Chromecast alternative or similar for HD audio

[herculepirate]

I am currently using Chromecast ultra to cast music from Spotify and SqueezeServer.

Is there an alternative to Chromecast ultra that can handle HD audio (24bit 96khz and above)

Let’s leave RPI options alone since it’s absolutely flaky.

Any options?

 

[Chrispy]

Define HD audio....

 

[herculepirate]

Anything above 24bit 96khz

 

[herculepirate]

Any options ?

 

[Chrispy]

Nothing I can think of 24/96 is more than enough for my purposes. Even 16/44.1 works quite well and is HD, altho not higher resolution that 24/96 could represent. What are your sources?

 

[staticV3]

Is there an alternative to Chromecast ultra that can handle HD audio (24bit 96khz and above)

the Chromecast Audio can do 24/96, but it's only available used or refurbished

 

[Vacceo]

Nvidia shield perhaps?

 

[Plcamp]

I have been having problems with my chromecast ultra (unstable with temperature), and I know why.

Under that steel cap are devices trying to be cooled through the case, which works OK only so long as the thermal material between the steel cap and the hot device under it remains stable.

But it doesn’t. It flows over time…diminishing the heatsink effect over time if the device is hanging vertically.

It’s the same story under the PCB, with another device.

I will fix mine and provide more photos if anyone is interested. Might actually add heatsinks.

You only need a torx screwdriver to dissemble

 

[Plcamp]

Yep, that’s what it was. Replaced compound under both ‘cans’ and it’s working well again. Loads of old dry compound taken out.

 

[jamescarter1982]

this is helpfull .I thought this might be the problem I'm having with mine could you leave the case open if uts tucked away somewhere out of the way ?

 

[Apesbrain]

WiiM Mini or Pro. You'll need the "UPnP/DLNA bridge" plugin.

Let’s leave RPI options alone since it’s absolutely flaky.

Nonsense. RPi is the preferred modern client for LMS.

 

[Pat]

WiiM Mini or Pro. You'll need the "UPnP/DLNA bridge" plugin.


Nonsense. RPi is the preferred modern client for LMS.

And ropieee is an excellent and super stable endpoint for Roon and LMS.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

WiiM Mini or Pro. You'll need the "UPnP/DLNA bridge" plugin.


Nonsense. RPi is the preferred modern client for LMS.

Disclaimer: I have several Pis that I use for audio. I've never found them flaky. Sometimes the audio software has bugs although the open source software is under constant development if it's under development at all. Moode, for example, has an active forum where the main programmer is available daily. He responds to questions courteously and identifies bugs. I can't perceive the difference between minimum Nyquist frequency audio--e. g. CDs--and higher resolution myself. I've also seen my audiogram so I know I'm not the best judge of sound quality. I know hi-res is useful for editing audio.

 

[Apesbrain]

Sometimes the audio software has bugs

piCorePlayer has been rock solid for years as a player and/or a server.

 

[anome]

Nonsense. RPi is the preferred modern client for LMS

I have numerous SBC acting as LMS clients, not one is a Pi, due to the obvous shorcomings of the Pi over the years.

 

[Apesbrain]

I have numerous SBC acting as LMS clients, not one is a Pi, due to the obvous shorcomings of the Pi over the years.

Please use what you like, but in my experience the only "obvious shortcoming" of the Pi running piCorePlayer as an LMS player is that you currently can't find one!

P.S. For anyone interested, WiiM has just released into beta native squeezelite support in firmware for the WiiM Pro. This is a great development for LMS users who do not want to tinker with an RPi or other SBC.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

piCorePlayer has been rock solid for years as a player and/or a server.

I'm not sure of that. I use it a lot and like it but I've encountered problems from time to time that require rebooting the server.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

Please use what you like, but in my experience the only "obvious shortcoming" of the Pi running piCorePlayer as an LMS player is that you currently can't find one!

P.S. For anyone interested, WiiM has just released into beta native squeezelite support in firmware for the WiiM Pro. This is a great development for LMS users who do not want to tinker with an RPi or other SBC.

The Pi shortage is starting to ease. rpilocator has many more available listings. Few are in the US. I know that there's a Bay Area computer store that currently has several hundred PI 4 4GB units at list price. Digikey had 1200 of the same model a couple of weeks ago and took about a week to sell out. Zeros are cropping up on all the US authorized dealers. The scalper prices on Amazon have gone down to as little as 20% over list.

 

[anome]

Pi running piCorePlayer

This is a very different statement than the one to which I replied where you assert that the Pi is the preferred client. I would suggest that the Pi on an apples to apples comparison (SBC to SBC) would not rise to a top choice, or even a preferred option, due to the well known / documented design issues and HW licensing decisions (model dependent). Very different criteria if one desires a turnkey offerring of HW and SW and has to take what the purveyor chooses to offer.