#Stream to Bluetooth speaker from HA Voice PE

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

tough rapids
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Hello guys, is there any way we can stream audio from HA Voice to external Bluetooth speakers?
I know that there’s an headphone jack, but some devices doesn’t have an input jack and, instead, they support audio input from Bluetooth.
In this way maybe we can avoid replacing all my Amazon Echos just to use HA voice!
I know also there’s an ESP32 firmware that allows this function (squeezeboxlite), so I’m asking if there’s a way to “merge” these firmwares.

split zinc
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No. There's no way ESP32 will support both satellite functions and Bluetooth connection.

tough rapids
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Why? HW limits or something else? Are you sure about that?

split zinc
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Yes i'm sure. It's hardware limits. Bluetooth on ESP is heavy thing and always was. Also it sints on same antenna WiFi is.

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I wrote enough BLE-related stuff for ESPHome to know that it's heavy lifting.

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So either we wait for something specific (like, probably Espressif will introduce new chip with dedicated Bluetooth sub-processor), or make multi-chip boards.

tough rapids
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Thanks a lot for the quick answers and for sharing your knowledge. I didn’t think about such an adapter, I’ll give it a try! I don’t think I’m the only one with a lot of Echos in the house, in the process of finding a way to reuse them for HA Voice….

split zinc
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Yeah, I tried too 🙂 then just sold them in a bulk on FB marketplace...

quartz pulsar
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We’ll never say never guys. I’m doing a little project on my own to repurpose some old Bluetooth and some wired devices. But with my particular setup Bluetooth would be a novelty that you’d need to at least keep pairing devices as speakers usually disconnect if there’s no audio for a while. But anyway, I’m using m5 atom echo devices, and I’m porting the audio out to an i2c dac before either plugging it directly into a speaker or using a Bluetooth transmitter to be able to have a mobile solution with practically any Bluetooth personal speaker. Currently waiting on some pcbs to make it the slow way from china, but my DuPont cabled prototypes are working just fine.

split zinc
quartz pulsar
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Just a dac. Using an external transmitter from 3.5mm jack. Using them more for the headphone jack. The Bluetooth is more for me to be able to drop a remote VA anywhere I have WiFi. I can plug it all into a power pack and use any (except for one insignia speaker I have) Bluetooth speaker I have on hand. Which is a lot because I always get something like that at Christmas or birthdays. And I rarely use them because I’m either in my home or in my car. And I hate to let them go to waste. Most of them have 3.5mm inputs but I figured while I was at it I might as well see if the transmitter was worth the trouble. It’s cool for a sometimes niche use case. But most Bluetooth devices, receivers and transmitters, will disconnect automatically after a set amount of time with no activity.

split zinc
quartz pulsar
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What’s the fun in that?

split zinc
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Less cumbersome system? 🙂
Well, good for you anyways. I'm past that phase, and trying to make things as simple and uniform as possible.

elfin pewter
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only have one echo of my own, but why not

tough rapids
# elfin pewter only have one echo of my own, but why not

Definitively! I’ve also seen that great project and just wondering why anyone hasn’t done yet for Echo!

By the way, in the meantime I’ve tried the solution that @split zinc suggested, using an “Avantree Relay wireless transmitter” which converts jack audio to Bluetooth stream, paired with an Echo. So far, it’s working flawlessly!
Yes, obviously it will be better with an integrated way in the echo itself with a custom PCB.

One advantage of using the Relay is that you can use the same echo device for “Alexa” and “OK Nabu” commands, useful for me given that I haven’t migrated all my custom command to HA for now.

candid flower
elfin pewter
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can't guarantee anything as if i break my only echo the project is a dead end
but will try

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i can see why others didn't do it
once u remove the two main boards all you're left with is a very weird space where you can barely fit anything, and a cheap speaker...would be more worth it to buy a $4 speaker, 3d print an enclosure and use any custom main board

tough rapids
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Hum, that’s a shame. Which version of echo are you referring to? I have the last one, and the audio is not so bad.

elfin pewter
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the audio is fine

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but its not worth destroying it just to get the speaker

split zinc
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But yeah, everything else there is so proprietary, that you won't be able to use it.

elfin pewter
split zinc
elfin pewter
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I'll look into it. Any idea if you can make a satellite using a pi pico w ? https://www.adafruit.com/product/5526

Raspberry Pi Pico W

The Raspberry Pi foundation changed single-board computing when they released the Raspberry Pi computer, now they're ready to do the same for microcontrollers with the release of the ...

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I want to make this DIY friendly

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have a version that doesn't require you to order from pcbway

candid flower
elfin pewter
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bet.

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if i can make the pico work

split zinc
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You mean install Wyoming Satellite there? I think in this case you have more chances with ESP32-S3 and PE firmware. 🙂

elfin pewter
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No idea where to buy that from in romania

candid flower
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DM me for tips if you need any 😬

elfin pewter
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if you have any links to purchase any of the stuff, please send them

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i only order from optimusdigital, tme, cleste.ro and robofun usually
didnt find the s3 anywhere

split zinc
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Sooner or later, you have to go to Ali