Make Wiim Pro the Windows 11 system default

[Namklak]

My Wiim Pro is connected via ethernet to my network, and optical out to my A/V receiver. We stream almost all our music from a Win11 PC, works (mostly) great with Tidal, Spotify, Foobar2000 (for music on my network), etc.

1) how do I make the Wiim the Win11 PC default sound output device? From Windows 11 System > Sound, I click Add Device > "Everything else" (which include DLNA), and it doesn't find the Wiim - what should I be doing? I don't want to run Bluetooth, I bought the WiiM to avoid the compression of Bluetooth CODECs

2) Why does my WiiM just disappear from Spotify sometimes? Very frustrating, as my wife and kid are non-technical, and just want it to "work". Should I give WiiM a static IP address?

Thanks,
-Namklak

 

[Burnside]

1) Despite DLNA being listed under "everything else" when you go to add a device, I don't get any of my DLNA devices showing, whether that be my WiiM devices, TV, amp, mini system or whatever even though they all appear elsewhere such as under media streaming. Nor can I find any "how to" solution on the net when I go searching for instructions. To be honest, if it were indeed possible, I'm sure I would have previously come across it in many forums and discussions about sending audio over the network from Windows systems. I fear the "everything else" description is wrong or the solution so obscure as to find an explanation impossible.

2) You could try setting a IP reservation on your router, but Spotify losing sight of target Connect speakers is unfortunately not uncommon. You could try rebooting the Wiim device in such instances

 

[hgo58]

1) how do I make the Wiim the Win11 PC default sound output device? From Windows 11 System > Sound, I click Add Device > "Everything else" (which include DLNA), and it doesn't find the Wiim - what should I be doing? I don't want to run Bluetooth, I bought the WiiM to avoid the compression of Bluetooth CODECs

I would think you can set up the PC as a DLNA Server and then access it with WiiM as the client (Home Music Share).

 

[Burnside]

I would think you can set up the PC as a DLNA Server and then access it with WiiM as the client (Home Music Share).

Yeah, all my DLNA devices appear under media streaming as devices which can access the PC’s media, but I’ve never seen any explanation of how you default all PC audio to them despite the ambiguous if not misleading legend under adding a device in the sound output settings. My money is on it not being possible.

 

[hgo58]

Yeah, all my DLNA devices appear under media streaming as devices which can access the PC’s media, but I’ve never seen any explanation of how you default all PC audio to them despite the ambiguous if not misleading legend under adding a device in the sound output settings. My money is on it not being possible.

The AI is saying the following for PC DLNA cast:

"Select "Open Sound settings".
Under "Output", choose the desired output device (speakers, headphones, etc.).
Ensure the volume is at an audible level. "

Not sure if that is correct. Could be interesting to try.

 

[Burnside]

The AI is saying the following for PC DLNA cast:

"Select "Open Sound settings".
Under "Output", choose the desired output device (speakers, headphones, etc.).
Ensure the volume is at an audible level. "

Not sure if that is correct. Could be interesting to try.

I tried it as inferred in my first response - it doesn’t work and that’s why I avoid ChatGPT etc like the plague for this type of query, unless it can link to a definitive method of doing it.

ChatGPT is also still telling users that they can airplay to HomePods speakers from WiiM devices and we all know that is nonsense too…

 

[jfbuk]

AFAIK windows does not support sending audio to a networked device as an identified audio output without 3rd party software being used (ignoring Bluetooth) so you can’t set it as a default.
You need to physically connect a Wiim to the PC. Direct analogue or via a USB DAC and then analogue to the Wiim

 

[Burnside]

AFAIK windows does not support sending audio to a networked device as an identified audio output without 3rd party software being used (ignoring Bluetooth) so you can’t set it as a default.
You need to physically connect a Wiim to the PC. Direct analogue or via a USB DAC and then analogue to the Wiim

Oh no, is AI wrong again?

 

[Doublej]

My AI says,

If you require automatic default DLNA target behavior, it may be necessary to:

• Use third-party DLNA server software (e.g., Plex, Serviio, Universal Media Server) that offers more fine-grained device targeting or automation.
• Script or automate the playback process using custom solutions, though this is not natively supported by Windows 11’s DLNA tools.

