Bluray Players w/Multi-channel audio DLNA similar to/better than Oppo 103, best iOS DLNA app

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sbrom

701 Club - QQ All-Star
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Hi QQ!

My goal: Find a "better" Bluray player (DLNA player) and iOS DLNA controller app than my current setup.

My use case: Play multichannel music files from NAS server, using iOS app to manage the process

My current setup is:

1) QNAP NAS running Twonkymedia and MinimServer DLNA servers.
2) Oppo 103 used as a DLNA player/renderer
3) iOS (iPad) streaming app "Media:Connect" to manage the playback from DLNA server to Oppo player.
4) File types played: Multichannel and Stereo - FLAC, DSD (DSF), MP3

When the above system works, it is great, if sometimes a bit slow to react to controls. Overall though it is only 95% reliable. After playing several songs it locks up and loses touch with the player. I don't know which piece is at fault...

What "newer" Ultra-HD Bluray players can anyone recommend to replace the DLNA functionality in the Oppo 103? (Some I'm looking at - Sony X700, X800 M2)

What iOS DLNA apps are better than Media:Connect?

Thanks for your help,
Steve
 
I have the Sony X800, I control the playback with the Sony App (Music Center), files are on an external hard drive plugged directly in the player.
 
I have the Sony X800, I control the playback with the Sony App (Music Center), files are on an external hard drive plugged directly in the player.
Thanks!

I could see connecting a drive directly to the player’s USB.

How well does the Sony app (music center) manage the display of album/artist/track in this mode?

The Oppo user interface supporting USB drives is very primitive. No graphics, album covers, searching, etc.
 
Does it have to be a Blu-ray player? Why not a Media Player running dedicated software like JRiver or Kodi?
Good point! My Oppo 103 was the only “player” in my system, so it served as streaming DLNA music player in addition to playing Blu-ray’s.

I just this week upgraded my TV from 720p to 4K, so I needed a new Blu-ray player anyway. Thought I could kill the proverbial two birds (play Blu-ray’s AND multichannel streaming from existing NAS) with one device.

What’s the entry cost for a dedicated Media Player? I might consider this option.....

Thanks,
Steve
 
Good point! My Oppo 103 was the only “player” in my system, so it served as streaming DLNA music player in addition to playing Blu-ray’s.

I just this week upgraded my TV from 720p to 4K, so I needed a new Blu-ray player anyway. Thought I could kill the proverbial two birds (play Blu-ray’s AND multichannel streaming from existing NAS) with one device.

What’s the entry cost for a dedicated Media Player? I might consider this option.....

Thanks,
Steve
The X800 is a great player - it can play everything including multichannel DSD (just no ISO files or burned discs) as well as 4K movies, and it can output standard DSD or any PCM resolution via HDMI. It doesn't do analog audio out. It also plays DVD-A and SACD just like the Oppo. Does your new TV support Dolby Vision color? If not save money and get the original version of the X800, which is being cleared out now - the mark 2 version supports Dolby Vision.
 
How well does the Sony app (music center) manage the display of album/artist/track in this mode?

I have an X800 as well. The display is basic track-artist-album-time-sampling rate. No album artwork even from embedded folder pictures.
 
Probably the fastest will be an Intel NUC which you can buy assembled on Amazon or you can get the parts and assemble if you have ever built a PC. It’s very simple. Probably around $400 or so. You can use Windows (cost) and run JRiver or Kodi etc or you could use a Linux operating system (free).

For Kodi I’d install LibreElec (it’s Linux plus Kodi in one package). That will give you best UI experience.

There are cheaper media players too. Around $100 will get you latest AMLogic devices that run Linux/Kodi with 4K HDR, 1080p, Atmos/DTS-HDMA via HDMI Passthrough although it doesn’t do MCH FLAC just yet, coming soon). But perfect to drive your TV for movies and concerts now.

Check out the Media Player section here on QQ. There’s quite a few threads and pictures of players, user interfaces and apps.
 
Here's a video I created a long while back showing what Kodi shows on a screen while playing audio only music using the Artist Slideshow add-on (and navigation within Kodi's UI):

https://reva.blob.core.windows.net/demos/kodi/AaronNev1.mp4

Here's another screen capture video:

This time its of my iPad running 'Music Remote for Kodi' - An app that connects to Kodi over a network via wifi.

In this short video I add songs to a Playlist by navigating Artists/Albums (while Kodi plays current song - if a TV is connected to Kodi you can't see what I'm doing on the iPad app). Near the end of the video I hit the 'info' icon for Roger Waters and the app loads data from a couple of websites. (How old is the artist, where were they born... etc) - all without stopping current music playlist.

https://reva.blob.core.windows.net/demos/kodi/MusicRemoteForKodi.mp4

The 'Music Remote for Kodi' app also plays Music Videos (from Music Video playlists) and runs on an iPhone too.
 
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I use an Nvidia Shield as a dedicated media player, with Kodi and HomerJAUs awesome tip on artist slideshow (though I haven’t figured it all out yet). The player is pretty versatile, fast (apparently it’s meant for gaming really) and above all it’s pretty cheap, around $200. No problem playing hi res flac in surround (it outputs 96khz in 5.1), haven’t tried DSD really.

I do all my editing, ripping, tagging etc on a simple laptop and then upload everything to the NAS and let the player do all the work.

Now my blu ray player basically serves two purposes: rip sacd and play movies every once in a while (haven’t started to rip movies yet).
 
