[SET pageicon help] [SET title SLIMP3 Frequently Asked Questions] [INCLUDE helpheader.html]

About SLIMP3

Setup

Supported Formats

Networking

Using The Remote Control

Advanced Features

Troubleshooting

More Information


About SLIMP3

Can I use multiple SliMP3s with a single server?

Yes, you can have any number of SLIMP3 players on your LAN, using a single instance of the SLIMP3 server software. Thanks to the efficient design of our software and streaming protocol, even a low-end PC can service more than a dozen SLIMP3 players. Each player operates completely independently of the others, so you can have different music playing in your garage, kitchen, bed room, living room... wherever! In addition, if you have multiple SLIMP3 players, you can synchronize them so that they play back the same audio in every room of your house.

The fluorescent display looks great, but aren't those pretty expensive? Have you considered using a cheaper LCD display?

We simply were not willing to compromise on the SLIMP3's interface. We evaluated several LCD displays from different manufacturers, but none came remotely close to the VFD in brightness and readability. Many were completely unreadable at a distance of just five feet. Fluorescent displays cost a bit more, and you get what you pay for!

Does the SLIMP3 support DHCP?

Yes, the SLIMP3 supports both DHCP and static IP addresses. It also has a feature called "Slim Discovery Protocol", which automatically locates the SLIMP3 server on your network. For LANs which already have a DHCP server, SLIMP3 is ready to run out-of-the-box, without having to do any configuration. If you don't have DHCP, you can enter the IP addresses manually.

What kind of network cable do I need?

Since the SLIMP3 network interface is 10 megabit ethernet, you can use either a CAT3 or CAT5 ethernet cable. If you are connecting directly to a computer you will need a crossover cable, otherwise a regular straight cable will work just fine.

How fast does my network need to be to use the SLIMP3?

An inexpensive 10Mbps hub has about 25 times the capacity needed to stream MP3 audio at the highest quality (320Kbps). Typically, MP3s are encoded at 128Kbps to 192Kbps. You do not need 10/100 Ethernet - SLIMP3 is compatible with fast Ethernet LANS, as long as your hub/switch also supports 10Mbps (most do).

Which operating systems are supported?

The SLIMP3 is officially supported under Windows 95/98/NT/2000/Me/XP, Linux, and MacOSX. It is also known to work on a wide variety of other operating systems, so it's safe to say that just about any modern OS will be compatible. The SLIMP3 has been tested on all of the following platforms:

BeOS, FreeBSD, Linux (X86, PPC, and MIPS), Mac OSX, NetBSD (X86), OpenBSD, Solaris (X86, Sparc), Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, Me, XP

What are the minimum hardware reqirements for the server computer?

We have users with single SLIMP3 players using Pentium 166 PCs as servers with 64M of memory. We generally recommend a 300Mhz Pentium II with 128M of memory. You'll need more memory if your music library is large, approximately 32MB for each 15,000 songs. You also may need a faster CPU if you wish to use multiple SLIMP3 players with a single server computer. Any macintosh capable of running OS X should be able to be a SLIMP3 server.

How is SLIMP3 different from its competitors?

Most companies would prefer that their customers not know about competing products. We have no such qualms - we think that the more you know about our competition, the more excited you'll be about owning a SLIMP3!

We've taken a completely different approach in designing the SLIMP3. We could have had our product on the market a year ago, if we'd decided to start with an off-the-shelf design. Instead we decided to do our own design - custom firmware, custom chips, custom protocols. As a result, our product is easy to use, small, wicked fast, versatile, and affordable.

The bigggest advantages of the SLIMP3 over competing players are:

Here's a quick run down of a few specific features, although it's hard to do a tit-for-tat comparison. The best thing we can suggest is to read up on all the products, and decide for yourself!

  SLIMP3 Audiotron Rio
Architecture Our own custom hardware and open firmware. ARM system-on-chip, running Windows CE ARM system-on-chip, running Linux
Display Large vacuum fluorescent display Backlit LCD *tiny* Backlit LCD
Capacity Unlimited! Since the SLIMP3 stores its database on your PC instead of on the player, it can handle MP3 collections of absolutely any size. Max 30,000 songs Max 10,000 songs
Supported platforms Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, MacOSX, and more! Windows only Windows only
Protocol Custom, open protocol Windows file sharing NFS and HTTP
Software Powerful and mature open source software Proprietary Proprietary
Power supply 110 and 240V compatible 110V only 110 and 240V
Synchronization Yes No No
Customizeable Yes No No
Volume control Yes Yes No
Web interface Yes Yes No

What if I don't have a Hub, Switch or Router?

