"Smartifying" my hi-fi system • Hacker News Board

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#21

Post by handy2000 » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 3:30 AM UTC

notatoad wrote: post #18

germinalphrase wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can anyone recommend an alternative? My Marantz receiver is great - but the AirPlay drops all the time.

i've heard good things about the wiim, but $200 is a lot more than $30

Do you know by any chance if wiim is capable of streaming music independently, without relying on a separate computer? I.e. my smart Denon speaker can stream Spotify, so if I start playing on my laptop through that speaker and then close the laptop, streaming continues. I don't have to keep my laptop running. This doesn't work for Apple Music and I am looking for a device that can stream Apple Music without an additional computer.

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#22

Post by whalesalad » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 3:39 AM UTC

Daneel_ wrote: post #20

whalesalad wrote: post #19

This is quite a yak shave. You can run Spotify on one computer and have it output to speakers connected to another computer using Spotify. Remote control. I do it all the time. So you can run Spotify on your desktop, and control it from Spotify on your work laptop.

But then you a) need another machine, and b) can’t use the skip buttons.

I do it all the time. The skip buttons on my Linux computer will work with my iPhone being the owner of the stream. And vice versa.

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#23

Post by ugh123 » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 4:09 AM UTC

I think the interesting tech here is that you can stream some kind of arbitrary data (in this case Spotify ) onto a USB device and present it as files, possibly executable. Sounds like something the spy world uses or wants.

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#24

Post by goodburb » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 4:32 AM UTC

Hope this comment section doesn't discourage anyone from posting cool hacks like these on "Hacker" news.

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#25

Post by bigstrat2003 » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 4:38 AM UTC

cyclotron3k wrote: post #6

This is like a 21st century version of those cassette tapes with 3.5mm jacks; the ones you could use to play CDs from your Sony discman through your car's stereo. Great work OP!

>.> I still use one of those. I drive a 2001 Mustang, so it doesn't even have aux input (let alone Bluetooth). They work great, to be honest.

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#26

Post by hunter2_ » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 4:39 AM UTC

germinalphrase wrote: post #17

notatoad wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

RIP to chromecast audio, still my favourite way to make speakers go.

Can anyone recommend an alternative? My Marantz receiver is great - but the AirPlay drops all the time.

Maybe a regular Chromecast plugged into an HDMI audio extractor? They are super cheap on Amazon [0] though if using analog audio it might be worth trying a few to compare sound quality; optical should be perfect quality.

[0] https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BKV9GH99/

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#27

Post by rezonant » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 5:07 AM UTC

Daneel_ wrote: post #20

whalesalad wrote: post #19

This is quite a yak shave. You can run Spotify on one computer and have it output to speakers connected to another computer using Spotify. Remote control. I do it all the time. So you can run Spotify on your desktop, and control it from Spotify on your work laptop.

But then you a) need another machine, and b) can’t use the skip buttons.

The article says there is already another machine, their desktop computer which is connected to the hi-fi-- and what do you mean you can't use the skip buttons? They work fine with Spotify Connect.

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#28

Post by rezonant » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 5:11 AM UTC

whalesalad wrote: post #19

This is quite a yak shave. You can run Spotify on one computer and have it output to speakers connected to another computer using Spotify. Remote control. I do it all the time. So you can run Spotify on your desktop, and control it from Spotify on your work laptop.

In case anyone is unfamiliar, Spotify Connect is Spotify's solution for casting and remote controlling one or more Spotify speakers from a Spotify client on the same network. Any Spotify client can act as a speaker, and the system seamlessly connects to other smart home speaker systems like Google Home.

When multiple Spotify clients connect to the same Connect session, they collaboratively control the music that plays on the clients that are acting as speakers.

It's the state of the art when it comes to built in remote control systems among the various music services. Other music services do have similar capabilities, but Spotify's is for now, unrivaled.

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#29

Post by nl » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 5:15 AM UTC

rezonant wrote: post #27

Daneel_ wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But then you a) need another machine, and b) can’t use the skip buttons.

The article says there is already another machine, their desktop computer which is connected to the hi-fi-- and what do you mean you can't use the skip buttons? They work fine with Spotify Connect.

> what do you mean you can't use the skip buttons?

I think they mean the physical skip buttons on the device. By presenting it as a USB device the skip buttons can work on device.

Except that: "My main next steps, in no particular order, would be... Detecting track navigation: if you go to the previous or next tracks, emit a signal to somewhere. This would allow triggering a track change on the stream source, such as Spotify."

Re: "Smartifying" my hi-fi system

#30

Post by rezonant » Sun, Dec 03, 2023, 5:23 AM UTC

nl wrote: post #29

rezonant wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The article says there is already another machine, their desktop computer which is connected to the hi-fi-- and what do you mean you can't use the skip buttons? They work fine with Spotify Connect.

> what do you mean you can't use the skip buttons? I think they mean the physical skip buttons on the device. By presenting it as a USB device the skip buttons can work on device. Except that: "My main next steps, in no particular order, would be... Detecting track navigation: if you go to the previous or next tracks, emit a signal to somewhere. This would allow triggering a track change on the stream source, such as…

Skip buttons on which device? The HiFi [remote] itself? I'd imagine that doesn't work in the 1-PC route either. If it does, then the problem is solved because it will have the correct effect in the 2-PC route.