Cannot stream FLAC-Files

[patrickl]

Hi together,

I have downloaded and installed the latest version of TwonkyManager today, and I love it. I stream various MP3 and it works fine with Windows MediaPlayer and TwonkyManager, too. My Server is a Windows Home Server and Client Windows 7 Home Premium.

I've got several FLAC-Files and I want to stream them like the MP3, but it doesn't work. My local Windows Media Player played them prety good, but if I want to stream one of the FLAC from the TwonkyServer via UPNP, I got the Message, that the Player doesn't support the file format or don't know the codec. Same from TwonkyManager.

I don't know what happens, is anyone able to help me?

Thank you very much,
Patrick

[patrickl]

Is there really no one who know the reason für my problem?

It seems, the files are ok. Last night I installed asset upnp, und stream FLAC-Files in "as it is"-Mode. Works fine.
But I still want to use Twonky.

Thanks for your hints.

[carnap]

I made the experience on Windows 7 that the media player 12 can play back locally flac files but that it *cannot* plya back if the flac file is streamed to the media player. So streaming flacs to mp 12 seems not to be possible.

Try foobar 2000 with the foo_upnp plugin.

[Radioman]

[quote="patrickl"]Is there really no one who know the reason für my problem?

It seems, the files are ok. Last night I installed asset upnp, und stream FLAC-Files in "as it is"-Mode. Works fine.
But I still want to use Twonky.

Thanks for your hints.[/quote]

Hi Patrick
I have the exact same problem
Twonky simply doesn't stream FLAC.
If I use Asset control point and asset upnp server and their renessaince player it works great. If I use asset controlpoint and twonky server I can't play the flac files but my mp3 is OK.
I just bought this twonky today and are a bit dissapointed because more then half of my music collection is FLAC format.

I can play Flac with VLC, Media player classic, WMP 12 in W7 (with the directshow filter) and foobar2000 without any problem. I can also use other servers to stream and play FLAC (asset upnp) but twonky can't. Not even to itself (media manager) on the same computer.

Hope there will be someone find any sollution to this.

Regards // Ove

[patrickl]

Hi Ove,
hi Carnap

my actually configuration is:

Server:
Windows Home Server
TwonkyServer 6 / Asset uPNP

Client:
Windows 7 Home Premium
Foobar2000 with UPNP-Plugin (as Player)
TwonkyManager and Linn KinskyDesktop as controlpoint

All works fine now, with TwonkyServer and Asset. It seems only Foobar2000 is able to play FLAC as a stream,
Thanks @carnap for that hint! Twonky is able to stream, but not to play (in TwonkyManager).

I am really happy.

Patrick

[Radioman]

Patrick!
Maybe I can make you even more happy
This is the sollution with v.6.023 server installed in windows.

I have found the sollution to stream FLAC from Twonky the hard way. By reading a lot here and there on this forum and also the manual http://www.twonkyforum.com/download/file.php?id=561
As they say at PV, this is for the advanced user, That's maybe why they don't have any easy manual where the how's are collected. There are so many 3'd party software options out there. To large area and customer gets confused with all "hands on instructions".

1.) Actually I believe the Asset music server allready have transcoding to wav inbuilt. That explains a lot when you read around and also look at the files I mention down here ....
2.) THE SOLLUTION:
Look in the sub map "cgi-bin" where you installed the Twonky server.
Open the file "flac.location" with notepad. replace the search path with "c:\flac" save.
Install flac in that path. Use this one: http://downloads.sourceforge.net/flac/flac-1.2.1b.exe
Restart the server and your done

FYI look in the file "flac-wav.desc" in the same sub map. The script looks like this:
# transcode audio (flac to wav)
#(c) 2010 by PacketVideo
exec: flac $infile -d -o $outfile
# capabilities
from=audio/x-flac
to=audio/x-wav

Hope this can help some more out there.

@Patrick
How do you set up Foobar2000 to find the server? I have the plugin installed but it seems it's for making foobar the server not the other way around

[Radioman]

Oh and also ..
Twonky manager is awesome as controlpoint. Good software package for little money. I'm over the top right now

//Cheers Ove

[shaboyi]

HI - I have twonky server 6.0.28 installed on windows platform and would like to transcode flac to wav or mp3 to play back on sony bd-s370. i see the above solulution but don't find the flac.location or flac-wav.desc in the cgi-bin folder. is there somewhere else i should look? or downlaod these files? or another method?

thanks in advance.

[Radioman]

Hi shaboyi
Strange
Maybe they come with the media manager which I have installed on all PC's?
Anyway, you also have a PM.

[nixeus]

Radioman - I tried to follow your steps and been reading the forum. It did not work Should I be making a file called ' flac-wav.location ', and editing the clients DB? I edited ' flac.location ', and left ' flac-wav.desc ' alone as it did not appear I needed to change anything based on the threads I've been reading.

[Radioman]

Nixeus

I'm sorry it didn't work. You have installed the Flac software?
I just edited the flac.location at the serverside.

If you install the media manager or the twonky sever, the flac.location file will be overwritten. You then have to do the editing again.

It would be great if the Twonky team could put some options to be easily choosen in the GUI instead of this hacking method.