with a slower internet connection I used to download albums on to a local server for playing - not buying but as a subscriber downloading locally. This was because of my perception that playing a stream on the local network would reduce errors -timing and buffering- via a slow speed internet connection. Now with fibre broadband, is there still a need to do this? Would it be just as effective to merely add the albums to a playlist, and then play from the internet?
Is that still true if not bought? I wondered if you had to have the internet connection to validate that you were entitled to play the download as it is stored in a coded format- not able to copy off to another NAS etc.
Presumably its like tidal et all where downloaded stuff plays just fine without internet but it needs to phone home occasionally to the mother ship, if that never happens then you get cut off.
Not sure it’s possible here in France. Bruss lives in France. If my internet is down, the Naim app doesn’t work, so I can’t stream from my server. Or I miss something?
Hi. I haven’t tried it but perhaps will sometime. if the internet connection is lost then the internal home network running on the windows platform can still communicate with other windows compatible devices. I expect that if I don’t need Amazon authorisation to play the downloaded files, then at the least my PC will play the files.
The question then is what is the difference between a protected downloaded file on subscription, and a downloaded file which has been bought separately and is in normal open wav or flac format.
Other than any embedded DRM there will be no difference on purchased download apps. The DRM basically says this is a copyright protected file and who purchased the playback rights and from whom.
There are also encrypted download cache files… which will only playout by using the associated streaming app (which has the certificate keys) … these usually give you a period of time to playback without internet connection and playback without having to re stream, before the streaming app needs to sync with the cloud to check you still have the rights to playback, ie you are still subscribing, and it updates how many times you have played it for artist royalties etc.
Yes Simon as I expected. My original question though was around whether there is still an advantage to storing the files locally. The only advantage that could be possible (given improved internet connectivity) is whether the files could be played without an internet connection. If not and they need the connection for drm authorisation, I am perhaps wasting storage space by downloading files when I could merely play then from the 'net.
Edit- You have added further explanation. Thank you.
Indeed storing encrypted cache files really are for the benefit of those on mobile devices where internet access is not assured, those on very slow broadband connections and those on metered broadband connections… so you don’t need to stream each time you listen. However as I said above the downside you will need to use the dedicated streaming provider’s app to decrypt the saved/cached encrypted files.
I use BubbleUpnp to stream from my NAS to the Naim streamer and that worked fine when we had an Internet outage a while ago. I’d like to think the Naim app would do the same but that may be wishful thinking
We’ve been here before. There is no need to have a working internet connection to stream local files from your NAS using the Naim App - if your network is configured properly.
Geography makes no difference.
There is another advantage, as sometimes the streaming company will withdraw an album or artist (or possibly it’s the artist withdrawing) so you are left without access to possibly a favourite album
