Spotify without the phone?

[Woodytoo]

Hi,

I am a novice owner of a Wiim Ultra. Nice piece of equipment that replaced one of my aging (and sticky) Squeezebox Touch.

On the whole I am quite happy with the device but there is one thing that confuses me. The Ultra has, right in its app, a nice interface for Tidal. I enter my credentials once and am able to use Tidal via the Ultra without needing anything else. Not so (AFAIK) with Spotify. If I want to use Spotify I am being transferred to the Spotify app on my phone, where I can select the Ultra as the device to output the audio on. Duh!

It makes me wonder why there isn't an in-app interface for Spotify, like there is for Tidal. Or am I missing something obvious?

 

[Lomax_hjs]

I think that's just the piece of software/api the developers of WiiM have to work with and that's different for all streaming services.

 

[hgo58]

Hi,

I am a novice owner of a Wiim Ultra. Nice piece of equipment that replaced one of my aging (and sticky) Squeezebox Touch.

On the whole I am quite happy with the device but there is one thing that confuses me. The Ultra has, right in its app, a nice interface for Tidal. I enter my credentials once and am able to use Tidal via the Ultra without needing anything else. Not so (AFAIK) with Spotify. If I want to use Spotify I am being transferred to the Spotify app on my phone, where I can select the Ultra as the device to output the audio on. Duh!

It makes me wonder why there isn't an in-app interface for Spotify, like there is for Tidal. Or am I missing something obvious?

Spotify don't provide an interface (API) that allow this integration and run on the OS used by WiiM (a Linux variant).

 

[Burnside]

Hi,

I am a novice owner of a Wiim Ultra. Nice piece of equipment that replaced one of my aging (and sticky) Squeezebox Touch.

On the whole I am quite happy with the device but there is one thing that confuses me. The Ultra has, right in its app, a nice interface for Tidal. I enter my credentials once and am able to use Tidal via the Ultra without needing anything else. Not so (AFAIK) with Spotify. If I want to use Spotify I am being transferred to the Spotify app on my phone, where I can select the Ultra as the device to output the audio on. Duh!

It makes me wonder why there isn't an in-app interface for Spotify, like there is for Tidal. Or am I missing something obvious?

Spotify support these days is most commonly implemented via Spotify Connect from the native Spotify app. In the past I think there were a few third party "in app" implementations but I'm not even sure if Spotify have an official API/SDK to facilitate that these days.

 

[Wiimer]

Hi,

I am a novice owner of a Wiim Ultra. Nice piece of equipment that replaced one of my aging (and sticky) Squeezebox Touch.

On the whole I am quite happy with the device but there is one thing that confuses me. The Ultra has, right in its app, a nice interface for Tidal. I enter my credentials once and am able to use Tidal via the Ultra without needing anything else. Not so (AFAIK) with Spotify. If I want to use Spotify I am being transferred to the Spotify app on my phone, where I can select the Ultra as the device to output the audio on. Duh!

It makes me wonder why there isn't an in-app interface for Spotify, like there is for Tidal. Or am I missing something obvious?

"Spotify without the phone?"

While Spotify is playing, open the WiiM app's playback screen, tap the three-dot icon, and register it as a preset.

Next time you can then play Spotify simply by pressing the preset button on the Ultra screen or remote.

 

[Woodytoo]

There must be some sort of API, as L(yrion)MS has a Spotify interface (Spotty) and had it for ages. Needs a bit of TLC from its creator but the result is more or less the same as the Tidal implementation on the Ultra. In fact Spotty is what I use atm, as I find the Wiim solution of running the Spotify phone app with the Ultra as its output suboptimal. I mean, what happened to 'Say goodbye to app-hopping; this all-in-one interface connects you to a plethora of popular music streaming services' I was promised on their site

But anyway, the reason for my question was to learn if I missed something, which apparently is not the case. Thanks!

 

[Burnside]

There must be some sort of API, as L(yrion)MS has a Spotify interface (Spotty) and had it for ages. Needs a bit of TLC from its creator but the result is more or less the same as the Tidal implementation on the Ultra. In fact Spotty is what I use atm, as I find the Wiim solution of running the Spotify phone app with the Ultra as its output suboptimal. I mean, what happened to 'Say goodbye to app-hopping; this all-in-one interface connects you to a plethora of popular music streaming services' I was promised on their site

But anyway, the reason for my question was to learn if I missed something, which apparently is not the case. Thanks!

Yeah, aware of that but it uses a reverse-engineered Spotify client which is technically against Spotify's terms of service, as mentioned in the plugin’s disclaimer. I doubt that WiiM would go down such a route…

 

[Woodytoo]

"Spotify without the phone?"

While Spotify is playing, open the WiiM app's playback screen, tap the three-dot icon, and register it as a preset.

