Flac streaming problem with Denon AVR 4310

[nano67]

Dear Forum members,

i have a problem with Flac streaming on my Denon AVR 4310. I use Asset UPnP Vers. 2.1 Trial on a Pentium 4 (3Ghz, 2,5GB RAM, Windows XP Prof. SP3) connected with the Denon AVR 4310 by 100 MBit/s LAN. CDs were ripped with dBpoweramp CDRipper Trial and stored as Flac files in the folder "my music".
When i use the Denon AVR 4310 i can browse in the Media server mode on the AVR 4310 without any problem through the stored Flac files. But when i play an Artist- or Album- or any else selection, i always get short hearable interruptions for a few milliseconds in irregular distances during the whole play duration.
Could it be a buffering-problem (the screen of the Denon always shows 100% receiving stream during Flac play without intertemporal decrease)?

If somebody has an idea for the cause of the problem, please tell me.

Thanks a lot and greetings from Germany

Michael

[OzBrickie]

Re: Flac streaming problem with Denon AVR 4310

Gidday Mate

I have a 4310 and it works perfectly. I did however have probs with the previous issues of Asset. You said you were on v2.1 so that can't be it. Did you run an earlier version in the past? I think there was an issue with upgrading to V 2.

Is it just flac files that do this? Have you tried an MP3 or a wave?

Are you decoding the flac files at the server or on the amp?

Wireless will make the amp do this sometimes. Are you sure you have it set up to use the LAN?

I assume your files play fine locally on your computer?

There are a million settings in the amp so I will play around with mine to see if I can get it to behave in a similar fashion.

Cheers
Oz

[OzBrickie]

Re: Flac streaming problem with Denon AVR 4310

EDIT

Sorry mate, I have the 4308. Brain strain moment

They are pretty much the same but yours has the software update built in I think.

With the new sound processing you have, you gotta make sure you're using the correct output for the LAN/USB source. I use plain old stereo! Its music afterall.

I will keep on mucking around and see if I can make mine play up but I reckon you need to set your output differently.

Sorry for the non-expert reply, I am just a listener, not an audiophile technohead.

Oz

[dav1129]

Re: Flac streaming problem with Denon AVR 4310

Hi Nano67 & OzBrickie,

I have had a Denon AVR4310 for a couple of days only and been extremely impressed especially after first returning a very disappointing Cambridge Audio 650R (great 2 channel sound but just down hill after that).

Anyway, everything is going very nicely until just now when I tried the media player mode and encountered difficulties with almost every audio file I tried playing.

I have had a file start but then stop or stop and continue, stop and jump to the next file, jump to to a subsequent file after received a 'file format error message. In short too many errors to over look particularly as I was rather hoping to be able to stream digital files from a media server.

All the said files play fine on my notebook and were copied to a 2TB WD Mirror Edition HDD, which out of the box is configured for RAID 1 mode. I don't have to keep it this way just haven't bothered yet to configure for RAID 0 mode. The HDD has a direct USB connection to a NetGear WNDR3700 router which also connects the AVR4310.

I googled a couple of things and this was the closest thing I found to the problems I experienced.

Any ideas or suggestions as to what might be going wrong?

[Spoon]

Re: Flac streaming problem with Denon AVR 4310

Wireless or wired?

[dav1129]

Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

Wireless or wired?

Hi Spoon,

Wired and although none of the devices are causing any other problems, the router, HDD and Denon are relatively new and so as yet unfamiliar. But I can make the following observations:

1. The HDD is a WD 2TB My Book Mirror Edition and has USB connected to a NetGear WNDR3700 router which apparently enables it to function as NAS;
2. The Denon 4310 has a wired connection to the router;
3. Because I tried them first I thought the problem might have something to do specifically with FLAC files and or DRM (my files don't have DRM as far as I am aware) but have since realised that it happens equally with MP3 files except that the MP3 files I tried are 320kbps which the user guide indicates is at the highest end of the compatible bit rate;
4. I haven't yet been able to play a single track form beginning to end. Sometimes a bit, sometimes a lot but always an interruption, jump to the next track, or complete stop sometimes after the error message 'file format error' and once after 'server error' or something similar;
5. I am able to play the same files on Winamp in my notebook which is also connected to the same router via another router and at the other end of the house, without any problems;
6. The Denon had no (network) problems when updating its firmware and has no problems streaming Internet Radio.

