Is Squeezebox Radio dead?

I

iramegdal

Well-Known Member
I am a longtime internet radio fan. I love self-contained internet radios on which I can listen to internet stations or podcasts. In the past I have owned C. Crane and Grace Digital internet radios. They are long gone (became defective), but I have held on to my 2 Logitech Squeezebox radios even as Logitech offered less and less service.
Logitech has now announced that it is discontinuing the Squeezebox app and offering the Logitech Media Server as an alternative. I have downloaded LMS, but have not yet been able to get it to function. However, I suspect it will not matter to me. I think this means that I will no longer have a self-contained unit. Rather, I will have to stream music from my library or stream radio stations. Does anyone know if that is correct?
I already stream using 3 WiiM devices through my 3 systems. If I want that, I do not need Squeezebox. My Squeezebox radios, which I once enjoyed so much will, I fear, be useless to me. Am I correct in that?
Your advice would be appreciated.
 
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jbrainey said:
I use "Squeezer". It's open sourced and not affected by what Logitech does.
Click to expand...
Do you also need to be running Logitech Media Server at the same time? Is there a comparable app for iOS? I am wondering whether I need to be running both my SBR and my PC on which LMS is installed as well as a controller ap.
 
iramegdal said:
I am a longtime internet radio fan. I love self-contained internet radios on which I can listen to internet stations or podcasts. In the past I have owned C. Crane and Grace Digital internet radios. They are long gone (became defective), but I have held on to my 2 Logitech Squeezebox radios even as Logitech offered less and less service.
Logitech has now announced that it is discontinuing the Squeezebox app and offering the Logitech Media Server as an alternative. I have downloaded LMS, but have not yet been able to get it to function. However, I suspect it will not matter to me. I think this means that I will no longer have a self-contained unit. Rather, I will have to stream music from my library or stream radio stations. Does anyone know if that is correct?
I already stream using 3 WiiM devices through my 3 systems. If I want that, I do not need Squeezebox. My Squeezebox radios, which I once enjoyed so much will, I fear, be useless to me. Am I correct in that?
Your advice would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
iramegdal said:
Do you also need to be running Logitech Media Server at the same time? Is there a comparable app for iOS? I am wondering whether I need to be running both my SBR and my PC on which LMS is installed as well as a controller ap.
Click to expand...
So apparently I need to be running my PC full time to make this radio useful with LMS. I don't intend to do this. I think that I will simplify things with a WiiM Mini. I run two Wiim Pros in two systems with external DACs and one WiiM Pro Plus in a third with no external DAC. I like them. My Sqeezebox Radios are for tabletop listening - primarily podcasts and internet radio. Unless some think otherwise, I believe the Mini will be fine.
 
cpt_paranoia said:
LMS will run on many platforms, including tiny things like a RaspberryPi Zero.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I read about that. While it might be fun to build a Raspberry Pi and then hopefully set it up, I suspect that would be beyond my limited capabilities. I am trying to ascertain whether that would give me anything more than the WiiM Mini to SBR would.
 
The open source devs have already published a Tidal plugin for LMS that doesn't require the Logitech web services. Installed and tested it this morning, working well with my WiiM Pro.

1707940631449.png
 
Need to be on “stable” channel for updates, at least that’s what I changed in the piCorePlayer LMS UI. Then it updated when I clicked on the Update LMS button.

Screenshot 2024-02-14 4.20.58 PM.png
 
iramegdal said:
What advantage do you get using LMS? Why isn’t WiiM Pro to DAC to preamp to amp sufficient?
Click to expand...
1. It does a very good job with metadata, from sources like Allmusic and Wikimedia
2. With the Material Skin plugin, you can use a browser on any device, including a Chromebook, to control it, including in landscape mode
3. It has great queue management, which is currently lacking on WiiM controllers
4. It offers much better support for local libraries, with searching, sorting, configuration of presentation, etc.
5. It has plugins for many sources, such as the BBC replay, MixCloud, etc which are still lacking on WiiM
6. ...
 
