I would like to move my music files to a NAS drive (ethernet connected drive) and be able to access the files (i.e. “stream” them to my Rossini Apex) via the Mosaic app. Note that my Rossini is attached (receives files) by ethernet, I will be using an Apple iPad for the Mosaic.
Specifically, would a BUFFALO TeraStation 3220DN 2-Bay Desktop NAS 8TB (2x4TB) drive allow this?
Thanks
If a Buffalo supports upnp/dlna it should work (I run qnap, synology and Melco) with twonky and minimserv (both are upnp/dlna services that Mosaic sees).
Using NAS to stream files rusing UPnP equires two things, one hardware, one software. You need the hardware ro be or act as a server. You also need UPnP server software loaded on the server device.
The Buffalo hardware is described as an 8TB NAS so is basically what you want. However the UPnP server software to run on it needs urther consideration. dCS recommend a specific piece of software which is MinimServer ( now MinimServer2). The reason why is here:
An issue is that MinimServer is written for certain brands of server unit and Buffalo is not amongst them:
If you use other types of server software then the result can be unpredictable. I have tried using Twonky and the result was , well, horrid, with missing repertoire and wrong metadata being supplied. Having two or more albums with the same title ( common for classical genre) confused it. It kind of worked, sometimes.
However there is light at the end of the tunnel. Firstly Melco is a division of Buffalo and it might be that the Melco software is compatible or there may be some other combination. You can ask here for suggestions:
https://forum.minimserver.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=12
Although dCS only recommend MinimServer some other contributors to this forum have posted that Asset UPnP DLNA may also work OK. I haven’t tried so I am just relaying the opinion.
Hi Craig,
Can I recommend a NAS from Synology? The reason being that there is an easily installable version of MinimServer on the Synology App Store which is one of the best UPnP servers out there and is what we test and validate against.
Best Regards
Phil Harris
Hi Pete,
Melco are a subsidiary of Buffalo but no - it isn’t possible to get the Melco install of MinimServer to run on a Buffalo NAS … they are very different hardware platforms.
(I did support for Melco for a bit between Naim and dCS.)
All UPnP servers should “work” - we just recommend MinimServer as it’s a very solid, reliable and well featured UPnP server and there is functionality that MinimServer offers (such as searching across the entire collection) that isn’t offered by other UPnP servers.
BR
Phil
Thanks… I see a Synology DS220+ with two drives available.
Can you please provide a link to the Sinology App Store for the MinimServer.
Do I need just the “starter version” or the full license?
Do I need the MinimWatcher as well?
(I will be running this on my network that has the Rossini and Mac Pro and iPad.)
THANKS
Hi Craig,
Just set up the Synology and in the Synology UI there is a repository of apps that you can simply install … install Minimserver from there and Bob’s your uncle.
The free version from the Synology App store should be fine I believe … I don’t think the Synology version times out or expires but I haven’t looked recently.
THANKS
I will order the SYNOLOGY .
Here is the download page:
https://minimserver.com/downloads/
Free or pay? The free version does not have some of the features that the licensed version does ( like being able to specify which attributes are displayed). In the context of a dCS system the cost is very moderate. I don’t know if this is the current fee structure but it was something like £20 for year one and £10 a year thereafter. Try the free version and see how you get on but upgrade if you want the extra features. I think most do find that they want these.
Yes, you will also need MinimWatch 2 in order to configure MinimServe 2 .This is free.
Hi Pete,
Just FYI you don’t need to go to the MinimServer downloads page for MinimServer for Synology … it’s available in the Synology GUI in the Package Centre as a package that you can just install from the GUI…
…and you can configure it from the GUI too just by clicking the “Open” button once it is installed and running…
Any advantage using full license minimserver v. starter edition on Mosaic - dCS?
Manel I would add one advantage is that the developer, Graham, gets paid for his hard work. That seems morally right to me. It costs , after all, only a small sum particularly in the context of us here enjoying he luxury end of the hobby.
I have just purchased it. Purchase minimserver license is the least I can do to support a great tool that I use everyday.
Hi Pete,
Just a note - the developer of MinimServer is Simon Nash but yes, it’s nice that he gets paid…
P
Thanks Harry, just shows how mixed up I am. Off to play some Ludwig Van Tchaikovsky 
Enjoy!
My OH is out this evening collecting my stepson from Heathrow (almost a three hour drive each way from here) so I’m enjoying some Infected Mushroom… 
I have the synology NAS with (at present, the free version) Minimserver running and my files moved to the NAS. Mosaic sees and can play the files. I have a couple of questions relating to the Mosaic app:
(1) I see the name of the tract at the bottom of the app window as it is playing, but I cannot see either time elapsed or total time for tract. How can I visualize this information?
(2) When I was using Audirvana, I was able to click and start playing anywhere within the tract and even repeat a particular segment of the tract by clicking on the “line” representation of the tract. Is this possible with Mosaic?
(3) When I select the NAS drive and then a particular album, Mosaic lists the tracts. I see how to either “play all” or a particular tract. Once playing that tract, how do I go back to the list of tracts for that album or back to the list of all my albums without going all the way back to selecting the NAS drive and then the album list?
Finally, my initial impression is that there is more separation, more articulation, better tonal quality when a tract is played through Mosaic (to the Rossini Apex) than when played through Audirvana. Is this just my imagination, or is there really a difference?
THANKS
Hi Craig, all of the features that you want are available with Mosaic. It just looks like you need familiarity.
The main thing that you need to be aware of is how to change the view of the screen . I will try to explain point by point but the best thing for you to do is to simply play around tapping each of the features.
1.Time elapsed can be seen by using the landscape not portrait view. So you just turn your device to another orientation. This is for the iOS version but I cannot see it using Android with v.1.4 of Mosaic.
In the landscape viewMosaic too has a line showing the point where the track is playing.
There are two main views you need to select between . These are shown at the bottom of the screen. They read “Services”, Playqueue", “Playlists”,. When you are looking at a service you have selected ( in your case this may be UPnP for files from your NAS), “Services” is renamed by the service name ( for this example this may be “UpNP MinimServer”. This is the home screen and I would guess is what you have been using. However next to it is " Play Queue". When you select “Play All” this loads the album track data into this view and you can control individual tracks here by selecting what you want from the the dots or three bars options shown for each track at the right hand side. Incidentally you can load the album data into “Play Queue” without starting play by just pressing the blue “Play All” option but only on the chevron when it will display three options.
I cannot comment on the subjective opinion of the sound of one app over another. However there have been several comments posted here on the superiority if Mosaic. If imaginary then those posters may share your view. One thing that probably will make an objective difference is that the best input port is Network ( ethernet). Some other media players require the USB input.
THANK YOU! Landscape is what I needed.
I have the Rossini connected by the ethernet connection which indeed is better.
Now that I have the “free” version of Minimserver running, I will consider the “full” version. What do I see different in terms of Mosaic or the interface with the full version?
