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chumbysphere forum → Chumby, the Device → Need an Idiots Guide for Slim Server
I need the idiots version of instructions on how to set up Slim Server.
I am not technical.
I have installed Slim Server on my Mac and now I am clueless as to what to do.
I would like to listen to LIVE365 stations via the Chumby and music off of my Mac.
I know I have to put an IP into the Chumby. WHAT IP? Where do I find it?
Any step by step instructions would be most appreciated.
I need the idiots version of instructions on how to set up Slim Server.
I am not technical.
I have installed Slim Server on my Mac and now I am clueless as to what to do.
I would like to listen to LIVE365 stations via the Chumby and music off of my Mac.
I know I have to put an IP into the Chumby. WHAT IP? Where do I find it?
Any step by step instructions would be most appreciated.
Ian, I just emailed you after our chat.
Let me know if this helps - http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.cgi?BeginnersGuide
I'm sorry. But none of it makes any sense. I have Slimserver installed on my Mac. But I am clueless as to what to configure on the Chumby.
You guys have got to create better step-by-step documentation for the masses, if you want to sell the Chumby device beyond a technology savvy development community.
idk if this is your prob, but for me, I had to learn that in order to configure/control slimserver.. you need to open "http://localhost:9000" and from there its easy. Just find the IP of your mac and punch it into your chumby, go to the url I listed above with your music loaded and hit the play button.
Sadly I cannot use slimserver anymore, I have tried reinstalling many times on my 7.10 system but when I tell it where my music is, it tells me its scanning it, and then no matter what combination of folder/music I set up, when it gets done scanning it tells me I have no music. Sucks, oh well.
Let me know if that helps you any!
-Tom
I have slimserver configured. I am trying to stream Live365. I can play a stream via iTunes as a client on the same mac, and I know the IP of my Mac.
I've punched it into the Slimserver option on the Chumby music control panel and click play on the Chumby. Nothing.
Maybe slimserver isn't converting the file into something compatible with the chumby? Have you checked that? I assume the stream is incompatible with the chumby because you feel the need to use slimserver, am I correct?
II know there is no direct stream from LIVE365 is compatible. I was hoping to use slimserver to stream it to the Chumby.
Out of curiousity, can you stream music from SlimServer through your browser? That is, in your browser put http://your.slimserver.ip.address:9000/stream.mp3 where your.slimserver.ip.address is, well, your slimserver IP address? If you can, that gives us some information; if you can't that gives us something else.
wayn3w
Have you installed LAME? Apparently you need to install that on the Mac to get it to convert non-MP3 streams to MP3 that the Chumby can play on the fly.
You can get an installer for LAME from here.
With SlimServer, you need to tell it to start playing a stream first. The whole process is not very intuitive.
Here are some instructions I wrote up awhile back.
http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?pid=7558#p7558
Note that the the non-intuitive nature is due to the folks at SlimServer, not Chumby. And does make some sense when you consider that the SlimServer folks are in the business of selling their own hardware. SlimServer is designed to work with that hardware. The fact that it can work with other clients is a bonus.
I think I have figured it out. I am trying to post step by step instructions for other people but for some reason, the post does not go through. Perhaps it is too large?
Part 1
OK, I finally got this working. What no one ever explicitly said, that I figured out from Wayn3w posting was that I had to configure this in the Streams panel and not the Slimserver panel. I want to thank everyone who responded to my posting.
So, here are the steps I followed, so that other non-technical people like me can duplicate this. Mind you, I did this on a Mac.
First steps before you ever go near the Chumby:
1. Download Slimserver
2. Install Slimserver
3. After installing startup Slimserver (On Mac OS X you'll do this from your Mac System Preferences)
4. Wait a moment or two and then click the "Web Access" button on the preference panel. It will fire up your browser and take you to the setting panel (displayed in your web browser).
5. I did very little here. I went to the Live 365 screen and input my Live 365 ID and password.
6. Though you do very little here, you will need to come back to this Slimserver controls screen later
Part 2
Find the IP address of your Mac:
1. I found the easiest and most reliable way to do this was going back to system preferences, and clicking on "Sharing." On the Sharing screen I clicked "Web Sharing" it displayed my machine's IP address. I then unchecked it, because I really did not want to do this. I only used it to find my IP address.
On the Chumby:
1. Go to control panel
2. Go to Music
3. Go to My Streams
4. Set up a new stream
5. enter the url:
http://the IP address you wrote down for your machine:9000/stream.mp3
6. The type of stream is an mp3
Part 3
On your Mac:
1. Go back to the Slimserver screen on your browser (or via the system preference panel in system preferences for Slimserver click the "Web Access" button again
2. Go to the Live365 (or whatever the source of music is). Click your preset station. Click "play"
I hope this make it a bit clearer and easier for others.
Thank you everyone who responded to my initial posting.
I still think that Chumby has to start creating documentation for the masses.
Iankh, it would be great if you could add this to the wiki (replace the ourdated slimserver hint)
I have added my step-by-step instructions. Not sure it's in the correct format, but it's added.
I have added my step-by-step instructions. Not sure it's in the correct format, but it's added.
Ian,
Thanks for you efforts. I will review your instructions and speak to the Customer Support Manager about the possibilities of publishing basic slim server configuration instructions.
I tried to follow your instructions, Ian.
But before I can play anything (Part 3, step 2) the service is sayign I do not have any players configured.
Any ideas?
Fire up the stream on the Chumby. Nothing will be playing but have it running. Then fire it up on Slimserver.
Then fire it up on Slimserver.
Do you mean just press play on Slimserver?
if so I cannot because it says I have not players attached (I assume it means SlimServer physical products)
Are you on a Mac?
You'll go to system preferences and at the bottom you'll see slimserver.
First of all, slimserver should be running.
Then click the button to launch the slimserver access screen in your browser.
If you are trying to stream a Live365 station. I assume you set up your 365 login info and it is showing your preset stations in Slimserver.
Go to the station you want, and there is a little play icon next to the station name to the left. Click play.
You should eventually see on the left hand side of the screen, the fact that the station is playing and you will probably see the title of the track playing.
If your Chumby is streaming that stream you should start to hear it on your Chumby.
Go to the station you want, and there is a little play icon next to the station name to the left. Click play.
This is the point I get up to, where it complains that I am not allowed to play anything as I have no Slim devices. I am paraphrasing.
I will capture a screen shot later.
Typically, SlimServer won't see the device until the device tries to talk to it. That's why you try and start the stream from the Chumby first. That then tells the server that there's a device out there.
Somewhere on the web interface screen will be a drop-down that let's you change devices. With things like a Chumby, they just show up as an IP address.
A screen shot would certainly help. 
One of the things I learned was the Chumby definitely has to be streaming, otherwise the slimserver won't start playing.
It took me quite a bit of back and forth which wasn't easy, because my the Mac and the Chumby are on different floors.
OK, today I've tried again.
Through the built in SlimServer menu on the Chumby, and also by entering the stream location manually in My Streams.
The only change I have made to the SlimServer install is to operate on port 9001, because Google Desktop uses port 9000 on my computer.
Here's a screenshot (too big to display inline)
http://i27.tinypic.com/20uwojo.png
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