admin_exported

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Hi, I recently bought a Denon 720AE streamer, which I'm very pleased with overall. However, I'm a bit confused by what computer-based files (i.e. MP3, WMA, AAC etc.) it can actually play. I wondered if anybody who knows a bit more about streaming might be able to help.

I'm having difficulty with two of the main things that I wanted to be able to do:

1. Play 24/96 FLAC files via stream and USB. I bought a 24/96 track from Linn website to try things out, but this doesn't seem to be recognised by the Denon via stream or USB stick, even though the Linn FLAC test file did work.

2. Play ripped CDs. I've imported a couple of CDs in WMA Lossless, and whilst they play fine when streamed, when copied onto a USB drive (working fine for MP3s) and plugged into the Denon, it comes up with a 'file format error' message.

Very confusing! Any help/advice would be much appreciated.
 

AnotherJoe

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It only suports .wma files not wma lossless. So you will need to rip your cds to flac.

Page 36 of the manual explains what formats it will play over USB, and page 37 what formats it will stream over network.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks for the response AnotherJoe. I had looked at the relevant pages, but was still confused!

So am I right in thinking that the only Lossless formats that the Denon will stream (aside from AirPlay) or play via USB stick are .wav and .flac files? Incidentally, do you (or does anyone else) know if Apple Lossless files are streamed at full quality when using Airplay? I've read a couple of threads on the net that seem to suggest not.

Another confusion for me is that I imported a couple of CDs in lossless .wma format, and they seem to play fine via stream (though the display will not give me file type and bitrate info as it usually does), but will not play when copied onto USB stick.

I'm happy to use FLAC for CD ripping, but the problem is that the Denon doesn't seem to find FLAC files on the pc when i try to access via 'music server' mode.

Again, any responses much appreciated. Sorry for so many questions - I'm new to this streaming business.
 

AnotherJoe

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I think your invisible flac problem is because the bundled music server software (Windows Media Player) does not support flac.

So you just need to install an alternative on your pc.

Install a free transcoding UPNP media server like Tversity on your pc. Add your music folder to the Tversity library.

Then when using the network on the Denon select the Tversity Server, and it should play flac as well as any other format you throw at it. (Tversity will automatically convert any formats the denon doesnt support on the fly).

I would still rip your cds to flac. If at somepoint you decide to buy a standalone NAS (to remove the need of having your pc on), you wont have to re-rip the cds. Flac is still the most widely supported lossless format.
 
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Anonymous

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I've downloaded Twonky server and it does seem to be doing the job. FLAC files and AAC now accessible on the Denon AAC. WMA don't work, but this is not really a problem.

I tried Tversity, and whilst it worked, it seemed to be compressing the FLAC files to 320kbps MP3s (according to the Denon display), which seems to defeat the point of using lossless. Does 'transcoding' essentially (or generally) mean compressing?

Thanks again for the help AnotherJoe.
 

AnotherJoe

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Transcoding is just converting from one format to another.

Tversity has a profile for each device (which you can edit to make it more acurate) - which contains the list of formats (for audio,video,image) that the device supports. It compares the source format against this list, and if the source format is not supported then it converts it to one that is - normally wav(pcm) for audio, mpeg for video, or jpeg for image.

Sounds like Tversity is incorrectly identifying your denon as not accepting wav, and transcoding to mp3. Probably need to manually change the Media Playback Device to something else until you find one that works. Also make sure minimum compression and correct network speed are set.
 

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