What kind of audio setup works best with OH?

Setup, Configuration and Use Beginners
1

I can’t find a solution that I really like (and that’s affordable). The sonos works well but we only have one and I can’t justify buying more of them because there are so many cheaper options. We currently use the Echo which works okay but ideally I want more controller of automating the audio (play xxx when we get home, HABpanel control) which Alexa doesn’t give me. What are other people using and how well does it work?

2

I use LMS (Squeezebox server) on my Synology(but Versions for RasPI are available) and old Smartphones/the most cheapo Tablets available as clients in the rooms with Squeezeplayer installed (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.bluegaspode.squeezeplayer App costs 5 EUR but worth it.)
I use it for wakeup calls (“Good morning, it’s xx degrees outside. There is a rain forecast, don’t forget the umbrella”), welcome greetings and general announcements(when calls comes in, mute TV/Streaming and say “Call from number xxx”). Works like a charm and in case you’ve got old android phones/speakers flying around at a cost of 5 EUR /room(actually only for the first room, each additional room cuts the cost per room in half) in Stereo(eat this, Sonos!). Of course you can use it to stream your music/internet radio stations as well.

Edit: uh…i guess you mean “type” not “time” in the subject? :wink:

3 Likes
3

Hi Oli, This is indeed a great idea! thanks

4

I’ve been looking at Squeeze and it looks great except there is no good connection to the Echo which would kill me. I’ve become so used to voice control with music that I still need that…I’ll see what i can dig up for echo -> squeeze connections

5

I thought there was a post about this on the forum, but I can’t seem to find it now. I’ve experimented a bit with the hue emulation binding as a way to integrate squeezebox with echo. Other priorities got in the way, so the only thing I did was implement play/pause.

Switch EchoNJLivingPlay         "Living Room Music" [ "Switchable" ]    { channel="squeezebox:squeezeboxplayer:13B79D32-2360-4A1D-85E7-1B6FE08D217F:000420a84526:playPause" }

Switch EchoNJOfficePlay         "Office Music"      [ "Switchable" ]    { channel="squeezebox:squeezeboxplayer:13B79D32-2360-4A1D-85E7-1B6FE08D217F:b827eb192f1e:playPause" }

Switch EchoNJMBRPlay            "Bedroom Music"     [ "Switchable" ]    { channel="squeezebox:squeezeboxplayer:13B79D32-2360-4A1D-85E7-1B6FE08D217F:0004202244d7:playPause" }
6

Cool, that works I guess, if they are just switches. I’m assuming this wouldn’t allow for total voice control, “Alex, play ___ on ___”? and everything would have to be defined as a switch? “Alex, turn PLAYLIST1 on” etc?

7

yes, I think that’s the case.

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You could use both side by side…echo for yer voice controlled music and squeeze for TTS and radio/music in alarm clock scenarios. Just sayin’ :wink:

9

True, one of the things I want to solve is how Alexa is not tied to the HA so it’s always two actions if it’s alexa controlled. “Alexa, turn on the tv” – “Alexa, turn off the music”
Should be
“Alexa, it’s tv time” and everything just happens.

Since the echo currently doesn’t allow this t I ran an experiment today to get closer. If I setup my audio system so that OH can control it (or an api) I can have my own custom Alexa skill to control everything. I setup a simple skill today to test my theory so now I can say, “Alexa, ask R2 to play music” which publishes an mqtt message to play music (doesn’t actually play but that part should be easy). I have R2 telling me jokes and turning on light combinations too but I have to deal with that small extra “tell R2” which might work until Alexa is opened up more. I chose R2 (after R2D2) because it’s short and cute but that could be any name really.

With this I think I’ll explore the Squeezebox server on RaspPi’s

10

Sigh I must admit the possibilities with Alexa and the like are way cool. But I still resent from all solutions that need Web/Cloud access to work. My home is my offline castle :wink:

11

Agree 100%, I cringe every time a packet leaves my house just to return a few milliseconds later. I’m just making sure nothing relies on it, that’s why I had to get rid of smartthings. If my Internet goes down everything works but voice control which I can live without. With that said though voice has become a pretty big part of my setup, we use it for most things now and when it doesn’t work (kid hit the power strip button) it’s noticed immediately. Music has been the last piece and this solution just might work [for now].

12

Demo, works pretty well. It would be faster but you can see since it’s a radio station it has to buffer. The terminal open is watching mqtt, you can see the /music/play topic get published and then the player starts.

1 Like
13

Sh*t this is cool. I think latest when you can choose your own keyword i will cave in :wink: