Since Sonos does not support Google Music I decided to undergo my own project using my Note 2. My house is already wired for sound with multiple speakers in most rooms attached to either HTPC's or audio receivers. So my goal here was to use my Note 2 to stream Google music to the rooms that I was in and have that music follow me around similar to the Sonos setup. I have found that inexpensive Bluetooth dongles attached to my audio receivers in strategically positioned areas allow me to connect and disconnect to the appropriate speakers automatically while I am moving from room to room. For the rooms without any previous audio, I have added some small high quality speakers with a mini amplifier attached to the dongle. So for less than $100 I can have music anywhere. This is an extremely inexpensive alternative to Sonos with 80% of the Sonos functionality at a fraction of the cost. Now anything that I can play on my phone I can push to the nearby speakers. This also allows my wife and her phone to do the same thing in different parts of the house. Further customization with NFC tags and Tasker makes it a no brainer over Sonos.
That said, here is the only annoying part of this project. I have tried everything to get my Note 2 (SGH-T889) to connect to my HTPC's running Windows 7 prof edition. There seems to be a lack of drivers for this phone and I have tried all of the previous work arounds in other threads but keep getting "Bluetooth Peripheral Device driver error". I can pair the device but the lack of driver support has prevented me from streaming directly to my HTPC's. I have attached another Bluetooth dongle to the HTPC speakers as a workaround but would really like to stream directly into the computer.
Has anyone successfully connected the Note 2 (SGH-T889) to a Windows 7 64bit machine and streamed audio over Bluetooth to the pc???
32str8 said:
Since Sonos does not support Google Music I decided to undergo my own project using my Note 2. My house is already wired for sound with multiple speakers in most rooms attached to either HTPC's or audio receivers. So my goal here was to use my Note 2 to stream Google music to the rooms that I was in and have that music follow me around similar to the Sonos setup. I have found that inexpensive Bluetooth dongles attached to my audio receivers in strategically positioned areas allow me to connect and disconnect to the appropriate speakers automatically while I am moving from room to room. For the rooms without any previous audio, I have added some small high quality speakers with a mini amplifier attached to the dongle. So for less than $100 I can have music anywhere. This is an extremely inexpensive alternative to Sonos with 80% of the Sonos functionality at a fraction of the cost. Now anything that I can play on my phone I can push to the nearby speakers. This also allows my wife and her phone to do the same thing in different parts of the house. Further customization with NFC tags and Tasker makes it a no brainer over Sonos.
That said, here is the only annoying part of this project. I have tried everything to get my Note 2 (SGH-T889) to connect to my HTPC's running Windows 7 prof edition. There seems to be a lack of drivers for this phone and I have tried all of the previous work arounds in other threads but keep getting "Bluetooth Peripheral Device driver error". I can pair the device but the lack of driver support has prevented me from streaming directly to my HTPC's. I have attached another Bluetooth dongle to the HTPC speakers as a workaround but would really like to stream directly into the computer.
Has anyone successfully connected the Note 2 (SGH-T889) to a Windows 7 64bit machine and streamed audio over Bluetooth to the pc???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although I have not tried connecting the note 2 to a windows 7 desktop. I am using the squeezebox system to connect the entire house sound system. I am not familiar with the sonos, The cost of the sonos made not to venture into this system. I have a squeezebox duet system in the garage, I got just squeezebox duet receivers in 2 rooms and the music room has the squeezebox touch system. The home server has all the music serving the different squeezebox system. the note 2 has the squeezebox controller app in it. It has also the squeezeplayer app in the note2, this app makes the note 2 of any android device act as player. This allows you to stream the music directly into your note 2. The squeezebox system has the wire and wireless option to connect. I prefer the wired connection inside the house. while the squeezebox in the garage is connected wirelessly.
tomasitoc said:
Although I have not tried connecting the note 2 to a windows 7 desktop. I am using the squeezebox system to connect the entire house sound system. I am not familiar with the sonos, The cost of the sonos made not to venture into this system. I have a squeezebox duet system in the garage, I got just squeezebox duet receivers in 2 rooms and the music room has the squeezebox touch system. The home server has all the music serving the different squeezebox system. the note 2 has the squeezebox controller app in it. It has also the squeezeplayer app in the note2, this app makes the note 2 of any android device act as player. This allows you to stream the music directly into your note 2. The squeezebox system has the wire and wireless option to connect. I prefer the wired connection inside the house. while the squeezebox in the garage is connected wirelessly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My understanding is that Squeezebox like Sonos is not Google music compatible yet. I can already access my music via a NAS but my goal with this system is to be able to stream all my music via the Google music app on my phone thus making my phone the data source. Since bluetooth is ubiquitous, making my phone the source allows me greater flexibility and portability. By bringing a simple bluetooth dongle and a 3" cable I can connect the dongle to any aux port on any music setup (home, car, radio) and stream my music. This also makes it exceptionally easy to listen to friends music collections by having them pair up their phones to the dongle.
