Denon HEOS issues with MM DLNA server

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Ludek
Posts: 4945
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2007 9:00 am

Re: Denon HEOS issues with MM DLNA server

Post by Ludek »

To be clear, converting high bitrate ALAC to mp3 does play the file, however, after the end of the track, there is a very long delay before the next track starts and the Denon HEOS app indicates "Unable to play media. Please try again later". So, could this be an issue with how MM5 ends and starts the next file?
ALAC > MP3 conversion is on-the -fly so there shouldn't be any long delays. Please open eSupport ticket and attach debug log (generated using DbgView started before MM5 2682) so that I can see the delays and analyze the reasons.
telecore
Posts: 57
Joined: Thu Jan 28, 2021 10:20 pm

Re: Denon HEOS issues with MM DLNA server

Post by telecore »

FWIW - I have found a good (and free) DLNA server for users of Denon Home, Denon HEOS and AVRs to use the HEOS software - Jellyfin. Jellyfin is a free media server - there is a checkbox to enable the Jellyfin DLNA server. There are a few issues to work around with Denon, though:
1-ALAC playback has a problem, so I convert ALAC tracks to FLAC
2-some MM5 created M4A/AAC tracks will not play back when created with the VBR option at high % (ABR seems to work)
3-in my case I had to use the unix path separator "/" instead of "\" for playlists

To use Jellyfin, I first use MM5 to sync tracks and playlists to a large USB drive, converting ALAC tracks to FLAC and leaving MP3 and iTunes store M4A/AAC tracks as-is. Then I copy all of the tracks and playlists to my Unraid server, running the Jellyfin Docker. Everything seems to work in HEOS - playlists will play, artwork is shown and there is no delay or stalling in between tracks when played back.

I tried other DLNA servers, including MM5, but Jellyfin was the only one that is easy to set up and everything works (by avoiding ALAC and MM5 created M4A/AAC-VBR) - MM5 playback to Denon seems to work when MM5 is controlling playback, but not with the HEOS app.
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