If you dial-up to the internet, you may already have an Ethernet port free on your computer. If you have a cable modem or DSL, you will need to buy an additional device. The most popular solution is a multi-port Cable/DSL router from NetGear (like the RP614NA) or Linksys (BEFSR41), which are generally available for less than $50. These will also act as a firewall against the Internet and will ease setup of the SLIMP3.

How can I get the source to the SLIMP3 software?

The SLIMP3 server software is open source (GPL) and available via and download from SourceForge. If you make any improvements, we encourage you to post them to our developers list so that they can be shared with the rest of our community and possibly added to the standard release.

Can I connect the SLIMP3 directly to my computer (without a hub)?

Yes, you can connect the player directly to your computer using an Ethernet crossover cable. You can purchase a crossover cable at most retail computer stores. Once you have this connection, you'll need to set up your network adaptor and the SLIMP3 with static IP addresses so that they can find each other.

220V power supply? Will you ship internationally?

SLIMP3 includes a regulated power supply with the correct plug style and input voltage for your shipping destination.

Does the SLIMP3 have an integrated amplifier?

We figured most people would prefer to use their own choice of amplifier and speakers, so the SLIMP3 does not have either built-in.

Does the SLIMP3 have a digital S/PDIF output (Coax or TOSlink)?

The SLIMP3 player doesn't have a digital output, but the analog output circuitry is very clean sounding. Generally speaking, any audible artifacts will be due to the MP3 encoding and not due to the analog output.

Can I use the SLIMP3 as an alarm clock?

Yes! With the release of the SLIMP3 Server software 4.0, a daily alarm clock is available by using the remote to visit the Settings area on the SLIMP3.

Does the SLIMP3 have built-in 802.11 wireless?

We very much wanted to keep the SLIMP3 affordable (under $250) and small, so we were not able to include this feature.

You can use the SLIMP3 over 802.11, by first bridging to Ethernet. If you have a wired LAN with an access point, you can put your SLIMP3 on the wired LAN, and it can talk to a server on the wireless LAN. If you don't want to run Ethernet to the SLIMP3 at all, there are a number of ethernet to wireless LAN bridges that our customers use with SLIMP3 to connect to 802.11 networks, including:

Does SLIMP3 use file names or ID3 tags?

SLIMP3 let's you browse your collection by file name or by ID3 tags.

Does the SLIMP3 have a random mode?

Yes. The SLIMP3 lets you play MP3s by artist, album, genre, from a playlist, by file, from a single folder or folders of folders. You can shuffle the list at any time, add new songs to the list of songs or un-shuffle to play them in order.

Can the signal from the remote control be used for other things?

The SLIMP3 sends the decoded IR signals directly to the server. It's possible to write plug-ins for the server that can control other programs or network devices from your computer.


Setup

How do I use multiple folders or disks with my Music Library?

You can create links or shortcuts to other folders and place them in your specified Music Library Folder. The contents of the linked folders will then be part of your Music Library.

How do I synchronize two SLIMP3 players so they play the same audio?

Navigate into the "Player Settings" area with the remote control. Choose "Synchronize", then select the other player you want to synchronize with and press the RIGHT button. Both will play the same thing and you can control their "synchronized" playback from either remote. Go back to the same place and press RIGHT again to unsync.

You can also set up synchronziation from the Player Settings page in the web interface.

How do I control the SLIMP3 from another computer?

In any web browser, type in this URL: http://localhost:9000/. Replace "localhost" with the IP address for the computer running the SLIMP3 Server software.

How do I get back to the player's IP address configuration menu?

Reset the player by removing and then reinserting the power cable.

Can I listen to streaming stations without the SLIMP3 server software running on my computer?

No. The SLIMP3 player needs a SLIMP3 server running in order to listen to streaming stations.

Do I have to re-enter the IP address configuration when the SLIMP3 is power-cycled?

No, you only have to enter it once. The SLIMP3 stores its configuration internally in flash memory.

How do I stop the SLIMP3 service that's running in the background on my Windows NT/2000/XP system?

From the Administrative Tools folder, choose Services. You should see an entry in your service list for SLIMP3 Server. Right-click on it and choose STOP to stop the service. Right-click on it again to choose to start it.


Supported Formats

What ID3 tags and versions does the SLIMP3 support?

The SLIMP3 server scans MP3 files for ID3 tag versions 1.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4. The tags it pays attention to include title, artist, album, comment, year, track number, disc set numbers, band/orchestra, composer and genre.