Still wondering if anyone has been able to connect the Note 2 to a windows 7 64 bit pc via bluetooth. This is the last piece of the puzzle and I'm hoping someone finally finds a workaround or the the appropriate drivers. The generic windows drivers don't seem to work and the manual alternatives that have been posted to work with other phones have not worked either.
32str8 said:
My understanding is that Squeezebox like Sonos is not Google music compatible yet. I can already access my music via a NAS but my goal with this system is to be able to stream all my music via the Google music app on my phone thus making my phone the data source. Since bluetooth is ubiquitous, making my phone the source allows me greater flexibility and portability. By bringing a simple bluetooth dongle and a 3" cable I can connect the dongle to any aux port on any music setup (home, car, radio) and stream my music. This also makes it exceptionally easy to listen to friends music collections by having them pair up their phones to the dongle.
Still wondering if anyone has been able to connect the Note 2 to a windows 7 64 bit pc via bluetooth. This is the last piece of the puzzle and I'm hoping someone finally finds a workaround or the the appropriate drivers. The generic windows drivers don't seem to work and the manual alternatives that have been posted to work with other phones have not worked either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried bubblesoft's Bubble uPnP on android market. Google music does work with it and it costs $5 or so. However, it was having trouble playing songs from playlist that were added from sdcard. I am in touch with the developer and am going to ask for a refund if he can't make this basic functionality work. It could have to do something with his latest release.
gaurav_verma22 said:
Have you tried bubblesoft's Bubble uPnP on android market. Google music does work with it and it costs $5 or so. However, it was having trouble playing songs from playlist that were added from sdcard. I am in touch with the developer and am going to ask for a refund if he can't make this basic functionality work. It could have to do something with his latest release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chromcast has solved my google music to mediacenter/HTPC issue. I still use the bluetooth dongle for stand alone audio situations like a car or portable radio system due to the ease of connection through an input jack. You can also use this with a chromecast for audio only: http://www.amazon.com/J-Tech-Digita...IQER0E/ref=pd_sim_e_3?tag=androidcentral00-20
Related
Ok, here is what I want to be able to do:
Setup:
-Have a Revue googletv connected to my Denon receiver which is connected to the TV. Wife and me have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Denon is not networked, but am open to replacing the receiver (it is old, no HDMI switching etc.) with a networked one.
Question:
I want to be able to listen to pandora or Google Music app triggered from either of our SGN's playing through the living room speakers connected to my Denon receiver. I want to make it as simple as possible, so I don't want to power on my TV and then use Revue's Pandora or Google Music app. I want to be able to use the SGN phone's app. I know I can control the Revue with the Android app on my SGN, but without the TV being on, you can't see what's going on...
It would be great if google had airplay like functionality, so I wouldn't need to switch on TV, I can just goto the Pandora app (or Google Music) and select the Receiver to send it to and it would play it on the speakers connected to my receiver.
Any ideas?
So this is not possible then I guess?
Install Bubbleupnp on your phone's and the Revue. You will need the paid version. Set the Revue up as a renderer. Set your phones to use the Revue as a renderer. You won't need to turn the TV on, just pick the music on your phone and play through the Revue and Denon. You can even use your PC as your media server...
I drive a Cadillac ATS that has a fancy 8" touchscreen, but all that nice technology is wasted because streaming music from my phone does not display anything at all.
I use Google Music, is there anything else I need to do in order to get some artwork and song info on the display?
Does it show album art work from a CD when u play a cd?
Sent From My Miui Powered Galaxy Nexus
Bluetooth audio streaming is just for audio.
You'd have to either plug in a USB thumb drive with MP3's or an iPhone.
Don't think android has any support for outputting additional info yet.
You could try getting one of those special micro SD to standard USB adapter and see if the car will recognize it as a USB drive.
isajoo said:
Bluetooth audio streaming is just for audio.
