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WiiM WiFi Streamer

I definitely understand your strategy. It is why I was looking at similar devices to the KEiiD. I just need DLNA built in which this device may not have ( hard to tell from what they put on Amazon).

I have a HomePod and it is in a similar boat to those Sonos devices. It is dependent on Apple to support it to keep its current features ( though it should work with AirPlay if the voice control goes away). Sometimes you just roll with it for the convenience. Those that took that mindset when they bought Sonos devices probably aren’t as blindsided right now.
 
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Bose made noises about supporting AirPlay for years, finally implemented a buggy mess of it, then pulled it. Their 4th gen products, which they probably had to outsource the coding for, finally supports AirPlay 2.

Sonos legacy devices will still support native apps from Spotify (via Spotify Connect), Google (via some sort of Google/Sonos protocol), Amazon (via Alexa Cast - they can be set as "default speakers"), Google's smart devices (again, can be set as "default speakers"), iHeartRadio, Pandora and TuneIn (via Sonos' wide open API that any service provider can utilize), any SMB NAS, Roon endpoints, etc. Hardly a "walled garden", lol. AirPlay 2 will allow them to support Apple's walled garden on the newer gen devices.

Again, though, I wish all these players would coalesce around a single, open source protocol that ALL hardware vendors could use. Apple, Google and Amazon have simply gotten too big, and use their power to stifle competition by pushing products below cost (Amazon, especially, and Google). Hopefully, Congress will put limits on them, but I'm not holding my breath.

Yes, KEiiD (and any devices using the same tech) supports DLNA and UPnP. I was streaming from my "NAS" without issue, except that I've always found DLNA to be clunky and slow, and there doesn't appear to be any way to search through the NAS in the apps.
 
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chicks said:
Bose made noises about supporting AirPlay for years, finally implemented a buggy mess of it, then pulled it. Their 4th gen products, which they probably had to outsource the coding for, finally supports AirPlay 2.

Sonos legacy devices will still support native apps from Spotify (via Spotify Connect), Google (via some sort of Google/Sonos protocol), Amazon (via Alexa Cast - they can be set as "default speakers"), Google's smart devices (again, can be set as "default speakers"), iHeartRadio, Pandora and TuneIn (via Sonos' wide open API that any service provider can utilize), any SMB NAS, Roon endpoints, etc. Hardly a "walled garden", lol. AirPlay 2 will allow them to support Apple's walled garden on the newer gen devices.

Again, though, I wish all these players would coalesce around a single, open source protocol that ALL hardware vendors could use. Apple, Google and Amazon have simply gotten too big, and use their power to stifle competition by pushing products below cost (Amazon, especially, and Google). Hopefully, Congress will put limits on them, but I'm not holding my breath.

Yes, KEiiD (and any devices using the same tech) supports DLNA and UPnP. I was streaming from my "NAS" without issue, except that I've always found DLNA to be clunky and slow, and there doesn't appear to be any way to search through the NAS in the apps.
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Those weren’t the original purposes for Sonos. For most, they were to unify in one app for multi room audio and/or the ability to take advantage of their mesh system. The system was especially relevant for people that needed that mesh system in order to play music. For example, those that weren't tech savy enough to update a router. While I am glad to hear the things won't be bricked, if they remove the Sonos advantages, they might as well be bricked for those that have issues with wifi. I think about my mom and people like her that would buy the system because of the ease of use. They will wake up one day and their Sonos speakers won't work anymore.

That isn't the same as Bose no longer updating a device that does Airplay. It still works for its intended purpose.
 
uofmtiger said:
For example, those that weren't tech savy enough to update a router.
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This reminds me of my 79yr old dad (who is an “Audiophool”). My brother and I have been fighting his aversion to audio tech for years. He wanted to do all the new cool stuff but didn’t want to learn how :dunno:. We finally stopped helping him and he knows what he needs to know now. It probably helped that even his 94yr old aunt who could do everything she needed to do tech wise by reading about it or being shown. She always busted his boys about being a Luddite. If someone what’s to run this stuff they need to learn how to use it, and not just the first level of menus. My sister has Sonos through out the house, while I am not very impressed with it, it does work great for their purpose.
 
chicks said:
Yes, KEiiD (and any devices using the same tech) supports DLNA and UPnP. I was streaming from my "NAS" without issue, except that I've always found DLNA to be clunky and slow, and there doesn't appear to be any way to search through the NAS in the apps.
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Nice to know. It wasn't mentioned, so I wasn't sure. I had the same type of experience going through folders, selecting files to play, etc. Since I started using Audirvana, DLNA is mostly seamless. It works just like controlling the app running on a computer with their iPad app. I did have one device with issues when I initially tested it, but I have a direct connection to that device, so all is well. The Yamaha and Marantz that I usually use for DLNA are flawless.
 