What compression format does the SLIMP3 use?

The SLIMP3 supports MPEG 1/2, layers 2/3, for both VBR and fixed data rates up to 320Kbps (the maximum for MP3). The SLIMP3 server software can automatic encoding/transcoding from other some other formats, but the player will decode MPEG.

Does the SLIMP3 support MP3Pro?

The SLIMP3 player can play back MP3Pro files using the backwards compatibility feature of MP3Pro, unfortunately, the audio quality in this mode has significantly reduced quality. We recommend encoding your music using standard MP3 format.

Does the SLIMP3 support Windows Media or Real Player formats?

The SLIMP3 player's hardware decoder only supports MP3 format for decoding. Unfortunately, the licensing issues surrounding these formats make it impossible for us to convert these formats to MP3 on the fly.

Does the SLIMP3 support AAC?

The SLIMP3 player's hardware decoder only supports MP3 format for decoding. Under Mac OS X, SLIMP3 software can convert iTunes AAC files to MP3 for playback on the SLIMP3 on-the-fly. To enable this feature, you'll need to install the free (and high quality) LAME MP3 encoder. For more information about LAME in general, click here . LAME is free, but in some countries you may need to pay a license fee in order to legally encode MP3 files.

There are several ways to install LAME, including the excellent iTunes-LAME Encoder, an Installer package provided by Mike Solomon, and the Fink package system.

Once you have LAME installed, you should be able to playback iTunes-ripped AAC files (.m4a) as well as the audio from any QuickTime movie (.mov). Music purchased from the Apple Music Store (.m4p files) is protected and cannot be played back with SLIMP3 until Apple provides the necessary hooks to enable this. In the mean time, it is possible to burn your Apple Music Store songs to CD and re-rip them.

Note that LAME-based encoding to MP3 for playback can use a substantial amount of CPU power. We continue to recommend high-bitrate MP3 encoded files for best performance, highest audio quality, and best compatibililty.

Does the SLIMP3 support Ogg Vorbis?

If you have both LAME and the ogg tools installed, the SLIMP3 server will automatically convert Ogg files to MP3 on the fly for playback. To enable this feature, visit the Server Settings -> Additional Server Settings -> Behavior section of the web interface and turn on this feature. There may be some reduction of quality due to the conversion, but it generally sounds pretty good. Note that this conversion will use a substantial amount of CPU power and may put a substantial load on your server computer.

Does the SLIMP3 support AIFF or WAV?

If you have LAME installed, the SLIMP3 server will automatically convert uncompressed WAV and AIFF files to MP3 on the fly for playback. To enable this feature, visit the Server Settings -> Additional Server Settings -> Behavior section of the web interface and turn on this feature. Note that this conversion will use a substantial amount of CPU power and may put a substantial load on your server computer.

Does the SLIMP3 support streaming protocols such as Shoutcast or Live365?

Yes! SLIMP3 can proxy to all of the popular MP3 streaming protocols, including HTTP, Icecast/Shoutcast, and Live365.

Does the SLIMP3 support playlists?

Yes, the SLIMP3 has a sophisticated, easy to use playlist management system. It lets you easily create playlists from the remote control or the web interface. In addition, the SLIMP3 can use .m3u and .pls files.

Does the SLIMP3 support CUE files?

Yes. CUE files are interpreted as playlists containg a number of songs, corresponding to the tracks within a single MP3 file. CUE files can also be used to point to index points within a single MP3 song.


Networking

How do I set up my firewall to allow the SLIMP3 to communicate with the server?

Make sure that UDP ports 1069 and 3483 are open for communication between the SLIMP3 player and the SLIMP3 server computer. Make sure that TCP port 9000 is open for access to the SLIMP3 web interface.


Using The Remote Control

How can I control my SLIMP3 with my universal remote?

The SLIMP3 will respond to the infrared signals intended for a JVC DVD player. Check the instructions that came with your remote control to find out how to program your remote to send these codes. If you have a Philips Pronto remote, check the third-party support page on the Slim Devices web site for some pre-programmed screens for this remote.

How do I remove a song from my "Now Playing" playlist using the remote control? How do I clear the whole playlist?

To remove a song from the "Now Playing" playlist, navigate to the "Now Playing" menu and scroll to that song in the playlist and press the ADD button. If you press and hold the ADD button, the currently displayed song gets removed from the playlist and added to a special Saved Playlist called Zapped Songs for you to view later. To clear the whole playlist, navigate to the "SLIMP3 Home" menu and scroll down until it says "Now Playing" on the second line. Press the ADD button and your playlist will be emptied. (If your SLIMP3 came with a Sony remote, use the REC button instead of the ADD button.)


