Very Simple Streaming Options - multi-rooms

Mattpitts74 · January 10, 2016, 6:38pm

Hi There,

I have been using volumio for several years and I’m very happy with it. I have been experimenting with setting up multi-room systems, but these all require loads of addional setup and software, which all gets complicated very quickly for a non-techie such as myself.

I’m very happy to have lower quality audio in my second room, (my kitchen) but want to still maintain the great audio from volumio in my main system in my living room.

I keep thinking there must be a more simple way to stream music to the other room, but having searched to forums there are various threads, but none seem to have a simple solution to this question. I’m not too worried both rooms being perfectly in sync either. I also have a spare pi so any simple suggestions would be be much appreciated.

I’m wondeirng if any of the options below could be made to work??

Second pi with Airplay speaker - can volumio be setup to stream to a second airplay speaker?
Bluetooth speaker - can volumio be setup to stream music to another device such as a bluetooth speaker?
Squeezeplug - Can volunio send audio to another pi with squeezeplug or similar installed?
Any other simple options??

gkkpch · January 11, 2016, 6:24pm

Mattpitts74:

Hi There,

I have been using volumio for several years and I’m very happy with it. I have been experimenting with setting up multi-room systems, but these all require loads of addional setup and software, which all gets complicated very quickly for a non-techie such as myself.

I’m very happy to have lower quality audio in my second room, (my kitchen) but want to still maintain the great audio from volumio in my main system in my living room.

I keep thinking there must be a more simple way to stream music to the other room, but having searched to forums there are various threads, but none seem to have a simple solution to this question. I’m not too worried both rooms being perfectly in sync either. I also have a spare pi so any simple suggestions would be be much appreciated.

I’m wondeirng if any of the options below could be made to work??

Second pi with Airplay speaker - can volumio be setup to stream to a second airplay speaker?
Bluetooth speaker - can volumio be setup to stream music to another device such as a bluetooth speaker?
Squeezeplug - Can volunio send audio to another pi with squeezeplug or similar installed?
Any other simple options??

Hi Matt,

your answer might be Volumio 2, it will have multiroom support using SnapCast (a central SnapCast server and one or more SnapCast clients).
An example is described here, skip the technical stuff, volumio 2 will have it all built-in (Google can give you more info):
https://volumio.org/forum/multiroom-audio-output-from-volumio-with-snapcast-t3217.html

Mattpitts74 · January 11, 2016, 7:20pm

Yes Volumio 2 might be the best option, but is there any time scale for its offical release?

I’m looking forward to it.

gkkpch · January 11, 2016, 7:35pm

No time scale yet, I’m sorry.
Remember, this is not an update but a complete redesign and subsequent software rewrite.
Progress is being made constantly, everyone is working hard to get it done.

Mattpitts74 · January 11, 2016, 9:23pm

Is it possible to test it out? I’ve seen the images on github? and just trying putting it on an SD Card. But I cannot find it on my network once I connect and switch on the pi?

gkkpch · January 12, 2016, 9:52am

That depends on the size of your card, if it is > 8Gb then the PI won’t boot properly because of a problem with auto-resizing the SD card
A new image is on it’s way but has not made it to the update site yet.

And when you want to test with multiroom, you need to enable and configure it manually (no UI setup yet).
The link I showed above would be a good starting point.