Use MM5 with Synology NAS and Andriod phone

[popmarter]

Please can someone explain in plain simple english how i can get the following requested situation working. I am a bit overwhelmed by the possiblities and forumtopics for this rather 'simple situation' that I can not find an easy answer too. Or i might look at the wrong place.

I would like to have mediamonkey 5 on my windows pc working (done, installed it)
I would like to have a map on my synology ds415play where i will store all my music (done, map is called 'music')
From the windows pc I can now play these files and all others sort of things you can do with mmkw5. (nice, figure that out later)

Now I want to listen to my music from the NAS on my Google Pixel 3xl (android). I installed the app, but it looks like it want sync the entire musiccollection to my phone, which is obviosly not what i want. I just want to stream it from the NAS (with wifi) and or download it to the phone for offline listening.

I could really help some simple explains.

[Lowlander]

You'd use UPnP in MMA to be able to stream (while on the home network). You can either direct stream from the DLNA Server on the NAS (if enabled) or stream from the Media Server in MediaMonkey (requires the files from the NAS to be scanned from the file server on the NAS).

[Peke]

Hi,
Lowlander is right and that is teh right way to do it. But for start I would like to to do this:

1. Open MM on PC
2. If you can't browse files from NAS using tree collection MUSIC on left -> Location -> NAS NAME -> Music -> ... or if you mapped it using M:\.... (M is mapped drive letter) then you need to scan that path to MM Library (let us know if you need help)
3. Open MMA on phone
4. Tap on Media Servers in main screen and you should see MM ON PC (PC and MM needs to be started)
5. Try to play any music from there.

That should not ask you for syncing, but simply play files.

[popmarter]

Thanks!

Here is what I did. I installed Synology's own Media Server. This created a 'music' map on the NAS. I put musicfiles (FLAC) in it. With that it was possible for me to see the NAS in the treestructure within MM. I could scan the directory and music was added. Yes, that works!

I installed the app on my andriod phone. I granted access to the movie and music folder on my phone (but later removed it as it seems of no use). I clicked Musicservers and saw my NAS. I can browse to the files in a mapstructure and play them. However I can not add the musicfolder to the app and have the music folder scanned. The 'Artist' and 'Album' parts stay empty. What now?

[Lowlander]

You can only access it via UPnP, files can't be scanned in from DLNA Servers (or network shares) in MMA.

With that it was possible for me to see the NAS in the treestructure within MM. I could scan the directory and music was added.

Note that if you scan files from a DLNA Server into MMW, that you can only play those files. There is no editing of any kind possible.

[Barry4679]

Now I want to listen to my music from the NAS on my Google Pixel 3xl (android). I installed the app, but it looks like it want sync the entire musiccollection to my phone, which is obviosly not what i want. I just want to stream it from the NAS (with wifi) and or download it to the phone for offline listening.

I could really help some simple explains.

I also have MM5 & Synology Nas & Android phone.

MM5 has lots of options for what you ask, which makes explanation difficult, but here are a couple of simple suggestions.

a. "I just want to stream it from the NAS (with wifi)"

I assume that you mean that you want to stream your NAS tracks, while you are in your home, listening with your phone .. ?
That would make sense if you are listening to the phone via headphones I guess ... otherwise it would sound crappy, and you presumably have better ways of using your music at home.

You don't require Windows MM5 (Windows) to achieve this.
Get MMA (the Android tool produced by the makers of MM5)
The Media Server, that is part of your Synology, should have already indexed all the music the you have copied to your NAS.
Open MMA, and go to the Media Servers node. You should find a node in there for your NAS. Open its Music node, and select a track or album, and it will play.

b. "download it to the phone for offline listening"

This is one of the things that "syncing does".
You don't have to sync your whole library into your phone.
The MM5 facility will sync just tracks, albums or playlists that you specify.
There are multiple way to make your selections; eg. from album list, or artist lists, or from genre lists, etc etc ... everything that you could want.
If your tracks are large lossless versions, MM5 can optionally automatically compact them into space efficient versions (eg .mp3 files) that will still sound good using your phone.
The MM5 sync facility auto-housekeeps your phone when you resync to add fresh items and remove other items that you have tired of.

Once you get this setup, it will show itself to be very easy and simple to use.
Getting started is not so simple.

In MM5 navigate to the Devices & Services node.
If you see your phone there, click on it, and go to the "Sync List (Library --> Device) node.
Then press the F2 key.
That takes to the relevant help page

The last time I looked at that page it seemed woefully inadequate ... YMMV, or maybe the page has improved since.

If you have any difficulties, ask here. The MM5 employee who the author and maintainer of that page is very active in this forum.

[Dryst]

You got various options from the above posts. I will tell you what I do now that I have been doing for a long time. This works for me, is very easy, and avoids the technical complication of setting up media servers.

I have a main media library of lossless audio (primarily FLAC). This library is what MediaMonkey reads from and plays directly. I have absolutely disabled all media server functionality from MMW5. I do not want it or need it. I turned it off. My main library is geared for the highest quality audio possible.

For my mobile phone I could play super high quality audio files, if I really wanted to. However, it is overkill for a phone. As a result, I have converted my high quality audio files to MP3 files (MAX VBR). I have also reduced album art to no greater than 500x500. After conversion, I copy this media to my mobile phone directly. My phone supports external micro SD cards, and I have a 1TB card filled with audio files in the phone now.

The disadvantages of this idea is more work needed to maintain audio content on my phone. The advantages are super simplicity. Also, you have your phone everywhere and will be able to play your content via Bluetooth on many devices while on the go.

EZ

[popmarter]

hi all, thanks for the comments.

@EZ, you are right and your option is much better for my personal situation, where is have lots of GB's to work with to begin with. Like you, i really do not need all fancy stuff MM offers.