WiiM Ultra Multiroom Questions

[noirOrion]

Apologies in advance for what may be super simple questions!

1. Can the WiiM Ultra transmit to Google Cast groups?
2. If yes to the above, can the WiiM Ultra output simultaneously to a Google Cast group and analog out?

 

[Mr Ee]

Apologies in advance for what may be super simple questions!

1. Can the WiiM Ultra transmit to Google Cast groups?
2. If yes to the above, can the WiiM Ultra output simultaneously to a Google Cast group and analog out?

Welcome.
An Ultra can be part of a chromecast group, as a receiver.

Maybe describe what you were thinking of doing / how you were thinking of using it.

 

[noirOrion]

Welcome.
An Ultra can be part of a chromecast group, as a receiver.

Maybe describe what you were thinking of doing / how you were thinking of using it.

For sure!

I was wondering if it would be appropriate/possible to send sources to either my listening room equipment (hardwired), equipment in other rooms (wireless via Google Chromecast), or both at the same time using the WiiM Ultra.

It sounds like I should perhaps think of the WiiM Ultra as more of a receiver than a transmitter. If that's the case, what's the standard method of sending physical inputs (e.g. turntable, CD player, tape player, etc.) throughout a multi-room system?

 

[Burnside]

The standard method is to group your Ultra with other WiiM devices. Even though the Ultra supports Chromecast, it can’t transmit to other Chromecast devices. However, if it’s part of a group with other Chromecast devices I.e. has been grouped in the Google Home app, you can send audio from your phone/tablet over Chromecast to all the devices in the group.

 

[Burnside]

And re your second question, WiiM devices can only support one output at a time although as said, it can’t output Chromecast just receive.

 

[noirOrion]

The standard method is to group your Ultra with other WiiM devices. Even though the Ultra supports Chromecast, it can’t transmit to other Chromecast devices. However, if it’s part of a group with other Chromecast devices I.e. has been grouped in the Google Home app, you can send audio from your phone/tablet over Chromecast to all the devices in the group.

Oh interesting. Is there another WiiM device (perhaps the mini?) that would be able to transmit audio from a turntable to a Chromecast group or to another WiiM device? If not, how might that normally be done?

 

[Burnside]

No WiiM device can transmit Chromecast, but any WiiM device can send its physical audio input to another WiiM device by grouping them e.g. if you connected your turntable to an Ultra, you could group it with another WiiM device and the audio would be output from each into whatever they were connected to, say an amp or active speaker.

WiiM are also developing a DLNA cast feature which will allow a WiiM device (except the Mini iirc) to send audio to multiple DLNA compatible speakers, but unfortunately not Chromecast devices.

 

[noirOrion]

No WiiM device can transmit Chromecast, but any WiiM device can send its physical audio input to another WiiM device by grouping them e.g. if you connected your turntable to an Ultra, you could group it with another WiiM device and the audio would be output from each into whatever they were connected to, say an amp or active speaker.

WiiM are also developing a DLNA cast feature which will allow a WiiM device (except the Mini iirc) to send audio to multiple DLNA compatible speakers, but unfortunately not Chromecast devices.

Ok, that makes sense.
Could you point me toward a video that covers WiiM grouping? I'm interested to see what that process looks like.

 

[Mr Ee]

Pretty simple really.
Press the Link icon next to one device, choose wiims ('children') to add to that 'parent' from a list. Whatever is played to the parent plays on the children too.
Note that, right now, they are not persistent groups, i.e. you add / remove wiims as and when wanted.

Edit: caveat - if you chromecast to the parent only the parent plays.

 

[noirOrion]

Is it possible to add a Bluetooth output to that same WiiM group? Or is that classified as another output type and, as Burnside said above, not eligible for simultaneous playback?

 

[Wiimer]

Is it possible to add a Bluetooth output to that same WiiM group? Or is that classified as another output type and, as Burnside said above, not eligible for simultaneous playback?

In my previous testing, it works fine when the parent device has Bluetooth output.

In my tests with the Pro (parent) and Mini (child), no audio was output from the Mini when both were set to Bluetooth output.

However, when Ultra was the parent, three units in the group, including Amp and Pro, were able to output via Bluetooth. (but only the Pro experienced sound interruption.)

However, this is the result of testing in my environment and you may not get the same result. In some cases, it may also be necessary to take into account delays caused by Bluetooth.