Asset on IOS issue

[PeterO]

Hi, I have the following issue

I am using;
- Windows 11 running Asset UPnP
- iPad running IPadOS version 16.7
- latest version of StreamMagic app (this is the app to control Cambridge Audio MXN10)

I cannot choose 'play all' if I have the FOLDER configuration as my browsing option
- browsing to a folder level (one folder per Album) gives me no choice of 'play all'
- if I browse on ALBUM configuration, the play all is there, but this is a dog's breakfast so its very hard to find/pick the album I want

I also have a Samsung Galaxy phone and StreamMagic (using Asset UPnP as a media server) works perfectly, using folder view, navigating to folder (album) allows me to choose 'play all'

The following is what CA support say

As a general rule when it comes to UPnP browsing, the StreamMagic app acts as a simple file browser in the way that it displays content and options.

• If the UPnP server provides directories as a “UPnP Container” then this allows the StreamMagic app to display additional options like “Play All”.
• If the UPnP server does not provide directories as a “UPnP Container” and instead provides a generic “folder” then we cannot provide these playback options.

This is the reason that the generic 'Folder' section does not have this option. If you want to have these playback options on a given folder, then there may be options to configure this in your UPnP server settings, although we can't guarantee this due to each server having their own different settings.

Does anybody have any idea ???

Thanks in advance

Peter

[Spoon]

Everything presented is a UPnP container if it contains other items. They would be requiring specific upnp containers, such as an artist or album container, obviously on folder browse we cannot list that as an album container.

[PeterO]

Hello, thank you for the response.

I am trying to understand this issue so I can (hopefully) fix it.

Where I'm a bit lost is that this is not an issue on Android.

I have a music directory structure on my PC, the 'root' is called music_flac, this is the root as set by Asset UPnP under this root are folders/subfolders which contain tracks based on artist or genre (i.e a directory called Beatles will have many subdirectories based on Beatles albums or a directory called 'soundtracks' will have subdirectories with....soundtracks.



If I navigate (via the 'folders & filename browsing' path) through my PC directory structure to a directory containing an 'album' (just a directory containing the tracks), I get an option of play now, add to queue, replace queue, etc).






If I do the IDENTICAL on an Ipad (same app, same back end) I do NOT get this choice.

I do get this choice on individual tracks, but not at directory level.

I hope that his makes some sense

Peter

[Spoon]

It is the controller which decides to put that play all or not.

[PeterO]

excuse my ignorance, which part of the entire process is the 'controller' ?

[simbun]

excuse my ignorance, which part of the entire process is the 'controller' ?

Server: AssetUPnP
Controller: StreamMagic app
Renderer: MXN10

In folder view, Asset UPnP - like most other servers - represents folders using the UPnP container 'object.container.storageFolder'.

Ask Cambridge Audio why the Android app displays Play All but not the iOS app.

[PeterO]

Thanks for the info simbun, I have had an ongoing ticket opened with CA for a while now, they basically refuse to accept it's an issue for me and have said it's 'normal behaviour'.

I will pass your point on to their support.

Interestingly, if I put a USB stick directly into the MXN10 with a copied directory structure (identical to the PC) the 'play all' becomes available, it's only if I stream from the PC via an IOS app that it is not available (and again, if I stream via an Android app, its all there).

I have also tried several other media servers on the PC including the native Windows ones, same problem

To me, it's a bug with their IOS app, but at this point, they do not accept that....

[simbun]

I have also tried several other media servers on the PC including the native Windows ones, same problem

That's because representing folders in this way (object.container.storageFolder) is part of the UPnP spec:

C.2.2.9 storageFolder:container

A storageFolder instance represents a collection of objects stored on some storage medium. The storageFolder container may be writable, indicating whether new items can be created as
children of the storageFolder container or whether existing child items can be removed. If the parent container is not writable, then the storageFolder container itself cannot be writable. A
storageFolder container may contain other objects, except a storageSystem container or a storageVolume container. A storageFolder container shall either be a child of the root
container or a child of another storageSystem container, a storageVolume container or a storageFolder container. Examples of storageFolder instances are

• a directory on a Hard Disk Drive
• a directory on CD-Rom, etc.

I'll put a link to the specification in another post otherwise it will cause this message to be delayed (approval of link).

Of the servers I tested, the following represent folders as [object.container.storageFolder]:
AssetUPnP, MinimServer, MiniDLNA, Emby, Lyrion, Plex, Serviio

These servers don't have a folder view (at least in the default configuration):
Jellyfin, KODI, MusicBee

I couldn't - easily - capture the necessary metadata out of Windows sharing, but I have to assume it would do the same.

To me, it's a bug with their IOS app, but at this point, they do not accept that....

I don't believe there is a specification for the functionality that should be built into control points, it's purely up to the developer. It's not a bug as such, they just haven't implemented it, but to suggest that:

If the UPnP server does not provide directories as a “UPnP Container” and instead provides a generic “folder” then we cannot provide these playback options.

is complete nonsense, especially given their Android app does, they're just choosing not to.

[simbun]

UPnP ContentDirectory specification: https://upnp.org/specs/av//UPnP-av-C...v4-Service.pdf

[PeterO]

well, that's a lot to digest. thanks for the all info.

I'm now considering other 'controller' apps apart from CA's StreamMagic.

mconnect for example will give me most of the functionality and allow me to select entire albums.

[simbun]

mconnect for example will give me most of the functionality and allow me to select entire albums.

Unfortunately your options are really limited on iOS. You have mconnect, JPLAY (looks nice but expensive and I haven't been able to test it as I'm on Android) and - if you add OpenHome to your MNX10 by using BubbleUPnP Server - Lumin and possibly Linn too.

On Android the best UPnP apps are BubbleUPnP and Hi-Fi Cast, with Symfonium for everything else (whilst it doesn't support UPnP servers it does support UPnP renderers).

[PeterO]

Thanks again, I bought mconnectHD last night (after trialling mconnect lite) and it works quite well, in fact, it is completely adequate for my use.

I am comfortable pursuing this with CA for a little while longer to see which way they will turn.

I really like their hardware.

thanks again.