Although I can't imagine either or both could, I cannot find anything in the documentation about 1) the MyBook functioning as NAS or 2) in RAID 1 mode WHILE functioning as NAS so wonder all the same if either or both could be the source of the problem.

[Spoon]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

This might be a silly question, but you are using Asset UPnP as the UPnP server?

> "Mirror Edition and has USB connected to a NetGear WNDR3700 router which apparently enables it to function as NAS"

Suggests you are not.

[dav1129]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

This might be a silly question, but you are using Asset UPnP as the UPnP server?

> "Mirror Edition and has USB connected to a NetGear WNDR3700 router which apparently enables it to function as NAS"

Suggests you are not.

No Spoon, I am not using Asset UPnP so I am sorry if my post doesn't belong. This thread was the most relevant when I google the problem I was having.

In my case my NetGear router when enabled acts as media server for any USB storage which connected to it.

Anyway I am not sure if what seems like a buffering problem, was down to the router but I have since been told by WD that their Mirror Edition MyBook USB drives has not been tested for this application and is neither recommended nor supported.

So it seems the answer to my problem will be to connect the drive directly to a PC with server software or to buy a network drive like WD's World Edition drives.

Anyway, apologies again if my post was out of place. I didn't realise it myself at the time.

[Spoon]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

It is likely there is an incompatibility between the Denon and Netgear UPnP server (nothing to do with the WD drive).

[dav1129]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

It is likely there is an incompatibility between the Denon and Netgear UPnP server (nothing to do with the WD drive).

Oh, thanks for your reply. Do you think? Can such an incompatibility exist?

Although this router is a new one, I have had a router for sometime but am very new to external or network drives as I have only had notebooks until now. And the Denon is very new too.

What you say sort of rings true because I have since connected the same WD 'Mirror Edition' USB drive directly to my notebook and used server software (TwonkyManager) to serve audio files to the Denon 4310 without any of the problems I experienced when the drive was connected to the router.

On the other hand I do see now that WD market their 'Mirror Edition' USB drives as drives 'which connect to your PC' and their 'World Edition' Ethernet drives as drives 'which connect to your network.

WD have told me they have not tested nor support their Mirror Edition USB drives connected to a router, so I had come to the conclusion it WAS the drive and WOULD have to buy a network drive with an Ethernet connection such as the WD World Edition drives.

But if you're right then maybe a WD World Edition drive with an Ethernet connection to the router wouldn't fair any better.

And if you are right, is there another way I could serve media from the USB drive while connected to the router to test whether the problem is the drive or an incompatibility between the router and the Denon receiver?

>> I'd rather make do with the drive I already have than have to buy another more expensive one.

[Spoon]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

>USB drive directly to my notebook and used server software (TwonkyManager) to serve audio files

See:

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/asset-upnp-dlna.htm

Way better than Twonky

[dav1129]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

>USB drive directly to my notebook and used server software (TwonkyManager) to serve audio files

See:

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/asset-upnp-dlna.htm

Way better than Twonky

Hi, I haven't had a chance to follow the link but will now.

As you're still online, the preference is obviously to connect the USB drive I bought (perhaps mistakenly for this purpose) to the router so than it is always available to my newly aquired TV and Denon receiver, rather than to my notebook in my study and which I sometimes suspend or power down.

Will have a look at your link now.

[dav1129]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

>USB drive directly to my notebook and used server software (TwonkyManager) to serve audio files

See:

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/asset-upnp-dlna.htm

Way better than Twonky

Okay, had a look the link.

Well, I suppose if not connected to my notebook I could connect it to the router and disable the NetGear media server feature.

But then Twonky, which I only tried because there was flyer with the Denon documentation, or Asset UPnP server software would have to run on a PC i.e. the drive could not be accessed if the notebook was suspended or powered down.

Nonetheless worth a try tomorrow maybe.

Is Asset UPnP exclusively audio? Because I also wanted to serve video to a WD media player because the Denon 4310 cannot play video files.

[Spoon]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

Audio only. Nothing stops you running more that one media server at one time.

[dav1129]

Re: Problem streaming audio files with Denon AVR 4310

Audio only. Nothing stops you running more that one media server at one time.

Okay thanks. The way forward to determine if the problem is down to the Mirror drive OR the router's built in UPnP media server:

Would be to (re)connect the Mirror drive to the router but disable the router's built in media server, and try to serve audio to the Denon using something like Asset UPnP, right?

I have (re)connect the Mirror to the router but seem to be having difficulty bow 'seeing' the drive.

Will persevere though.