Newbie Questions about WiiM with multiple audio endpoints and Home Assistant/LMS

[regregoryallen]

I’m trying to wrap my head around all the configuration options and possibilities with the WiiM ecosystem. In particular, I’m not completely certain I understand what can be distributed via multi-room with WiiM devices (e.g. a WiiM Pro and a couple of Minis). I’d appreciate if someone could enlighten me on a couple of points.

From reading the manuals and such, I know that under some circumstances, a WiiM Pro (or Ultra or Amp), can accept an audio input and distribute the audio out to multiple endpoints, including attached speakers and remote Minis. My main concern is if that works with all inputs, with examples like:

• Line-in (analog) to Pro and synced audio output on all WiiM devices
• Plex played via WiiM and output on all WiiM devices
• SqueezePlayer output to WiiM Pro and distributed to all WiiM devices
• If I’m using LMS to play my music, I understand that I can sync between the WiiM Pro and other squeezelite players, but can I integrate the WiiM Mini’s via the WiiM Pro without a UPnP/DLNA Bridge (which I believe introduces sync issues)?

I’m also a Home Assistant user. But I have not extensively integrated music playback into my HA set up. Are there any best practices for HA integration that the WiiM community recommends? I see that there are options to use the LinkPlay integration, as well as Music Assistant or LMS.

Thanks for your insights!
Roger

 

[Burnside]

Off the top of my head, the Pro should sync the audio from all the sources you mention to linked minis - if I recall, the only issue would be if you were trying to Chromecast to the Pro, that wouldn’t work as the Mini doesn’t support Chromecast.

I’m not 100% sure of the difference though between points three and four. The sync issue you mention re UPNP bridge only occurs I believe if you’re trying to sync squeezelite players within LMS, not using WiiM/linkplay groups.

 

[regregoryallen]

Thanks for the input. It helps.

To clarify my meaning on the last two points:

I understand that if I play directly from LMS to a Mini, then I'd be using the bridge and syncing would be an issue. What I'm not sure about is if I play from LMS to the Pro, with WiiM grouping (i.e. MRM) instead of LMS grouping, can that audio also play to the Mini's from the Pro (essentially passing through the LMS audio, not creating an LMS group with the Minis) and therefore, maintain the sync.

 

[Burnside]

Hi, I’ve just tried linking two WiiM devices (both of which happen to support the squeezelite client) in the WiiM app and it looks as if the audio isn’t passed from one to the other when the LMS sends a stream to the first. I would have expected it to do so so I’ve bug reported it to WiiM and will let you know the outcome.

 

[simbun]

Hi, I’ve just tried linking two WiiM devices (both of which happen to support the squeezelite client) in the WiiM app and it looks as if the audio isn’t passed from one to the other when the LMS sends a stream to the first.

I wonder if it's because Lyrion/Squeezelite needs to control the timing/sync? If you were to play to the WiiM group over the UPnP bridge it should work.

 

[pjn]

Hi, I’ve just tried linking two WiiM devices (both of which happen to support the squeezelite client) in the WiiM app and it looks as if the audio isn’t passed from one to the other when the LMS sends a stream to the first. I would have expected it to do so so I’ve bug reported it to WiiM and will let you know the outcome.

Will be interested to know the outcome of this. It's the first thing I tried last year when I purchased 2 WiiM devices to use as dedicated LMS endpoints. I assumed that we're supposed to use the native LMS grouping rather than the WiiM implementation, so didn't query it at the time. Would be convenient if WiiM could handle it instead though.

 

[Burnside]

Will be interested to know the outcome of this. It's the first thing I tried last year when I purchased 2 WiiM devices to use as dedicated LMS endpoints. I assumed that we're supposed to use the native LMS grouping rather than the WiiM implementation, so didn't query it at the time. Would be convenient if WiiM could handle it instead though.

WiiM have come back to say:

“Please note that LMS has its own grouping function, which is currently not compatible with the group feature in the WiiM Home app.

