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Depending on how you feel about using outdated network hardware, an Apple AirPort Express functions as an AirPlay receiver, DAC, and USB to network printer adap

Depending on how you feel about using outdated network hardware, an Apple AirPort Express functions as an AirPlay receiver, DAC, and USB to network printer adapter. Have it join your existing network or, depending on the version, connect it via ethernet. The 1/8" stereo audio out has a fiber optic digital out in it if you want to BYO DAC. Using the network printer requires Bonjour for Windows. It generally works out of the box on most Linux distros.

maratc 4y ago
To add, it is readily available on eBay and costs less there than the usual price of Raspberry Pi.
woodruffw 4y ago
I didn't know AirPort Expresses could do that! That would definitely have been an option, if I owned one :-)
- JohnBooty 4y ago
  They are dirt cheap on eBay if you ever get the itch. No DLNA, though, which your current solution supports. So many guests would be left in the cold. But an Airport Express plus an RPi serving as a simple DLNA-to-Airplay bridge might be a way to go (Thank you for the great article, by the way!)
ezconnect 4y ago
Is there a minimum model that we need or even the first version is ok?
- daggersandscars 4y ago
  I'm not sure an 802.11g one will work -- I'm not sure it uses AirPlay to receive network audio. I'm not sure the first gen 802.11n will work either -- I have a second gen one and no longer have the older ones. Sorry.
buescher 4y ago
That's exactly how I would "modernize" the system. Maybe add a modern DSP equalizer for room correction, too - his receiver has two monitor loops.
- JohnBooty 4y ago
  Maybe add a modern DSP equalizer for room correction, too - his receiver has two monitor loops. Oooh, that's nice. I hate that most modern systems don't include these. DSP correction to compensate for speaker+room issues is just stunning when done well. Turns many cheap speakers into legitimate hifi.
gedy 4y ago
Thanks, had an 802.11n one sitting here and just tried, though seems like it doesn't want to join an existing network. Even when I had it create a network and joined, macos Ventura didn't seem to see it as Airplay device.
- daggersandscars 4y ago
  I have a similar setup and it works. Here's my info in case it helps. AirPort Express 802.11n 2nd gen running firmware 7.8.1. It's joined to my 5Ghz network using 802.11n. I have my home wifi configured with both 2.4 and 5Ghz networks and the AirPort Express is aware of both. Not sure if this makes a difference.
  - gedy 4y ago
    Thanks! Was old firmware, update did the trick.
AceJohnny2 4y ago
> Using the network printer requires Bonjour for Windows. Offtopic, but I'm shocked that Windows still doesn't support Bonjour/Zeroconf out-of-the-box. I guess RFC 6762/6763 aren't enough for them?
- vel0city 4y ago
  Windows does support zeroconf networking out of the box, just different flavors from what Apple does out of the box. NetBIOS and LLMNR are Zeroconf DNS/service advertising in the same vein as Bonjour.
  - AceJohnny2 4y ago
    AFAIK, NetBIOS & LLMNR handle only the hostname lookup. Zeroconf adds the crucial ability to advertise services (SSH, VNC, IPP...), so they're not really the same thing.
    - vel0city 4y ago
      They're most known for hostname lookup but they can also do service discovery. Although service discovery is then tied closr to things like SSDP or WSD. My Windows machine knows my home theater receiver is a home theater receiver and knows it's a DLNA and a web server running on it. My Windows machine knows my Brother printer is a printer and scanner and can auto configure the WSD drivers for it. My Windows machine can see my NAS and can know it has fileshares on it to access as well as knowing it has some DLNA functionality. It does this through zeroconf networking protocols. Different protocols from Bonjour, but it would be incorrect to say it does not have any zeroconf networking support out of the box.
SECProto 4y ago
It functions as an Airplay receiver, does it also function as DLNA receiver? A friend has some sort of Apple thing attached to his audio system, it works fine for streaming audio for anyone with itunes, but doesn't do anything for android folks.
- JohnBooty 4y ago
  That's the only (admittedly, a dealbreaker for many!) downside. It does not do DLNA.
- Smoosh 4y ago
  > some sort of Apple thing That is probably an AirPort Express: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPort_Express https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPort_Express
JohnBooty 4y ago
Apple AirPort Express I agree with you. It's absolutely the biggest bargain secret in the audio world. Glorious dirt cheap dead simple lossless 44.1/16 bit perfect streaming. Install one in every room for the world's easiest multiroom audio solution. They're available dirt cheap and in plentiful supply on eBay. The only drawback is a lot of apps don't work with Airplay directly on Windows, need a third-party sound driver app or whatever (it's been ages since I looked)

maratc 4y ago

To add, it is readily available on eBay and costs less there than the usual price of Raspberry Pi.

