Logitech Media Server - 3rd party addition for Sonos devices

  • 15 January 2020
  • 38 replies
  • 13831 views
C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

LMS offers some interesting features which you can use alongside the standard Sonos setup.  Using LMS requires that you install the server software on a networked device (eg. a PC running Windows, iOS, or Linux, and even some NAS) - a popular choice is the Raspbery Pi (even including the ultra-cheap Pi Zero at 20 USD).   Installing the software is a task for an average user (and is largely accomplished via a web-browser interface).  Once installed, Sonos devices are seen by LMS as squeezebox players, and have full access to all the features which the server software offers.

Why might you consider this as an addition to your Sonos system?   Here are some pros:

  1.  LMS is complementary to the native Sonos setup.  You do not lose any Sonos features.
  2.  LMS is multi-platform.   Media control is also multi-platform (via web--browser access).   Apps are also available for both Android and iOS (either free or at low cost.
  3. There is no limit for local music libraries
  4. Offers access to Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal and Deezer streaming.  You can also access one of the UK’s most popular radio services, with listen again features!  Podcasts are also available.
  5. A recent addition (in beta) integrates local music library with your Spotify library (albums and playlists).   Probable that Qobuz and other streaming will be integrated)

An active and very supportive community forum

… and a couple of cons:

  • Additional cost (if necessary)
  • Initial installation effort

 

I’m offering this brief overview in a spirit of cooperation and sharing.   Maybe somebody will find it interesting and useful.

It is not intended to decry or compete with the base Sonos system..

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38 replies

C
Userlevel 5
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Old Squeezebox Touch used as a player :) Now my family members can control Sonos without using the Sonos APP - awesome!

Interesting, I just yanked out my Squeezebox Duet and replaced it with a Sonos Port, so now my A/V receiver (5.1 system) is part of the Sonos system in my house.  And then shut down LMS running on my PC.  I still have a Squeezebox radio in my bedroom, but since I have a Sonos One in the bedroom (much better sound quality), I use the radio simply for its clock display.

K

I use the Squeezebox Radio in my office :) and it’s nice to control everything with one app. LMS also supports stereo Sonos (for example 2x Sonos ONE paired), so that’s also not a problem

G

You sound like the people I need to ask what other hardware I need to play my music collection over my WiFi network?

I have 2 Play 1 speakers that mainly stream radio and soundcloud. I am not tech savvy. When I was a little more knowledgeable I bought a Logitech Squeezebox with Duet and used LMS to access an iTunes library on my laptop. I still have that laptop but it’s so clunky and slow I rarely turn it on (it’s running on windows 7 and I suspect has some other hardware problems). This means I don’t listen to my music other than on cds now.  I’d like to change that but don’t know how to go about it.

I’d like to access the music without having to turn a Pc or laptop computer on so I think raspberry pi would work for that. I’ve toyed with the idea of a NAS but they’re quite expensive. I heard I could buy a router and connect a hard drive to it so it acted as a media server but I don’t know what’s optimal or even adequate. my broadband is running off a Virgin Media hub3 at the moment which I have recently learned is a terrible router plus modem.

I think basically I just want to be told what I need and to get it or save up for it. I don’t have much disposable income or indeed cognitive load at the moment - I type this on an iPhone with a 6-week old baby strapped to my chest, a toddler asleep upstairs and 2 hours before my baby shift ends and I can go get some sleep.

D

I am new to the Sonos world but have an LMS server streaming my  music around the house. Would love to get the Sonos access to my LMS music library.  Could you point me in the right direction please?

 

 

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

Using Sonos to access a ‘remote’ music library is possible, and relatively easy to set up, depending on where the music is stored.  

@Gofer 

The Hub 3 doesn’t appear to have a usb port where you could attach a NAS.   My advice is to look for a wifi network drive - check out the RavPower FileHub - https://www.amazon.co.uk/RAVPower-FileHub-Wireless-Portable-Transfer/dp/B07MZT543W

@Davey_P 

Where is your LMS music library stored?

D

Thanks for the input. My LMS is a raspberry pi (picoreplayer) and it serves my Jogglers in the home. 

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

@Davey_P

 

Why not just install the upnpbridge plugin on LMS (this will create a player for every Sonos device).  You can then just play your music library using the LMS controllers (eg. web gui, or even better install the Material skin for a great interface).