 

[Burnside]

My AI says,

If you require automatic default DLNA target behavior, it may be necessary to:

• Use third-party DLNA server software (e.g., Plex, Serviio, Universal Media Server) that offers more fine-grained device targeting or automation.
• Script or automate the playback process using custom solutions, though this is not natively supported by Windows 11’s DLNA tools.

Which really doesn’t shed much light on the OP’s opening query to make a WiiM device their Windows default sound device. You’d need a physical connection as per comment #7 which may not be convenient for the OP

 

[rubato]

AFAIK windows does not support sending audio to a networked device as an identified audio output without 3rd party software being used (ignoring Bluetooth) so you can’t set it as a default.
You need to physically connect a Wiim to the PC. Direct analogue or via a USB DAC and then analogue to the Wiim

On my Linux PC I use a Cubilux USB to TOSLINK converter, directly connected to the optical input on a WiiM Pro Plus. Avoids a couple of conversions to analog and back.

 

[Doublej]

Anything useful in this?

https://sound.stackexchange.com/questions/22921/stream-windows-audio-over-the-network

 

[jfbuk]

Anything useful in this?

https://sound.stackexchange.com/questions/22921/stream-windows-audio-over-the-network

I believe @d6jg has experience with using Icecast to stream over a local network. <aybe not this particular use case but similar

 

[d6jg]

I believe @d6jg has experience with using Icecast to stream over a local network. <aybe not this particular use case but similar

I did use a Pi with Liquidsoap/Icecast but latterly have swapped to a Pi with piCorePlayer which (with an appropriate ADC) has a built in module called pCP Streamer. Works perfectly and presents a URL in the format - http://xx.xx.xx.xx:9100/S16_LE/44100/2/F/?streamer - which is a 16/44.1 playable flac stream. I use a Behringer UCA202 connected to the Pi.

Unsure how you could use this as a Windows default though.

 

[d6jg]

If you want to stream the audio from a Windows PC use "Stream What You Hear" - the Rust re-write version https://github.com/dheijl/swyh-rs

 

[Burnside]

Depends on what purpose they’re being used for as network based solution like SWYH tend to buffer quite a bit and have latency issues as a result.

Tidal and Spotify already have good casting options - going down the route of a windows default sound output sounds unnecessarily unwieldy and problematic imho.

 

[d6jg]

Depends on what purpose they’re being used for as network based solution like SWYH tend to buffer quite a bit and have latency issues as a result.

Tidal and Spotify already have good casting options - going down the route of a windows default sound output sounds unnecessarily unwieldy and problematic imho.

I agree. Only use SWYH if the use case isn't covered by a specific app. For streaming local music files Foobar 2000 with the UPnP MediaRenderer plugin is a good option.

 

[Namklak]

Thanks for all the help.

(repeating the original post) Tidal, Foobar2000, Spotify are all working fine - I guess I am looking for streaming the audio from Chrome (or Edge on rare occasions). I can chromecast from Chrome to my TV, which is then connected to my a/v receiver using HDMI - but then my OLED TV is on.

It appears there is no way without 3rd party code, so that really answers my first question. One of my first programming mentors was a hacker by former trade, so I'm paranoid. But I will be looking at cloning the Rust rewrite of Stream What You Hear.... Maybe.

Ethernet is the only practical connection from my PC to the WiiM.

 

[Doublej]

What A/V receiver do you have?

 

[d6jg]

Thanks for all the help.

(repeating the original post) Tidal, Foobar2000, Spotify are all working fine - I guess I am looking for streaming the audio from Chrome (or Edge on rare occasions). I can chromecast from Chrome to my TV, which is then connected to my a/v receiver using HDMI - but then my OLED TV is on.

It appears there is no way without 3rd party code, so that really answers my first question. One of my first programming mentors was a hacker by former trade, so I'm paranoid. But I will be looking at cloning the Rust rewrite of Stream What You Hear.... Maybe.

Ethernet is the only practical connection from my PC to the WiiM.

It is a WiiM Pro right? Have you enabled Chromecast (Google Cast as WiiM refer to it) on it?