Article: Streaming & Local Content Through HQPlayer - A Nice Alternative With The sonicTransporter

[citro]

Hey, guys!

I'm resurrecting this thread because I'm facing the same "difficulties" many face when wanting to use the combination of HQPlayer OS/Embedded WITH local library and control point via Android App.

First of all, I would like to thank @The Computer Audiophile for having compiled all this information, which sure does help us when trying to narrow down, or simply understand the choices we have to make.

I also want to thank @stefano_mbp, who I contacted in private on this matter, for all the help he has given me. And @Miska as well, which has also been very kind and patient concerning my doubts.

And lastly, I would also like to thank everyone else's inputs on this thread, because they made it richer.

So, just as I wrote in the beginning of the post, my goal is to have:

A machine running HQPlayer OS as the player - Check
Local library and Qobuz library being controlled via an Android App - Still not checked

What I have managed, and haven't managed to do so far...

I installed BubbleUPnP app on my android phone, and being registered on the same network as the HQPlayer OS, only with the HQPlayer OS running, I can see it on the BubbleUPnP app and I can choose it as the player, and I can output music to it, being logged in on Qobuz.

What I haven't managed to do so far...

I have installed Minimserver on a laptop that also sees HQPlayer OS, and lets me control it via hqplayer.local:8088, but, unfortunately, every time I try to launch Minimserver, it asks me for a path (which I think it's the path for the "local library"), but under the network, I can't find the partition belonging to the "local library" which is on the machine that has the HQPlayer OS installed.

But this partition can be found easily via hqplayer.local:8088 and played via HQPlayer client, or even from the hqplayer.local:8088 library tab.

As don't have a valid path to indicate to Minimserver, it stays red, instead of green, and this way it never shows on BubbleUPnP, or, at least, I don't seem to be able to find it.

It is my understanding, after Stefano's kind explanation, one must have the Minimserver in order to be able to play the local library, so, for that, I will always need a second machine, or a NAS.

So, this being true - having the need for a second machine - I wanted to know what are your takes on the local library's placement:

- Leave it in the HQPlayer OS machine
- Leave it in the second machine that will run Minimserver
- Buy a NAS and install Minimserver and put the library there

Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me. Hopefully, this will also help others who are facing the same difficulties.

[stefano_mbp]

2 hours ago, citro said:

But this partition can be found easily via hqplayer.local:8088 and played via HQPlayer client, or even from the hqplayer.local:8088 library tab.

As I told you that partition needs to be shared on the network in order to make it usable by Minimserver , if you don’t share it no other computer will be able to find it on the network.

 

2 hours ago, citro said:

It is my understanding, after Stefano's kind explanation, one must have the Minimserver in order to be able to play the local library,

You can actually use HQPlayer itself to manage the library, maybe using HQPlayer Client (runs only on Windows and can be found in the installation image of HQlayer Desktop version).

But it seems to me that using Minimserver will give a better user experience … it’s not a must use Minimserver.

It is a must if you want to use Bubbleupnp on your Android device to play local library and Qobuz

You can:

- load the library in HQPlayer

- use its own interface but it is very basic

- or use HQPlayer Client

- or use the app HQPDControl V4 on your Android device (it free)

but if you want to access Qobuz too the choices are only

- use HQPlayer Client

- use a UPNP setup and in this case Minimserver can be useful to use only one interface/app for both local library and Qobuz

 

[bogi]

Only a small correction to stefano's post.
HQPlayer Client is part of HQPlayer Desktop installation also on Mac and Linux.

[citro]

Just wanted to make a small update...

 

I did try again to find the local library on the HQPlayer OS machine, but other than discovering it via hqplayer.local:8088 or HQPlayer Client, I couldn't see it anywhere else. This was tested on another machine connected via ethernet, to rule out any Wi-Fi/network limitations.
Then I put the library on the same machine Minimserver was, and BubbleUPnP detected it immediately, and everything worked as it should, although it does take a while to load a song for the first time, but I guess this is to be expected and it has more to do with the Filter/Modulator choice and machine specs, than with the solution itself!

So, this is the route I'm going with, for the sake of simplifying the process!

I did get an error when trying to alternate from local library to Qobuz, something like error 701 transition not available, but as it was already late, I didn't explore it any further.

I hope this can help others as well, sometimes it's really best to keep it simpler. 

[paradis]

just seeking some view, loves hqplayer, and is there remotely any workaround that would allow hqplayer to work with Lumin streamer (yes i'm aware Lumin is not a NAA client but would love to see if there's any creative work-around)