The X800 is a great player - it can play everything including multichannel DSD (just no ISO files or burned discs) as well as 4K movies, and it can output standard DSD or any PCM resolution via HDMI. It doesn't do analog audio out. It also plays DVD-A and SACD just like the Oppo. Does your new TV support Dolby Vision color? If not save money and get the original version of the X800, which is being cleared out now - the mark 2 version supports Dolby Vision.
Thanks. Yes my new TV does have Dolby Vision, so I guess I’d need to go with the x800M2 if I go with Sony. I’m leaning this way.
 
I have an X800 as well. The display is basic track-artist-album-time-sampling rate. No album artwork even from embedded folder pictures.
Thanks. Similar to the Oppo’s simple native interface. Are your files on a NAS or attached via USB? If NAS have you tried DLNA?
 
Probably the fastest will be an Intel NUC which you can buy assembled on Amazon or you can get the parts and assemble if you have ever built a PC. It’s very simple. Probably around $400 or so. You can use Windows (cost) and run JRiver or Kodi etc or you could use a Linux operating system (free).

For Kodi I’d install LibreElec (it’s Linux plus Kodi in one package). That will give you best UI experience.

There are cheaper media players too. Around $100 will get you latest AMLogic devices that run Linux/Kodi with 4K HDR, 1080p, Atmos/DTS-HDMA via HDMI Passthrough although it doesn’t do MCH FLAC just yet, coming soon). But perfect to drive your TV for movies and concerts now.

Check out the Media Player section here on QQ. There’s quite a few threads and pictures of players, user interfaces and apps.
Thanks Garry. Long term I may pursue the NUC route, when I have time to add another hobby (assembling & configuring a computer...). I suspect the performance and flexibility are unmatched. I definitely need MCH FLAC, so the AMLogic devices are a non-starter (for now).
 
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Here's a video I created a long while back showing what Kodi shows on a screen while playing audio only music using the Artist Slideshow add-on (and navigation within Kodi's UI):

https://reva.blob.core.windows.net/demos/kodi/AaronNev1.mp4

Here's another screen capture video:

This time its of my iPad running 'Music Remote for Kodi' - An app that connects to Kodi over a network via wifi.

In this short video I add songs to a Playlist by navigating Artists/Albums (while Kodi plays current song - if a TV is connected to Kodi you can't see what I'm doing on the iPad app). Near the end of the video I hit the 'info' icon for Roger Waters and the app loads data from a couple of websites. (How old is the artist, where were they born... etc) - all without stopping current music playlist.

https://reva.blob.core.windows.net/demos/kodi/MusicRemoteForKodi.mp4

The 'Music Remote for Kodi' app also plays Music Videos (from Music Video playlists) and runs on an iPhone too.
WOW!!! That is a nice UI. Fast, intuitive, and cool looking. MUCH better than anything I've used. I may have to rethink this whole thing :)

Thanks for your excellent work!
 
I use an Nvidia Shield as a dedicated media player, with Kodi and HomerJAUs awesome tip on artist slideshow (though I haven’t figured it all out yet). The player is pretty versatile, fast (apparently it’s meant for gaming really) and above all it’s pretty cheap, around $200. No problem playing hi res flac in surround (it outputs 96khz in 5.1), haven’t tried DSD really.

I do all my editing, ripping, tagging etc on a simple laptop and then upload everything to the NAS and let the player do all the work.

Now my blu ray player basically serves two purposes: rip sacd and play movies every once in a while (haven’t started to rip movies yet).
Thanks!

I've heard great things about the NVidia Shield. If it plays DSD (dsf) it could be my solution. That along with a cheap Ultra-HD Bluray player. I'll do some research on DSD capabilities.
 
Thanks. Yes my new TV does have Dolby Vision, so I guess I’d need to go with the x800M2 if I go with Sony. I’m leaning this way.
Have fun having to turn Dolby Vision on/off manually. Sony claims they cannot fix this issue in future firmware. But, overall it’s a decent player with several added features You’ll use, at a decent price.
 
Have fun having to turn Dolby Vision on/off manually. Sony claims they cannot fix this issue in future firmware. But, overall it’s a decent player with several added features You’ll use, at a decent price.
Thanks! The Dolby Vision on/off issue is a sticking point for Sony. It’s a big reason I’m searching for alternatives, just have not found a better and cost-effective solution.
 
WOW!!! That is a nice UI. Fast, intuitive, and cool looking. MUCH better than anything I've used. I may have to rethink this whole thing :)

Thanks for your excellent work!
To get the above up and running all you need is one of these

its cheap, its fanless, and has more than enough horsepower to do anything you need. I own one and have recommended them to others who have bought them and use them regularly. Comes with windows 10 pro and will plug right into your network. No assembly. Just load up Kodi, or Foobar, or Jriver and you're playing music.
 
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To get the above up and running all you need is one of these

its cheap, its fanless, and has more than enough horsepower to do anything you need. I own one and have recommended them to others who have bought them and use them regularly. Comes with windows 10 pro and will plug right into your network. No assembly. Just load up Kodi, or Foobar, or Jriver and you're playing music.
I 100% agree. I am one of those people that bought one on @LuvMyQuad 's suggestion. It works great. Just load it up with Foobar, MPC-HC, VLC and you are up and running. Only thing is these will not support 4K, since they are based on older processors.
 
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