Onkyo NR-9 and Sonos

[admin_exported]

I have a Sonos system which is working absolutely fine. Just got an Onkyo NR 905 and have set up its networking facilities. Fine with Internet Radio once URLs added. Not using external USB for music. I have my albums stored on a Buffalo Terastation in Apple Lossless (m4a files which are supported by the Onkyo). I used iTunes to copy the CDs to the Terastation. While the Terastation shows up as an option on the Server screen by name it doesn't list its address. Both of my Sonos Zoneplayers are listed with IP addresses.

When I access the Terastation I am taken to a number of empty folders - All Music, Playlists etc. If I access either of the Sonos options I am taken to the correct Terastation Music Folder which is listed as a subset of 192.168.1.10 while the actual address of the Terastation is 192.168.1.9. I can then access al my albums but when I select them I get the message "cannot play" appearing on the Onkyo - it flicks through the whole album trying to find one it is able to play. I have DLNA enabled on the Terastation - have tried by specifically selecting the Onkyo and by leaving all devices accessible.

Seems there must be some sort of conflict betwenn the Onkyo and either the Sonos system, the Terastation or the iTunes software.

Can't find any way of putting in the Terastation address manually. One other thing I have to use the NET/USB button on the receiver to change between radio/usb/msic options - remote doesn't work.

Any ideas anyone?

 

[VoodooDoctor]

Sounds like it isn't recognising the files as ones that it can play. I use a Terastation with the 905 and it finds the files. The other thing to try is refreshing PCast on the Terastation.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks VoodoDoc. Have refreshed the PCast and that didn't work either. Are your files stored in Apple Lossless and are you using iTunes to manage the files as I am? Have tried switching off and unplugging the Sonos players, that didn't sort it either. Got back to empty folder listed under Terastation, seem like the default My Music type of folders that I don't have anything in.

 

[VoodooDoctor]

I ripped everything into WMA Lossless initially, using WMP (without doing any research). The 905 showed everything up and played all the files.

I am now ripping everything again into FLAC, which the Onkyo doesn't play, using dbPoweramp with a view to then doing a batch conversion into (probably) MP3 format for use on my ipod and with the 905. I plan to get a Sonos in the fairly near future and that will play the FLAC files.

Have you tried putting some MP3 files into the Music folder on the Terastation and seeing if the Onkyo picks them up?

 

[Anonymous]

Just ripped some MP3 files onto the Terastation. They play via the Sonos but will not play via the Onkyo - I get teh message, cannot play. The music stored on the Terastation is only accessible as a subset of the Sonus network address which is probably the problem. At this stage I'm stuck but as I have the Sonos linked up to my system anyhow its not too big of a problem. But would be nice to find a solution.

 

[Anonymous]

I have a Sonos and terrastation setup. TheTerrastation is a mapped drive off the laptop. With the Sonos I did get the "file not found" problem even though the track appeared on the Sonos. I discovered the /trashbox directory under iTunes that stored any deleted tracks I had made.the Sonos was still picking them up. Once I deleted these trashbox files then all was well with the world and Sonos.

It might be worth searching for the tracks and seeing if you have multiple ones that are causing the prob.

Can't comment on the Onkyo though. what does the spec say?

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that. Going away for the weekend, will check out next week and keep you posted.

 

[Anonymous]

Just had a quick look at the NR905 spec and on first glance it's not DNLA compliant but requires Microsoft Media Connect or equivalent OS on an open PC to work.

It's a similar problem with using an XBOX as a media server. One day the world will catchup with standards (some hope )

 

[Anonymous]

Have come back to this at last. Ther Terastation is now visible as a seperate drive and the MP3 files I copied to it now play via the Onkyo. Still won't play the MPEG-4 files ( recorded in Apple Lossless). It says in the manual (page 111) that it supports MPEG-4 files as well as DLNA compativle media servers.

If it plays MP3s then the problem must be something to do with the MPEG-4 format. It also says in the manual that it supports sampling rates of 32, 44.1 and 48kHz as well as bitrates between 16 and 320kps. Don't know what the sampling rates or bit rates of the MPEG-4 files are.

Any further ideas out there?

 

[Anonymous]

Forgot an important point. When I access the Terastation via the 905 the only file visible is the MP3 file. The MPEG-4 are still accessed via the Sonos system only and won't play. The MP3 file also plays on the Sonos system.

 

[Anonymous]

Emailed Onkyo to see if they could provide a solution to the problem. They advise the the problem is caused because I have used i-tunes to crated my MPEG-4 files. They also advise that there is not a solution.

So that's it - its a compatibility problem. I used i-tunes because it was compatible with the TeraStation. Anyhow as I can still play all my music files through my hifi system via the Sonos its not really a problem. One day everything will be compatible!!!!!