Advanced Features

Is it possible to stream from the SLIMP3 server to my computer using MP3 player software like WinAmp or iTunes?

Yes. Open this URL with your player application: http://localhost:9000/stream.mp3. (Replace "localhost" with the IP address of the computer that's acting as a server. This will start the streaming from the SLIMP3 server. Initially, this will just be silence. Now use the web interface to control the SLIMP3 server. You'll see a new "player" corresponding to the IP address of the computer that's being streamed to. Now use the SLIMP3 server web interface to browse and click on "Play" to choose some music to be played back. After a couple of seconds you'll hear that music. (The delay is due to buffering in the MP3 player software.) If you are using the SLIMP3 server's password security, you'll need to use a slightly modified URL like this: http://username:password@localhost:9000/stream.mp3

What are some of the URLs I can use to access special features on the SLIMP3?

Replace "localhost" in the following URLs with the IP address of your SLIMP3 Server computer.

To display text on the SLIMP3 display:
http://localhost:9000/status?p0=display&p1=Firstline&p2=secondline&p3=5
To get remote help:
http://localhost:9000/html/remote.html
To stream from the slimp server to a player like WinAmp or iTunes:
http://localhost:9000/stream.mp3
To get the song selection and config web page:
http://localhost:9000/home.html
To get the "Now Playing" and current playlist listing:
http://localhost:9000/status.html
For more information, see the HTTP interface documentation.

Can I control the SLIMP3 in other ways, besides using your SLIMP3 server and the remote control?

Yes. The SLIMP3 has both an HTTP interface and a command-line style which can be used to control the player from your own scripts or from the command line. See the Technical Information section on the online documentation.

Are there any extra pins on the microcontroller, or ways to expand the SLIMP3?

The SLIMP3 has an i2c bus that you can control directly over the network. Dallas Semiconductor has a number of interesting i2c peripherals or you can roll your own i2c slave device using a microcontroller.

Can I stream DAB broadcasts to my SLIMP3?

Yes, with a Psion Wavefinder.

How do I set up my SLIMP3 with a Psion Wavefinder?

These `get you going' notes are based on using another application called DABBar to control the Wavefinder. I have heard that WinDAB http://www.simanse.com/windab/ works as well although I believe that you might not be able to retune the Wavefinder directly from the SLIMP3 across multiplexes using WinDAB. Perhaps someone could post on that. DABBar does not need to be on the same machine as your SLIMP3 server.