woodruffw 4y ago

I didn't know AirPort Expresses could do that! That would definitely have been an option, if I owned one :-)

JohnBooty 4y ago
They are dirt cheap on eBay if you ever get the itch. No DLNA, though, which your current solution supports. So many guests would be left in the cold. But an Airport Express plus an RPi serving as a simple DLNA-to-Airplay bridge might be a way to go (Thank you for the great article, by the way!)

ezconnect 4y ago

Is there a minimum model that we need or even the first version is ok?

daggersandscars 4y ago
I'm not sure an 802.11g one will work -- I'm not sure it uses AirPlay to receive network audio. I'm not sure the first gen 802.11n will work either -- I have a second gen one and no longer have the older ones. Sorry.

buescher 4y ago

That's exactly how I would "modernize" the system. Maybe add a modern DSP equalizer for room correction, too - his receiver has two monitor loops.

JohnBooty 4y ago
Maybe add a modern DSP equalizer for room correction, too - his receiver has two monitor loops. Oooh, that's nice. I hate that most modern systems don't include these. DSP correction to compensate for speaker+room issues is just stunning when done well. Turns many cheap speakers into legitimate hifi.

gedy 4y ago

Thanks, had an 802.11n one sitting here and just tried, though seems like it doesn't want to join an existing network. Even when I had it create a network and joined, macos Ventura didn't seem to see it as Airplay device.

daggersandscars 4y ago
I have a similar setup and it works. Here's my info in case it helps. AirPort Express 802.11n 2nd gen running firmware 7.8.1. It's joined to my 5Ghz network using 802.11n. I have my home wifi configured with both 2.4 and 5Ghz networks and the AirPort Express is aware of both. Not sure if this makes a difference.
- gedy 4y ago
  Thanks! Was old firmware, update did the trick.

AceJohnny2 4y ago

> Using the network printer requires Bonjour for Windows. Offtopic, but I'm shocked that Windows still doesn't support Bonjour/Zeroconf out-of-the-box. I guess RFC 6762/6763 aren't enough for them?

vel0city 4y ago
Windows does support zeroconf networking out of the box, just different flavors from what Apple does out of the box. NetBIOS and LLMNR are Zeroconf DNS/service advertising in the same vein as Bonjour.
- AceJohnny2 4y ago
  AFAIK, NetBIOS & LLMNR handle only the hostname lookup. Zeroconf adds the crucial ability to advertise services (SSH, VNC, IPP...), so they're not really the same thing.
  - vel0city 4y ago
    They're most known for hostname lookup but they can also do service discovery. Although service discovery is then tied closr to things like SSDP or WSD. My Windows machine knows my home theater receiver is a home theater receiver and knows it's a DLNA and a web server running on it. My Windows machine knows my Brother printer is a printer and scanner and can auto configure the WSD drivers for it. My Windows machine can see my NAS and can know it has fileshares on it to access as well as knowing it has some DLNA functionality. It does this through zeroconf networking protocols. Different protocols from Bonjour, but it would be incorrect to say it does not have any zeroconf networking support out of the box.

SECProto 4y ago

It functions as an Airplay receiver, does it also function as DLNA receiver? A friend has some sort of Apple thing attached to his audio system, it works fine for streaming audio for anyone with itunes, but doesn't do anything for android folks.

JohnBooty 4y ago
That's the only (admittedly, a dealbreaker for many!) downside. It does not do DLNA.
Smoosh 4y ago
> some sort of Apple thing That is probably an AirPort Express: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPort_Express https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AirPort_Express

JohnBooty 4y ago

Apple AirPort Express I agree with you. It's absolutely the biggest bargain secret in the audio world. Glorious dirt cheap dead simple lossless 44.1/16 bit perfect streaming. Install one in every room for the world's easiest multiroom audio solution. They're available dirt cheap and in plentiful supply on eBay. The only drawback is a lot of apps don't work with Airplay directly on Windows, need a third-party sound driver app or whatever (it's been ages since I looked)