How to set up the RPi as a DLNA client

Question

I have recently bought a DAC sound card, which can be mounted on the RPi, uses I2C connection, and outputs surprisingly good sound quality. I have also set up a WiFi dongle so that the RPi can act as an AP hotspot and let Android devices and iPad alike to ssh into it.

Currently, I simply store songs on the SD card, control playback via ssh, and listen to the songs on RPi. But I have actually been thinking about the possibility of using it as a DLNA client to stream music from my Android phone, so that I can store my songs on my phone (or use apps that support DLNA), but play them with the hardware on RPi (and the amplifiers/earphones linked to the RPi).

Currently I am using the stock Raspbian system. I have heard that Volumio could perhaps do streaming, but I also sometimes use RPi for small projects and linux programming, so I don't really want to switch system. Therefore, may I ask if there are some software packages on Raspbian that can do this? (Also, I'm actually a bit confused about DLNA server/client...if I would like to stream songs INTO RPi, instead of storing songs on it, would RPi need a "DLNA client"?)

Answer 1

You can do this. Install BubbleUPnP on your phone from AppStore. It is free. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bubblesoft.android.bubbleupnp&hl=en

Open the app. Browse in Local Media Server and then BubbleUPnP DLNA Server will start automatically.

Then you need a player on Raspberry side e.g. vlc. Install it and open:

> sudo apt-get install vlc
> vlc &

Open playlist View -> Playlist or press Ctrl + L and choose Local Network -> Universal Plug 'n' Play. You should see there something like that: BubbleUPnP Media Server

Note that it might take some time depending on the size of your library.