MinimServer 2?

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tokenbrit
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MinimServer 2?

Post by tokenbrit »

Anyone using MinimServer 2 - what do you think of it, and what have you compared it to / upgraded from, if anything?

I have been running and enjoying MinimServer 0.8.5.2, which is no longer supported, but still works well (on Debian). Has anyone upgraded from a similar version to MinimServer 2? If so, is 2 better, different, same, or worse?

I doubt it’s too difficult but I adopted an ‘it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach to my digital components after musicality differences with Linn DS firmware releases, and with Linux kernel images. So, does MinimServer 2 make older versions sound broken?

TIA.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by Peter@57m »

I upgraded to MinimServer 2 and cannot say I noticed any difference in musicality.

My main reason for the upgrade was to get my usage of MinimServer onto a commercial basis with Simon Nash, the developer. There is an initial one off fee then an annual subscription.
A MinimServer 2 full license is GBP 28 or the equivalent in EUR or USD. This provides all features of MinimServer 2 and MinimStreamer 2 on up to 3 devices of any type and includes all updates and new versions for 12 months. At the end of the 12-month license term, you can purchase a license extension. This enables you to continue using MinimStreamer and receiving all updates and new versions for both MinimServer and MinimStreamer for a further 12 months. The price for this license extension is GBP 10 or the equivalent in EUR or USD.

What is included in the free starter edition vs full license can be found here
https://minimserver.com/licensing.html

I am very happy to support this software financially and appreciate the support Simon and the features the software provides. I believe we should support this financially. If you do not, use the starter edition or another program.

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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by Hermann »

I'm right there with you regarding support for such projects. I bought the license yesterday because of Defender's hint and am slowly working my way up.

I don't know how older versions sound, but this one is an improvement over the original QNAP music server.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by Ianw »

I’ve just migrated to 2 on recommendation from a fellow member. It’s running on my new 2 bay RAID 1 QNAP NAS also by recommendation. Replacing single bay WD NAS and Twonky Media Server; it was just a matter of time till this single point failure will eventually breaks.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by Donald »

I've also recently upgraded to MinimServer 2 on my QNAP TS-451 but have to admit that I don't notice any difference to the quality of music?

I was happy to pay for a Full Licence and agree with Peter above "I am very happy to support this software financially and appreciate the support Simon and the features the software provides. I believe we should support this financially."
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Follow-up: MinimServer; Asset, or ?

Post by tokenbrit »

Thanks to those who shared their positive experiences with MinimServer 2... Now for a follow-up question: does anyone have alternative recommendations for music server software on Linux/Debian?

I'm aware that David Neel is using & prefers Asset - are there any others to consider? There's Twonky, but I'm not sure what it's like now that it falls under Lynx Technology...

I guess a follow-up to the follow-up question should be: is it possible to run more than one upnp/dlna music/media server software solution on a NAS at the same time, or should you just run one at a time & disable the other(s)?
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by ThomasOK »

I'm not sure with the operating systems you are playing with but I had Kazoo server and Asset running on my LS-NAS under Windows 7 at the same time. I tried to get Minimserver running as well but for some reason could never get it to work.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

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ThomasOK wrote: 2021-12-04 00:34 I'm not sure with the operating systems you are playing with but I had Kazoo server and Asset running on my LS-NAS under Windows 7 at the same time. I tried to get Minimserver running as well but for some reason could never get it to work.
"playing" with iPadOS; playing from Debian ;)

MinimServer worked out of the box on Debian, but curious if Asset might be better... What did you think of Asset? (Kazoo isn't available on Linux to my knowledge - Linn couldn't figure Linux (too few n's? ;) )
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by ThomasOK »

tokenbrit wrote: 2021-12-04 01:00
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-12-04 00:34 I'm not sure with the operating systems you are playing with but I had Kazoo server and Asset running on my LS-NAS under Windows 7 at the same time. I tried to get Minimserver running as well but for some reason could never get it to work.
"playing" with iPadOS; playing from Debian ;)

MinimServer worked out of the box on Debian, but curious if Asset might be better... What did you think of Asset? (Kazoo isn't available on Linux to my knowledge - Linn couldn't figure Linux (too few n's? ;) )
Or no Ks? I liked Kazoo server better musically. Even better was the earlier version, Songbox server, before it was renamed. But Asset always found all the music and I couldn't get Songbox to do that. I have since found that the music files were a mess having been sent into a couple of different folders when I transferred or RIPped. I have gotten them all together on my LS-NAS and am in the process of converting all the FLAC files to ALAC for test usage on Källa.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by tokenbrit »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-12-04 17:37
tokenbrit wrote: 2021-12-04 01:00
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-12-04 00:34 I'm not sure with the operating systems you are playing with but I had Kazoo server and Asset running on my LS-NAS under Windows 7 at the same time. I tried to get Minimserver running as well but for some reason could never get it to work.
"playing" with iPadOS; playing from Debian ;)

MinimServer worked out of the box on Debian, but curious if Asset might be better... What did you think of Asset? (Kazoo isn't available on Linux to my knowledge - Linn couldn't figure Linux (too few n's? ;) )
Or no Ks? I liked Kazoo server better musically. Even better was the earlier version, Songbox server, before it was renamed. But Asset always found all the music and I couldn't get Songbox to do that. I have since found that the music files were a mess having been sent into a couple of different folders when I transferred or RIPped. I have gotten them all together on my LS-NAS and am in the process of converting all the FLAC files to ALAC for test usage on Källa.
Lin(n)uks?