  1. Download the latest version of DABBar from www.dabbar.co.uk – install and check that it all works as expected.
  2. Make sure that you can access the inbuilt DABBar webserver from your machine using an address of http://localhost:8080 – the last bit is the port that the server is running on and can be set from the http server tab in the DABBar Options. What you set it to is not critical, 8080 is a favourite standard choice.
  3. Assuming that works then now try http://192.168.1.100:8080 replacing the ip address (192.168.1.100) with the ip address of your machine. This will help later in the cut and paste operations. You should see the same page as before.
  4. There are two tidy ways to incorporate radio stations within the SLIMP3, either you can create a file for each station and place them in your playlists folder on the SLIMP3 or you can add several (or all) stations to one playlist (.pls) file and place that in your playlists folder. If you do the latter then I suggest you name the file DABRadio or something similar – then from the SLIMP3 "Saved Playlists" menu you can ">"navigate into the playlist folder and ">" into the DABRadio playlist and choose which station to play. When you select it the Wavefinder will retune automatically and start to play that station.
  5. Create a blank text document with NotePad or a similar text editor.
  6. Currently displayed in your web browser should be a list of all the stations that you can currently receive. Now I'm afraid for a little tedious copying of information. First we will create a single file for one station. RIGHT click on the top station name (in my case 1Xtra – BBC) and select `copy shortcut' – now move to your blank text document and paste the link there – probably something like http://192.168.1.100:8080/49706.m3u - the last 5 digit number is the crucial "ID" of the station and is the only bit of information that changes between all the different stations. Now you must alter the .m3u on the end of the pasted text to .mp2 so your text file now contains http://192.168.1.100:8080/49706.mp2 Save the text file with a name of "1Xtra.m3u"- note the extension .m3u. For each station that you want to receive you will have to create a text file , paste in the link, change the end bit and save it with a .m3u extension.
  7. Now move this newly created file into your playlist directory on your SLIMP3 server. It is not necessary to stop and start the server.
  8. You should now be able to select the SLIMP3's "Saved Playlists" menu , press right arrow and using the up and down arrow you should find your new file. If you press play when it is selected (DABBar must be running) you should be rewarded with the station playing from the SLIMP3, it may take a couple of seconds to tune in the Wavefinder.
  9. For each station that you want to receive you should repeat the above steps 5) to 8).
  10. Creating one playlist file allows all the stations to be incorporated in one file. It also allows the stations to be named in the file which may be useful later, (he said hopefully). Again create a blank text file with NotePad and create a document that looks like this below. I have chosen to include the first 4 stations. Note that the pasted links from your DABBar web page still have the .m3u replaced with .mp2
    [playlist]
    numberofentries=4
    File1=http://192.168.1.11:8080/49706.mp2
    Title1=1Xtra - BBC
    Length1=-1
    File2=http://192.168.1.11:8080/49707.mp2
    Title2=BBC 6 Music
    Length2=-1
    File3=http://192.168.1.11:8080/49708.mp2
    Title3=BBC 7
    Length3=-1
    File4=http://192.168.1.11:8080/49697.mp2
    Title4=BBC Radio 1
    Length5=-1
    Version=2
  11. Then save this file as say "DABRadio.pls" – note the .pls extension, that's what makes it a recognisable as a playlist file. Again put this file into your SLIMP3 servers playlist directory and now you can select "Saved Playlists" and press right arrow, use the up and down arrows to find the new "DABRadio" file and you can press right arrow again to `navigate' into the file – once within the file you can use the up and down arrows again to select and then play a station. If you have a lot of items already in your playlists folder this tidies all the DAB radio stations into one place. The title information that's in the playlist file is not currently fully utilised by the SLIMP3. It appears to select the station and then remains for a while on the bottom line of the SLIMP3 display.
  12. In version 1.4 of DABBar the metadata information or extra radiotext information transmitted by the station is relayed to the SLIMP3 and scrolls along the bottom line of the display. This currently overwrites the station name from the playlist. This is the same information that scrolls across the bottom of the DABBar display on the DABBar window on your PC. Version 1.4 is in `beta test' currently – keep watching the DABBar site for more information. - or contact me offlist.
  13. So – before anyone asks the obvious – can you listen to different stations on different SLIMP3's or on your PC ?? Surprisingly the answer is YES ! as long as the stations are on the same multiplex. On the DABBar web page http://localhost:8080 you will see a column showing you on which multiplex the stations are located – I can currently receive three different multiplexes. All the BBC stations for example are on one multiplex. I guess you may even be able to leave your Wavefinder running at home and listen to your local station with your SLIMP3 on the beach !
  14. Finally – there is a record option within DABBar allowing you to save the stream to disk. Just select `Record' by right clicking on the station banner and chose a filename and MPEG Audio (Layer 2) – and away you go. Stop the recording and then move the file to your SLIMP3 and you can play it ! There is an interface to DigiGuide too allowing you to schedule recordings so that they happen in your absence – it just keeps getting better.

Hope that helps a few – we are truly fortunate that SlimDevices provided mp2 capability within the SLIMP3 (thanks guys) – one of the few players that does – and also an ability to play 48Khz bitrates – again one of the few players to do this. If you managed to buy your Wavefinder at one of the recent discounted prices you have ended up with an awesome solution based on two very capable products that know nothing about each joining as one. Now how often does that happen ??? My thanks to Alistair MacDonald, author of DabBar for the magic that makes it all work !

I have pasted my complete playlist file below – maybe SlimDevices have a place on their website to store it as a downloadable file. While my station list will be somewhat different to yours I think that most of the stations are national and the ID's are consistent.

My local multiplex TWG-EMPA W.Yorks offers Classic Gold KISS Sunrise Radio and The Pulse so these probably won't work for you unless you're in Yorkshire ! Just paste the following into a text file and name it DABRadio.pls. If your Wavefinder is on the same PC as your SLIMP3 server then tit should works as is – pop it in your Playlists file on the SLIMP3 server and navigate into the file, select and play ! If it's on a different PC then search and replace "localhost" by "192.168.1.100" or whatever ip address your Wavefinder is on and then save and move the file. There should be 24 replacements. Happy listening - Kevin

[playlist]
numberofentries=24
File1=http://localhost:8080/49706.mp2
Title1=1Xtra - BBC
Length1=-1
File2=http://localhost:8080/49707.mp2
Title2=BBC 6 Music
Length2=-1
File3=http://localhost:8080/49708.mp2
Title3=BBC 7
Length3=-1
File4=http://localhost:8080/49697.mp2
Title4=BBC Radio 1
Length5=-1
File5=http://localhost:8080/49698.mp2
Title5=BBC Radio 2
Length5=-1
File6=http://localhost:8080/49699.mp2
Title6=BBC Radio 3
Length6=-1
File7=http://localhost:8080/49700.mp2
Title7=BBC Radio 4
Length7=-1
File8=http://localhost:8080/49701.mp2
Title8=BBC Radio 5 Live
Length8=-1
File9=http://localhost:8080/49718.mp2
Title9=BBC Asian Network
Length9=-1
File10=http://localhost:8080/49720.mp2
Title10=BBC World Service
Length10=-1
File11=http://localhost:8080/49825.mp2
Title11=Classic FM
Length11=-1
File12=http://localhost:8080/52683.mp2
Title12=Classic Gold
Length12=-1
File13=http://localhost:8080/50112.mp2
Title13=Core
Length13=-1
File14=http://localhost:8080/50368.mp2
Title14=D1 Temp
Length14=-1
File15=http://localhost:8080/50624.mp2
Title15=D1 ten
Length15=-1
File16=http://localhost:8080/49612.mp2
Title16=KISS
Length16=-1
File17=http://localhost:8080/50880.mp2
Title17=Life
Length17=-1
File18=http://localhost:8080/51136.mp2
Title18=OneWord
Length18=-1
File19=http://localhost:8080/49856.mp2
Title19=Planet Rock
Length19=-1
File20=http://localhost:8080/51392.mp2
Title20=PrimeTime Radio
Length20=-1
File21=http://localhost:8080/52939.mp2
Title21=Sunrise Radio
Length21=-1
File22=http://localhost:8080/49344.mp2
Title22=talkSPORT
Length22=-1
File23=http://localhost:8080/51632.mp2
Title23=The Pulse
Length23=-1
File24=http://localhost:8080/49600.mp2
Title24=Virgin Radio
Length24=-1

Version=2

How do I add Plugins to my SLIMP3 software?

Some SLIMP3 owners have written "Plugins" for the SLIMP3 software that add functionality beyond what comes with the SLIMP3 software. A few of these have been included with the latest version of the SLIMP3 software.

To turn on the Plugins menu on your SLIMP3, use the "Server Settings" web page and click on the Additional Server Settings link at the bottom of the page. Then click on "Add", next to the listing for the Plugins menu on this page.

You can find some of these plugins here on the Slim Devices web site. To install these files, download them with your web browser and place them in the folder named "Plugins" that's inside your "server" folder. Double-check that the files have a ".pm" at the end of the file name. Now reboot or restart your server software. The new functions should appear in your Plugins menu.

Mac users: The Plugins folder is hidden within the SLIMP3 Server preference pane. Look in either the folder named Library at the top level of your hard disk or the Library folder in your Home folder. Inside one of these folders you should find a folder called "SLIMP3 Server.preferencePane". Control-click on this folder and choose "Show Package Contents", then open the "contents" folder, then the "server" folder, then the for a folder called "Plugins". Place the downloaded plugins files in this folder. Note: If you upgrade your SLIMP3 Software, you'll need to re-install any plugins you may have added.

Windows Users: The Plugins folder is installed by default here: C:\Program Files\SLIMP3 Server\server\Plugins


Troubleshooting

After several minutes the SLIMP3 turns off and stops responding. What's going on?

Make sure that your energy saver settings on your computer are set to make sure your computer doesn't go to sleep. If it does, the SLIMP3 will go to sleep as well. If that's not the problem, make sure that the IP address on your computer isn't changing. To do this, adjust your TCP/IP settings to use a static IP address.

The IR remote is not responding, or is functioning erratically.

If you have a SLIMP3 custom remote, make sure your batteries are fresh and installed properly and that you have installed the latest SLIMP3 software and firmware.

If you have one of the Sony universal remotes try the following steps.

  1. Make sure the remote is in the correct mode—press the DVD button.
  2. Make sure is it programmed correctly. Press: S, DVD, 0, 0, 7, ENT
  3. To control the SLIMP3 volume via the remote, press: S, TV, 0, 2, 8, ENT, DVD, S, TV, VOL+, ENT
  4. Make sure the SLIMP3 is not located near another source of IR light, such as an optical mouse.
  5. Take the batteries out, wait a few minutes, and then install fresh batteries and then reprogram the remote.
  6. Turn off your dragon plasma orb.

