Yamaha RX-A 1020 and getting airplay to work

[samwisesam]

hi,

 

it's been a while since I posted but I do still mine this sight for invaluable info. Since coming on here I have converted all my CD's to PC and now run JRiver MC, music on External HD linked into an audiolab dac with Focal 816w speakers. Amplification was an AV Rotel pre/power (RSP1066 - RMB1075) rig until recently. I have now changed amps to a Naim Supernait for music and RXA1020 for AV duties. However, I want to utilise teh Yamaha for network duties just for a casual option. I have managed to get network radio and DNLA working but I can't get Airplay to work. I don't know how I got DNLA to work to be honest it's so bloody complicated, its driving me mad. I have the 1020 connected to the network via cat6 to a powerline adapter. This connected at the other end to the router. My PC running I Tunes and WMC is connected to the router. ITunes is set for home sharing but the icon for airplay doesnt show up. The 1020 shows in Windows as a connected device. The fact that DNLA works suggests it's not a firewall issue. In the 1020 airplay shows up but no music is displayed? HELP!

 

Thanks Jamie

[Cebolla]

Have you switched off TCP/IP v6 support in the Network Connection Properties settings of the computer running iTunes? I believe AirPlay doesn't work with it.

 

BTW, what was your problem getting DLNA to work, if you don't mind me asking?

[samwisesam]

Hi, thanks ill give that a try. I was originally getting "no content" but when trying to sort out airplay I realised the 1020 wasnt showing on network. Loading drivers on to pc seem to fix that problem. However, it's looking at windows media player which I don't useso very little content. My main player is jriver which is on my laptop. This links wirelessly to the router. I am not sure how I link this to the 1020?

 

Thanks for any advice

[Cebolla]

The built-in Windows DLNA media server, provided by Window Media Player, by default only looks for files you have stored in the designated media folders, which probably explains the lack of content. Its media library is also not very configurable, does not support some music file types without the hastle of installing & configuring extra codecs (another reason for not showing your files, perhaps?) and is sometimes unreliable. Hence the WMP DLNA server is not often recommended for use with music files.

 

However, the JRiver MC comes with a decent UPnP/DLNA server, so you should be able to use it and see all of JRiver's own media content. You'll need to turn it on, though, via Tools > Options > Media Network.

 

An alternative UPnP/DLNA music server is the excellent free MinimServer, which can be installed on many NASs as well as Windows, Mac and Linux computers. Another good UPnP/DLNA server to try would be Asset UPnP (Windows & Linux only).

 

Apart from making sure all network devices actually support UPnP/DLNA properly in the first place, the other issue is usually selecting the music files and controlling the playback on the streamer. Not all DLNA streamers can be used as a DLNA renderer, ie, have playback managed by a DLNA controller application. At best these devices come with a proprietary controller app for iOS and Android devices, but sometimes they can only be controlled by using its remote control and built-in screen (or worse still require an attached external display device such as a TV). They usually support gapless playback, but not all do, so this can be an issue for some.

[thrand1]

hi,

 

it's been a while since I posted but I do still mine this sight for invaluable info. Since coming on here I have converted all my CD's to PC and now run JRiver MC, music on External HD linked into an audiolab dac with Focal 816w speakers. Amplification was an AV Rotel pre/power (RSP1066 - RMB1075) rig until recently. I have now changed amps to a Naim Supernait for music and RXA1020 for AV duties. However, I want to utilise teh Yamaha for network duties just for a casual option. I have managed to get network radio and DNLA working but I can't get Airplay to work. I don't know how I got DNLA to work to be honest it's so bloody complicated, its driving me mad. I have the 1020 connected to the network via cat6 to a powerline adapter. This connected at the other end to the router. My PC running I Tunes and WMC is connected to the router. ITunes is set for home sharing but the icon for airplay doesnt show up. The 1020 shows in Windows as a connected device. The fact that DNLA works suggests it's not a firewall issue. In the 1020 airplay shows up but no music is displayed? HELP!

 

Thanks Jamie

 

A few things I didn't see mentioned/just want clarification...

 

To use AirPlay of your music, you need to have iTunes open on the "source" computer with the library loaded into iTunes. If you close iTunes/shut down that computer with Home Sharing enabled, that usually shuts off access to that library via AirPlay.

 

Do you have any other iOS products (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch) that you can check and see if the Yamaha shows up as a valid AirPlay item? On my iPad for example (with iOS 7) while music is playing I can "swipe up" from the bottom and press "AirPlay" and then choose my AppleTV as an AirPlay device.

 

Can you verify the Yamaha has a proper IP address in the same range as your PC/whatever is running the iTunes library?

[Audio_ELF]

Not sure if this helps... But https://wiki.cs.columbia.edu/display/res/JBonjourBrowser should allow you to view all Bonjour services available on your network - this should include airplay on the Yamaha if it's visible to your computer.

 

Eloise

[samwisesam]

thanks for the info as usual it has helped. The issue was to de-select IP6. It is working fine now. What gets me is that it really isn't intuiative. It's taken days of searching manuals, forums etc. to get it running. Still it is working now so should prove a useful asset when we've got friends around rather than any critical listening I do. Now for the hard part, ideally I would like to use DLNA and J River MC rather than Airplay but that isn't working yet. J River is running on my laptop and not the PC that I Tunes is on. J River recognises the 1020 but the 1020 is not showing any content. I suspect the laptop may not be showing up on the home network so the receiver isn't able to see the content. I need to work through this to identify the issue. Could it be firewall related?

