[toolio]

Hello all.
 
I am currently experimenting with the recently released Music Streamer app for iOS and am wondering whether others have tried it. If so, I have a few questions.
 
I am using it with my iPad hooked up to a DAC via the camera connection kit because it claims to stream FLAC from network devices such as networked HDs and NASs. And it does, with some limitations (see below) None of my DACS display information about the files being played, so I can`t really tell if I am getting true FLAC 24-192/24-96 playback to the DAC or if the app/iPad is downconverting. It sounds a little mushy to me in comparison to playing these files via other means. Can anyone verify?
 
Also, while it does indeed successfully play FLAC files I find that on my iPad Air if I have screen dimming turned on via autolock (and who doesn't?) as soon as the screen dims 24-96 FLAC files start stuttering and 24-192 files stop playing entirely. Once I wake up the iPad playback resumes normally. This is annoying, to say the least, although the workaround is to turn off screen dimming.
 
Any other experiences with this promising app? As you know, apps that stream FLAC to an iOS device are few and far between,
 
(BTW, anyone looking for the app in the app store is better off searching for "musicstreamer" as one word, although the app page seems to indicate it is "Music Streamer.")
 
Thanks.

 

[PaulBeadle]

Hi toolio
 
I'm Paul from Stratospherix - we made the MusicStreamer app so I hope you don't mind me answering a couple of your queries.
 
MusicStreamer doesn't do any downscaling of original music file data. It will send the full 16, 24 or 32 bit FLAC samples to the iOS audio output components at the same sample rate as the original. 
 
While playing music, MusicStreamer should be kept running in the background by iOS and permitted to access the network for audio data, so dimming the screen shouldn't make any difference. However, we do know that iOS aggressively limits app functionality if it's short on resources or power. Can you reboot the iPad to see if that has an effect? Obviously streaming high bit rate FLAC files uses a lot of WiFi bandwidth and this relies on a good WiFi connection.
 
Thanks for pointing out that the app can be found on the App Store by searching 'MusicStreamer' - it seems that the App Store search won't give you our app if you enter the words separately, which is very odd because that's the name of the app. We may change the name at the next update!
 
If you would like to be involved in our beta program so you can test future updates, please send us an email.
 
Paul

 

[toolio]

  Hi toolio
 
I'm Paul from Stratospherix - we made the MusicStreamer app so I hope you don't mind me answering a couple of your queries.
 
MusicStreamer doesn't do any downscaling of original music file data. It will send the full 16, 24 or 32 bit FLAC samples to the iOS audio output components at the same sample rate as the original. 
 
While playing music, MusicStreamer should be kept running in the background by iOS and permitted to access the network for audio data, so dimming the screen shouldn't make any difference. However, we do know that iOS aggressively limits app functionality if it's short on resources or power. Can you reboot the iPad to see if that has an effect? Obviously streaming high bit rate FLAC files uses a lot of WiFi bandwidth and this relies on a good WiFi connection.
 
Thanks for pointing out that the app can be found on the App Store by searching 'MusicStreamer' - it seems that the App Store search won't give you our app if you enter the words separately, which is very odd because that's the name of the app. We may change the name at the next update!
 
If you would like to be involved in our beta program so you can test future updates, please send us an email.
 
Paul

Hi Paul,
 
Thanks very much for your response and for the information you have provided.
 
In answer to your questions about my problem.
 
1) Rebooting the iPad does not resolve the problem.
 
2) I have ruled out wireless issues. Firstly, streaming is absolutely fine over wifi until the screen dims. I have a robust wifi network that streams everything fine, including the same FLAC files to a PC using Jriver and to media players. There is no skipping with any FLAC files. I think the fact that the playback problems happen only when the iPad screen dims pretty much eliminates wifi as the culprit. When the screen is active, there is no problem. Once I wake up the iPad, playback resumes normally. (I have also tried standing immediately beside my wif-fi router. Same problem)
 
3) The FLAC problem is absolutely repeatable. It happens on auto dim or if I dim the screen manually by pressing the top iPad button. Playback resumes normally if I wake the iPad up again. 24-96 FLAC files start stuttering and 24-192 files stop playing entirely. 
 
4) I have been careful to test when the iPad is doing nothing else and no other apps are running. Same problem.
 
For your info, I am using the first iPad Air (not the second version) with all updates to iOS. Router at this address is an ASUS RT-66U. I am in Canada at the moment but will return to my other home in Brazil in a week, where I can test on a completely different network with different router brands.
 
I would be glad to participate in your beta program. I have sent my email address in a PM.
 
Cheers.

 

[PaulBeadle]

Thanks very much for the detailed info. It will give our engineers something to go on when investigating this issue. So far we've not been able to reproduce the problem, but we'll do our best. In the meantime, feel free to send us suggestions for more features to add in future updates.
Best regards
Paul

 

[toolio]

Thanks very much for the detailed info. It will give our engineers something to go on when investigating this issue. So far we've not been able to reproduce the problem, but we'll do our best. In the meantime, feel free to send us suggestions for more features to add in future updates.
Best regards
Paul

Thanks, Paul. In a couple of days I'll be in another location with access to another iPad and and completely different networking equipment. I'll let you know if I can reproduce the problem there

 

[toolio]

I am now home in Brasil ( as opposed to Canada, where I tested previously). I am able to replicate the problem discussed above on a two completely different networks in Brasil and on two different generations of iPads. The routers used here are TP-Link and Linksys, depending on the network used. I am streaming on one network from a Synology NAS and on the other from a WD Mybook networked drive. 
 
That means so far I have replicated the problem on three networks in two countries, with three different iPads and three different sources of FLAC files. To me, this would seem to indicate that it is a general problem and has nothing to do with my network or sources. 
 
I also tested with other players that handled FLAC, notably the Creation 5 music player. There are no problems whatsoever when playing FLAC files with a dimmed iPad screen on any device or in any network. These are the same devices, networks and FLAC sources that are problematic with Music Streamer.

 

[originalsnuffy]

I have been using nPlayer to stream from the home Synology NAS to a CCK connected DAC.  I gather this app does this and also makes it easy to create playlists.  Is that correct?

 

[asterm100]

I use PlugPlayer app and works ok from the NAS drive directly to a network player Naim Qute

 

[asterm100]

It works well with iPhone and iPad air

 

[sarahkho]

I am looking for the same thing, a music player that can manage playlist and capable of playing music from local network drive. The Music Streamer app app looks nice but I am not sure if the issue with dimmed display playback is sorted out or not.
 
Has anyone tried it recently?
 
Thanks.

 

[PaulBeadle]

Hi
Paul here from Stratospherix. No reports of this after the last update, but if it does happen to you there's a config option (tap the gear icon and then tap Preferences) to prevent the screen going to sleep to work around it.