alternative to jriver: no support

[jimbones]

I use a windows based server and was looking to replace my Media center. There is very poor, rather no support from the developers.

[Fitzcaraldo215]

I use a windows based server and was looking to replace my Media center. There is very poor, rather no support from the developers.

 

That has not been my experience with JRiver. Not every problem has an easy solution, though many do if the user fully and carefully describes the problem. This is computer software we are talking about, and that is the nature of the beast. Sometimes, some searching of their vast Internet forums is necessary. But, many helpful users will chime in as well as the developers themselves. I find they take actual software bugs very seriously.

 

Documentation via Wiki is spotty in some instances, and it is out of date in some others. But, it is generally decent and it runs circles around most anything else.

 

jRiver's main problem is that it supports more media types with more features(too many?) than anybody else. If their feature set is way beyond what you need, then it might make sense to seek something simpler. But, just do not expect better support elsewhere. If you are looking for perfect, you will not find it.

[toddrhodes]

I still use JRiver, but it accepts input from Roon via ASIO so I can output via KS to my i2S card. So I kinda get the best of all worlds here - Roon has far superior library navigation and management, JRiver has superior DSP (I use the PEQ) as well as KS output which Roon lacks, at least in my world. Also, JRiver can downsample when I need, the driver for this card has some serious hiss if I play 192 media, but downsampling by half, which I've found to be inaudible (just my opinion, not trying to start a war here) sounds fantastic.

 

I'm now realizing I'm probably not answering your question but, depending on your situation, check out Roon, it's flipping amazing, albeit not cheap.

[Old Listener]

I use a windows based server and was looking to replace my Media center. There is very poor, rather no support from the developers.

 

Someone with the "jimbones" user name posted a question yesterday at on the JRiver forum. Was that you?

 

"I thought I would let my friend experience HD audio so i brought my Dell laptop "Server" with MC19 over his place and hooked everything up and could not get my "server" to work in his system. Whats worse is that I returned the "Server" home and I am still getting an error message that says "a problem was encountered, check to see that MC is not running under a different Windows account, try restarting, yada, yada, yada."

 

I did not anticipate that I would have an issue connecting up my Dell with MC19 to another system. Any advise?"

 

and another this morning

 

"Hi, I attempted to use my Laptop with MC19 (last update of version 19) in my friends system so he could experience HD audio. Unfortunately I was not able to get it to work since he has a different DAC.

I am getting the following error:

 

MC is running but there may be a problem. possible causes:

1 the program is also running under a different user account

2 MC and Media Server are both in Windows startup(remove one)

3 The program is not responding for an unknown reason.

 

 

 

Any advice in resolving this is appreciated."

 

and this evening a followup post

 

"Really? Wow, am I leaving out important info? no replies? "

 

A short time later you posted your question here about an alternative to JRiver.

 

 

During the interval between your first post about your problem and your post here, a number of people got help with their problems.

 

 

As Fitzcaraldo215 suggests, you might put more effort providing more detail when you ask for help. You might also be a bit more patient.

 

I just wrote a post in the thread "jimbones" started today on the JRiver forum. I aksed some questions that would help me or other people understand your problem. There are a number of very knowledgeable JRiver users and JRiver employees who do help other users on the JRiver forum.

[jriver]

jimbones,

You might like jplay.

[jimbones]

Thanks for the replies. I just posted quite a bit of additional info (not sure if all of it is pertinent but then sometimes you don't know it until you do so). PS I do love Jplay. But I use MC for it's library it has a nice GUI and use Jplay because I love the sound quality.

[4est]

I hope that you realize that jriver was mocking you by suggesting you use a program they have disallowed.

Thanks for the replies. I just posted quite a bit of additional info (not sure if all of it is pertinent but then sometimes you don't know it until you do so). PS I do love Jplay. But I use MC for it's library it has a nice GUI and use Jplay because I love the sound quality.

[jimbones]

Sure I do. I don't play that game. Each product has it strengths. I like the front end on MC and it has better sound than itunes. I like Jplay for what it is.

[4est]

I agree on all accounts. It is just too bad jriver cannot seem to play nice with others...

Sure I do. I don't play that game. Each product has it strengths. I like the front end on MC and it has better sound than itunes. I like Jplay for what it is.

[ElviaCaprice]

I agree on all accounts. It is just too bad jriver cannot seem to play nice with others...

 

They don't have to. I don't blame them for not doing so, obviously a business decision. Nobody has the versatility of video and audio playback that JRiver does to date. If your doing just audio, okay, you have choices. But if your doing audio and video (with hi res audio) combined, JRiver is it. Most folks do some sort of video playback. Very few (audiophiles) do just audio.

 

Lack of video and audio, combined playback optimization keeps me from trying a lot of audiophile components/software. I think JRiver has it right in moving towards video optimization/versatility. That is where the money is and will be, in media playback software.

 

Yeah, Jim doesn't have to be so sneed about it, smarter to take the high road, but really it's a healthy release outside the JRiver forum. Not like it matters to their business, a group of folks, that never were going to stick with JRiver 100 percent, anyways, due to the need to experiment in audio.

[mwheelerk]

I use a windows based server and was looking to replace my Media center. There is very poor, rather no support from the developers.

