Best ATV app for playing music from NAS?

[SouthernTeuchter]

I use Infuse to play all my movies & TV shows from my QNAP NAS and it works brilliantly. Sadly, it doesn't offer a music playback capability. I can use QNAP's own QMusic app - but it's pretty clunky. I'm reluctant to set a Plex server capability up for just music. I know Plex can do movies but I prefer to do any playback transcoding on the ATV rather than the NAS.

Any suggestions as alternatives gratefully received.

 

[red41]

I use Infuse to play all my movies & TV shows from my QNAP NAS and it works brilliantly. Sadly, it doesn't offer a music playback capability. I can use QNAP's own QMusic app - but it's pretty clunky. I'm reluctant to set a Plex server capability up for just music. I know Plex can do movies but I prefer to do any playback transcoding on the ATV rather than the NAS.

Any suggestions as alternatives gratefully received.

Is iTunes not an option? Just point your itunes to the folder where you keep your music and your Apple TV should be able to play it automatically.

 

[Phil A.]

Can you setup the qnap as an iTunes server and then use home sharing to play on the ATV using the native music app?

 

[jdag]

Even though you mentioned avoiding Plex, I think it would be a great option. It is free and the server should run on your QNap (you didn't mention model, but for music only would likely work). Further, the ATV app is free and looks great on the big screen.

It would also give you flexibility to easily pop in some home videos or rip a movie and use Plex for that capability if/when the need arises.

 

[Rigby]

MrMC (Kodi port for Apple TV) can stream music from a NAS.

I think Firecore has previously mentioned that they are considering to add music streaming to Infuse in the future.

 

[SouthernTeuchter]

Is iTunes not an option? Just point your itunes to the folder where you keep your music and your Apple TV should be able to play it automatically.

Interesting! I didn't think iTunes could play anything from my NAS but I'll look again as this would certainly be the simplest option. Thanks.
[doublepost=1484912283][/doublepost]

Can you setup the qnap as an iTunes server and then use home sharing to play on the ATV using the native music app?

Is this what you need to do in order for iTunes to see the music on the NAS?
[doublepost=1484912411][/doublepost]

Even though you mentioned avoiding Plex, I think it would be a great option. It is free and the server should run on your QNap (you didn't mention model, but for music only would likely work). Further, the ATV app is free and looks great on the big screen.

It would also give you flexibility to easily pop in some home videos or rip a movie and use Plex for that capability if/when the need arises.

It's a TS-453A - so perfectly capable of running a Plex server. But I'm reluctant to use both Infuse and Plex for essentially the same thing. And as I said, I want to do the transcoding on the ATV. Primarily to reduce the resource hit on the NAS so that it can do other things at the same time.
[doublepost=1484912449][/doublepost]

MrMC (Kodi port for Apple TV) can stream music from a NAS.

I think Firecore has previously mentioned that they are considering to add music streaming to Infuse in the future.

I tried MrMc but I'm not a fan - and it will not gain the WAF as it's slightly complex.

Firecore said that they were 'looking at it'. But they've been doing that for over a year I think so...

 

[Phil A.]

Is this what you need to do in order for iTunes to see the music on the NAS?

To be honest, I don't know for certain (I use Plex on my NAS), but in theory it should work!

 

[jdag]

But I'm reluctant to use both Infuse and Plex for essentially the same thing

Since Infuse doesn't play music, then you need 2 pieces of software anyhow. So what makes you reluctant to use Infuse + Plex? You could set up Plex with just your music library, so the interface would not be cluttered with videos. And, you'd also get the added benefit of playing your music from outside your home (you'd need to buy the iOS Plex app for $5).

I want to do the transcoding on the ATV

If the content is in the format the ATV can play, then Plex would directly play it, so no transcoding needed. Is your music in MP3 format?


A few other options to consider:

1) If you want to relieve your NAS from running Plex, you could put together a $50 Raspberry Pi and use it to run the Plex Server, then just put it onto your network. It essentially would be a stand-alone and sole-purpose device to run the server. Just create a library that is stored on your NAS.

