J River to HQPlayer

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Afew things:

1) my JRIver is MC 20, build 133

2) both HQP and JR exist on my Windows 10 AO'd server (i7 6700k, 32GB RAM, etc)

3) all my music is on a shared folder in my Synology NAS (currently sharing a Diablo fiber switch with the HQP server), mapped to the server as drive M (multichannel is drive N but that is also a different library in JR). The music is divided by type in subfolders (directories really) like DSD, DSD128, hirez 24 bit, redbook, etc) and from there in album folders (named "artist-album"). I find no correlation to issues described above and album location (or format).

 

I don't see a correlation there either. I'm also using a Win10 server where HQP and JR coexist, though it's not AO'd.

I'm using a Synology NAS and have its music folder mapped to a drive (Z:).

 

Whether I load folder into JR from the mapped drive or using the full path name to the NAS music files, makes no difference. Of course I prefer the mapped shorter path names; but I just used the long name for a test.

 

I'm not sure if your use of MC20 as opposed to my MC22 would make any difference. I probably wrote the .bat while on MC20 anyway as it's quite old.

 

Perhaps a few other testers could weigh in? it might make it easier to pin down the problem.

 

Best,

 

Geoff

[Miska]

start "" "C:\Program Files\Signalyst\HQPlayer Desktop 3\hqp-control.exe" localhost --stop

 

Stopping between each track makes transitions slow...

 

TIMEOUT /T 2

start "" "C:\Program Files\Signalyst\HQPlayer Desktop 3\hqp-control.exe" localhost --playlist-clear

TIMEOUT /T 2

start "" "C:\Program Files\Signalyst\HQPlayer Desktop 3\hqp-control.exe" localhost "%datapath%"

TIMEOUT /T 2

start "" "C:\Program Files\Signalyst\HQPlayer Desktop 3\hqp-control.exe" localhost --select-track 0

 

Instead of this sequence use "-q" parameter before the URI to queue it. So essentially just two things:

hqp-control localhost -q <uri>

hqp-control localhost --next

 

But you need to manage playback state, so if HQPlayer is stopped, call "--play" instead of "--next". This you parse from first value returned by "--state".

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Stopping between each track makes transitions slow...

 

 

 

Instead of this sequence use "-q" parameter before the URI to queue it. So essentially just two things:

hqp-control localhost -q <uri>

hqp-control localhost --next

 

But you need to manage playback state, so if HQPlayer is stopped, call "--play" instead of "--next". This you parse from first value returned by "--state".

 

Thanks for the suggestions Miska. I think though you're under the impression that I'm loading individual tracks here. I'm actually only loading complete albums at a time. Unless I've misunderstood you.

 

As the title suggestions this is a very limited solution for people who are happy to load one album at a time. Even if you request JR to play from a different track, this will always result in the album playing from the first track in HQPlayer. I'm only loading the URI for complete albums.

 

When the user wants to change to a different album while an album is actually playing, I need to stop playback and clear, then load the new album. At least that's the only way I could figure out how to do it.

 

I was hoping someone would take this very simple .bat script and "run with it" creating something much better as .bat or Powershell script. I think it does have more potential.

 

At the moment it's only good for people who play complete albums at a time and don't need navigation within albums or playing playlists.

[ted_b]

Thanks Jussi. Above my paygrade; Geoff do you get this?

 

oops, you are quick. Thx

[Miska]

Thanks for the suggestions Miska. I think though you're under the impression that I'm loading individual tracks here. I'm actually only loading complete albums at a time. Unless I've misunderstood you.

 

Ahh, OK, then it's different.

 

I don't know how much there's possibility to hook into JRiver controls, but if it is then it could be possible to do quite a lot.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Ahh, OK, then it's different.

 

I don't know how much there's possibility to hook into JRiver controls, but if it is then it could be possible to do quite a lot.

 

I had trouble finding clear documentation on that

[dminches]

Sorry for the elementary question, but where does the .bat file get run? Does it get called by jriver? Where do I set that up?

[shadowlight]

Sorry for the elementary question, but where does the .bat file get run? Does it get called by jriver? Where do I set that up?

The batch file needs to reside on the same system that has JRiver and HQPlayer installed. You need to configure JRiver using the following from the first post:

 

"You have to go to the tools menu in J R - options and click on files in the left hand column. Then for each file type in your library that is supported by HQPlayer and that you want to have played through HQP, choose the option to send to a custom application and navigate to the script linked below, wherever you've put it in your file system. Then click on oK."

 

I plan to test this over the weekend and report back.

[ted_b]

1)Just take what I did (copy and paste) and make that text a BAT file format, then stick it somewhere on the pc that has JR and HQP.

 

2) go to JR and tools/options/file types and for those formats you have albums in go to playback method and pick external program (custom) and browse to your bat file.