You'd have to either plug in a USB thumb drive with MP3's or an iPhone.
Don't think android has any support for outputting additional info yet.
You could try getting one of those special micro SD to standard USB adapter and see if the car will recognize it as a USB drive.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Incorrect. Bluetooth can pass data with the AVRCP profile. However, only android 4.3 (just released) supports it. It passes the metadata of artist, title, etc. to your device, but I'm unsure whether it passes album art though.
kazander18 said:
Incorrect. Bluetooth can pass data with the AVRCP profile. However, only android 4.3 (just released) supports it. It passes the metadata of artist, title, etc. to your device, but I'm unsure whether it passes album art though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, I'll have to try with my Nexus 7 and report back....
Looks like CUE supports AVRCP 1.4
Nexus 7 with 4.3 works well, no album art though
And from another forum:
I have my Nexus 4 with Android 4.3 running. What has changed sine 4.2 is track, artist, album info now shows up with BT streaming, prior to 4.3 it only said Bluetooth Audio. I also tried WP8, BB10 and iPhone 5 (iOS7) None give you album art.
Only a physically connected (USB) device gives me album art, so I sacrificed an old iphone 3gs and it has 32GB of my library in the car at all times.
On a side note, BB10 and WP8 (Samsung Ativ S) have integrated nicest with CUE since days one, even contact pictures from phone sync-up.
Windows phone 8 even reads incoming text messages and I can reply by voice without touching the phone...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had issues with my nexus 4 - when ever I play via cue it plays it via the phone. My Samsung Ativ-s will pair just fine but a day later the car won't see the phone or pair with any other phone even though the phone thinks it is paired.
Hi all,
I'm thinking about buying a cheap Bluetooth audio receiver to hook up to my home stereo. I'd like to be able to play music files on my Nexus and have them play on my stereo via Bluetooth but I'm concerned about range.
Is the Nexus Bluetooth class 1, 2, or 3? I'd like to be able to queue up music from anywhere in my house, but typically Bluetooth range is pathetic.
Wifi would be a great option for good range, but I know of no Wifi audio receivers except Apple Airport, and that only works with specific apps. (I'd like all Android OS audio to be transmitted to the receiver).
Another option I suppose would to be to buy a media player box running something like XBMC, and just use the Nexus as an XBMC remote control. but this seems like an expensive option just to play music.
Bluetooth range is good, but not the best I have seen.
I use mine as a telemetry display for a Quadcopter.
(https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ezio.multiwii)
If I fly down the street, I loose connection sooner than I did with my Archos 80 9G (Which was a pretty lousy tablet in most other ways), but the N7 (2013) has better range than other devices I have tried.
The play store states that it has Bluetooth 4.0:
https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_7_16gb_2013
scroll to Technical specifications
Thanks for the reply. Does your telemetry app only receive telemetry from the copter? Or can it also transmit to copter (control). I'm concerned with the transmit power, not it's receive sensitivity.
Bluetooth 4.0 indicates the version number but not the class. It's the class number that details the forward power of the transmitter. I can't find that spec anywhere.
Obveron said:
Thanks for the reply. Does your telemetry app only receive telemetry from the copter? Or can it also transmit to copter (control). I'm concerned with the transmit power, not it's receive sensitivity.
Bluetooth 4.0 indicates the version number but not the class. It's the class number that details the forward power of the transmitter. I can't find that spec anywhere.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Nexus 7 is a Bluetooth class 2 device. Class 2 Bluetooth, as I'm sure you know, has a range of ~10 meters, or ~30 feet.
EDIT:
Hold on, don't quote me on the class. I'm pretty sure, but can't find a reliable source.
Johmama said:
The Nexus 7 is a Bluetooth class 2 device. Class 2 Bluetooth, as I'm sure you know, has a range of ~10 meters, or ~30 feet.
EDIT:
Hold on, don't quote me on the class. I'm pretty sure, but can't find a reliable source.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply Johmama. I also can't find on a source on that, but I agree Class 2 is good bet. Alas, that's not enough range for my purposes. Looks like I'll be looking for another solution.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
If the Nexus is generating the audio and streaming it to a receiver, the only thing I know that can do that over Wifi is Apple Airport or Google Chromecast, both are limited to working on specific apps (unlike bluetooth audio that is intergrated into the system audio driver).
