

     

    With no particular sentiments, have a look at the following.

     

    http://www.cyaneous.com/products/firestream/

    http://www.universalmediaserver.com/

    http://www.isedora.com/

    http://twonky.com/

    http://serviio.org/

    http://www.tvmobili.com/

    http://www.tonido.com/app_mediaserver_home.html

  • by BigMacUser,

    BigMacUser BigMacUser Aug 8, 2016 6:25 AM in response to BigMacUser
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 8, 2016 6:25 AM in response to BigMacUser

    Many thanks for the info, John.

     

    I was only introduced to DNLA recently, when looking at a wired solution (https://www.russound.com/products/audio-systems/multi-room-controllers/mca-serie s-controllers/kt2-88x-controller-amplifi…) that will deliver multiple music sources (tuner, internet radio, Spotify (etc.), media server, along with traditional CD players (etc.)) to multiple zones (each zone is a set of speakers which can receive a source independent from the others).

     

    My house has high quality wired audio system speakers in 6 different rooms.  So I'd rather retain that infrastructure as I move to these newer sources, and simply add the sources (via the Russound) to the back-end of the system.  The DNLA issue arose because the solution provider recommended a QNAP media server that uses DNLA to stream iTunes from it to the Russound amplifiers.

     

    Since I'm a Mac guy (all kinds of Apple gear in the house), I thought I could configure a Mac Mini to be the media server, as long as it could stream iTunes with the needed protocol for the Russound core.  I didn't know the DNLA background, but perhaps QNAP has their own in-house version that they package with their media server.  So maybe it's better to choose that option.  I simply liked the Mac Mini idea because of my familiarity with it and the fact that I could re-deploy it for other purposes, or maybe make it a multi-purpose server for photos, etc., too ...

     

    Outside of the integration the Russound solution provides, I also like the capability of the in-wall remotes (I have the older models that use infrared receptors on the devices; the newer ones communicate digital information to control sources) as well as the iOS app, both of which provide excellent control of each zone of the sound system from wherever you are in the house.

  • by John Lockwood,Helpful

    John Lockwood John Lockwood Aug 8, 2016 8:31 AM in response to BigMacUser
    Level 6 (9,215 points)
    Servers Enterprise
    Aug 8, 2016 8:31 AM in response to BigMacUser

    QNAP like many NAS makers do include DNLA software on their boxes, however nothing prevents you trying the trial versions of the Mac software I listed before looking at buying a QNAP or similar.

     

    Many if not most home automation systems support Sonos being that Sonos is a leading brand in this area. For example Control4 and Creston support Sonos with their panels. Sonos also have their own iOS app and of course Control4, Creston and all the other home automation brands have iOS apps.

     

    Sonos will deliver iTunes (from your Mac or Windows or a NAS server), Spotify, Pandora, Deezer, Tidal, Amazon Music, Google Play, and uniquely Apple Music to all its players. As far as I am aware no other product as yet supports streaming from your Apple Music account unless you count an Apple TV3 or 4.