I apologize for making a thread just about this, but I am at my wits end. I am a simple man. I have simple needs. I thought meeting those needs would be easy, because they are simple, but the more I look into it the harder it looks, and I have just about run out of patience.
The situation is this: I have a computer in my bedroom. From this computer, I wish to stream audio to a speaker in my living room, without running a cord across the entire apartment.
That's it, that's all I want to do - stream audio from computer A to speaker B across WiFi network C. I don't want to buy an entire home stereo setup. I don't want to go through useless middleware that only supports music that was licensed to your company; I want to be able to play any sound that my computer can make across this device from whatever mixture of mongolian finger painting montage OSTs and fart noises that I please. I don't want to use Bluetooth because it won't reach that far, and if I have to buy an extension cord for a Bluetooth adapter I'm just going to run a fucking hardwire the whole way.
I am legitimately starting to think that my best option is to buy a cheap used laptop and use it as a hub to stream through. And that's fucking retarded. I did find one really expensive audio extender that uses radio waves, but user reviews said it gets crowded out by WiFi signals because it's on the 2.4ghz bandwidth and I expect that bandwidth to be very crowded in my apartment complex.
I don't know what to do. I am a simple man, Jow Forums. I just want to listen to my tibetan collage flipbook OSTs (or whatever else I please) in my living room without having an ugly wire through the whole place. Please advise. (For what it's worth, I don't have the speaker yet either. A solution that can connect to any speaker would be ideal, but I am not against a purpose built device if it actually does just little more than stream audio over WiFi and is cheap.)
Do you have a TV? Usual set up is Desktop with streaming software like Plex going to a smart TV or streaming box.
Joseph Howard
I just googled 'speaker' and picked a vanilla, boring image to use to start the thread. I apologize if it offends your senses.
Jaxon Williams
Half read the OP but >I apologize for making a thread just about this, This board has been absolute garbage for months and I'm glad to see any thread that isn't Jow Forums garbage, consumerist shitflinging or half naked thot OPs with dumbfuck questions the poster didn't even try to Google.
Based on what I did read, if you have a smart TV you could probably cast the audio to that then hook up your speakers to the TV
What are (((you))) even on about this time
Isaiah Martinez
I do not actually own a TV, and I don't see myself getting one set up any time soon either. Generally speaking if I want to watch something I watch it from my computer.
Actually, on the TV line of thought, what if I get some sort of streaming box set up... and I only use the audio out connected to a speaker? Overdesigned, but at least it actually does what needs to be done, and probably would be pretty cheap.
William Lewis
What about a Chromecast audio? You will be able to stream from VLC, Spotify, YouTube and other streaming sites, if that's your thing. I personally dislike Chromecasts but in your case it seems to be the ticket.
Hmm, in that case better disregard the standard route. Yeah, I guess the cheap laptop would probably be your best bet. A tablet or old phone would do as well. Anything that can run a streaming client you're satisfied with. You don't have any old devices lying around? Bad idea, unless you have an extra HDMI monitor just lying around. You need a screen to use a streaming box.
Brody White
Yeah never mind the streaming box shit, user. The Chromecast audio was basically made for you.
Hunter Hughes
If you're going to phonepost do it right Is running wire under carpet or something really need an option?
So a streaming box won't stream at all if the audio isn't plugged in? Can't split it to component out? How do people use these with home theater setups, then?
Can chromecast be set up to stream any audio I want? Spotify, YouTube etc are right out, I have zero interest in having to listen to ads while listening to music, and there are a large number of soundtracks and bands that I have and enjoy that aren't on YouTube any more because of copyright bullshit.
I initially dismissed Chromecast for that reason, but you mention VLC, which makes me think maybe I overlooked something.
>Is running wire under carpet or something really need an option? Considering I have hardwood floors, no, I literally cannot run a wire under the carpet. Also it's an apartment, so running them through the walls is also a bad idea.
Jeremiah Rodriguez
Chrome cast or Raspberry pi
Thomas Anderson
Not an option * Download your music you twat, aside form being convienently available, anything 320kpbs or VBR (FLAC is a meme) will be infinitely higher than YouTube. If you put the music on your phone you could also use the phone as a hotspot for streaming assuming data charges won't rape you
Lincoln Nguyen
Yeah, since version 3 I believe VLC has Chromecast support. Other user has just mentioned a RPi, I have used one for a while but the audio quality isn't quite there although maybe the new model has improved on that regard.
Jose Wood
But I do download my music. That's the problem. I have a decades old library of music, a lot of which isn't available on streaming sites any more because of obscurity and/or copyright bullshit.
Okay, looking into chromecast, that looks like pretty much exactly what I want. I had thought it was just a GooglePlay device, and that made my mouth fill with bite sized chunks of vomit, but this is pretty good. Thanks for the tip, I'll get on getting that ordered and setup, then.
Streaming boxes are designed to be controlled directly. They come with a remote and you are expected to plug em in to a TV and drive em directly, like a cable box or a DVD player. If you had a TV it would be a fine idea. You want the Chromecast.
Dominic Morales
Misread then, my bad. Can you not do the hotspot thing though
Jason Morgan
>That's the problem YOU are the problem.
Hunter White
Be careful with that chromecast though, I didn't want my family hearing anime girls but my oversized finger did me in
Isaiah Davis
Your oversized finger? Fatfingered an option, did you?
Also, I live alone. So at best I could accidentally annoy the upstairs neighbor. Oh no, whatever will I do. It's not like she doesn't get stone drunk every other Sunday and get into knock-down drag-out fights with her boyfriend then. She can deal with a little accidental kawaii uguu if I fatfinger something.
