iPhone Streaming from MusicBee Library

[CrucialLou]

Hi there:

I'd like to know if MusicBee, taking that I have my plug-in connected through app on PC, to my iPhone, if I could stream my library of music AWAY from my computer. I know this would mean I'd have to sync the music first. But, I work on the road and like to access my music I have downloaded and synced to MusicBee on the computer to play while I'm away from home. Please help, if you understand what I'm trying to imply here. Thanks!

[phred]

MusicBee by itself can't stream outside of your local network. However, take a look at SubSonic, which when set up properly, can play MB's music files via the internet to a phone or PC that connects via a web link. Note that the PC that acts as the SubSonic server needs to be on 24/7 and you need a static IP. And if you have more than one PC on the local network, your router has to be able to port forward. Also note that unless you have access to WiFi you're going to be using data.

[The Incredible Boom Boom]

MusicBee by itself can't stream outside of your local network. However, take a look at SubSonic, which when set up properly, can play MB's music files via the internet to a phone or PC that connects via a web link.

Can SubSonic access MB's auto-playlists?

[phred]

Can SubSonic access MB's auto-playlists?

As far as SubSonic is concerned, a playlist is a playlist. Static or auto - it doesn't matter. If I recall correctly, you need to (automatically) export your playlists and point SS to that location. In my situation, MB is install on PC1 and SS server is on PC2. I have MB auto-export each playlist when there's a change to it. They are exported to a directory on PC2 called D:\Exported Playlists (creative, eh?) and SS points to it.

I'd attached a screenshot, but due to something I haven't figured out yet, my SubSonic server thinks there are no media files in the path entered. Despite the fact that there most certainly are. And they can be seen and played via MB and the other PCs on my LAN.

[The Incredible Boom Boom]

As far as SubSonic is concerned, a playlist is a playlist. Static or auto - it doesn't matter. If I recall correctly, you need to (automatically) export your playlists and point SS to that location. In my situation, MB is install on PC1 and SS server is on PC2. I have MB auto-export each playlist when there's a change to it. They are exported to a directory on PC2 called D:\Exported Playlists (creative, eh?) and SS points to it.

How do you auto-export auto-playlists?

[frankz]

It's in the "Edit Auto-Playlist" dialog.

[The Incredible Boom Boom]

It's in the "Edit Auto-Playlist" dialog.

To be more clear, I thought he had a method of pulling newly refreshed auto-playlists without having to export them manually.
I moved my music to a headless Linux server and am trying to come up with a way to stream auto-playlists on demand to an old Android phone using BubbleUPnP when outside the home network.

[frankz]

? I'm not sure that's more clear.

With BubbleUPnP connected to the MB DLNA plugin, wouldn't you be able to load your MB playlists, including the auto-playlists, from the phone?  Or are you trying to avoid using that plugin?

I had the BubbleUPnP / MB DLNA thing set up for a couple of days back when I first started using MB (until the plugin freaked out and crashed my system while I was out) and I think that's the way it worked.  No exporting necessary.  If the plugin behaves on your system this might be viable.

[phred]

My SubSonic server is on a headless Win10 box. Automatically exporting playlists (static and auto) whenever there is a change works, errr, automatically. I don't have to do anything. SubSonic points to the directory in which the exported playlists live and I'm off and running.

[The Incredible Boom Boom]

My SubSonic server is on a headless Win10 box. Automatically exporting playlists (static and auto) whenever there is a change works, errr, automatically. I don't have to do anything. SubSonic points to the directory in which the exported playlists live and I'm off and running.

I'm confused about your use of "change" with regard to auto-playlists.
For all my auto-playlists, they're set up and done. I never add or remove anything from them, they refresh (change?) with new lists when I click/open.
The way I understand checking the box works is the currently displayed list is exported and subsequently updated lists are saved each time I returned to the playlist, which means the only way to refresh (change?) the list is through MusicBee.
This would fall outside my desired use case with SubSonic. See below.

With BubbleUPnP connected to the MB DLNA plugin, wouldn't you be able to load your MB playlists, including the auto-playlists, from the phone?  Or are you trying to avoid using that plugin?

Both the BubbleUPnP app and the DLNA plug-in work exceptionally for me when I'm on my home network, but when I'm not home and listening through a mobile device, I can't perform the "auto" part of auto-playlists unless my desktop is on (I don't leave it on 24/7 anymore) and MusicBee is running. The alternative, I suppose, is to install a web server that has its own smart playlists function, but I doubt I could tune them using the same level of detail I can with MusicBee.

[frankz]

Yes, I misunderstood that the desktop would not be on at the time.  It sounds like you want MB to refresh the playlists when the computer with MB on it is off.  I don't think that's going to happen.

From what I have observed, auto-playlists refresh at the following times:
1. When you open MB
2. When you access them
3. When you sync

Again, from my observations, I think the auto-export happens when you close MB.

So, theoretically, unless I'm wrong above,  to auto-export a fresh copy of an auto-playlist to your server for access via a third party program, you would need to at least do one of those three things and then close MB.

[phred]

From what I have observed, auto-playlists refresh at the following times:
1. When you open MB
2. When you access them
3. When you sync

I haven't looked nor tested recently, but I believe they also 'update' when a file is added or deleted. Perhaps not. I don't have the time to test it right now.

The way I understand checking the box works is the currently displayed list is exported and subsequently updated lists are saved each time I returned to the playlist, which means the only way to refresh (change?) the list is through MusicBee.

Correct. Playlists (auto or static) can only be updated via MB. While SubSonic can be set to scan the library on a once per 24 hour schedule, it will only pick up the changes made the last time MB updated the exported playlists. It does not update in real-time.

[The Incredible Boom Boom]

Correct. Playlists (auto or static) can only be updated via MB. While SubSonic can be set to scan the library on a once per 24 hour schedule, it will only pick up the changes made the last time MB updated the exported playlists. It does not update in real-time.

Thanks for the info, I get it now.
Have you ever happened to use SubSonic's smart playlists? If so, what'd you think about them?
There are a number of ways I can access the music on my server away from home, but not being at home is the time when I least know what I want to listen to, which is why streaming from my MB auto-playlists was great. Lol My last, last resort is running MB with the UPnP plugin on Wine, but I have this innate feeling getting that set up will be fun in the worst way possible.

[phred]

Have you ever happened to use SubSonic's smart playlists? If so, what'd you think about them?

No, I've never used them. MB does what I want it to do for playlists and I felt there was no need to try to maintain two sets.

My last, last resort is running MB with the UPnP plugin on Wine, but I have this innate feeling getting that set up will be fun in the worst way possible.

Just remember that MB's UPNP plugin doesn't work for everyone. And amongst the worst part of it not working when it doesn't work, is a tremendous memory leak. To the point of often blue-screening Windows. And if it's going to happen, it doesn't matter if you're using it or not. Just having it installed can cause the blue-screen. Again - some people have it working. Some (including me) can't get it to work. Your mileage may vary.