2a) Realize that JRiver accepts more formats than HQP does, so choose FLAC, WAV, DSF/DFF and AIFF. Not sure many more. That's only 4 setups, will take less than 2 minutes.

[shadowlight]

Successfully tested the setup. Adding a new album removes the previous one and plays the new one. Using JRiver 20.0.131 with HQPlayer 3.15b2 on Windows.

[ted_b]

Successfully tested the setup. Adding a new album removes the previous one and plays the new one. Using JRiver 20.0.131 with HQPlayer 3.15b2 on Windows.

 

Bizarre. Other than build 131 vs 133 we are identical, yet I just ran it again and I got appended albums (ran album select 3 times, got a playlist of 3 albums).

 

My JR setup looks like this:

[shadowlight]

Bizarre. Other than build 131 vs 133 we are identical, yet I just ran it again and I got appended albums (ran album select 3 times, got a playlist of 3 albums).

/QUOTE]

 

That is strange. My initial test was only with WAV files but I just tested with dsd files the way that you have it setup and not issues. It stops playing the previous album and starts playing the new album.

[shadowlight]

JRiver seems to be particular about what it will execute. On my system it will not execute powershell script unless I called that script via .cmd or batch file.

In case anyone is interested I converted Geoffery's batch script into powershell.

 

Rename call-jr-ps.cmd.txt to call-jr-ps.cmd

Rename jr.ps1.txt to jr.ps1.txt

 

In call-jr-ps.cmd file change the location to where you saved the jr.ps1 file (I have mine stored in subdirectory under download)

 

Change the location of External Program under Tools --> File Types for the files that you want HQPlayer to play.

 

 

Edit: If anyone know of a away to send stop/start/forward etc commands from JRiver to external program let me know and I will try to see if I can write the logic in to forward those commands over to HQPlayer.

call-jr-ps.cmd.txt

jr.ps1.txt

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

JRiver seems to be particular about what it will execute. On my system it will not execute powershell script unless I called that script via .cmd or batch file.

In case anyone is interested I converted Geoffery's batch script into powershell.

 

 

 

Rename call-jr-ps.cmd.txt to call-jr-ps.cmd

Rename jr.ps1.txt to jr.ps1.txt

 

In call-jr-ps.cmd file change the location to where you saved the jr.ps1 file (I have mine stored in subdirectory under download)

 

Change the location of External Program under Tools --> File Types for the files that you want HQPlayer to play.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]33304[/ATTACH]

 

Edit: If anyone know of a away to send stop/start/forward etc commands from JRiver to external program let me know and I will try to see if I can write the logic in to forward those commands over to HQPlayer.

 

It's great that you made a Powershell version, thanks. This could open up more possibilities.

 

One thing that was missing from my original instructions is that the argument: "[Filename]" needs to be passed to the script. This is entered by default in my version of Media Centre when I select an "External Custom" program to handle the file.

 

Ted, can you check that this argument is being passed to the script when you go to Options -> File Types and Choose the External custom program as in shadowlight's screen capture? I just want to check that you're passing this argument in case that's the cause of the problem.

 

Now there are a whole bunch of arguments that could be passed to the script instead of or in addition to "[Filename]". You can see these by right clicking in the field which contains the "[Filename]" argument.

 

By passing multiple different parameters to the script and adding conditional statements to deal with those parameters it may be possible to produce something with a lot more functionality.

 

Just a suggestion!

 

Regarding the idea of using Media Center's playback controls to control HQPlayer, I think that would involve playing the music files(s) in Media Center and HQP simultaneously and you probably don't want to do this. At the moment you could have Media Center set up to play to the same Audio Device as HQPlayer so that Media Center could take over playback for any non-HQP supported file formats.

 

I've only seen documentation for going in the other direction for controlling media center from an external app. This is what allows apps like JRemote to control it.

[Miska]

By the way, did MC have capability to act as a UPnP Media Server and Control Point? If that is the case, then one could use HQPlayer Embedded set up as UPnP Renderer and thus gain full playback functionality through JRiver, possibly even transcoding of file formats not supported by HQPlayer.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

By the way, did MC have capability to act as a UPnP Media Server and Control Point? If that is the case, then one could use HQPlayer Embedded set up as UPnP Renderer and thus gain full playback functionality through JRiver, possibly even transcoding of file formats not supported by HQPlayer.

 

An interesting idea. I believe Media Center has those features so perhaps it would be the best solution for Media Center users.

[ted_b]

Geoff, if you look at my screen shot above (post 36) you'll see the filename argument. Nothing wrong there I don't think.

 

Still no idea why my setup acts differently, though.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Geoff, if you look at my screen shot above (post 36) you'll see the filename argument. Nothing wrong there I don't think.