If you would like to play LMS on two devices simultaneously, we recommend using the grouping function within LMS.”

 

[pjn]

WiiM have come back to say:

“Please note that LMS has its own grouping function, which is currently not compatible with the group feature in the WiiM Home app.

If you would like to play LMS on two devices simultaneously, we recommend using the grouping function within LMS.”

Thanks for the update.

 

[regregoryallen]

Well, that sounds like it answers that part of my question: The only way to play LMS out to more than one WiiM device is to group from the LMS side (which I believe is analgous to the Chromecast and Alexa behavior, as well). That leaves only the UPnP bridge to play on Mini's and I haven't seen anyone who has overcome the sync/delay issues there.

So, it seems that leaves the only option for LMS multiroom audio with WiiM devices would be to use only WiiM devices that natively support LinkPlay LMS (which leaves out the more affordable Mini), possibly in conjuction with other squeezelite players (i.e. piCorePlayer). It's disappointing, but not too suprizing. Now I have to rethink my audio build.

Thanks for everyone's help on this.
--Roger

 

[Burnside]

Well, that sounds like it answers that part of my question: The only way to play LMS out to more than one WiiM device is to group from the LMS side (which I believe is analgous to the Chromecast and Alexa behavior, as well). That leaves only the UPnP bridge to play on Mini's and I haven't seen anyone who has overcome the sync/delay issues there.

So, it seems that leaves the only option for LMS multiroom audio with WiiM devices would be to use only WiiM devices that natively support LinkPlay (which leaves out the more affordable Mini), possibly in conjuction with other squeezelite players (i.e. piCorePlayer). It's disappointing, but not too suprizing. Now I have to rethink my audio build.

Thanks for everyone's help on this.
--Roger

Guess there’s a typo when you say Linkplay - think you mean the squeezelite client or LMS…

 

[simbun]

Well, that sounds like it answers that part of my question: The only way to play LMS out to more than one WiiM device is to group from the LMS side (which I believe is analgous to the Chromecast and Alexa behavior, as well).

You should be able to group all your WiiMs in the WHA and play to the group from LMS using the UPnP bridge.

 

[Burnside]

You should be able to group all your WiiMs in the WHA and play to the group from LMS using the UPnP bridge.

So ignoring the inbuilt squeezelite client, but using the UPNP Bridge enabled version of devices instead? Would that have more likelihood of being in sync?

 

[simbun]

So ignoring the inbuilt squeezelite client, but using the UPNP Bridge enabled version of devices instead? Would that have more likelihood of being in sync?

Yes it should be in sync. It's just like playing to a group from BubbleUPnP.

 

[Burnside]

Yes it should be in sync. It's just like playing to a group from BubbleUPnP.

I’ll need to give that a try, can’t quite get my head round it. So you’d have the devices grouped in both the WiiM app and in LMS? If they’re grouped in LMS, why would you need them grouped in the WiiM app? And isn’t there a danger of things getting confused if they’re grouped in both setups?

 

[simbun]

I’ll need to give that a try, can’t quite get my head round it. So you’d have the devices grouped in both the WiiM app and in LMS? If they’re grouped in LMS, why would you need them grouped in the WiiM app? And isn’t there a danger of things getting confused if they’re grouped in both setups?

You'd only group them in the WHA, and play to the UPnP interface of the WiiM group from LMS.
All you're doing is telling WiiM to play this track from this URL and WiiM sync does the rest.

 

[Burnside]

You'd only group them in the WHA, and play to the UPnP interface of the WiiM group from LMS.
All you're doing is telling WiiM to play this track from this URL and WiiM sync does the rest.

Ok, think I’m with you - play to the UPNP Bridge instance of the main speaker in the Linkplay group. I’ll give that a bash…

 

[regregoryallen]

Guess there’s a typo when you say Linkplay - think you mean the squeezelite client or LMS…

Yes! Just reading too many different things with too many terms jumbled in by brain!