PIONEER N-50 Alphabetical only???

[rh5000]

Hi all, long long time lurker but this is my first post.

 

So, hopefully this isn't something previously addressed...I couldn't find it.

 

Question:

Is there as way to search for artists alphabetically on the N-50 without scrolling through the whole list of artists? I use the remote and the android Control App.

 

This is extremely frustrating to me and I can't find anyone else asking the same question, which makes me think I'm doing something wrong. Someone else would surely have addressed this by now. For further info on the question you can read on.

 

I bought an N-50 for my secondary system just to be able to access files in my living room (not my main listening space). Anyway, one of the big reasons for this is to get my GF to use the music collection more through the decent system instead of sticking her ipod with a bunch of 128 files on it on a cheap clock/dock...you probably know the scenario.

 

Anyway, one of my frustrations with computer audio has been getting it to a point that a non-enthusiast can (and will want to) use it. I had a squeeze box and I wanted to throw it out the window so you can imagine, the GF never went near it.

 

So I read good things about the N-50 and it seems really easy to use so far (even to plug her poorly loaded ipod into) but when using it as a music server, I seem to only be able to search for artist by a painstaking and agonizingly slow SCROLL through all the artists in my collection (833). If I wanted to play The Shins it'd take me 8 minutes to get to them.

 

I can use playlists from my DLNA server which happens to be JRiver MC18 and that is really helpful...but not for her. She is not going to go create playlists on my computer then go listen to them. So is there as way to search for artists alphabetically without scrolling through the whole list of artists?

 

Thanks!

[realhifi]

Why not use iTunes and AirPlay it to the Pioneer?

[djvitamind]

Not that I know of. I've owned the N-50 for about 8 months now and the navigation is frustrating to say the least. From what I have read the Android version is supposed to be more stable than the iOS version I am using.

 

I do the same thing and that is to scroll down until I get to the right artist. I seem to be using Airplay more and more with the Pioneer and it gets rid of that type of frustration.

[Audio_ELF]

You could try a different UPnP server - for instance MinimServe allows you to tell it to give an A-Z list as sub categories for artists, etc.

 

Ie to select Rufus Wainright first choose (list by) Artists, then R before selecting Rufus Wainwright.

 

Eloise

[rh5000]

You could try a different UPnP server - for instance MinimServe allows you to tell it to give an A-Z list as sub categories for artists, etc.

 

Ie to select Rufus Wainright first choose (list by) Artists, then R before selecting Rufus Wainwright.

 

Eloise

 

I think that's what I tried doing. I use JRiver on my main system and it also acts as the DLNA server. So I selected the n-50 as the player and it worked but it played everything at 320mbs and didn't sound right. I mean, didn't sound as good as a 320mbs file usually sounds. But with it, Yeah, I can use the Gizmo interface on my phone or tablet and not have the issue I mentioned. Maybe I should pursue getting that to play full resolution files and it would solve it.

 

Very peculiar to me that Pioneer would not have this feature. Seems very elementary to playing a file that it be easily accessible. I had this issue with a non-Tivo DVR I had from the cable company for a while. Everything worked but it was like it was designed by someone who never used the product...like you gave the engineer a problem to solve and they solved it...but not well.

 

for realhifi above, that's why I'm not using itunes...much prefer MC. May have to use it to get pandora though.

 

Thanks for the responses.

[rh5000]

Not sure if this should be here or in the music server section but has pioneer not developed a driver for Windows 8?

 

As mentioned above, I usually use the N-50 in my second system via Ethernet cable. But today, I decided to try it just as a DAC in my main system.

 

I hadn't set it up for USB before so I hadn't installed the USB driver. I just plugged it in and it worked. But I was getting some stuttering. Then I remembered the driver. I tried installing it...double clicked the setup.exe file in the zip and windows asked me if I wanted to allow it, I said yes, and then absolutely nothing happened. I see that there are folders for xp, windows 7 and vista...no windows 8. Really?

 

Anyway, I guess something happened because now I get nothing. It shows up in the sound card list. MC seems to think it's playing....but no sound. The screen on the N-50 shows --kHz so it's not seeing anything, I think.

 

Any thoughts?

[rh5000]

Update...think I was having USB issues. I turned it off and back on (again) and now it's working but I lost my mouse! Unplugged it and plugged it back into the USB hub and it works too now...

 

I'm not planning on leaving the N-50 here so it's not a huge deal.

 

If anyone cares, the N-50 as a DAC sounds much better (to me) than the first generation HRT MusicStreamer+ I normally use. I'm not really qualified to talk technically but I'll just say there's a lot more sound coming out of it with the Pio.

 

Time for a new DAC. (Which is all I was trying to figure out in the first place)

[Cebolla]

So I read good things about the N-50 and it seems really easy to use so far (even to plug her poorly loaded ipod into) but when using it as a music server, I seem to only be able to search for artist by a painstaking and agonizingly slow SCROLL through all the artists in my collection (833). If I wanted to play The Shins it'd take me 8 minutes to get to them.

