Atom DLNA problems

Hello, I have a lot a problem using Atom’s DLNA feature with an another control point that the Naim’s application. In general the problems are with the playlist

For example:

  • With Emby : the first song start to play but the next track don’t play. Volume control don’t work
  • With Kodi : 3 or 4 songs plays, then the playlist stop. Volume control work.

I have tried others applications (like BubbleUpnp) just for testing purpose and I have problem to. But my two main applications is Emby and Kodi.
I think the problem come from the Atom because my others DLNA clients (Naim Muso gen1, Sony sound bar, TV) works fine.

The DLNA server is Emby. Atom’s firmware is up to date. Client, Server, and control point is on cabled LAN.

Is there another person with these kinds of problem using DLNA ?
How can I correct that ? DLNA is for me a very important feature and my main motivation to by an Atom. I have a lot of integration in my house and I don’t want to use only the Naim’s application.

Thank in advance for the help.

Hi @Sysyphus,

I had a look at Emby and it seems to be a bit incomplete in implementation:

  • It doesn’t use the SetNextTransportURI api (see screenshot), so is dependent on listening to the right events to appreciated track is finishing to queue the next track. From wiresharking the comms its not doing it properly so will be very delicate if it works or not. See screenshot attached.

  • On Volume I couldn’t replicate the issue you report. I’m using the Win x64 version of the app, but it sends out the correct API calls and Atom is responding. For reference on exercising API compliance tools see: https://www.meshcommander.com/upnptools

For reference we have used Audirvarna’s interpretation of the UPnP spec for gapless playback (and play queues that don’t randomly stall due to control device sleeping), as there is huge variation of how to use the API’s so we decided to sync up with Aurirvana who more focus around a high end experience.

With regards

Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd.

First very thanks for your response, it’s so quick ! Just for information, I’m a professional software developer (C#) so you can use technical terms. But I don’t know anything about DLNA and I’m a noob on audio development…
I forward your response to the Emby author. I hopes it can help him because, without the Atom, he can’t debug.
For the volume it’s strange and alway reproductible for me. I use the web UI of Emby to do my test it’s the same for you ?
If you have information on Kodi problem too, it will be greatly appreciated. I use Emby as Upnp Server and Kodi for control point. (I install Emby plugin in Kodi to access Music library).
Another question, why my Naim Muso work fine for all software and not the Atom ? Implementation it’s not the same ?

I can help you to do testing if you want. Just say to me what you want I do, I can install and use the debug tools you link.

Thank you for the help.
Best regards

Hi @Sysyphus

I noticed in Emby that they do have a DLNA logging mode in the system, so I suspect they can see the interaction of how Emby vs Atom are interacting. Naturally if there is a compliance issue on our side we’ll aim to sort it. As mentioned before we’ve sided with the Audirvana interpretation of the spec as it was the largest user base who use external UPnP controls and it supports gapless playlists, so no mystery delays between tracks.

Kodi - We’ll take a look. Its not one that we test against, but we’ll have a check to see what is going on.

Best regards

Steve

This type of thing is the reason I ditched using UPnP altogether years ago as it drove me nuts and moved to Squeezebox and finally Roon to manage my music, too many different vendors and software with different implementations and support. None would work altogether with same feature sets. Gapless being a big sticking point. Up until quite recently you couldn’t use anything but the Naim app to get gapless on the new Uniti range to.

Hello,
I have a response from Emby authors, I don’t understand all so I forward it to you.

Well yes that’s true, but we still need the events because the user could add to the play queue after playback has started.
Can you get more information on the events?

It seem’s that they need event send by the Atom ?

I you wan’t, you can see the thread on Emby forum here : https://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/84102-dlna-cast-to-naim-unity-atoms-dont-work/

You’re help will be very appreciated Kodi and Emby are maBest regardsin parts of my smart home installation

Best regards

Hello @ Stevesky

Do you have any news about DLNA compatibility of Atoms with Kodi and Emby.
Emby’s author wait for you events send by the Atom, like I try to explain in my last post.

You’re help will be very appreciated.

Thank you in advance
Best regards.

Hi @Sysyphus,

On the current development version of code we got our supplier of that component to update to the latest version, but in practice it hasn’t really helped.

It all seems to be based on that Emby is assuming DLNA and we are not a DLNA device. We expose a legacy UPnP renderer interface, but our supplier have only picked a small handful of popular UPnP based apps for it to work with. Primarily using UPnP in this way is notoriously unreliable, as each supplier has a different view on how to implement the API. It’s why the Naim app doesn’t use this way and goes via the play queue built into the product, hence gapless and has no dependency on the control application to be online to get the next track to play.

Unfortunately I don’t have a solution for this problem. I think it ultimately comes down that although DLNA uses the same discovery mechanisms as UPnP, the devil in the detail of protocol use is different and it’s not going to work together as is. If we changed our side to strictly DLNA then other more popular apps that customers use will stop working.

I think the only work around is use the Naim app with Emby server to play music, which works reliably.

With regards

Steve Harris
Software Director
Naim Audio Ltd.

Hi @Stevesky,

Thank you for your response but I am a little disappointed. When I by a high end device I hopes maximal compatibility and easy integration. I have no problem with the Muso gen1 and buying a newer system bring a lot of problem… I want to acquire a Muso Qb 2nd generation to complete my home installation, butinow I hesitate.
I don’t understand why you can’t send Atom’s DLNA events to Emby’s authors, that they can implement compatibility from there side ?

But never nevermind, I have a better solution. I could develop a plugin for Emby and Kodi to interact with Naim’s products. It is possible to have a documentation of the API used by the application ? I can already power on/off the unit and change volume with HTTP calls, but I don’t now how to manage the playlist. Addons can bring nice feature like multiroom to Emby and Kodi for Naim’s products. I just ask you a documentation if you can.

Thank you in advance for your response.
Best regards.

This is the short coming of UPnP and DNLA too many different ways of implementing it and the reason I ditched it and used LMS and then Roon. I use lots of different kit from different vendors and not one works with UPnP/DNLA the same as the other. Playlists and control should not be tied to remote devices in my opinion.

Hi @Sysyphus

Could you email me on steve.harris(at)naimaudio.com and i’ll see what we can do.

I would also like you to try our latest v3.5 beta code as well, as we have worked with our third party who do this bit of the system to try and handle more 3rd party applications. It’s a tough call as you fix one, another 1 breaks.

Regards

Steve

Hi @Stevesky
I send you an email.
No problem to test the beta.

Thank you for the help.

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