New to WiiM - need help/recommendation

[stuntflyer]

Hi

Just heard about WiiM and know little about it.

My use case is this.

I have a number of IP cameras connected to a video mgmt system (BlueIris) in one of our buildings. I have two buildings on our network connected over a 150MB radio link which works wonderfully.

One building has an analog audio system installed. I want to connect that existing analog audio system (line out) to a device that can bring that audio across our existing network to the second building where I have a PC connected to a projector. The end game is to display one of the cameras from Building A on a projector screen in building B, but the mic in the camera is garbage and it would be much better to connect to the existing audio system. So, I want to take line out from existing audio system, feed it into a device (WiiM??) and then decode that audio on a remote PC in the second building. Does WiiM have the capability to do this? Note I have the video part of this already working, just looking for better quality audio - So ideally a device connected to the remote PC that can decode the audio encoded from the legacy analog audio system in building A. Most of what I have read about WiiM seems to focus on taking audio streams from Internet sources like Spotify, Pandora etc. I want to have my own audio source.

 

[Brantome]

You potentially could use the analog inputs on a WiiM Pro or Pro Plus, or even the WiiM Mini at a push. Normally a WiiM device would then output its signal to its analog RCA or digital coax or optical outputs into an amp, for example. Or even Bluetooth, or in the case of the Pro and Pro Plus, AirPlay.

However, if you had a WiiM device at each end (even a WiiM Mini, but preferably a Pro or Pro Plus again, at the PC end) both on the same IP network and grouped those WiiM devices together in the WiiM Home app, you could then “play” the input at the camera end on the output at the PC end. As long as you have a corresponding audio input on the PC, it could then play the audio.

 

[stuntflyer]

Sort of what I figured - so the WiiM Pro at the PC (display/output/projector end) shows up as a sound device on the remote PC I have driving the projector correct? I guess I can probably bypass the PC altogether and go straight to the Amp at the display end since that is what the PC is feeding anyway.

 

[Brantome]

Sort of what I figured - so the WiiM Pro at the PC (display/output/projector end) shows up as a sound device on the remote PC I have driving the projector correct? I guess I can probably bypass the PC altogether and go straight to the Amp at the display end since that is what the PC is feeding anyway.

No, the WiiM at the PC end wouldn’t appear as a sound device as such, just as audio on the PC’s mic/audio input device it’s cabled into. But if all you want to do is feed another amp, then the PC doesn’t need to get involved - you’d just take the analog or digital output from that WiiM straight into your amp. The source WiiM could also have one of its outputs feeding an amp there too, all you’re doing is grouping WiiM devices on your network with each feeding whatever amp you wish, being fed by a source (analog, streaming service etc) from one of them.

 

[Brantome]

It’s like the multiroom scénario described in section 9 of the WiiM Pro manual viz. https://wiimhome.com/pdf/WiiM Pro User Manual.pdf?v=111#page30

You would be able to do it with a pair of WiiM Minis, but their bigger siblings have better connectivity, more features, more power and are arguably more futureproof.

 

[stuntflyer]

So sorry - just to clarify - do I need TWO WiiM Pro units or just one at the encoding side? Below is a diagram of what I am trying to do. Is there a way to sync the audio to the video coming off the network camera?

 

[Brantome]

You'd need a WiiM device at both ends - the source WiiM wouldn't be able to see your PC as a target device/speaker. Re sync, the WiiM devices couldn't do that themselves, you'd need the camera or PC to do that if possible similar to the lip sync feature you'd have on a TV or AVR