 

Still no idea why my setup acts differently, though.

 

Sorry missed that Just checking!

[ted_b]

JRiver seems to be particular about what it will execute. On my system it will not execute powershell script unless I called that script via .cmd or batch file.

In case anyone is interested I converted Geoffery's batch script into powershell.

 

Rename call-jr-ps.cmd.txt to call-jr-ps.cmd

Rename jr.ps1.txt to jr.ps1.txt

 

In call-jr-ps.cmd file change the location to where you saved the jr.ps1 file (I have mine stored in subdirectory under download)

 

Change the location of External Program under Tools --> File Types for the files that you want HQPlayer to play.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]33304[/ATTACH]

 

Edit: If anyone know of a away to send stop/start/forward etc commands from JRiver to external program let me know and I will try to see if I can write the logic in to forward those commands over to HQPlayer.

 

Shadowlight, thanks for doing this but I am slightly confused. The bolded line does nothing, but I see that in the cmd file it is called just jr.ps1 so did you mean to rename it to that?

 

Edit update: Did just that (renamed jr.ps1.txt to jr.ps1). Works great, and works as intended (no more appended albums). The only issue is that file association browsing is looking for executable file types, so make sure "all files" is set or it may not find the cmd file.

 

Thanks again.

[shadowlight]

Shadowlight, thanks for doing this but I am slightly confused. The bolded line does nothing, but I see that in the cmd file it is called just jr.ps1 so did you mean to rename it to that?

Edit update: Did just that (renamed jr.ps1.txt to jr.ps1). Works great, and works as intended (no more appended albums). The only issue is that file association browsing is looking for executable file types, so make sure "all files" is set or it may not find the cmd file.

Thanks again.

Yes, I meant to say rename jr.ps1.txt to jr.ps1. Thanks for catching that typo Ted. I am going to see if I can try to get rid of the cmd file completely over the long weekend. I am also going to attend to see if I can send upnp content to hqplayer embedded which is my primary system anyway.

[ted_b]

Great! If so can HQP embedded run on a machine that also has Win10 (i.e dual boot of sorts)?

[shadowlight]

Great! If so can HQP embedded run on a machine that also has Win10 (i.e dual boot of sorts)?

Yes, I started out with Win10 and installed Debian minimal install with dual boot in place. By default the system reboots in Linux and I have my NAA running on Win10 so I can leverage native DSD upto 256 on the Lampi DAC.

[ted_b]

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but where does JRiver sit (Win 10 or Debian) and where does HQP desktop sit? Since my HQP server (currently Win10) is headless is there an RDC type product for Linux. My NAAs (plural) are microRendu (for most 2 channel playback since I have uRendu-certified dacs) and WS2012R1 (for exaSound multichannel plyabck, as exaSound drivers do not like Linux).

[shadowlight]

I know I'm getting ahead of myself, but where does JRiver sit (Win 10 or Debian) and where does HQP desktop sit? Since my HQP server (currently Win10) is headless is there an RDC type product for Linux. My NAAs (plural) are microRendu (for most 2 channel playback since I have uRendu-certified dacs) and WS2012R1 (for exaSound multichannel plyabck, as exaSound drivers do not like Linux).

I plan to run JRiver on bare bones Win10 system with HQPlayer running under Debian streaming to Win10 NAA. Once Linux kernel 4.10 comes out I plan to convert the NAA to Linux and will most likely move JRiver to Linux also. I will not be running JRiver and HQPlayer on the same system though since JRiver requires X-Windows to run. The other option that I am considering is to just run JRiver under Linux VMWare instance.

 

I think there is a version of JRiver which runs on NAS hardware (QNAP I think). If you have compatible hardware you could run JRiver on that and not worry about any X-Window components.

 

Edit: Sorry forgot to answer your question about remote desktop connection. You can run VNC on the Debian system to remote into the system. If you plan to run both JRiver and HQP on the same system keep in mind that you will need X-Windows for JRiver. You system is powerful enough and you should not have any issues with it when dealing with Linux Window manager which introduces additional processes.

[shadowlight]

By the way, did MC have capability to act as a UPnP Media Server and Control Point? If that is the case, then one could use HQPlayer Embedded set up as UPnP Renderer and thus gain full playback functionality through JRiver, possibly even transcoding of file formats not supported by HQPlayer.

 

I can confirm that I am able to send stream from Jriver to HQP embedded using both the JRiver interface and eos remote running on Android tablet. I will take some configuration screen captures once I get access to the system that is running JRiver. I am also going to build a Debian x64 system to run JRiver under, let me know if anyone wants the steps that I take to get JRiver running under Debian so I can write down the steps. Majority of the steps are listed on JRiver's website so some of them are going to be duplicate.