audio announce

[tpctech]

I have both a audible driveway sensor that announces and a audio door bell the announces over my house speakers. On my previous system I combined this audio with the whole house audio with an analog ducker. Now with WiiM I would want both to override what ever is playing and play the audio feed from the message player via a analog input or I could change to a different announce method using a contact closure from the door bell and driveway sensor. I saw there are issues using the line in on the WiiM to auto switch. I am not planning on using the HDMI input I guess a could get a HDMI audio embedder to try it that way or is there a better way to do this....using some other magic box.... Thanks

 

[Mr Ee]

Welcome.

Sorry, no solution to your requirement from me, except to say that I very much doubt an hdmi audio embedder will work - wiims need this to be arc, such as from a tv, not hdmi audio.

 

[rubato]

Since no one else has answered I will note, with no actual experience working with it, that there is a published HTTP API for Wiim devices. With the right server it might be possible to switch the input to line in, play the message into the aux port, and then switch the input back to "wifi" (includes ethernet) and resume. If this could be done using static HTML strings it might be possible with Google Home or as an Alexa skill, but again, I have not tried any of this.

HTTP API for WiiM Products

 

[Burnside]

You might be able to do it to a degree with an Alexa routine, using an Alexa compatible trigger device. In the example below, I used motion detection from my Blink doorbell to say the phrase shown on my WiiM Pro (which I have renamed as “coax” in the Alexa app) while playing music on it from the usb disk attached to my WiiM Amp. I also initially tried it with an Amazon music stream started by Alexa, and that’s why I added the wait and the resume actions, but I don’t think it’s necessary as it seemed to resume the music immediately anyway.

Alexa routines can also play sounds, or music for a specified duration, so the routine perhaps could be enhanced to make the interruption more prominent.

If you’re familiar with Alexa routines, I couldn’t use the announcement action (or the feature under the doorbell settings) as the WiiM Pro doesn’t appear there - just “real” echo devices.

It’s probably worth trying out before you start delving into APIs, HTTP, Home Assistant etc.