Next time you can then play Spotify simply by pressing the preset button on the Ultra screen or remote.

That does work for one playlist which at least gives me the opportunity to let the rest of my household enjoy music while I get out. But as soon as you want something else you need the Spotify app again.

 

[Woodytoo]

Yeah, aware of that but it uses a reverse-engineered Spotify client which is technically against Spotify's terms of service, as mentioned in the plugin’s disclaimer. I doubt that WiiM would go down such a route…

Tidal it is, then

 

[HansD-NL]

There must be some sort of API, as L(yrion)MS has a Spotify interface (Spotty) and had it for ages. Needs a bit of TLC from its creator but the result is more or less the same as the Tidal implementation on the Ultra. In fact Spotty is what I use atm, as I find the Wiim solution of running the Spotify phone app with the Ultra as its output suboptimal. I mean, what happened to 'Say goodbye to app-hopping; this all-in-one interface connects you to a plethora of popular music streaming services' I was promised on their site

But anyway, the reason for my question was to learn if I missed something, which apparently is not the case. Thanks!

I would argue that running a "version" of Spotify in another app is sub-optimal. The Spotify native app has loads of functions that will never be as vast and well implemented in an external app. Spotify Connect works without opening another app first.
The same applies to Tidal, Qobuz and the like.

 

[Woodytoo]

I would argue that running a "version" of Spotify in another app is sub-optimal. The Spotify native app has loads of functions that will never be as vast and well implemented as an external app. Spotify Connect works without opening another app first.
The same applies to Tidal, Qobuz and the like.

You mean that I am able to use Spotify Connect without the Spotify app on my phone?? Then, how?

 

[HansD-NL]

You mean that I am able to use Spotify Connect without the Spotify app on my phone?? Then, how?

You mentioned that you don't like app-hopping. You don't need to open the WiiM home app first to play from Spotify, just one app, the Spotify app. Spotify will even ask you the next time if you want to continue listening on the WiiM.

 

[Woodytoo]

You mentioned that you don't like app-hopping. You don't need to open the WiiM home app first to play from Spotify, just one app, the Spotify app. Spotify will even ask you the next time if you want to continue listening on the WiiM.

I was promised no app hopping. Alas, impossible. No worries, I'll live, but better solutions exist!

 

[HansD-NL]

I was promised no app hopping. Alas, impossible. No worries, I'll live, but better solutions exist!

I was not worried about your survival for even a second.

 

[HansD-NL]

I forgot to mention: Another nice thing about Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer connect is that other users on a (home)network can use their own device to play music thru the WiiM just by their native apps and don't need the WiiM Home app installed at all.

 

[Burnside]

Reminds me of a local indie band called “We were promised jetpacks”

 

[Burnside]

I forgot to mention: A nice thing about Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz and Deezer connect is that other users on a (home)network can use their own device to play music thru the WiiM just by their native apps and don't need the WiiM Home app installed at all.

And Amazon Music AlexaCast…

I’d disagree about Deezer - I don’t believe it has a casting mechanism akin to the others, it’s more a remote control of another instance of the Deezer app running on another device. As the WiiM device isn’t running an instance of the Deezer app, it can’t be remote controlled by the Deezer app on your phone.

 

[HansD-NL]

And Amazon Music AlexaCast…

I’d disagree about Deezer - I don’t believe it has a casting mechanism akin to the others, it’s more a remote control of another instance of the Deezer app running on another device. As the WiiM device isn’t running an instance of the Deezer app, it can’t be remote controlled by the Deezer app on your phone.

You are right about Deezer connect, did not know the whole story and assumed thusly.
What a strange move from Deezer to now not even allow/support the previous messy workaround anymore -->

https://en.deezercommunity.com/product-updates/say-goodbye-to-deezer-connect-80661

 

[Burnside]

You are right about Deezer connect, did not know the whole story and assumed thusly.
What a strange move from Deezer to now not even allow/support the previous messy workaround anymore -->

https://en.deezercommunity.com/product-updates/say-goodbye-to-deezer-connect-80661

Thanks for that link, didn’t realise they had in fact canned it.

 

[harkpabst]

Yep, in the end there's no way around using the Spotify app. It doesn't have to be on a phone. It can also be running on a PC or on a Mac.

In fact Spotty is what I use atm, as I find the Wiim solution of running the Spotify phone app with the Ultra as its output suboptimal.

Just to make sure the concept is fully understood: Using Spotify Connect the app on your phone (or PC or Mac) ist not outputting anything to the WiiM Ultra. Spotify Connect instructs the WiiM Ultra which stream to load from what location. Once the music is playing there's no data passed through the phone to the WiiM device.

And yes again, this doesn't change the fact that you do need the Spotify app. Because that's the way Spotify wants it to be. I'm sure that WiiM would happily provide us with the same level of integration as they already do with services like Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music or Deezer.