UPnP

Overview

The Linn DS range, along with other media renderers, use the open standard UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) for communication with other devices on the network. There are many different Upnp standards for different types of device functionality. The Linn DS range, as a network connected digital streaming product, implements the Upnp AV (Upnp Audio Visual) 1.0 standard. There are three parts to a Upnp AV network: Media Server, Media Renderer, and Control Point. Linn DS range products are Media Renderers, however, all three parts are required for a functioning network music system. These three parts are described further below:

Media Server

The Media Server (also called a Upnp Content Directory) is responsible for indexing and advertising music (and video) files to other Upnp AV compliant products on the network. As an open standard, there are numerous implementations available on the internet which should work with your the Linn DS range. However, Linn has tested and currently recommends TwonkyVision's TwonkyMedia Media Server.

Media Renderer

The Media Renderer is responsible for retrieving and converting the data on the Media Server into music.

Control Point

The Control Point allows a user to tell the Media Renderer to play specific tracks of music offered by the Media Server. It also offers some common source and preamp functions to the user (Play, Pause, Next, Previous, and Volume Control). Any device that implements the Upnp AV 1.0 Control Point standard is capable of controlling a Linn DS product. Examples of such devices include: PC's, Tablet Computers, PDA's, and Mobile Phones.

Limitations of Upnp AV 1.0

Whilst Upnp AV is an open and therefore an interoperable standard, it's design is inherently limited. In particular, it has limited support for multiple media renderers and multiple control points operating on the same network. Linn has extended the Upnp AV 1.0 standard to allow for these and other use cases. We are actively pursuing the inclusion of these extensions or similar functionality in a future version of Upnp AV. In the meantime, to provide the greatest combination of usability and flexibility, the DS range is controllable via either 1) standard Upnp AV 1.0 or 2) Upnp AV with Linn extensions.

Upnp AV 1.0

This option offers compatibility at the expense of features. It allows control of the DS range with any Upnp AV 1.0 compliant control point. One should choose this option if they desire to control the a Linn DS product with an off the shelf Upnp AV 1.0 control point and they do not require any of the features of the Linn Upnp AV extensions.

Upnp AV with Linn Extensions

This option provides the greatest feature support, however, it is only available on control points implementing the Linn extensions. The following features are available:
* Multiple Media Renderers
* Multiple Control Point support
* On device playlists -- no requirement for the control point to be always on, or always connected to the network
* Full preamp integration

The Linn Upnp AV extensions only affect the communication between the Media Renderer and the Control Point -- they do not affect communication with Media Server. Thus, the Linn DS range will work with any Upnp compliant Upnp Media Server.