I just received my new SLIMP3 custom remote, but it doesn't work. My original Sony remote works fine.

Make sure you are running the latest SLIMP3 server software and firmware. The new remote requires version 3.1 of the server software and version 2.0 of the player firmware to operate. If you are running the latest software, check that your batteries are fresh and installed properly.

The player doesn't get past "Looking for DHCP server...".

Check all your network connections, and make sure that the DHCP server is running. Try a different Ethernet cable, even if the hub indicates a good link.

The player doesn't get past "Looking for SLIMP3 server...".

Ensure that the SLIMP3 server software is running, and that you can access it using a web browser.

The volume is too high or too low.

SLIMP3 is capable of slightly higher volume levels than most consumer audio gear and may cause clippin" with some receivers. If you notice clipping, you may wish to reduce the SLIMP3's volume level. If the volume is too low even at the maximum setting or if it varies between tracks, try using your encoder's normalize setting to ensure that all your tracks use the full range.

There's something wrong with the audio quality. I hear buzzing and clicks. How can I fix this?

Make sure that the audio cables are connected firmly to both the SLIMP3 and your amplifier. Also, make sure you aren't using the "phono" input on your amplifier, as it may have the wrong impedance. Finally, try to keep the volume level on the output of the SLIMP3 as high as possible and use the volume control on your amplifier whenever possible. This will reduce the loudness of any analog noise or interference by keeping the output levels from the SLIMP3 as high as possible.

I'm seeing messages in the SLIMP3 server's console or debug window, but the server seems to be running fine.

Any such messages may be safely ignored–they're for troubleshooting in case you have problems later.

Some parts of the web interface are not showing up correctly.

The SLIMP3's web interface is available in several different "skins". Some skins use JavaScript, Java, CSS, or other elements that may not be available in all browsers. The "SLIMP3 Default" skin is very simple, and should render correctly in all web browsers. To change the skin, open the web interface and go to the "Additional Server Settings" area.

I'm having trouble using a network shared volume as my music library with Windows. It says that the path isn't valid. What's up?

To use BROWSE MUSIC FOLDER on a network-mapped volume in a Windows environment, and you are running the SLIMP3 server as a Windows service, you need to register the SLIMP3 service to login with a user and password that has access to that volume. Under Win2k and XP follow this path:

CONTROL PANELS --> ADMINISTRATIVE TOOLS --> SERVICES --> SLIMP3 SERVER --> PROPERTIES --> LOG ON Tab --> Activate THIS ACCOUNT

Now enter a valid Windows user account that corresponds to a network share volume user account on the machine hosting the share.

If this doesn't address the problem, try using a UNC-style path to specify your music library in the Server Settings page. Instead of X:\path for a mounted volume, use \\SERVER\path style addressing. This may work for some servers where direct volume letter mapping does not.

I can't seem to get the SLIMP3 software to run under RedHat Linux 9.0. There's an error about "Time::HiRes" when it starts up.

The default installation of Perl on RH9 doesn't include Time::HiRes as it should. There's a binary perl-Time-HiRes-1.38-3.i386.rpm RPM on disk 2 of the RedHat install that works fine and is what you need to get the SLIMP3 server running under RH9. I also found a copy on the net that worked for me. As root, use this command to install it from the net:

rpm -i http://www.slimdevices.com/downloads/misc/perl-Time-HiRes-1.38-3.i386.rpm

A while after the SLIMP3 Server starts, it locks up or starts using a huge amount of memory and CPU, even without playing any music. What's up?

Check to make sure that any playlists in your music library contain valid paths to music files in your library. Playlists that refer to themselves or other folders in your library, or playlist entries that refer to disks that aren't available can cause the SLIMP3 server to get confused.

If this isn't the problem, try moving all of your music files out of the library and then move them back in groups and restarting the server. Try to find, by process of elimination, which files are confusing the SLIMP3 server.

I'm using the SLIMP3 server as a Windows service but the performance isn't good. The music sometimes is choppy and the menus aren't very responsive, especially when it's scanning my music library. What can I do?

By default, Windows doesn't give high priority to services and the SLIMP3 server sometimes needs a fair amount of CPU. To work around this, open your "Control Panels", and then open the "System" control panel. On the "Advanced" tab, find the "Performance" section and click on "Settings". On the "Advanced" tab, choose "Backround Services" under "Processor Scheduling". Click "OK" and the SLIMP3 server will now get more CPU cycles and perform better.

Some of the songs in my iTunes library don't show up on the SLIMP3 or can't be opened. What's up?

