Does the USB-C jack support data? Can you insert a thumb-drive and play tracks from it? The mobile app doesn't show a USB-C port as an input. By design? When connected to a computer, a DAC/streamer will normally be seen as a playback device. Doesn't appear so with this the WiiM Pro Plus. Am I missing anything. Just got one and trying to figure it out.
USB-C Jack?
- Thread starter redjr
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Mr Ee
Major Contributor
No, the pro and pro plus do not support data over usb, it's purely power.
The wiim amp supports a thumb drive via usb, but it's not a usb dac either.
Brantome
Moderator
The app and indeed the manual don’t show it as an input because as said above, it’s for power only.
It seems to me, leaving off the ability to connect the pro plus to a computer was not simply an oversight. Many, many standalone DACs and streamers provide for this functionality. At a minimum, a USB-C, (or old-school USB Type B) port for, connecting to a computer would have been an essential element of its design. After all, most everyone wants a streamer that will connect to their computer with ease - without having to use a Toslink connection - if it even has one. Most people keep their digital music files on their computer! This would be important for those users desiring to you their USB port to 'stream' directly to the WiiM as I2S data, feeding the internal Pro/Pro Plus DAC.
I only bring this up, as I just bought one thinking it would have this basic functionally. So, I was understandably surprised when it did not. I will say, the Pro and Pro Plus have a lot to offer the casual user at the $150 budget price point. But, this missing feature is a deal breaker for me. If there's another way WiiM envisioned this to work with a computer, I'd be interested in knowing about it. If not, this may have to be returned.
I only bring this up, as I just bought one thinking it would have this basic functionally. So, I was understandably surprised when it did not. I will say, the Pro and Pro Plus have a lot to offer the casual user at the $150 budget price point. But, this missing feature is a deal breaker for me. If there's another way WiiM envisioned this to work with a computer, I'd be interested in knowing about it. If not, this may have to be returned.
Brantome
Moderator
Some rather sweeping generalisations there, and who knows it might be a generational thing. I for one wouldn‘t dream of sitting at a desk on my PC listening seriously to music: I have my source devices like turntable, CD player and WiiM streamer connected to my main shelf mounted amp which in turn feeds some quality speakers that I can listen to from my armchair. And my music files are on a shared NAS, not an PC, accessible by any device with suitable client software.
I guess I, like others, don’t see DACs and streamers purely as PC accessories. Having said that, WiiM will be releasing a new model later this year, the WiiM Ultra which will offer USB audio. Check out its spec when it’s released and see if that better meets your needs.
I guess I, like others, don’t see DACs and streamers purely as PC accessories. Having said that, WiiM will be releasing a new model later this year, the WiiM Ultra which will offer USB audio. Check out its spec when it’s released and see if that better meets your needs.
I have the master copy of my collection on my PC, and whilst I'm generally streaming from a copy on my NAS I do occasionally use foobar2000 to play to the WiiM using the UPnP plugin.
Having direct acces to files via usb would remove any need to be sat at a pc or even owning one.
I too have "my sources", but the idea of streaming lossless copies was among my reasons to buy the WiiM. Having no on board storage or usb access reduces it to an upgrade to a cd player.
My own fault for just assuming that easy direct access to the files it is designed to work with would be a given and built In. Seems a very srange omission to me, for users of any generation.
Flip it and wait for the upgrade I suppose.
.
Not being overly familiar with the technology I didn't pesonaly expect or want such a feature.
But I did expect to be able to easily provide it the raw material it requires.
Perhaps if the description had explained that it demands the hardware, knowledge and inclination to setup, configure, and maintain a network, for it to be anything more than a CD streamer?
Not being overly familiar with the technology I didn't pesonaly expect or want such a feature.
But I did expect to be able to easily provide it the raw material it requires.
Perhaps if the description had explained that it demands the hardware, knowledge and inclination to setup, configure, and maintain a network, for it to be anything more than a CD streamer?
Although it does not allow any USB cable connection to PC without some kind of adapter you can easily play files on your PC to it by installing media server software on the PC.
Once installed and configured the WiiM app will be able to see and play the files on your PC.
Yes, that is what I was doing prior to buying the Wiim. Except that I fed the line out from a pc directly to rca inputs on my amp.
What I really wanted was to feed the music wirelessly and lossless into my aging, but perfectly satisfactory amp, with remote access via a dedicated android tablet to browse an 80,000 track library and control playback . The streaming would be a welcome bonus.
