[jasn]

Pluto, way back I suggested that, assuming your AVR is connected to your router, you should be able to directly see and play music from your NAS music folders to the Marantz.  Just go to your AVR Network input and see the NAS.  No Kodi, Minx or laptop involved, nor the need to directly connect the NAS via an ethernet cable.  That will at least allow you to confirm you have no issues with your files and the (unlikley culprit) router.

Troubleshooting is (always) a process of elimination. [patronizeroff]

[wesk05]

What you need would seem to LibreELEC-S905.arm-8.2-8.2.1.1.img.gz from https://sx05.eu/s905/8.2/8.2.1.1/
and gxbb_p200_2G_minix_neo_u1.dtb from https://sx05.eu/s905/8.2/device_trees/S905/

  A different device tree may have to be used for the Minix U1 to prevent downsampling of Hi-Res audio. https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/9319-8...#post70680

The OP hasn't quite mentioned what sampling rate or bit depth his audio collection has. I'm just assuming that it is Hi-Res.

[Pluto1946]

Pluto, way back I suggested that, assuming your AVR is connected to your router, you should be able to directly see and play music from your NAS music folders to the Marantz.  Just go to your AVR Network input and see the NAS.  No Kodi, Minx or laptop involved, nor the need to directly connect the NAS via an ethernet cable.  That will at least allow you to confirm you have no issues with your files and the (unlikley culprit) router.

Troubleshooting is (always) a process of elimination. [patronizeroff]

 Hi jasn,

you're quite right. I remember now. I did try connecting to the NAS via the receiver, and did so today again. The sound quality was absolutely brilliant, especially an old LP which I recently copied to hard drive. Gorgeous. So that ruled out faulty banana plug connections (though I might crawl behind the TV and tighten them anyway).

But, whether I use the Marantz remote to navigate among my music files on the computer, or the android Marantz remote on my tablet, it takes more than a minute just to change a single page. By the time I've found what I want to listen to, it's bed time. I'm trying to suss out how the Qnap remote works in connection with the Hybrid Desk thingummy. I have a suspicion that might be the way to go. In fact, that's half the reason I bought the Qnap.

I'll get back to everyone else tomorrow, but all input is much appreciated I can tell you.

Chris (in snowy Norway)

[Pluto1946]

OK, I'll give it a try. Pretty sure it's not Kodi as such, though. I'm running Windows 10 build 1703 with the latest updates. I tried build 1709, but that mucked up the search feature in Outlook, so I went back. 

Cheers!

Note I just wanted to give you an extra option to give you an idea of what quality to expect from Kodi before going to any additional expense, since it's Windows OS you just need the Windows build from https://kodi.tv/download then when configuring the audio device make sure the WASAPI option is chosen for whatever output you are using e.g. HDMI. 

 Just a quick update regarding progress. After trying to connect with the Qnap NAS station via ethernet to the receiver and a blu ray player, I found that the process is too slow for my needs. So I then installed a Qnap remote on my tablet, and even got it to link up with Qnap's HybridDesk Station. The HD station's apps showed up on the tablet, but wouldn't work for some reason. Then I realized that the Qnap NAS had to be connected by HDMI cable directly to the receiver, otherwise it won't show up on the telly screen. (I found that out by connecting a spare monitor and mouse to the NAS directly.) So now I'm off to the shops for a 10m HDMI cable. The only remaining problem is that Kodi keeps telling me whenever I want to add a pathway to the computer audio files 'invalid argument'. This started just after I'd installed Windows 10 on a new ssd. So that's something I've got to fix as well.

Having said that, I'm certainly going to research the raspberry possibilities here. I've got so much work otherwise at the moment, that I don't really have much time for anything else.

Best wishes to all and I'll post a new update shortly!

Chris

[Pluto46]

OK, I'll give it a try. Pretty sure it's not Kodi as such, though. I'm running Windows 10 build 1703 with the latest updates. I tried build 1709, but that mucked up the search feature in Outlook, so I went back. 

Cheers!

Note I just wanted to give you an extra option to give you an idea of what quality to expect from Kodi before going to any additional expense, since it's Windows OS you just need the Windows build from https://kodi.tv/download then when configuring the audio device make sure the WASAPI option is chosen for whatever output you are using e.g. HDMI. 

 Just a quick update regarding progress. After trying to connect with the Qnap NAS station via ethernet to the receiver and a blu ray player, I found that the process is too slow for my needs. So I then installed a Qnap remote on my tablet, and even got it to link up with Qnap's HybridDesk Station. The HD station's apps showed up on the tablet, but wouldn't work for some reason. Then I realized that the Qnap NAS had to be connected by HDMI cable directly to the receiver, otherwise it won't show up on the telly screen. (I found that out by connecting a spare monitor and mouse to the NAS directly.) So now I'm off to the shops for a 10m HDMI cable. The only remaining problem is that Kodi keeps telling me whenever I want to add a pathway to the computer audio files 'invalid argument'. This started just after I'd installed Windows 10 on a new ssd. So that's something I've got to fix as well.

Having said that, I'm certainly going to research the raspberry possibilities here. I've got so much work otherwise at the moment, that I don't really have much time for anything else.

Best wishes to all and I'll post a new update shortly!

Chris

Good news to report. I bought the 10m hdmi cable - it's about as thick as a small tree trunk - and connected it to the hdmi contact on the NAS, and then to the receiver, into the game input. There in all its glory was Kodi filling the telly screen. I used the remote on the tablet to navigate, and it's almost as quick as kodi on the Minix. Not entirely convinced by the quality of the audio as yet, but I'll do some comparisons at a later date. It's incomparably better than the Minix setup, though. The Qnap android remote's not a patch on Yatse which I've been using up to now. Still, have to be grateful for small mercies I suppose.

Chris

[nickr]

What is wrong with using yatse to control kodi on the NAS?

[Pluto46]

What is wrong with using yatse to control kodi on the NAS?

Nothing I suppose if it can be done - which it can obviously. As I said, I've only used it with Minix's kodi, but if it works with Qnap's nas, sk much thd better. Just a matter of finding out how to configure it.

[nickr]

Same as you did with the minix.

[Pluto46]

Same as you did with the minix.

The thing is, Yatse found Kodi on the minix when it did an automatic search for hosts. It didn't find kodi on HD Station yesterday when I tried. I might try doing it manually and entering the internet address. That might work. 

At the moment I'm loading up the library in HD Station. I got an 'invalid argument' from kodi when I tried adding files to the library via Windows smb, but got round that by going through zeroconf browser, then qnap (samba)to get to my multimedia files. Quite pleased with myself there :-)

[Pluto46]

Same as you did with the minix.

The thing is, Yatse found Kodi on the minix when it did an automatic search for hosts. It didn't find kodi on HD Station yesterday when I tried. I might try doing it manually and entering the internet address. That might work. 

At the moment I'm loading up the library in HD Station. I got an 'invalid argument' from kodi when I tried adding files to the library via Windows smb, but got round that by going through zeroconf browser, then qnap (samba)to get to my multimedia files. Quite pleased with myself there :-)

Update: this time Yatse found kodi on the nas. Must have failed yesterday because something had gone to sleep. Well, this is brilliant. Very happy.

[nickr]

Great

[Pluto1946]

Great

 By the way, I'd like to click the 'thank you' button for everyone who's helped me over the past week - but where the heck is it?

[Karellen]

@Pluto1946,

Thanks for being so thoughtful. Unfortunately you need 20 posts before the button becomes visible for you. It will then appear under the avatar image next to the PM and Find buttons.