If the nexus is merely acting as a Wifi remote control to a set top box playing music, I'd need the nexus to be able to view and manage the library, and playlist. I think XBMC remote can do this.
I also think there are tablet remotes for WDTV live. Although I don't think you can manage the library from the tablet.
BTW my music library is on my NAS, accessible through SMB shares.
There are a bazillion plugins for android for most media players/suites from VLC to Windows Media centre to XBMC to spotify etc. just check whether there's one that works with whatever software you're running.
I've also done the bluetooth streaming to PC trick before but found it an inferior solution as I can hold a much larger music library on the PC, and for some reason I couldn't get it to auto pair, had to manually connect each time. Since I can run any choice of media player + spotify on the loungeroom PC it was a no brainer, I much prefer the nexus as a remote control than actually the one doing the streaming (also saves battery). Finally using it as a remote means you can setup the same solution from your phone, partner's devices etc.
Just get a cheap bluetooth dongle and enjoy. I destroyed the headphone jack in my razr maxx hd and use bluetooth exclusively for any audio connections.
yeah, you're limited to about 30ft, but so what? If ya gotta be 30+ft from the stereo, you're likely doing something that won't have you interacting with the tablet anyway.
if worse comes to worse, use a cat-5 audio extender balun and add jacks in your house for the bluetooth dongle.
either that or buy an old WDTV box, use its optical digital audio output and remotely control it from the web interface (after installing WDlxTV firmware)
that stupid little $79 box is the greatest piece of home entertainment hardware I've ever purchased. not only can it stream 1080p over my network, but it also downloads and seeds torrents, runs a fileserver and SSH remote access so I can tap into it anywhere on the freakin planet (provided I have a decent internet connection at the other end)
You've got a problem? there is ALWAYS some hackable embedded linux device that can provide a cheap solution.
Thanks for the replies. 30ft bluetooth range is not enough. I have my audio system powering speakers all over the house and backyard.
wintermute000 said:
There are a bazillion plugins for android for most media players/suites from VLC to Windows Media centre to XBMC to spotify etc. just check whether there's one that works with whatever software you're running.
I've also done the bluetooth streaming to PC trick before but found it an inferior solution as I can hold a much larger music library on the PC, and for some reason I couldn't get it to auto pair, had to manually connect each time. Since I can run any choice of media player + spotify on the loungeroom PC it was a no brainer, I much prefer the nexus as a remote control than actually the one doing the streaming (also saves battery). Finally using it as a remote means you can setup the same solution from your phone, partner's devices etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi wintermute000, thanks for the suggestion. I currently don't have a HTPC hooked up to my home stereo, but that might be my best option. Do any music players for PC allow complete library browsing completely from their associated apps, or do the remotes only control playback?
I was hoping to attach a cheap box like wdtv or something that could access my music on the SMB shares on my NAS, While using an Android remote control for that device that can browse and queue songs from the library on the NAS. I've read that the XBMC remote app has the ability to browse the library, but I've heard its library browsing is buggy and I don't know if the app will see my SMB shares on the NAS.
Cheapxj said:
either that or buy an old WDTV box, use its optical digital audio output and remotely control it from the web interface (after installing WDlxTV firmware)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cheapxj, I did some digging and discovered that the smartphone app for WDTV cannot navigate through my music library (stored on my NAS). It can control playback but I can't browse and queue songs and albums directly from the app (needs the help of the TV).
Is this also the case with the WDLxTV firmware. and the web interface?
Obveron said:
Thanks for the replies. 30ft bluetooth range is not enough. I have my audio system powering speakers all over the house and backyard.
Hi wintermute000, thanks for the suggestion. I currently don't have a HTPC hooked up to my home stereo, but that might be my best option. Do any music players for PC allow complete library browsing completely from their associated apps, or do the remotes only control playback?
I was hoping to attach a cheap box like wdtv or something that could access my music on the SMB shares on my NAS, While using an Android remote control for that device that can browse and queue songs from the library on the NAS. I've read that the XBMC remote app has the ability to browse the library, but I've heard its library browsing is buggy and I don't know if the app will see my SMB shares on the NAS.
Cheapxj, I did some digging and discovered that the smartphone app for WDTV cannot navigate through my music library (stored on my NAS). It can control playback but I can't browse and queue songs and albums directly from the app (needs the help of the TV).