2) I am sure you know this already, but you can AirPlay from your iPhone/iPad. But I assume you want a native TV solution.

3) You could subscribe to Apple Music, match your library to the cloud, and stream from the the ATV's Apple Music app.

 

[SouthernTeuchter]

Thanks for your comments Jdag.

Since Infuse doesn't play music, then you need 2 pieces of software anyhow. So what makes you reluctant to use Infuse + Plex? You could set up Plex with just your music library, so the interface would not be cluttered with videos. And, you'd also get the added benefit of playing your music from outside your home (you'd need to buy the iOS Plex app for $5).

True. Although outside access is mostly out. One of the driving forces behind getting the NAS in the first place was the fact that my home internet access varies from zero up to a little under 1M (on a good day, with a following wind, etc.). Hence a local media server is a nice option when you can't stream content.

If the content is in the format the ATV can play, then Plex would directly play it, so no transcoding needed. Is your music in MP3 format?

Mostly AAC - which I'm guessing Plex can handle natively too.

A few other options to consider:

1) If you want to relieve your NAS from running Plex, you could put together a $50 Raspberry Pi and use it to run the Plex Server, then just put it onto your network. It essentially would be a stand-alone and sole-purpose device to run the server. Just create a library that is stored on your NAS.

Actually I already have a RPi3 permanently running as a Homebridge (conneted to Homekit) so it wouldn't take too much effort to run a Plex server on it at the same time.

2) I am sure you know this already, but you can AirPlay from your iPhone/iPad. But I assume you want a native TV solution.

Yes.

3) You could subscribe to Apple Music, match your library to the cloud, and stream from the the ATV's Apple Music app.

Not with the dodgy connection I have.

 

[Rigby]

Interesting! I didn't think iTunes could play anything from my NAS but I'll look again as this would certainly be the simplest option. Thanks.

Since you mentioned using a RasPI, I assume you like tinkering. Here's another option: The TS-453A supports QNAP's Virtualization Station. You can set up a Windows VM directly on the NAS and install iTunes in it. This way you get a Homesharing server without an additional computer. I've been running this on my TS-451 for a while (primarily to serve purchased iTunes video content which cannot be played by Infuse due to the DRM) and it works quite well. Depending on what else you are doing with the NAS, it may be a good idea to upgrade the RAM to 8GB. Takes a bit of work to configure though (tip: make sure to install with VirtIO drivers to improve networking and block device performance of the VM).

Is this what you need to do in order for iTunes to see the music on the NAS?

The QNAP iTunes server is based on Firefly Media Server. It does not support Homesharing, but only the old iTunes library sharing which does not work with the ATV4 to my knowledge.

I tried MrMc but I'm not a fan - and it will not gain the WAF as it's slightly complex.

Once it's set up properly it's actually quite easy to use (and using skins you can also make it look nice). Takes a bit of effort though.

 

[cynics]

Can you setup the qnap as an iTunes server and then use home sharing to play on the ATV using the native music app?

Yes.

You need to point iTunes to the NAS to host the files. So iTunes on a computer is still the server, just the files are being hosted from the NAS.

This requires the computer with iTunes to remain on and the NAS to remain on. Or at least in a hibernation state where network activity can wake them.

I havent played with all the software out there but I recommend this over something that is trying to be a dedicated iTunes server because Apple has a tendency to break things.

There are also apps that will play music stored directly on the NAS. I know LocalCast works, I think its free but the interface is 'meh' at best.

 

[BenAigen]

Love the Teuchter

 

[SouthernTeuchter]

Yes.
This requires the computer with iTunes to remain on and the NAS to remain on. Or at least in a hibernation state where network activity can wake them.

Yeah, I really don't want another computer permanently on - it kind of makes the point of a NAS somewhat redundant.

There are also apps that will play music stored directly on the NAS. I know LocalCast works, I think its free but the interface is 'meh' at best.

Haven't come across that one so I'll have a look, thanks.
[doublepost=1484931702][/doublepost]

Love the Teuchter

You're the first person to have understood it. Or at least to have commented.