Setting repeat mode when using WiiM as DLNA renderer

[Flesh]

I noticed that it's not possible to set WiiM Pro to repeat a track when it's been started via DLNA.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Start a track using WiiM Pro as a DLNA renderer from a DLNA server-based source (I used Home Assistant for this purpose)
2. Using a tool such as UPnP Tool, attempt to invoke the SetPlayMode action with REPEAT_TRACK specified as the NewPlayMode
3. Note that the track doesn't repeat

Furthermore, no repeat option appears in the WiiM app UI if the DLNA-based track was started from a device external to the WiiM app itself. Only if a home network audio file is selected from within the WiiM app UI does the repeat mode button appear in the UI.

Is there any reason why WiiM Pro can't have a repeat mode that functions when it's being used as a DLNA renderer, started from outside the WiiM app UI itself?

 

[Flesh]

@WiiM Support -- hoping for some information here. Not sure if this should be considered a bug or a feature request.

 

[Brantome]

Have you tried using another client like BubbleUPNP to see if that can repeat a track? I’ve powered everything down for the night and can’t try that here.

It would do no harm to submit a ticket tbh as they’ll be able to see if there’s anything untoward in your logs.

 

[Flesh]

Have you tried using another client like BubbleUPNP to see if that can repeat a track? I’ve powered everything down for the night and can’t try that here.

It would do no harm to submit a ticket tbh as they’ll be able to see if there’s anything untoward in your logs.

I would submit a ticket but want to be sure I know what I'm talking about first.

Using BubbleUPNP seems to show the same behavior. I can start a track, and Bubble UPNP has a "repeat" button that can be clicked, but I think it's not attempting to pass the repeat functionality through to WiiM, and is rather doing its own "repeat" that watches for the track to be finished, waits a moment, and then plays it again (thus, also not gapless). When looking in the WiiM UI after playing the track via BubbleUPNP, there is no "repeat" button displayed. It's only when playing the track directly in WiiM that a repeat button appears.

 

[Brantome]

@simbun any insights/view?

 

[simbun]

I had been meaning to look into this as I wasn't aware of a repeat mode, I assumed it was simply the controller serving the same track when the next is requested.

@Flesh , what other UPnP speakers is this working with?

 

[simbun]

In the AVTransport spec it does state:

2.4.16 SetPlayMode()
This OPTIONAL action sets the play mode of the specified AVTransport instance.

I'll have a look to see if any of my UPnP speakers support it.

 

[Flesh]

I had been meaning to look into this as I wasn't aware of a repeat mode, I assumed it was simply the controller serving the same track when the next is requested.

@Flesh , what other UPnP speakers is this working with?

I don't have another renderer except the WiiM, unfortunately.

I did just stumble across one interesting potential problem, which doesn't fully explain the issue perhaps but might. WiiM returns the supported play modes repeat_all, repeat_track, normal. But a DLNA lib I'm using for debugging purposes seems to be expecting to get back repeat_one, not repeat_track. Is that a mistake on the WiiM side, a kind of nonconformance to the standard?

 

[Flesh]

Just confirmed that REPEAT_ONE is in the UPNP spec, no mention of REPEAT_TRACK. That feels like a bug, at least.

 

[simbun]

Just confirmed that REPEAT_ONE is in the UPNP spec, no mention of REPEAT_TRACK. That feels like a bug, at least.

Could well be a bug as both Sonos and RoPieee (too late to test the main system here) report REPEAT_ONE, as expected

 

[Flesh]

@simbun Did you happen to check yet whether your UPnP speakers handle repeating of tracks cleanly?

 

[simbun]

@simbun Did you happen to check yet whether your UPnP speakers handle repeating of tracks cleanly?

3 devices, 3 different results

I started a playlist from BubbleUPnP to each renderer then from another device used UPnP Tool to put the renderer into REPEAT mode.

I was able to set Sonos, it correctly reported REPEAT_ONE and it repeated.
I was able to set WiiM, it reported that it was in REPEAT_TRACK mode but it didn't repeat.
I was able to set RoPieee but it reported that it was in NORMAL mode and didn't repeat.

When starting playback from the WiiM Home app, REPEAT_TRACK does work.

Whilst I've gone off Sonos in the decade since I bought their products, they work really well as UPnP speakers.

 

[Flesh]

Thank you for the info here! I think based on this confirmation of my own findings, I can file a clear bug report:

• REPEAT_TRACK should be REPEAT_ONE to make it standards-compliant with UPnP
• Repeat does not seem to work when playing tracks via DLNA/UPnP

 

[Flesh]

@WiiM Support I have filed a bug report on issue 503018. Can you please confirm that there is enough information in that report to identify the problem?

 

[Brantome]

@WiiM Support I have filed a bug report on issue 503018. Can you please confirm that there is enough information in that report to identify the problem?

If there isn’t, I’m sure they’ll get back to you.