GChief said:
This reminds me of my 79yr old dad (who is an “Audiophool”). My brother and I have been fighting his aversion to audio tech for years. He wanted to do all the new cool stuff but didn’t want to learn how :dunno:. We finally stopped helping him and he knows what he needs to know now. It probably helped that even his 94yr old aunt who could do everything she needed to do tech wise by reading about it or being shown. She always busted his boys about being a Luddite. If someone what’s to run this stuff they need to learn how to use it, and not just the first level of menus. My sister has Sonos through out the house, while I am not very impressed with it, it does work great for their purpose.
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Sonos was marketed to that type of person. I have recommended Sonos one time. It was to someone that couldn't tell you what a router was. However, she has been using the speaker happily for years. I am sure I will get a call when the thing stops working.
 
uofmtiger said:
Sonos was marketed to that type of person. I have recommended Sonos one time. It was to someone that couldn't tell you what a router was. However, she has been using the speaker happily for years. I am sure I will get a call when the thing stops working.
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That’s a little different, my dad wanted all the “benefits ” but didn’t want to learn how to set stuff up and make changes. I understand there is a learning curve, I dig thru menus to figure stuff out myself all the time and I am a dumbass. It isn’t difficult or mentally taxing to learn the basics, millions are doing it.
 
GChief said:
That’s a little different, my dad wanted all the “benefits ” but didn’t want to learn how to set stuff up and make changes. I understand there is a learning curve, I dig thru menus to figure stuff out myself all the time and I am a dumbass. It isn’t difficult or mentally taxing to learn the basics, millions are doing it.
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Sonos appealled to those people and the product worked that way for years. This is like buying a Windows computer and them waking up one day to only being able to use DOS, then saying those people should just learn how to use DOS. These luddites or whatever you want to call them, just wanted convenient music available even if they were using older routers. Sonos was the only company filling that niche.
 
uofmtiger said:
Sonos appealled to those people and the product worked that way for years. This is like buying a Windows computer and them waking up one day to only being able to use DOS, then saying those people should just learn how to use DOS. These luddites or whatever you want to call them, just wanted convenient music available even if they were using older routers. Sonos was the only company filling that niche.
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I totally get what your saying. But your windows example is more like having to dig into the embedded windows menus (that’s why consumer electronics have them) not so much DOS :dunno:. The menus are there for the consumer.
 
GChief said:
I totally get what your saying. But your windows example is more like having to dig into the embedded windows menus (that’s why consumer electronics have them) not so much DOS :dunno:. The menus are there for the consumer.
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No, what I am referring to is changing the way the device works. If you buy a system that is selling itself as the cure to your wifi problems and it removes the mesh feature that solves that problem, you are no longer getting what you paid for.

In other words, Airplay, DLNA, etc were available in other products. Many people that chose Sonos was to get away from the issues they might have with these more open options. They bought into Sonos walled garden and it appears that they will eventually be kicked out.
 
uofmtiger said:
No, what I am referring to is changing the way the device works. If you buy a system that is selling itself as the cure to your wifi problems and it removes the mesh feature that solves that problem, you are no longer getting what you paid for.
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We will have to agree to disagree on this one :)

:beerchug:
 
uofmtiger said:
Your disagreeing that people bought into Sonos to get the advantages of their mesh system?
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No not at all. I am disagreeing that you don’t need to know how to work the stuff you buy. There is plenty of plug and play stuff. I learn how to use mine beyond plug and play.
 
GChief said:
No not at all. I am disagreeing that you don’t need to know how to work the stuff you buy. There is plenty of plug and play stuff. I learn how to use mine beyond plug and play.
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I am not saying that you don’t need to know how to work stuff when you buy it. I am saying that people have been using these devices for years and know how to use them already. What may change is how you use them, which could kill off the mesh network, the Sonos remote app features, etc. This would negate the reason for choosing Sonos in the first place.
 
uofmtiger said:
I am not saying that you don’t need to know how to work stuff when you buy it. I am saying that people have been using these devices for years and know how to use them already. What may change is how you use them, which could kill off the mesh network, the Sonos remote app features, etc. This would negate the reason for choosing Sonos in the first place.
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But they (Sonos) have already clarified it will work as it has... now I am lost :confused:
 
GChief said:
I don’t need to, I understand that. Stuff gets old quick with modern tech, Sonos offered a way forward for those that choose it. That sounds pretty fair to me.
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What is the way forward? Using the tech that the user avoided or didn't have networks that could support before they chose Sonos? Doesn't sound like a great option for the "luddites" that Sonos built their brand around.

My post was originally about the fact that if they stop supporting it, it is different than no longer providing updates like Bose with Airplay. That Bose speaker works just like it did out of the box. That was my main point.
 
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