OT - Cheap multi-room audio via Airplay 2 & Airport Express
I'm a bit of a nerd (surprise) and something happened yesterday which is probably the coolest software thing I've seen happen in a few years (for iOS).
Apple release a firmware update for their Airport Express device (which despite being 'End of Life' / not sold by Apple anymore, is still receiving updates) that enables Airplay 2 - https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/28/airport-express-airplay-2-homekit/
Basically, the Airport Express is a device that connects to your existing Wifi network. The Airport Express has a headphone jack that can plug into your existing 'dumb' speakers, making them 'smart' -
You can have multiple Airport Expresses and play the same music out of all the speakers at the same time, and the audio is in sync. It's like a Chromecast, but for audio - https://9to5mac.com/2018/08/28/how-to-use-airport-express-for-airplay-2-with-existing-router/
Yes, Android users - I know that Google has had a Chromecast Audio dongle which does the same thing since late 2015 but...I think the people who have an iPhone will be pretty happy with this.
Demo - https://www.dropbox.com/s/p8ph9au5m6dlwv2/Video%20Aug%2029%2C%208%2035%2017%20AM.mp4?dl=0
August 29th, 2018 at 8:51 AM ^
Apple is better.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:24 AM ^
Fact. So glad I switched.
*No, I don't want to start a debate or argument about it.
August 29th, 2018 at 8:53 AM ^
A bit of a nerd?
Actually this is pretty cool (for the apple users) and something I've enjoyed via Sonos for past several years.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:00 AM ^
Im not a techie, or a Apple hater / Droid truther etc ... but Chromecast audio is pretty sweet. I synced up my entire house -- basement, kitchen, living room, bedroom, garage, deck speakers, pool patio speakers, etc etc. It's great for parties. You can even power the dongle with a power bank, so you can use a battery powered speaker completely wirelessly for yard games and set it right by the cornhole boards or volleyball net. I just wish more apps supported it. Spotify works great with it though.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^
The "power the dongle with a power bank" hack is one I use as well. Really nice for having a speaker outside that's not tethered to your phone's bluetooth range.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^
Google Home/Chromecast Audio is what we did. We have GH minis in the bathrooms/kids rooms, GHs in the kitchen etc. CA connected to bigger speakers for living room. Also one for portable speaker for the backyard. Groups are set up for different parts of the house. It is a great set up and pretty cheap if you buy them around the holidays.
August 29th, 2018 at 5:30 PM ^
I am glad to hear of people with Chromecast audio because I feel like I’m the only one
August 29th, 2018 at 9:06 AM ^
I went full on Sonos in every room of my house last year and have never looked back.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^
Same. Speaker quality is great, imo, and how easy it is to use is the cherry on top. Love my Sonos setup.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:08 AM ^
You can do synch'd multi-room audio with Amazon Alexa dots/echos as well. We have six of them and will occasionally play whole house audio with them. Amazon did a deal with Sonos for the patent rights.
Cool Story Bro: 15 years ago I got a couple of RF receivers to "beam" my MP3s from my computer to two different stereos in my house. It worked, but the RF signals took different amounts of time to reach the stereos, so the music was out of synch by a half second. It was maddening. Psyched that my echo's have this capability now. (Though to be honest I rarely use it.)
August 29th, 2018 at 9:30 AM ^
We did it through Alexa as well, and in a 1960s ranch with an open floor plan and few obstructions, it works very well with just a few synced devices. The only downside is that occasionally, when my wife is doing things around the house, I will hear Taylor Swift or Halsey or some other artist she enjoys all over the house, which is when I usually do the outdoor portion of the chore list.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:42 AM ^
Don't be hating on T Swizzle!
August 29th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^
You can also do this via Google Home and Google Home Minis. You can even pair any Bluetooth speakers you may have to the network of Google Homes and configure everything in groups (e.g. "downstairs", "all", etc). It's a great time to be alive.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:20 AM ^
Does the Google Home even have an audio out? The GH Mini certainly doesn't, so it definitely can't do what the OP is talking about. The Apple AirPort express can output both analog or optical audio signals to the receiver/amplifier or powered speakers of your choice.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:47 AM ^
GH/minis don't but Chromecast Audios have an analog/optical port and way cheaper than the Airport Express. CA is different than a regular CHromecast, it is only for audio. You can pair it to a GH Mini so all the spoken word goes thru the Mini but music play out the speakers that the CA is connected to. That is how we added voice to our receiver.
August 29th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^
That sounds pretty cool. I have some Google Home Minis but have never thought about using them as an audio source, largely because my music system sounds much better (obviously).
I wish Apple would open up Apple Music so I could use it as my default music provider through a Google Home, though.
August 29th, 2018 at 9:45 AM ^
Vizio makes some great soundbars that use Smartcaste to allow the same type of thing using the Google Home app. I have two soundbars with wireless sub, 4 Google Homes and 5 Minis throughput the house. My kids love their minis playing music while in their bathrooms getting ready or taking showers.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^
I have a Vizio soundbar under my Vizion TV, and I'm not really impressed with it. The sound is great, but the digital volume control isn't fine enough. We turn it way down at night, so the two blind Yorkies can have some sound by which to echo-locate themselves. But it's with too loud, or off. There is no good setting with it, so I usually end up turning it off and re-enabling the TV sound before we go to bed. So I doubt I'll buy another soundbar - first impressions, and all...
August 29th, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^
huge apple dork / employee here...
"benjamin, i'm going to say one word to you. are you ready?"
"yes, sir."
"homepod."
"thank you, sir."
</thegraduate>
no matter what you use, it's a freaking magical world, man.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:11 AM ^
Isn't OT season over?
August 29th, 2018 at 11:25 AM ^
Maybe my memory is bad, but there doesn't seem to be much of anything being posted as OP's or in existing threads. Seems like the board activity is way down since the site change.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^
The really cool thing about this move is that Apple added this capability to the AirPort Express, a device it discontinued long ago. That's a very customer-friendly move in an industry not known for that sort of thing.
OTOH, I'd really like Apple to release an updated version of the AirPort Express since there is no current Apple device that can do this (other than, arguably, the Apple TV, which requires a screen, etc.).
August 29th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^
AppleTV doesn't technically require a screen once it's setup. But it's an expensive solution compared to a $90 AirPort Express.
Either device still needs some kind of amp- either standalone or built into the speakers. In my house we have some of both.
What I keep looking for, but haven't yet found, is an inexpensive (<$100) small AirPlay enabled Amp with wired and wireless Ethernet.
And yes, the HomePod has AirPlay, speakers, and an amp, but a stereo set puts you back $700 and I'm not into the whole "the mic is on and listening all the time" thing, even from Apple. Dumb speakers, please.
August 29th, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^
My issues with HomePod are: (1) it's very limited (more ecosystem-locked-in than is typical, even for Apple), and (2) as good as it is, and it's very good, you could get better "dumb" speakers for this price and could hook them up to something else as a source (for example, the AirPort Express) if your goal is quality sound.
August 29th, 2018 at 10:51 AM ^
Yep. We use these for a whole-home distributed audio system. That Apple has eliminated the product line entirely, while enhancing AirPlay has me scratching my head...without the AirPort Express there really isn't another inexpensive way to use AirPlay throughout a home.
But if you are in the Apple audio stack already, I can confirm that this is an easy, reliable way to do distributed audio.