I'm afraid I don't agree with you. I've had questions I've posted on their forum and generally get great response.

[toddrhodes]

Even when I was using JRiver upstairs for audio library management and output, connected to my 5.1 system and 80" TV, I still preferred Kodi for its video library management. I thought JRiver had a lot of potential in that area but Kodi is just easier to navigate and has smarter features. Kodi is the new name for XBMC, for whatever that's worth. Get Kodi to launch MPC-HC with LAV filters, reclock, and MadVR (aka Red October in JRiver parlance) and it is simply a winning combination. Now I use Roon instead of JRiver up there, but I still use JRiver for it's scheduling feature to run a white noise type playlist starting at 10 pm through the whole house audio that we turn on in the bedrooms for sleepy time

[Nikhil]

jimbones,

You might like jplay.

 

Jim,

 

Is that the best you could come up with in response?

How hard would it be to point him in the right direction?

 

Regards.

[firedog]

I've had some good responses on their forum, and I've had a problem with the newest version of JRemote since the iOS update, have posted about it twice, and never gotten ANY kind of response. Even a negative one.

 

I don't condsider that good support.

[firedog]

Jim,

 

Is that the best you could come up with in response?

How hard would it be to point him in the right direction?

 

Regards.

 

Typical response by jriver here. He doesn't seem to get/care that being snarky with customers isn't a great way to run a business.

[nautibuoy]

jimbones,

You might like jplay.

 

Thanks for confirming that I made a good call when I dumped JRMC and decided to no longer recommend it because of your JPlay antics.

 

And no, I don't use JPlay.

[hifitubes]

Even when I was using JRiver upstairs for audio library management and output, connected to my 5.1 system and 80" TV, I still preferred Kodi for its video library management. I thought JRiver had a lot of potential in that area but Kodi is just easier to navigate and has smarter features. Kodi is the new name for XBMC, for whatever that's worth. Get Kodi to launch MPC-HC with LAV filters, reclock, and MadVR (aka Red October in JRiver parlance) and it is simply a winning combination. Now I use Roon instead of JRiver up there, but I still use JRiver for it's scheduling feature to run a white noise type playlist starting at 10 pm through the whole house audio that we turn on in the bedrooms for sleepy time

 

I love Kodi but I still use jriver for video due to jremote. I didn't know you could load those filters for Kodi - I have found its default video performance lacking.

 

The iOS constellation app doesn't work with ios9, and that was the only app I had found to support direct access to video addons! Any other apps do that?

 

Jim doesn't suffer fools and his brusque responses often feel over the top but support does exist. You just really have to work for it in the forums which can be time consuming.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jimbones]

Making some progress. I as the error message said Both Media Server and Media Center were in the start menu. All i did was single click on Media Server and then I went back to my desktop and opened up MC and it is now open. Not sure what I did. Now I still don't have sound. It appears that the driver to my Burson got hosed. I mine as well update that to the Windows 10 driver while I am at it. Thanks. I am not looking for a fight, I am just a technologically challenged audiophile \working to get his music back. Thanks again.

[BobSherman]

Typical response by jriver here. He doesn't seem to get/care that being snarky with customers isn't a great way to run a business.

 

Don't you realize that we are all stupid.

[ElviaCaprice]

I love Kodi but I still use jriver for video due to jremote. I didn't know you could load those filters for Kodi - I have found its default video performance lacking.

 

 

Yes, for me there isn't another media player that can even come close to my media needs over JRiver. Guess it depends on what your needs are. I often play concerts and promo videos that demand not only great video playback but audio also, often in Hi resolution flac, my own productions. Also I need a good library system along with all the other great tools JRiver offers, such as quickly striping away an audio track from a video file, JRiver is priceless. Plus I can fulfill all my audio and video needs from one software. Not two, three or four. Makes for mixing up playlists nicely.

[hifitubes]

Yes, for me there isn't another media player that can even come close to my media needs over JRiver. Guess it depends on what your needs are. I often play concerts and promo videos that demand not only great video playback but audio also, often in Hi resolution flac, my own productions. Also I need a good library system along with all the other great tools JRiver offers, such as quickly striping away an audio track from a video file, JRiver is priceless. Plus I can fulfill all my audio and video needs from one software. Not two, three or four. Makes for mixing up playlists nicely.

 

Been using since v9? Lately I'm doing a lot of PCM2DSD and it's very stable for me now.

 

Library server is great though I don't use it much anymore, well at times from work to do remote tagging. Did you know you can burn a CD over WAN.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[tranz]

Jim,

 

Is that the best you could come up with in response?

How hard would it be to point him in the right direction?

 

Regards.

 

Let me point him in the right direction.

 

Minimserver with Bubble UPnP and never look back...

 

Your ears will thank you, not to mention peace of mind and less cost.

[jimbones]

Note: I do not use JRiver for video, only music.

[BobSherman]

Let me point him in the right direction.

 

Minimserver with Bubble UPnP and never look back...

 

Your ears will thank you, not to mention peace of mind and less cost.

 

+1

[Possum Jenkins]

+1

 

 

You could also give Daphile a try. I've sacked off JRiver now for playback (use it for library management only) and use a headless PC running Daphile.