Add UPNP support
Answered
Please consider adding UPNP rendering support. I have multiple devices and all support UPNP but my Node2.
It's a great alternative to Roon at a much lower price point and UPNP server solutions have much lower hardware requirements. You can run MinimServer on a very old NAS for example.
Despite the multi room playback limitations, it would be very useful when you want to play different content in different zones.
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Official comment
Hi Alex
We have no plans to implement UPnP not only for playback limitation reasons, but also network over head and poor meta data management reasons.
Check your device documentation as those external devices most likely support SMB (Windows File Sharing). Once you have a Library the experience is more reliable and easier to use when looking for music.
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Hi Tony,
I fully understand that a full UPnP/DLNA support is not interesting for you. Still it would be very useful to have the option to use the Bluesound devices as renderers (endpoints), similar to what you can do through Roon.
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I hate dlna, it's a mess. I have to serve it because I have one device that doesn't play over CIFS/Samba. I prefer the latter because it is file agnostic.
Do you have the option to serve CIFS/Samba from your NAS?
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I've been using the CIFS/SMB method till now. There are few issues with that though. Browsing is slow with larger collections, search is also relatively slow. I also don't like having a separate index on each device. When I add new music, I need to re-index on each device separately.
Currently my Note2 is the only device in my home that doesn't support UPnP.
I'm not saying to implement the full DLNA media browsing capability, just the ability to use the Bluesound devices as UPnP renderers/endpoints. I would use the Control Point software on another device, computer/tablet/phone and use the MinimServer as backend.
That's not different than offering Roon support. Whatever you think about the DLNA/UPnP as a protocol, it would be useful for many users to be able to at least use the Bluesound devices as renderers.
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I am afraid I have seen your UPNP/DLNA response too often and must agree with Alex. I had bought a Node 2i and was -still am- super impressed with the sound, and thought I had finally found the right new basis for replacing other equipment in the house. I am a JRiver user, and the mutual ignorance of BlueSound by JRiver and JRiver (and anything else DLNA) by BlueSound is simply stubborn and silly, and disregards user convenience, apologies to be blunt. JRiver works perfectly on other DLNA/UPNP equipment (like a Linn streamer, not exactly cheap-o equipment, also using its own protocol, but open to UPNP on top of ROON). Having to manually launch a lengthy re-scan of a network drive every time I add music to my collection before I can listen to it -with unpredictable end results like duplicates or missed artwork) is simply 20th century stuff lost in the 21st. As long as you do not review your position, my Node 2i will be my first -and last- BlueSound purchase.
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quite an old thread. but i checked and it seems the Node still cannot act as a UPNP renderer ?
if that's the case, then i can see the frustration that Alex/Dominique had. i am still on the fence bcoz the Node can't be a UPNP renderer. the decision will be much easier if it can, given that the basis of buying a Node, or any good streamer for that fact, is bcoz ppl appreciate its (inter-)operability. the Node just needs to be a UPNP renderer. for that, i don't think it needs the whole suite of UPNP server on its board as mentioned below. right ?
https://support.bluos.net/hc/en-us/articles/360000219867-Does-BluOS-support-UPnP-
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upvoting this.
its quite a shame that the device as good as bluesound lacks this core functionality, in my opinion.
i bought node 2 about a year ago to supplement my main audio system in the living room. its been serving me well when it comes to streaming service direct streaming (tidal, spotify, etc.) or airplay. but i since it lacks upnp i can't stream any of my local collection that i playback via audirvana. while the lack of cue sheet or higher-res audio support prevents me from playing quite a big chunk of my local library directly on the node.
its actually ridiculous since i end up streaming audio sometimes via chromecast built in my sony tv over the the dedicated streamer (node).
at this stage i prefer to consider the node as a wireless regular audio streamer rather than anything hi-res-related really.
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Thanks a lot for the upvote, StanK. The only ways around this silly limitation are: 1) paying an absurdly high amount of money to Roon each year (or even more indecent for a liftetime license purchase, and they are increasing prices further in 2023), or 2) connecting your Node to your network drive where your local music files reside through a Samba share, and then have to manually refresh the library each time you add new music, plus endure the realy patchy import process which yields duplicates and missing art work (JRiver, Audirvana, Roon, Media Monkey,... have no problem with artwork at all, only Buesound....). I have to equip my "retirement" place with hi-fi, and it won't be Bluesound because of lack of UPnP support....
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Hey Dominique!
Appreciate your suggestion.
However.
I don’t want to use roon as it has the same silly limitations around cue sheets (see many threads on their community site) and qobuz is not available in Canada. So the roon deal isn’t that exciting really.
As I mentioned in my original comment, synchronizing my network storage with the node isn’t doing the trick either as bluos doesn’t recognize dsd and does not play well with cue sheets.
When buying the node, I saw that it was “roon ready” not “roon required” and this is quite disappointing.
I agree with you, and my next streamer surely won’t be Bluesound as I would like to have control over how I stream my local library and not be forced into yet another subscription service by the hardware that I purchased full price.0 -
As a Bluesound Node 2021 user, I think it would be a very desireable feature for it to support UPNP rendering. I found this thread after installing Foobar2000 Mac and saw two of my WiiM Minis both showed up automatically in foobar2000. My Bluesound Node was no where to be found. It is disappointing. After all, a Node is 5 times more expensive than a WiiM mini. Using UpnP devices, I can play my music from the local network through foobar2000 and it sounds really good. Of the two types of streamers I own: Bluesound Node and WiiM mini, I found myself using WiiM mini more. WiiM mini software team has very agile development cycles and updates the firmware often (about 5 non-invasive releases during 1 month ownership). It looks the Bluesound Node software is falling behind its competitors. Its statement about their lack of features sounds more defensive than progressive. Its poor integration with Alexa skills is another example of a good hardware company unable to master the modern software development skills. With WiiM mini, I can say to Alexa "Play Leonard Cohen in the Kitchen". Can't do that with Bluesound Node.
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just to share an opinion, while i know it probably wont lead to anything positive - in my view.
as a heavy audirvana user, lack of upnp support made it so i barely ever use my node. it is still plugged in and running and we sometimes use it for airplay to our multiroom avr for a party, but its very rare and never to properly enjoy music. we have a lot of chord and kef gear and it, as well as almost everything else we bought since, supports upnp and is considerably easier to use that way.
its a shame that bluos never got upnp support because of its 'poor metadata' or whatever management. node is a comfortable/quality of life product - and lack of upnp is making it uncomfortable to use with audiophile software and gear.
we will probably replace our node with another streamer with upnp support in the near future.
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I have multiple media libraries managed by Jellyfin and I don't see the point in having other devices re-managing all those files again. There is no point for me in using the BlueOS app with an interface I don't really like as finding is a pain when I can't even filter the library i want to search music from. For example my audiobooks, my recordings, children music, albums etc are all mixed together and the only viable way to find the audio files is to search through the folder view where browsing is a pain and ofc it doesn't support playlist generation either.
As its not possible to play a radio channel from my android radio app I use whenever i listen to radio (which supports passing the URL via DLNA) or playing music from Jellyfin I have connected the speaker to my PC and use it just like an old "stupid" amp.
Sincerely, without DLNA, my Pulse 2i even having a network connection is a big disadvantage. The device always starts muted as the the input is set to "Library" when I switch the power on and I have to use the API over the HomeAssistant app to switch the input channel to "analog input" each time I want to use the speaker (even switching it in the BlueOS app is way too complicated too).
I don't understand why you can't follow standards by supporting DLNA endpoint as an option for those who can live with the related "disadvantages" you mention.
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