If you've moved your iTunes music files around, iTunes can export incorrect information about the songs in its library. You'll need to make sure that iTunes has the correct folder for your music library. Visit the iTunes Preferences and click on Advanced. If the path to your Music Library folder is incorrect, you'll need to fix it. If it is correct, try changing it to a different folder and then change it back to the correct folder. iTunes will then update the paths to all your music and export that data correctly. (This process won't move any of your music, but it will force iTunes to scan your music library and update the paths to all the songs.)

If this doesn't resolve your problem, iTunes might get confused if you changed the "Keep Music Folder Organized" or "Add Track Number" settings in iTunes. Try changing them and then changing them back to have iTunes update the correct information about your music files.

On my Macintosh, I tried creating an alias to another folder with music, but the SLIMP3 Server won't recognize it. What am I doing wrong?

Mac OS X aliases are not supported by the SLIMP3 server yet. Symbolic links, however, are but they require a little more work to create. Here's a brief tutorial on doing so.

I was ripping a CD with iTunes while the SLIMP3 server was running and the songs didn't appear in my music library. What happened?

iTunes can get confused if it's trying to update its music library while the SLIMP3 server is importing it. If this happens frequently, we recommend you stop the SLIMP3 server when you are ripping music.

When my SLIMP3 plays a song, it sounds chirpy, like the song is being fast-forwarded and skips. What could cause this?

There is probably a problem with the MTU setting for your network interface. VPN clients such as the Cisco VPN client utility may change your machine's MTU setting from the default. This causes the fast-stuttering on the SLIMP3. If you have the Cisco client installed, run the included Set MTU utility and change the MTU setting to "default" for your network adapter. Reboot your machine to implement the change.

If you aren't using the Cisco VPN client, then check the settings for your network interface and make sure that the MTU is set to 1500. There is some additional information for changing your MTU setting here.

Another approach is to visit the SLIMP3 web page for Server Settings -> Additional Server Settings -> Network and change the setting for "Maximum number of bytes of audio data to send to player in a UDP packet" to a lower number. Note that this approach will reduce the efficiency of your network.

The web interface won't show up, even though the SLIMP3 player is working.

Try using the following URL: http://127.0.0.1:9000/. (Be sure to type the "http://" part, as some versions of Internet Explorer require it when accessing a URL by IP address.)

The SLIMP3 server and the player can't find each other but the web interface is working fine.

Here are some things to try:

I'm having trouble upgrading the firmware on my SLIMP3 Player. Do you have any hints?

Try following these steps:

  1. Plug the SLIMP3 device and the computer with the updater into the same hub or switch. (Do not attempt to upgrade your firmware over a wireless network.) Power the hub or switch off and then back on.
  2. Remove the power connector from the back of the SLIMP3 device.
  3. Stop the SLIMP3 server.
  4. Run a browser and check that the SLIMP3 server has REALLY stopped.
  5. Point the remote at the right side of the SLIMP3, hold down a numeric key, and reconnect the power plug to the SLIMP3. You should see the SLIMP3 display its MAC address. If not then unplug the DC power connector from the device, wait 30 seconds and try this operation again. The SLIMP3 device MUST be displaying its MAC address before you can update the firmware. Write down the MAC address that the SLIMP3 is showing.
  6. Window and Unix users: Start the updater application. Mac users: Open the SLIMP3 system preference pane and click on "Update Firmware".
  7. You will be prompted to enter the SLIMP3 MAC address in the form 00:04:20:xx:xx:xx - enter the exact same MAC address that the sliMP3 displayed in (5) at the updater prompt.
  8. The updater will then ask for an IP address so enter the IP address that you have assigned to the SLIMP3 device or, if you have a DHCP server, then enter an address in the DHCP pool.
  9. The updater may ask if you want to use "Kiosk" - you answer with "y" or "N". Use "N" if you are having problems getting the SLIMP3 running - use the Kiosk mode once everything is working.
  10. The updater will immediately start trying to update the SLIMP3 device at this point-this will take about 30 seconds.

If the update succeeds and you find that the remote control does not work then you may have de-programmed the remote when you where holding down a key to get the SLIMP3 into boot mode. Try resetting remote.

If the updater fails to write to the SLIMP3 device then there is some sort of communications error. Check the following:


More Information

Where can I find more information?

Check out the Help area at the bottom of the SLIMP3 server home page or visit the support area of our web site at http://www.slimdevices.com/. There are also active user forums on Yahoo Groups for both end-users and developers.

Whom may I contact for help?

We welcome email to support@slimdevices.com, or call us at +1 650 210 9400.

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