 

I can use playlists from my DLNA server which happens to be JRiver MC18 and that is really helpful...but not for her. She is not going to go create playlists on my computer then go listen to them. So is there as way to search for artists alphabetically without scrolling through the whole list of artists?

As a network audio player, the Pioneer N-50 doesn't come with a 'built in' DLNA server and has also not been provided with an ability to create playlists - so is not a music server, but a music player. It therefore relies entirely on how a DLNA server itself presents the music data on the network to provide features such as folders listing artists alphabetically, etc, when using the N-50 in 'playback mode' (ie when controlling the selection of music to play by using either its own remote control or the buttons on the box or the dedicated Pioneer ControlApp running on an Android/iPad/iPhone device). From the sound of it your GF is using the N-50 in this way, so what she is experiencing is actually a restriction of the DLNA server. The only solution is as Audio_ELF suggests, tackle it from the DLNA server side and see if you can get your current DLNA server to create & present these lists. Otherwise, Serviio is another DLNA server that creates and presents alphabetical subfolders by default, in various categories such as: artists, album artists, titles, genres, etc. It also has the ability to create playlists.

 

 

I think that's what I tried doing. I use JRiver on my main system and it also acts as the DLNA server. So I selected the n-50 as the player and it worked but it played everything at 320mbs and didn't sound right. I mean, didn't sound as good as a 320mbs file usually sounds. But with it, Yeah, I can use the Gizmo interface on my phone or tablet and not have the issue I mentioned. Maybe I should pursue getting that to play full resolution files and it would solve it.

This sounds like you're using the N-50 in 'renderer mode', rather than 'playback mode', ie you're using a DLNA controller application to select the music from a DLNA server (presumably both being part of JRiver) and then 'pushing' the selection on to the N-50 to play back, which I don't think was Audio_ELF's suggestion. I'm not sure why the 320mbs would not 'sound right', I only use lossless formats on the N-50 myself. What's the actual file format? Is the JRiver doing some sort of transcoding? Are you experiencing the same problems with the same files in 'playback mode'?

 

 

Very peculiar to me that Pioneer would not have this feature. Seems very elementary to playing a file that it be easily accessible. I had this issue with a non-Tivo DVR I had from the cable company for a while. Everything worked but it was like it was designed by someone who never used the product...like you gave the engineer a problem to solve and they solved it...but not well.

 

for realhifi above, that's why I'm not using itunes...much prefer MC. May have to use it to get pandora though.

As I mentioned above the N-50 is unfortunately not specified to do anything intelligent with the data it can 'see' on the DLNA server. I've never used JRiver, but I'd be surprised if you can't get its DLNA server to present the audio data categories with alphabetically ordered subfolders. Failing that, try running one of the suggested DLNA servers on the same machine. I don't think it will cause problems running both at the same time.

[Cebolla]

Not sure if this should be here or in the music server section but has pioneer not developed a driver for Windows 8?

The current USB (UAC2) driver should install correctly for Windows XP, Vista, 7 & 8.

 

 

Update...think I was having USB issues. I turned it off and back on (again) and now it's working but I lost my mouse! Unplugged it and plugged it back into the USB hub and it works too now...

 

I'm not planning on leaving the N-50 here so it's not a huge deal.

 

If anyone cares, the N-50 as a DAC sounds much better (to me) than the first generation HRT MusicStreamer+ I normally use. I'm not really qualified to talk technically but I'll just say there's a lot more sound coming out of it with the Pio.

 

Time for a new DAC. (Which is all I was trying to figure out in the first place)

If in doubt (and I still don't have much faith in plug n play/pray), it's always best with Windows to restart after installing a driver! The N-50 should compete quite well with DAC only units at same price point, so no surprise about its SQ.

[Cebolla]

As I mentioned above the N-50 is unfortunately not specified to do anything intelligent with the data it can 'see' on the DLNA server. I've never used JRiver, but I'd be surprised if you can't get its DLNA server to present the audio data categories with alphabetically ordered subfolders. Failing that, try running one of the suggested DLNA servers on the same machine. I don't think it will cause problems running both at the same time.

rh5000, I did a quick search on the JRiver forums and it seems that by making use of its tagging and view scheme features you should be able to get its server to provide the alphabetical sub-folders you require for 'dumb' clients, such as the N-50. Have a look at the JRiver Wiki page (it's a bit old, but should give you some starting point for your MC18):

Simple Artist Based Album View - JRiverWiki

[rh5000]

Thanks all. I do think I was using in render mode. I have not messed with it for a couple of days because I had it in the other system but it is back in place now so I'll give a couple of the recommendations above a try...starting with a different dlna server. It's not that I don't think I can get Jriver to work but that I don't want to screw around with the configurations to get it to work well in one room only to be a hassle in another. So, a separate dlna server might be the way to go.

 

The driver and/or usb connection was working fine after several restarts. One did not do it.

 

I'll report back.

[Cebolla]

The driver and/or usb connection was working fine after several restarts. One did not do it.

How bored (& jobless) us techies would be if were not for good old Windows's consistent inconsistencies!