 

D

@Davey_P

 

Why not just install the upnpbridge plugin on LMS (this will create a player for every Sonos device).  You can then just play your music library using the LMS controllers (eg. web gui, or even better install the Material skin for a great interface).

That’s exactly what I have just done! Thanks for the prompts and the wife is happy now as we can remove the amp in that room and just use the Joggler as a controller for the beam. 
 

thanks again

Dave

G

Using Sonos to access a ‘remote’ music library is possible, and relatively easy to set up, depending on where the music is stored.  

@Gofer

The Hub 3 doesn’t appear to have a usb port where you could attach a NAS.   My advice is to look for a wifi network drive - check out the RavPower FileHub - https://www.amazon.co.uk/RAVPower-FileHub-Wireless-Portable-Transfer/dp/B07MZT543W

@Davey_P

Where is your LMS music library stored?

Thanks for your reply @castalla 

I was thinking I’d need a raspberry pi + usb hard drive or something like a Synology NAS (much more expensive). I thought they would connect to the virgin media hub 3 via Ethernet rather than usb so I’m not sure what the ravpower filehub does. I also thought I might just need to buy a dedicated router too. 
If I buy a pi I’d use that to run lms, connect it to the hub via Ethernet and access my music library on a hard drive connected to the pi via usb. Does that sound like it would work or would I need anything else (eg the ravpower filehub)? 

 

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

Hmm … a pi would be fine but not sure where your hub fits in.  You should be able to plug a usb hard disk into the pi (pi 3b would be sufficient).

Forget the Rav file hub.   Have a look at the Picoreplayer setup help = https://www.picoreplayer.org/main_about.shtml

 

W

I used to play music from a server using a Squeezebox feeding a conventional amplifier & speaker set.  The Squeezebox failed and I now have a well working Sonos system getting music from a Qnap NAS which runs on Linux.   However, I miss not being able to play the music on my laptop (using the Slimserver client program in Windows) or on my iPad.  Reading this thread I see that LMS can be loaded onto a server and used as an alternative way of controlling Sonos speakers.  What is not clear to me is

With LMS installed, can Slimserver in Windows play the music to a PC, or the iOS app SqueezePad play the music to an iPad)?

If it can do, could somebody please guide me:

1 where do I get the LMS server program for my Qnap server (it’s not in the Qnap AppStore). 

2 I would need some how-to advice on installing the app on my NAS (I’ve only ever installed apps from the Qnap AppStore before)

Many thanks to anyone responding / helping me with this

Werner

 

B
Userlevel 1

I just posted this as a “new question”, but I just saw this thread. Maybe someone here can help?

Sometimes, I like to use Logitech Media Server (LMS) in addition to the Sonos app to control my Sonos devices. I have Sonos Move and a Sonos Play 5 (2nd edition). 

I installed a plugin in LMS called “UPNP/DLNA bridge”, so I can use desktop LMS and an app on my iPhone called Ipeng to control non-Squeezebox devices, including my 2 Sonos devices.

After installing the bridge plugin, I was able to initially see both my Sonos Move and my Sonos Play 5.

However, after about an hour, the Sonos Move disappeared from the list of available devices in LMS. What’s strange is that I can still view Sonos Play 5 and my Samsung TV (in addition to my Squeezebox Boom and Squeezebox Radio) in LMS. Any ideas on how to get the Sonos Move to show up again in LMS?

When I open the list of plugins, under the list of "Players currently in the configuration file", the Sonos Move still is listed. I've tried hitting the "restart" button next to "Start the Bridge" but didn't work. I also tried rebooting the Sonos Move too. I can view both Sonos devices in my Sonos app, but again, I cannot view the Sonos Move in the LMS server, nor in my iPeng app which I used on iOS.

If there is anyone familiar with LMS and this plugin, I’d appreciate any troubleshooting suggestions. Thank you.

C
Userlevel 6
Badge +14

Hi

I've had a long break from this topic so I'm a bit rusty.

I know little about the Move... Sounds to me that it may be something to do with how its network connection is maintained. 

Have you tried deleting/erasing the bridge config file and starting again?   (not just a restart of the plug in) 

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