Air Play on server for Windows / Android

[bthere79]

hello everyone,

I was wondering if anybody was able to use Air Play effectively with the music server. I have Windows and Android devices and this seems only to work properly with Apple devices.

I tried installing iTunes on my PC and it does indeed work however it's very limited functionality. 

Loxone advertises Air Parrot which I tried but it can't really cope with multi-zone configurations (as confirmed by their support team) and for me didn't work at all. I'm not sure why Loxone even mention it as an option.

I wasn't able to find anything to work on Android at all.

Any advice will be very welcome. Is there a way to get Chromecast on the server for instance?

Thanks again!

[Stefan L]

I use Chromecast Audio as audio source input to my Elan system but it is not ideal. 

You manage the Chromecast units in the Google Home app and the wired speakers in Elan. 

Not ideal but it works. 

If you can pick up the audio source in LoxServer you should be able to broadcast it through AirParrot as they say though.. Or just run Airparrot on separate machine
It is amazing that affordable multi-room audio is still a challenge in 2020. 

[bthere79]

thanks Stefan, although unless I misinterpreted your response I think I'm trying to do the opposite, broadcast from PC / phone to the server. I have wired speakers already so I don't need air play to broadcast from the server

[Stefan L]

In that case you have analogue inputs on the loxone server, right? Just use an airport express or another 3rd party input. Maybe I am missing something :-)

[bthere79]

sorry could you elaborate on that as I'm not sure I'm following.

Isn't airplay already integrated in the server, would using an airport express add any further functionality?

The problem is that airplay is not really compatible with windows and android. It all works fine if you have all apple devices but it doesn't if you don't (and I don't). Are you (or anyone here) able to stream from windows/android to the music server?

Or possibly it's all straightforward and I'm missing something? :-)

thanks 

[Duncan]

as far as i can gather, the airplay in the music server is there to make airplay compatible output devices appear as external zones, so some airplay speakers can be used as a player for the music server, similarly there is facility to support upnp/dlna players in a similar manner

it doesnt seem to provide a method to stream to music server zones from an apple or other device, unless you stream to an external receiver endpoint which is plugged into the music server line in

the music server alternative musicserver4lox (based on the same LMS server internally) can use the sharetunes2w plugin to make each music zone (internal or external) appear as a airtunes compatible receiver, but i dont think there is any way of installing extra plugings into the LMS server hidden within the loxone music server.

 

[bthere79]

Hi,

I'm sure it can also be used for what you mention but it's incorrect to say it doesn't seem to provide a method to stream to the server unless you install additional plugins or user alternative server settings. This is shown in the foundation video and as per the music server documentation on their website:

Stream Music Wirelessly via AirPlay
Time to get the party started! Send music from your AirPlay-enabled devices (iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Mac) straight to the Loxone MusicServer. With AirPlay you also have access to an unlimited number of music services from the AppStore.

With services such as AirParrot, AirPlay can also be used on Windows devices.

As I mentioned this only works on my PC if I install and use iTunes. But apart from that, there's no other way to make it work, (Air Parrot doesn't work, and I don't know why they mention it), I don't know why they think everyone would use Apple devices, especially in Europe. I was curious to see if anybody managed to make streaming work somehow.

Thanks 

[Duncan]

yes, i can see i got the apple bit the wrong way round - stream from apple to server and upnp out, rather than stream to apple output devices

do you have an apple device? if you open airplay on an apple device, do you see all the music server zones and can select one? if so, then apple airplay is working as advertised

there are a few apps to stream to airplay receivers from android phones but i havnt tested any - one is called airsync and works with the same authors media player doubletwist which is fairly good

https://www.maketecheasier.com/stream-from-android-airplay/

https://www.knowyourmobile.com/user-guides/the-10-best-airplay-apps-for-android-that-don-t-suck/

[bthere79]

I don't have any apple devices. 

As i said, it works if I install itunes on my PC, so the server is doing what's supposed to be doing but functionality is incredibly limited.

I'm looking for someone who's found successful workarounds or programs that work that will allow usable functionality from windows or android. 

Air Parrot does not work, all android apps that I've tried do not work either.

[Duncan]

which android apps have you tried?

ive got 2 running - 

1 is allstream that requires rooting your phone (probably not ideal)

2 is doubletwist pro - this streams to all my airplay devices from my android phone and also syncs the itunes playlists/music from my pc to my android devices over wifi - i have a samsung s8 and chinese android 8 car player that keep their music sync'd with my itunes playslists

[Stefan L]

You could add a ChromeCast (Audio) to one of your inputs to achieve native Android support. Chrome Browser on the PC allows you to send from the PC to the ChromeCast. ChromeCast is also (IMHO) preferred to Airplay because the CC takes over the stream compared to airplay that keeps the stream through your device. 

[bthere79]

Hi Stefan,

do you know how that could be done? Do I need an adapter or something? Forgive the silly question.

thanks!

[bthere79]

anyone has any idea or suggestion on this by any chance?

[Stefan L]

I just use the Chromecast Audio (Hardware) on one of the analogue inputs. This is the easiest way. The  Chromecast Audio  is discontinued so buy a used one on ebay or similar. You can also use a regular chromecast but then you ned a HDMI to Analogue audio extractor.  

[bthere79]

i'll give it a go, thanks!