In this thread and others its been said that the interface to select digital audio files (stored on a PC, external hard drive, or NAS) for playback through an Oppo is very awkward. The reasons cited for this conclusion include (1) that there doesnt seem to be any playlist function available when using an Oppo for streaming and/or (2) that using an Oppo requires a video display. Im a newbie when it comes to computer-based digital audio, but now that I have played around with the streaming/networking capabilities of my Oppo 95 for a couple of weeks, I have to say that I dont understand these observations.
The Oppo 95s Home menu has two relevant icons: Music and My Network. My Network is what I use to access digital audio files stored on my laptop thats connected to the Oppo via a wireless adapter, which is physically plugged into a USB port on the Oppo. Ive not worked with an NAS device, but I assume one would also access NAS the same way, via the My Network icon. Alternatively, the Music icon is what one uses to access audio files stored on an external hard drive which is physically connected to the Oppos USB.
Whether one gets to digital audio files via the Music icon or the My Network icon, the resulting interface for selecting specific files is essentially the same as the folders/files interface used by Windows Explorer. Admittedly, I am not an Apple person and have no experience with iTunes, iPhones, or any other i devices, but certainly for anyone familiar with the Windows world the interface that Oppo presents for selecting digital audio files should be a piece of cake!
So what about playlist functionality? First of all, even though its very basic and of limited utility, the Oppo itself has a built-in capability for creating a playlist on the fly. This is possible when accessing audio files stored on an external hard drive via the Music icon. When any folder on the external drive is opened, any audio files contained in the folder display in a list along with an Add to Playlist icon and a submenu option for selecting the playlist so created. The shortcomings of this built-in playlist feature are that its only possible to create one playlist, and the Oppo wont remember that playlist after being turned off. Moreover such a playlist is only available for digital audio files on an external drive. If using My Network to access files on a networked PC or NAS, the Add to Playlist icon is replaced by a Server List icon.
So Oppos built-in playlist feature is pretty crappy, but I still dont see why people who discuss Oppo as part of a streaming solution mention playlist functionality as something thats lacking. For one test, I used Windows Media Player to create a playlist with tracks drawn from different folders to see if my Oppo would recognize such a playlist and then play music based on it. It did. For another test, I used JRiver Media Center 18 to create a couple of playlists to see if my Oppo would play correctly using them. It did. So what more does one need? Maybe I am missing something, but I just dont get the concerns that I read time and time again about Oppos playlist and interface functionality.
Then theres this business which many have boohooed-- of needing a video display to work in conjunction with an Oppo in order to use the Oppo for streaming. So what? Whats so unique or awful about that? Needing some kind of visual display for browsing/selecting files for playback seems to me to be a universal requirement in any streaming solution, not a unique requirement. Obviously, there are source devices other than the Oppo that incorporate their own itsy bitsy visual display, but frankly, Id rather connect a separate display that will give me more screen real estate than I am likely to get with anything visual thats integrated into a source device. If an Oppo is used in a home theater setup, then the TV satisfies the video display need; otherwise, a basic monitor can be connected to the Oppo for not much additional cost. No big deal.
Alternatively, in the case of the Oppo 95, an Android tablet that has Oppos Media Control app installed can be used wirelessly to access audio files via the Oppos Music or My Network icons. This is what I am doing since I use my 95 only for audio. In my case, its not part of a home theater, and there is no place to add a monitor where my Oppo is situated. So for me, an Android tablet provides the ideal visual link between my Oppo and the devices where my digital audio files reside (my laptops hard drive and an external hard drive). With JRiver software on my laptop, I can easily create playlists out the wazoo. With my tablet, I can then readily access those playlists from anywhere in my house and play the music defined by the playlist through my Oppo, Musical Fidelity preamp and amp, and B&W 804 Diamonds. It works quite well.
In the case of the Oppo 105, there is even more flexibility. For the 105, there is no Media Control app for Android tablets. However, I suspect thats because there really isnt any need for such an app with the 105. Whereas the 95 can function only as a DLNA player, the 105 can function both as a DLNA player and as a DLNA renderer. This is a key difference in the networking capabilities of the two players (for all I know, the only difference). I dont have a 105 and have never seen one or used one. As I mentioned early on, I am a newbie to all this computer audio stuff. However, my understanding is that because the 105 can operate as a DLNA renderer, it is possible to push digital audio files directly from a laptop/PC to the 105. So if someone is lucky enough to have a 105 and also have JRiver or similar software installed on their laptop/PC, then I believe that person can use the monitor of their laptop/PC with the JRiver applications interface displayed on that monitor to control everything.
Has anyone with a 105 tried this? Does it work as Ive been led to believe?
The Oppo 95s Home menu has two relevant icons: Music and My Network. My Network is what I use to access digital audio files stored on my laptop thats connected to the Oppo via a wireless adapter, which is physically plugged into a USB port on the Oppo. Ive not worked with an NAS device, but I assume one would also access NAS the same way, via the My Network icon. Alternatively, the Music icon is what one uses to access audio files stored on an external hard drive which is physically connected to the Oppos USB.
Whether one gets to digital audio files via the Music icon or the My Network icon, the resulting interface for selecting specific files is essentially the same as the folders/files interface used by Windows Explorer. Admittedly, I am not an Apple person and have no experience with iTunes, iPhones, or any other i devices, but certainly for anyone familiar with the Windows world the interface that Oppo presents for selecting digital audio files should be a piece of cake!
So what about playlist functionality? First of all, even though its very basic and of limited utility, the Oppo itself has a built-in capability for creating a playlist on the fly. This is possible when accessing audio files stored on an external hard drive via the Music icon. When any folder on the external drive is opened, any audio files contained in the folder display in a list along with an Add to Playlist icon and a submenu option for selecting the playlist so created. The shortcomings of this built-in playlist feature are that its only possible to create one playlist, and the Oppo wont remember that playlist after being turned off. Moreover such a playlist is only available for digital audio files on an external drive. If using My Network to access files on a networked PC or NAS, the Add to Playlist icon is replaced by a Server List icon.
So Oppos built-in playlist feature is pretty crappy, but I still dont see why people who discuss Oppo as part of a streaming solution mention playlist functionality as something thats lacking. For one test, I used Windows Media Player to create a playlist with tracks drawn from different folders to see if my Oppo would recognize such a playlist and then play music based on it. It did. For another test, I used JRiver Media Center 18 to create a couple of playlists to see if my Oppo would play correctly using them. It did. So what more does one need? Maybe I am missing something, but I just dont get the concerns that I read time and time again about Oppos playlist and interface functionality.
Then theres this business which many have boohooed-- of needing a video display to work in conjunction with an Oppo in order to use the Oppo for streaming. So what? Whats so unique or awful about that? Needing some kind of visual display for browsing/selecting files for playback seems to me to be a universal requirement in any streaming solution, not a unique requirement. Obviously, there are source devices other than the Oppo that incorporate their own itsy bitsy visual display, but frankly, Id rather connect a separate display that will give me more screen real estate than I am likely to get with anything visual thats integrated into a source device. If an Oppo is used in a home theater setup, then the TV satisfies the video display need; otherwise, a basic monitor can be connected to the Oppo for not much additional cost. No big deal.
Alternatively, in the case of the Oppo 95, an Android tablet that has Oppos Media Control app installed can be used wirelessly to access audio files via the Oppos Music or My Network icons. This is what I am doing since I use my 95 only for audio. In my case, its not part of a home theater, and there is no place to add a monitor where my Oppo is situated. So for me, an Android tablet provides the ideal visual link between my Oppo and the devices where my digital audio files reside (my laptops hard drive and an external hard drive). With JRiver software on my laptop, I can easily create playlists out the wazoo. With my tablet, I can then readily access those playlists from anywhere in my house and play the music defined by the playlist through my Oppo, Musical Fidelity preamp and amp, and B&W 804 Diamonds. It works quite well.
In the case of the Oppo 105, there is even more flexibility. For the 105, there is no Media Control app for Android tablets. However, I suspect thats because there really isnt any need for such an app with the 105. Whereas the 95 can function only as a DLNA player, the 105 can function both as a DLNA player and as a DLNA renderer. This is a key difference in the networking capabilities of the two players (for all I know, the only difference). I dont have a 105 and have never seen one or used one. As I mentioned early on, I am a newbie to all this computer audio stuff. However, my understanding is that because the 105 can operate as a DLNA renderer, it is possible to push digital audio files directly from a laptop/PC to the 105. So if someone is lucky enough to have a 105 and also have JRiver or similar software installed on their laptop/PC, then I believe that person can use the monitor of their laptop/PC with the JRiver applications interface displayed on that monitor to control everything.
Has anyone with a 105 tried this? Does it work as Ive been led to believe?