Is this also the case with the WDLxTV firmware. and the web interface?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've run the itunes plugin for mediamonkey and it behaves exactly like itunes including library.
Spotimote lets me browse my spotify playlists normally too.
finally there is always itunes
Is it possible to pass music through my LG G4 to my cars head unit through USB? I was unable to do this with my Galaxy S4. I want to be able to stop using my iPod and use my phone for all my music. If it is possible am I able to play music off apps like Google music and Pandora, or is it only possible to play music stored on the phone?
I know I can do bluetooth but the sound quality is no where near my iPod connected through USB.
There is a way but you have to get the new pioneer stereos that are compatible with the USB connection to read android devices.
wadamean said:
There is a way but you have to get the new pioneer stereos that are compatible with the USB connection to read android devices.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a pioneer head unit that is around 2 years old. Would this fit into the stereos you are talking about? Or are you talking about the Android Auto head units?
I tried looking up this device on xda, but nothing yet, so i thought i'd post here first.
since it uses an audio jack, do you guys think you could plug this into your cars aux port, and stream using your phone? or is it dependent on wifi only?
It is wifi, not bluetooth. Might work in guest mode. I'm very interested in the device, but want to use if for DLNA streaming from my home server if at all possible.
Hi,
It also has dual output connector: analog 3.5 jack and optical spdif... equal to Apple Airport Express.
Anybody see if it has native FLAC support? I haven't found an answer to that yet. This may be a device I just have to buy and try...
Note10.1Dude said:
Anybody see if it has native FLAC support? I haven't found an answer to that yet. This may be a device I just have to buy and try...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I'm still waiting for an answer as to if it supports 320kbps for high quality streaming from spotify. That would be the main advantage of it over a bluetooth receiver.
I'd love to know if it does support that if anyone can find out!
FLAC is listed as supported media for google cast, so it SHOULD work.
https://developers.google.com/cast/docs/media
does anybody have any idea if Chromecast Audio would work as a car audio solution? I tried using a 1st Gen Chromecast but ran into the issue of the device's requiring an actual internet connection (not simply a wifi connection). My guess is that Chromecast Audio will similarly require an internet connection, but am wondering if there is a workaround?
mcnoggin said:
does anybody have any idea if Chromecast Audio would work as a car audio solution? I tried using a 1st Gen Chromecast but ran into the issue of the device's requiring an actual internet connection (not simply a wifi connection). My guess is that Chromecast Audio will similarly require an internet connection, but am wondering if there is a workaround?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of talk, no conclusion about this yet. Some suggest tethering the phone should work. I've got one on order, should know next week.
cool, let us know! =]
I am working on getting mine to work in my car today. I bought it yesterday and didn't have much time to mess with it. I had it working as I tethered through my phone and using my gfs phone to play music but I'm going to see if I can get it to work without tether.
Got it working but not perfect
So the main thing is IT WORKS!!
Its just buggy getting it started but after that it plays fine for the whole ride. Here is what I did (notice: must have working tether on your phone to get it to work)
I am running a nexus 6 with Chroma ROM. Also I'm using Spotify to play my music.
Steps I did to try to get it working.
1. I first went through the setup process on my gf galaxy s5 and updated the chromecast through my tether.
2. I hooked everything up in my car.
3. Turned on my phones WiFi and press the button on the Chromecast first and then connect to the WiFi that my Chromecast gives out.
4. Then open the Chromecast app and make sure it sees it. (Mine still says it needs to be setup even though it already is. Don't worry about that)
5. Open Spotify and in the devices area it should say nearby cast or something like that. Try to connect and it will ask for a pin. Ignore that and hit cancel.
6. Then turn on your hotspot on your phone. It will then show your Chromecast name correctly in Spotify and you can connect and play music. (Must leave your tether on)
All in all I got it working without having a separate wireless connection to connect both of them and have audio playing through my car audio. I tried it twice now and it has worked.
Also the Chromecast app will not show its connected even though you're playing music through it. I have a screenshot of it at the bottom.
Nice - I have a ground-loop issue in my car and can't charge my phone the same time it is plugged into the stereo - this might solve that. I'm using mine to add streaming to a bedroom system, but if I like it, I may replace the streamer box on the home stereo, which cuts out on FLAC from time to time.
UPDATE: you do not have to go through all those steps everytime. I've tested further and found that it is much easier.