chicks said:
1. It does a very good job with metadata, from sources like Allmusic and Wikimedia
2. With the Material Skin plugin, you can use a browser on any device, including a Chromebook, to control it, including in landscape mode
3. It has great queue management, which is currently lacking on WiiM controllers
4. It offers much better support for local libraries, with searching, sorting, configuration of presentation, etc.
5. It has plugins for many sources, such as the BBC replay, MixCloud, etc which are still lacking on WiiM
6. ...
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
iramegdal said:
Why isn’t WiiM Pro to DAC to preamp to amp sufficient?
Click to expand...
If you wish to have your WiiM play back your music library across your local network, you will need to have some form of music server running on that network.
If your music library resides on a Windows computer or NAS, the easy/lazy way to achieve that is to activate the default DLNA server.
If your music library resides on a Mac computer, the easy/lazy way to achieve that is (arguably) to enable AirPlay from iTunes.
But to run LMS on Windows or Mac is (arguably) a step up from both of those options!

iramegdal said:
I have downloaded LMS, but have not yet been able to get it to function.
Click to expand...
You're referring to Windows, right? I recently installed LMS on both Windows 10 and MacOS Sonoma. I can walk you through the process, if you like.
It would be useful to know if you have the WiiM Mini, Pro, or Pro Plus.

iramegdal said:
So apparently I need to be running my PC full time to make this radio useful with LMS.
Click to expand...
Well yes, but I suggest that you install LMS on Windows initially, just as proof of concept. If it works well for you and you like it, then later you could consider replacing the PC with a Raspberry Pi (Zero 2 W) as LMS server.
 
linuxfan said:
If you wish to have your WiiM play back your music library across your local network, you will need to have some form of music server running on that network.
If your music library resides on a Windows computer or NAS, the easy/lazy way to achieve that is to activate the default DLNA server.
If your music library resides on a Mac computer, the easy/lazy way to achieve that is (arguably) to enable AirPlay from iTunes.
But to run LMS on Windows or Mac is (arguably) a step up from both of those options!


You're referring to Windows, right? I recently installed LMS on both Windows 10 and MacOS Sonoma. I can walk you through the process, if you like.
It would be useful to know if you have the WiiM Mini, Pro, or Pro Plus.


Well yes, but I suggest that you install LMS on Windows initially, just as proof of concept. If it works well for you and you like it, then later you could consider replacing the PC with a Raspberry Pi (Zero 2 W) as LMS server.
Click to expand...
Hi: Thank you. I have two different situations. Initially I was inquiring about my 2 bedside Squeezebox Radios. I have convinced myself that for listening to internet radio and podcasts a WiiM Mini will meet my needs for the SBRS. I don’t need to inquire about this any further.
However, I was interested to hear that some of those with other WiiMs used in audio systems also use LMS. I have three systems with WiiMs. I run 2 Pros. One into a stand alone DAC, and one into the DAC in an integrated amp. The third is a Pro Plus, which I run directly to a preamp, using the RCA outputs from the WiiM. I have Windows 10 as (I guess) my music server (not sure of terminology).
I have been happy with this arrangement.
I have installed LMS on 2 PCs, originally to use with the radios. I abandoned this idea since I would need to run my PC whenever I wished to listen to the radio.
On my audio systems I listen to streamed music (Qobuz and Spotify) and music stored on my hard drives through the WiiMs. Since I have LMS installed on my PCs now, I would be interested in seeing how LMS could improve my listening experience. Now that LMS is installed, I have no idea how to use it.
I very much appreciate your interest and knowledge.
By the way, don’t demean “easy/lazy”. I am 77, and that approach has mostly served me well over these years.
 
iramegdal said:
I have Windows 10 as (I guess) my music server (not sure of terminology).
Click to expand...
So your music files are located on this Windows 10 computer, right? It sounds like you have activated Windows 10's inbuilt DLNA server.
That's fine, but if you can successfully install and set up LMS on this computer, you will be able to enjoy the benefits explained by chicks in post # 15, as well as the nice "Material Skin" interface.
If you have a previous LMS installation whichi is not working, I suggest you first uninstall that. Go to Windows Settings > Apps

Download the latest release version of LMS, from -
https://lms-community.github.io/lms-server-repository/
I'm not sure if the 64bit experimental version is reliable, so stick with the standard 32bit version -
LogitechMediaServer-8.4.0.exe

Rather than just double-click this installer, I prefer to right-click, the exe file, then "Run as administrator"
Some may disagree with this approach, but I have found this avoids Windows permissions problems.