What are you using to convert FLAC to ALAC? I was going to re-rip everything to ALAC using iTunes, but didn't get very far - more ALAS than ALAC. I hadn't considered converting my FLAC files, but that may be enough if Källa prefers streamed.

Currently trying Asset with MinimServer disabled before I uninstall Asset to retry MinimServer...
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by ThomasOK »

I've been using dBpoweramp but I'm doing it one album at a time so far. I need to dig further and see if I can make it do the whole music folder.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by tokenbrit »

ThomasOK wrote: 2021-12-08 23:04 I've been using dBpoweramp but I'm doing it one album at a time so far. I need to dig further and see if I can make it do the whole music folder.
Thanks. Prompted by your reply I've been experimenting successfully with converting single tracks and album at a time specifying ffmpeg codecs to convert from flac to alac, including embedded cover art, from the command line (on Linux)

I don't know that I'd want it to run through the whole music folder, especially if I needed to script it to mkdir on the target NAS for each artist/album that isn't there already - think I'd prefer to manage selectively as part of a cleanup exercise, but great to know that it's possible & relatively easy... Thought I'd need to re-rip in iTunes :-/

Now just have to work out whether copy to / convert on the desktop then put on the NAS is better or worse the get & convert directly on the NAS :) And whether I need to futz with external & internal cable directions for the write ;)
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by FairPlayMotty »

tokenbrit wrote: 2021-12-13 01:37
ThomasOK wrote: 2021-12-08 23:04 I've been using dBpoweramp but I'm doing it one album at a time so far. I need to dig further and see if I can make it do the whole music folder.
Thanks. Prompted by your reply I've been experimenting successfully with converting single tracks and album at a time specifying ffmpeg codecs to convert from flac to alac, including embedded cover art, from the command line (on Linux)

I don't know that I'd want it to run through the whole music folder, especially if I needed to script it to mkdir on the target NAS for each artist/album that isn't there already - think I'd prefer to manage selectively as part of a cleanup exercise, but great to know that it's possible & relatively easy... Thought I'd need to re-rip in iTunes :-/

Now just have to work out whether copy to / convert on the desktop then put on the NAS is better or worse the get & convert directly on the NAS :) And whether I need to futz with external & internal cable directions for the write ;)
A couple of years ago I was asked by my kid to copy a few thousand albums from flac to alac. I found a piece of Windows software that let me do the conversion as one job. My desktop is a powerful beast (32GB RAM, fast processor etc.). It took around five days (24/7) to do the job but it was completed successfully. I'll dig out the name of the software - the first two programs I tried failed very early into the task.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by Peter@57m »

FYI - MinimServer 2.1 has just been released.

The major change is the introduction of Recently Added and Recently Played functionality in MinimServer.

https://forum.minimserver.com/showthread.php?tid=6413
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Re: Follow-up: MinimServer; Asset, or ?

Post by David Neel »

tokenbrit wrote: 2021-12-03 20:25 David Neel is using & prefers Asset
The comparison was quite a few years ago, in the early days of LSNAS, and this thread has inspired me to try minimserver again. It was supposed to be a back-to-back comparison, but...
After a week away, my LSNAS wouldn't restart properly, so I figured I'd use the opportunity to install Bullseye rather than troubleshoot Buster. Minimserver 2.0.18 is now installed and working well. Its indexing looks to be far better than I'm used to, and it sounds musical to the point where I'm not in a rush to re-install Asset.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by tokenbrit »

tokenbrit wrote: 2021-12-05 00:57 Currently trying Asset with MinimServer disabled before I uninstall Asset to retry MinimServer...
I should have said: I ran Asset for a few days then enabled MinimServer 2, alongside, for easier comparison, selecting tracks alternately from either server software... As DN mentioned, MinimServer 2 is musical (and better featured for my liking too) to the point where I uninstalled Asset.

I was considering installing Twonky for further comparison, but the support, practicality & musicality of MinimServer (2) means I'm not in a rush either.

Thanks for updating us 'David', and glad you got your NAS running reliably & enjoyably.
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Re: MinimServer 2?

Post by David Neel »

David Neel wrote: 2021-12-15 09:55
tokenbrit wrote: 2021-12-03 20:25 David Neel is using & prefers Asset
The comparison was quite a few years ago, in the early days of LSNAS, and this thread has inspired me to try minimserver again. It was supposed to be a back-to-back comparison, but...
After a week away, my LSNAS wouldn't restart properly, so I figured I'd use the opportunity to install Bullseye rather than troubleshoot Buster. Minimserver 2.0.18 is now installed and working well. Its indexing looks to be far better than I'm used to, and it sounds musical to the point where I'm not in a rush to re-install Asset.
After 24 hours I noticed that I was getting listening fatigue - a slight smearing of the sound which became annoying once I had identified it. So I re-installed Asset, and after a few switches between the two, Minimserver has now been uninstalled and Asset is reinstated.
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