 

thanks again

[samwisesam]

Well would you adam and eve it, the DLNA is working now too! I assume the IP6 must have been the stumbling block there too although I think I also switched off the firewall on my LAN (don't know if that's advisable or not?). I can use Gizmo fine and it works well. The Yamaha AV Controller and on screen search less so. It seems to play a few seconds of the track before Jriver overrides it and plays the next track on the previously selected album - strange. The AV App doesn't list any ITunes tracks neither does the on screen search. So I assume it must be controlled via a specific Airplay app? Thanks again, sometimes it's good just to air your problems as you guys seem to have been there done that.

 

cheers Jamie

[Cebolla]

I wouldn't expect the network firewall to normally block UPnP. The usual issues with routers and UPnP/DLNA are their poor support of forwarding IGMP multicast data, even when support is supposedly switched on. This problem can also affect Apple Bonjour protocol's discovery of AirPlay devices. Assuming that bit of cockney rhyming slang means you're based in the UK, it'll probably be useful to point out that most of BT's Homehub router models are known to suffer from this problem.

 

Sometimes the problem isn't obvious, such as when UPnP/DLNA and AirPlay discovery might be ok when devices are all in the same wired or wireless portion of the network, but not when communicating accross the wired/wireless boundary. Other devices to be wary of with similar issues are some network bridges (even software ones run on a computer) and some powerline network adapters.

 

When using Gizmo, I believe you are remote controlling JRiver MC, rather than the streaming device directly. It's the UPnP/DLNA controller (aka DLNA media controller or DMC) process within JRMC that is controlling the playback of the Yamaha AVR, which will be behaving as a UPnP/DLNA renderer (aka DLNA media renderer or DMR). As a DMR, the Yamaha is a slave to this sort of control by JRMC, so much so that it will be fighting for control over itself, if the JRMC's DMC is still trying to control it for playback.

 

The way the AVR and other similar devices support AirPlay is very similar to the DMR slave mode, in that it has no control over what is being played back. Control in this case can only come from within iTunes application itself and has nothing to do with the AVR. It can only 'see' UPnP/DLNA servers when it is being used as the controlling device, when using its own app or remote control and you would normally not expect these media servers to display iTune's media library.

[samwisesam]

cebolla, thanks for the additional info. Yes I am UK based. I have recently deployed a couple of power line adapter's so I could get the AV network up and running. My intention is to switch these off when listening to my main source to avoid interference. But now I am up and running its a nice option to have. My router is a Sky router, belkin I think? Seems to work well.

 

Your last two paras were really helpful and explains the slight conflict I experienced last night. No big deal though and easily avoidable.

 

Quite amusing last night, my wife who was ,watching TV through the av receiver couldn't understand why it kept switching to airplay or server! As I was in another part of the house I didn't realise my playing around with iTunes and the av app was constantly changing the av settings, derr! I can see hours of amusement there though.....

 

Next step is to see whether I can take a digital signal out from the receiver to a DAC? Not sure if that's possible yet.

 

Thanks for advice.

 

Jamie

[samwisesam]

hi again, still having some issues here. I need to use an android app for controlling iTunes but iTunes isn't seeing the device? The device connects wirelessly to the router the PC running iTunes connects via Ethernet. Could this be a firewall issue? I also note that in windows network settings it also doesn't see my wireless devices. They are all working fine so I am not clear what the issue is? Any advice?

 

thanks

[Cebolla]

Hi Jamie

 

What Android app are you using to control iTunes? The free Retune Android app on my phone works well with iTunes 11.1.3.8 on my XP laptop.

 

If you are displaying the Sidebar in iTunes, the remote should show itself in the Sidebar under Devices, displaying itself as the Android device's network name. If the Sidebar is hidden then the remote will display itself as a Remote button near the top on the right. Clicking the Remote button or the Android devices name in the Sidebar should display the remote pairing screen.

 

It's unlikely to be a firewall issue with the Bonjour protocol, since you've already got AirPlay working, unless there's a setting somewhere specifically blocking your Android device. If there is an issue with Bonjour and your Android device, it could well be this forwarding of multicast data between wired & wireless devices problem that some routers have, rather than firewall blocking. It might an idea to test this by installing the free trial version of the AirBubble app on your Android device, which will turn it into an AirPlay speaker and seeing if you can connect and play music to it from iTunes.

 

I've never seen my Android phone as a network device when viewed from Windows network settings screen, so it's possible that Windows just doesn't display connected Android devices on the network from there.

 

John

[samwisesam]

thanks John that is clear. I downloaded the Retune app and tried to find the tablet in the left hand side and top right of Itunes but can't see it anywhere. I am on version 10 dot something but I think Retune should work with this version. However, I might try uploading the latest version to see if that helps. Otherwise I will follow your advice re Bubble to test out the connection. Thanks again.

 

jamie

[samwisesam]

not working on v 11 either! Time to try out bubble app. But getting pretty worn down by the issue so time to actually enjoy some music for a while using normal CD/DAC set up, at least that works!

 

cheers

[samwisesam]

hi again. I've now tried the Air bubble and no luck. ITunes didn't see it as an airplay device. Nor does it see my tablet or phone as remotes. I am at a loss, any further advice. cheers Jamie

[Cebolla]

I fear you might have one of those dodgy routers that doesn't allow proper AirPlay (and most likely UPnP/DLNA) discovery between devices across the wired and wireless sides of the network.

 

If you install the AirAudio app on the Android device that hasn't got AirBubble installed, you should be able to confirm this. AirAudio captures the Android device's sound and then allows you to play it to any AirPlay supporting device on the network. My guess is that it will be able to see the AirBubble speaker running on the other wireless Android device, but it won't see your wired Yamaha.

[samwisesam]

Thanks cebolla I will try that to confirm

 

Cheers