I don't mean to be knocking the WiiM btw. It does what it says beautifully. Hearing new detail in music that I have been listening to on quite decent equipment for over 50 years is something I never dreamed of. I think I just got flummoxed after weeks of reviews and specs and missed the most important point of file storage as it seemed to me so essential a requirement for a device that could serve very well as a stand alone unit. My fault, not the Wiim's. I think I am going to have to spend much more money to get what I want without any significant improvement in sound quality.
Unless anyone can recommend compatible, preferably free or cheap, software or a stand alone device that will reliably feed the WiiM directly from local USB storage?
What I really wanted was to feed the music wirelessly and lossless into my aging, but perfectly satisfactory amp, with remote access via a dedicated android tablet to browse an 80,000 track library and control playback . The streaming would be a welcome bonus.
I don't mean to be knocking the WiiM btw. It does what it says beautifully. Hearing new detail in music that I have been listening to on quite decent equipment for over 50 years is something I never dreamed of. I think I just got flummoxed after weeks of reviews and specs and missed the most important point of file storage as it seemed to me so essential a requirement for a device that could serve very well as a stand alone unit. My fault, not the Wiim's. I think I am going to have to spend much more money to get what I want without any significant improvement in sound quality.
Unless anyone can recommend compatible, preferably free or cheap, software or a stand alone device that will reliably feed the WiiM directly from local USB storage?
Depending on what your "PC" is, it has always been as simple as "Enable Sharing" in Windows Media Player (Win7/10/11). This enables DLNA / UPnP File Streaming directly from PC to WiiM using the App of your choice (including Wiimhome). Easy-peasy.
If you've offloaded your Media to a USB Drive, plug that drive into hour PC and point WMP (or Foobar or Minimserver or...) to that device.
I suggested foobar2000 because I thought you wanted to control it from your PC, but if you want to control it from a tablet then a UPnP server such as the aforementioned MinimServer is more appropriate (avoid Windows Media sharing).
Thanks for the suggestions, all appreciated.
I have tried the native Windows sharing options serving files directly from a pc but this of course means the pc must be on all the time.
It was partially successful though in that it eventually saw, read, and played files from a "test" library from the attached external usb drive.
The pc app listed the files but I was surprised to find the files under "My Music" and not "Home Music Share". "Home Music Share" currently only offers a path to the usb drive, but when followed, only leads to two identically named unopenable folders called music. These are ghosts of the experimental test libraries I loaded via the pc and later deleted. I used it for a few hours with no problems. It did though take a few experiments with file structures and naming before I got it right. This resulted in a few differently named "test" libraries being created and deleted. End result is that I can currently access and use the files from my pc. Which is the element I wanted to get rid of.
While doing the above I occasionally opened the android app on my phone to check progress. In the early stages it seemed to be working and I played a few songs. It seemed to all go wrong after I edited either individual files or the library name via the pc app..
When I go to the library on my android tablet, "Home Music Share" shows the same now deleted test library which leads to the same two unopenable folders called music as seen on the pc. The "My Music" tab shows local music files. On my android phone it shows the same as the tablet.
I can't find a way to reset to the current library address and stop the android app trying to instantly read non existent folders?
I have tried the native Windows sharing options serving files directly from a pc but this of course means the pc must be on all the time.
It was partially successful though in that it eventually saw, read, and played files from a "test" library from the attached external usb drive.
The pc app listed the files but I was surprised to find the files under "My Music" and not "Home Music Share". "Home Music Share" currently only offers a path to the usb drive, but when followed, only leads to two identically named unopenable folders called music. These are ghosts of the experimental test libraries I loaded via the pc and later deleted. I used it for a few hours with no problems. It did though take a few experiments with file structures and naming before I got it right. This resulted in a few differently named "test" libraries being created and deleted. End result is that I can currently access and use the files from my pc. Which is the element I wanted to get rid of.
While doing the above I occasionally opened the android app on my phone to check progress. In the early stages it seemed to be working and I played a few songs. It seemed to all go wrong after I edited either individual files or the library name via the pc app..
When I go to the library on my android tablet, "Home Music Share" shows the same now deleted test library which leads to the same two unopenable folders called music as seen on the pc. The "My Music" tab shows local music files. On my android phone it shows the same as the tablet.
I can't find a way to reset to the current library address and stop the android app trying to instantly read non existent folders?
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