After you already have it setup in your car, to connect do these steps:
1. Turn on your phones WiFi and connect to your Chromecast audio.
2.After a few seconds turn your hotspot on(do not turn off the WiFi at any time).
3. After a few seconds Spotify will see your device and work perfectly.
OK,
I have had my Chromecast Audio working for the last day. I am using it with BubbleUpNP to stream audio of of my DLNA server on my home network. Working well, more reliable than the Soundmate that I was using. Going to order a micro-toslink SPDIF cable to use my on DAC. It isn't a DLNA renderer, so it won't work with software that is expecting UPNP/DLNA, but BubbleUpNP is working well.
I got one of these today, and the Hardware is really nice. It has a decent DAC, good WiFi, Dual (Analogue, Optical) output, so all good on that front. It also plays 24bit 192K FLAC from Qobuz without trouble. You should however make sure to turn the "High Dynamic Range" setting on in the CC app!
However, I don't like the way it's handled. I'm used to running Logitech Media Server with am Odroid U3 as Server and a couple of Raspberry Pi units with Hifiberry DAC/Digi/Amp addon boards, and with that setup starting music in the mornings is easy. I turn on the power, and that's it, after the Pi has booted, the music starts playing, choosing the last Playlist or Webradio Station I used when I turned it off. No need to even touch my phone.
With Chromecast I have to jump through a lot of hoops to actually get it playing any music, and that's it's biggest failure IMHO. It won't automatically reconnect, it won't resume playing where it left off, it's basically just a better kind of BT dongle (using Wifi instead of BT).
This is a huge waste of potential! Sadly, I cannot use this neat piece of Hardware with Logitech Media Server, because it doesn't work as a DLNA Renderer, and LMS can't cast to Chromecast (since that only works from Android/iOS/Chrome OS).
So, while this COULD be great, it's currently badly underachieving. Maybe someone will work out a way to fix this by rooting CC and installing Squeezelite on it, of by some other means. There is always hope!
CommanderROR said:
I got one of these today, and the Hardware is really nice. It has a decent DAC, good WiFi, Dual (Analogue, Optical) output, so all good on that front. It also plays 24bit 192K FLAC from Qobuz without trouble. You should however make sure to turn the "High Dynamic Range" setting on in the CC app!
However, I don't like the way it's handled. I'm used to running Logitech Media Server with am Odroid U3 as Server and a couple of Raspberry Pi units with Hifiberry DAC/Digi/Amp addon boards, and with that setup starting music in the mornings is easy. I turn on the power, and that's it, after the Pi has booted, the music starts playing, choosing the last Playlist or Webradio Station I used when I turned it off. No need to even touch my phone.
With Chromecast I have to jump through a lot of hoops to actually get it playing any music, and that's it's biggest failure IMHO. It won't automatically reconnect, it won't resume playing where it left off, it's basically just a better kind of BT dongle (using Wifi instead of BT).
This is a huge waste of potential! Sadly, I cannot use this neat piece of Hardware with Logitech Media Server, because it doesn't work as a DLNA Renderer, and LMS can't cast to Chromecast (since that only works from Android/iOS/Chrome OS).
So, while this COULD be great, it's currently badly underachieving. Maybe someone will work out a way to fix this by rooting CC and installing Squeezelite on it, of by some other means. There is always hope!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use it with your DLNA server, but you need to manage the Chromecast with BubbleUpNP on your phone. Not perfect, but more stable than the renderer that I was using.
I got mine yesterday and I must say that I am very happy with it. One thing though, when I play music via YouTube (via casting screen/audio in the CC app) the sound volume is really low. It is much higher when I play music via Spotify. Is there a way to boost the output from the phone? I tried the hardware buttons of course
Workaround for the Volume being too low: Use a cast-native app like Spotify to crank up the Volume.
CommanderROR said:
it's basically just a better kind of BT dongle (using Wifi instead of BT).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I see your point, but IMHO it's more than just a WiFi equivalent of a BT adaptor because, whilst you CAN stream from your device/locally with the right app, most "standard/consumer" use cases have the Chromecast streaming content direct from the Internet which is controlled by the app in your device. Your device doesn't do the streaming, saving power, you don't have to stay in range, etc. If I start steaming using Spotify as the app, for example, the Chromecast will continue playing my playlist even if I close Spotify on my device.
True. However, it still lacks a lot of features other multiroom systems offer. This little dingle has loads of potential, but Google will have to work hard to make it shine...