At the end of the installation, you will see the LMS icon in the taskbar. Right-click it, then click "Open Control Panel as Administrator".
In the Status tab, click "Start Logitech Media Server"
Under Startup Options, you can choose to have LMS start at login.

in the Library tab
Media Library Name - I called mine "Pentium-J5005" to identify the computer that LMS is running on.
Media Folders - I think the default location is C:\Users\<yourusername>\Music
if necessary, change this to the uppermost folder which contains your music library.

in the Advanced tab
click on "Advanced Settings" and this will launch a browser configuration page

under Player tab, you should see your WiiM Pro/plus listed.

under the Plugins tab
tick the checkbox for "Material Skin"
then click "Apply"
then it's a good idea to restart LMS.
Also you should close the web browser.

Now when you launch LMS Control Panel and go to Advanced > Advanced Settings
you will see a browser page with a different look.
In the drop-down menu go to "Interface" and make sure that Web Interface is changed to "Material Skin"
If it is not already selected, do so, then click "Save Settings"

Now you're almost ready to connect from a client device, but we just need to find out your computer's hostname.
Go to Windows Settings > System > About
and take note of the Device name you see listed. Let's say it's DESKTOP-XXX

Now from a phone or tablet which is connected via wifi to your home network, launch a browser and go to -
http://desktop-xxx:9000/material/
and click on "Browse".
Cool huh?
 
Last edited:
linuxfan said:
So your music files are located on this Windows 10 computer, right? It sounds like you have activated Windows 10's inbuilt DLNA server.
That's fine, but if you can successfully install and set up LMS on this computer, you will be able to enjoy the benefits explained by chicks in post # 15, as well as the nice "Material Skin" interface.
If you have a previous LMS installation whichi is not working, I suggest you first uninstall that. Go to Windows Settings > Apps

Download the latest release version of LMS, from -
https://lms-community.github.io/lms-server-repository/
I'm not sure if the 64bit experimental version is reliable, so stick with the standard 32bit version -
LogitechMediaServer-8.4.0.exe

Rather than just double-click this installer, I prefer to right-click, the exe file, then "Run as administrator"
Some may disagree with this approach, but I have found this avoids Windows permissions problems.

At the end of the installation, you will see the LMS icon in the taskbar. Right-click it, then click "Open Control Panel as Administrator".
In the Status tab, click "Start Logitech Media Server"
Under Startup Options, you can choose to have LMS start at login.

in the Library tab
Media Library Name - I called mine "Pentium-J5005" to identify the computer that LMS is running on.
Media Folders - I think the default location is C:\Users\<yourusername>\Music
if necessary, change this to the uppermost folder which contains your music library.

in the Advanced tab
click on "Advanced Settings" and this will launch a browser configuration page

under Player tab, you should see your WiiM Pro/plus listed.

under the Plugins tab
tick the checkbox for "Material Skin"
then click "Apply"
then it's a good idea to restart LMS.
Also you should close the web browser.

Now when you launch LMS Control Panel and go to Advanced > Advanced Settings
you will see a browser page with a different look.
In the drop-down menu go to "Interface" and make sure that Web Interface is changed to "Material Skin"
If it is not already selected, do so, then click "Save Settings"

Now you're almost ready to connect from a client device, but we just need to find out your computer's hostname.
Go to Windows Settings > System > About
and take note of the Device name you see listed. Let's say it's DESKTOP-XXX

Now from a phone or tablet which is connected via wifi to your home network, launch a browser and go to -
http://desktop-xxx:9000/material/
and click on "Browse".
Cool huh?
Click to expand...
Thank you! Looking forward to trying it.
 
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