While I am waiting for the revised firmware for MBWE White Light to run my Soundbridge “properly”, I would like to understand more about the iTunes capability in Twonky.
Am I right that the iTunes capability is something managed internally by Twonky as a view of the data already in its database? As you rebuild the database, you get the iTunes view as a matter of routine.
This would explain why the metadata I manage on my mp3 files is visible on my Soundbridge. [BTW, I manage my files in Windows Media Player having nominated MBWE as the location].
Should this iTunes view also provide any m3u playlists that I save on the MBWE? These are certainly visible in the Twonky Media Server using the web access I use for managing the MBWE. They also play in this web mode by firing off WMP on the laptop. They do not show on the Soundbridge though. Should they?
Am I right that the iTunes capability is something managed internally by Twonky as a view of the data already in its database? As you rebuild the database, you get the iTunes view as a matter of routine.
Should this iTunes view also provide any m3u playlists that I save on the MBWE? These are certainly visible in the Twonky Media Server using the web access I use for managing the MBWE. They also play in this web mode by firing off WMP on the laptop. They do not show on the Soundbridge though. Should they?
Mike C
On the My Book World, Twonky and iTunes are different. Twonky serves up all media as a media server, while iTunes plays music. I’ve never heard that Twonky manages anything but media files. They both may have access to the same public music folder, but that’s it.
They may look like they’re the same, in some way, from your SoundBridge, but that’s because they may be using the same folders and SoundBridge can use either indiscriminately to serve up music.
So this does touch on where my undestanding is small. I understand that Twonky builds its own database using the metadata on the files in its managed folders, including playlists. I think you are implying that there is another music server which is switched on by selecting iTunes. This is Firefly and it also builds its own database at a frequency that can be selected in MBWE.
As you suggest the performance through the Soundridge is nothing like as comprehensive or effective as Twonky. This is interesting as following the ROKU links on the Firefly website suggests that ROKU aspire for it to be the ultimate server for Soundbridge!
Have you found a way to get any playlists working on SB + MBWE iTunes/Firefly?
So this does touch on where my undestanding is small. I understand that Twonky builds its own database using the metadata on the files in its managed folders, including playlists. I think you are implying that there is another music server which is switched on by selecting iTunes. This is Firefly and it also builds its own database at a frequency that can be selected in MBWE.
As you suggest the performance through the Soundridge is nothing like as comprehensive or effective as Twonky. This is interesting as following the ROKU links on the Firefly website suggests that ROKU aspire for it to be the ultimate server for Soundbridge!
Have you found a way to get any playlists working on SB + MBWE iTunes/Firefly?
Mike C
As I’ve been told, Soundbridge actually uses the Twonky server on the My Book World. I’m not sure whether Twonky supports playlists or not. If so, then you would need to create the playlist using some kind of software like Windows Media player, and doing it showing the music from the drive you want to play the music from. Once the playlist is created, it needs to be copied to the root of the drive your music is on. Then Soundbridge might see it.
You need to verify whether Twonky supports playlists, how they need to be created, and where they need to be for Soundbridge to read them.
I believe that the Soundbridge does use the iTunes server on MBWE. If you turn off the iTunes server then the Soundbridge cannot see any server.
The Soundbridge cannot see the Twonky server because of a bug in Twonky (I think the Soundbridge is not actually DLNA compliant so needs special treatment by Twonky). Previous versions of Twonky worked OK with Soundbridge and later versions do too. I have a NSLU2 (Slug) running Tonky Ver 4.3 and that wotks perfectly with the Soundbridge.
I believeTwonky can handle playlists I don’t use them myself although I have played with them in the past. I think they can be anywhere in your media file path and Twonky will recognise the filename suffix as a playlist.
This takeme back to the Twonky firmware issue that I have been tryingto get round. Twonky performed welll before the errant upgrade Music files an playlists created / administered using WMP on laptop. Served by Twonky (iTunes NOT enabled) onto soundbidge - wonderful.
Upgrade firmware, loose Twonky. soundbridge sees it, but will not connect to it. Enable iTunes and this partly works. I can see and play all my mp3 files, searches work, but then dont handle the reults well. Playlists are not found. Create iTunes playlists and still not found.
Woe
It could be worse; no music at all would be worse. But its not good. I guess I give up and wait for the upgrade.
However, you want. If multiple users helped you, it’s good to kudo them all.
Unfortunately, I need to correct Tony’s post. Soundbridge should pick up the Twonky Media Server. If it isn’t picking in it up, then you need to go into Twonky’s Advanced Setup under Media Receivers, and make sure that your Soundbridge is showing up. If it isn’t showing up in there, then you need to click on one of the dropdowns and choose Roku Soundbridge. You shouldn’t have to do anything more for it to show up on the Soundbridge.
Thanks fo info. Eerything was fine usig twonky itself until the latest firmware change. As I read the thread in this forum Twonky made a change that messed up Soundbridge. They have put this right, but unfortunately WD enshrined the errant version in their firmware upgrade. We are all waiting for WD to publish a new firmware st including the Twwonky fix.
All did work fine, now SB sees but wont connect to Twonky. Twonky absolutely recognises SB from its end- hey just wont speak to each other in hs mode.
Now lets not go too far here! I said that it was an accepted solution but it is faar from a success. I just recogn ised that I was in trouble until the next firmware issue was made available with an improved twonky…
Thanks fo info. Eerything was fine usig twonky itself until the latest firmware change. As I read the thread in this forum Twonky made a change that messed up Soundbridge. They have put this right, but unfortunately WD enshrined the errant version in their firmware upgrade. We are all waiting for WD to publish a new firmware st including the Twwonky fix.
All did work fine, now SB sees but wont connect to Twonky. Twonky absolutely recognises SB from its end- hey just wont speak to each other in hs mode.
I was trying to patch round the interim!
If you knw anybetter I’d love to ick up on it…
Mike C
No, at this point, I don’t have anything more for you.
My last posting about success was because I gave you kudos and closed the thread. This was because was reconciled to living with the situation. The message flashed up about success.
But the thread does not look closed and you have no kudos showing!
Sorry, I’ve barely gotten back to this thread. Doing kudos and accepting something as the solution are different things. You can only Accept as Solution once, and you can only kudo a person once, but you should be able to kudo different people once in the same thread. To give a kudo, click on the star under the user you want to kudo.
Now, for your issue, you definitely haven’t solved it yet. And you’re right, we will probably need to update the firmware with a newer version of Twonky to fix your issue with Soundbridge, since it was a problem between Soundbridge and the Twonky version we used in the last update. However, and unfortunately, I don’t know when the next update will take place. So, you are going to need some kind of work around for this. After looking at the Soundbridge site, it appears that you should be able to use certain streaming software to play music through to your Soundbridge. It’s also supposed to support iTunes, but iTunes on a computer. So, that may explain why it’s not consistently working with the MY Book World.
There is a long running thread on this problem and the next firmware update - I am watching it and don’t want to duplicate it.
I would be happy to install another media server(even a private purchase of Twonky) but I haven’t a clue how to go about accessing the folders, installing it alongside the native MBWE version (because I would probably want to get back to the normal way of doing things.
If you could point me at some instructions then I would read up and consider doing this. Other than that I think I will sit it out
Sorry, unfortunately, I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to the different media servers out there. I would look in the WD TV Live board and do a search on media servers in there. They talk a lot about this and they have recommended a couple of them that might work for you.
Thank you for your participation in this thread. I will close it now, even if technically still an pen issue. If I get round to installing my own server and it works I will try to post the steps I took…
