Help with planing multiroom streaming setup

General Discussions
1

Hello,

 

I'm planning to implement a multiroom streaming setup in my appartment, main part should be a desktop computer running the plex media server for distributing video and audio content. The general setup can be seen here (all the red parts I'm still unsure of):

![post-356736-0-85816500-1432915870.png|690x285](upload://aU90itbk9ENXsMviiWN5XGt9yr7.png)

 

Apart from doing video/audio locally at the desktop (whcih is trivial) there are two basic scenarios:

1] Stream video to Room 3

(video includes local files (incl. srt subtitles) as well as netflix, youtube)

or

2] Stream audio to room 1, room 3, and room 4

(audio includes local files (mp3 / flac) as well as spotify)

 

Playback of video and audio as well as switiching between rooms is ideally done by an Android mobile device (using the Plex mobile app).

 

However, I am still unsure on how to connect all devices (I have marked all the unknown parts in the diagram in red). The "receiver" in room 3 could either be connected by WiFi or ethernet, although I guess eithernet is preferable due to the higher bandwidth). Ideally there shouldn't be transcoding during the video transmission which as far as I know excludes Chromecast since most my videos will be played with srt subtitles). I thought about a rasberry pi using rasplex as receiver in room 3, but I am unsure if that would be the ideal solution.

 

I would appreciate a little help in selecting some approproate hardeware, i.e.,

1] a receiver that allows the reception of video data and outputs it as hdmi

and

2] loudspeakers (or loudspeaker connectors) that allow for an audio reception via Wifi

all controlled by an Android mobile device.

 

I am looking forward to your comments and an interesting discussion.

2

How many streams of transcoded of 1080p files do you expect at once ?

3

Since you have a beamer in your home theater, you want the best picture. And you want the best sound too.

There is no way around Plex Home Theater for you. Because only this provides you with a Direct Play-Everything solution. With a screen that size, you'll notice every transcoding.

And because you will Direct Play everything, you need high reliable bandwidth, which means ethernet cabling. Forget about WiFi. It is good for enabling your smartphone or tablet device to serve as a comfortable remote, but not for highest-quality video streaming.

And Plex Home Theater means a PC device as player or a Raspberry Pi 2 with Rasplex.

Netflix is a problem though.

You seriously want youtube videos on a big screen? That's masochism.

Just my $0.02

4

Thank you for your replies

@starbetrayer:

I only expect one stream at each time.

@OttoKerner:

That was my first idea too: Plex Sever on the Desktop, connected to a Rasberry Pi with rasplex via ethernet, using the Android app as remote control.

What I didn't figure out with this configuration though: How do I connect further speakers in the other rooms (just for audio)?

Also: Why would netflix be a problem?

5

Thinking about it a bit more:

If you are a bit of a tinkerer, go with a HTPC. It can be made to run a netflix client and PHT concurrently.

(PHT and Plex don't support netflix, probably never will [because of DRM])

If you rather not dabble in custom software setups, get a Roku (cabled). It supports netflix and youtube out of the box (and a few others, I'm told).

This would compromise the quality aspect here and there a bit.

Raspberries would be suitable clients for audio, too. But unless you have a small screen and keyboard or remote in rooms 1 and 4, they would be only controllable by smart phone/tablet or from Plex Web on your normal PC.

They would be completely independent players. As it is now, Plex knows nothing about multiple room speaker setups.

6

Thinking about it a bit more:

If you are a bit of a tinkerer, go with a HTPC. It can be made to run a netflix client and PHT concurrently.

(PHT and Plex don't support netflix, probably never will [because of DRM])

If you rather not dabble in custom software setups, get a Roku (cabled). It supports netflix and youtube out of the box (and a few others, I'm told).

This would compromise the quality aspect here and there a bit.

Raspberries would be suitable clients for audio, too. But unless you have a small screen and keyboard or remote in rooms 1 and 4, they would be only controllable by smart phone/tablet or from Plex Web on your normal PC.

They would be completely independent players. As it is now, Plex knows nothing about multiple room speaker setups.

I agree with Otto, and the server needs to have a processor with a passmark of at least 2000.

7

Still chuggin along with this issue myself. Trying to configure flexible multiroom audio output from my ubuntu Server Plex box. Considered RPi2B’s & HiFiBerryAmp+ nodes but cannot find setup info anywhere for multi-room casting. Anyone had success with such a setup?

8

I cant help either, but am interested in a sollution. My approach would be to use the PlexServer as a Audioplayer, but how can I make Plex Server play Audio direct on the Servermachine? Would that be possible through the Webinterface, I would then just route the cables to the needed splitters, amps and speakers. Prefarably, I’d like to send audio directöy from the PlexMediaServer to multiple AirPlay Receivers, because I have 4 of them…I thought about an iTunes running in a virtual Machine on the Server, but that would ■■■■ up a considerable amount of performance…

9

@“Jannis Decker”
I got it all working via two things: Chromecast and the Android Plex remote app. For the audio out from the Plex server (Lubuntu) I cabled the server directly to the amp. I then used the Plex remote on my Android phone to play the music, create playlists, etc.

The Chromecast part was added later wherein added Chromecast Audio dongles, connecting one to the HiFi amp and disconnecting the audio out of the Plex server. I was then able to simply load the song/playlist on my Android phone and cast the outpout to the Chromecast Audio dongle connected to the Amp. Works like a charm.

10

I just recently learned about Chromecast Audio.
Anybody know, if the Multiroom-Stuff works with, let’s say, one ychromecast Video and two Chromecast Audio?
That way I could connect the Chromecast Video to my Livingroom HiFi, one Audio to the Kitchen and one in my workspace and could listen to Music all over my appartment… Or do I need only Chromecast Audio for this?

11

I don’t see why PHT on a PC is required for driving a projector to avoid transcoding. I am running PMS on a NAS which transcodes nothing & I play everything with either a Roku 3 or an Amazon Fire TV 4K (depending on my mood). They both support Netflix & Amazon Prime while the Fire TV can also run Kodi. Both are fast with a decent interface & decent remote.

As for wanting YouTube videos on a large screen. There is plenty of HD & 4K content on YouTube it’s not all kittens recorded in 360p.

12

Lots of solid advice here. One thing to consider for your projection client would be the NVIDIA Shield. It is beastly and can Direct Play a lot of formats and you could get away with the cheaper 16GB model, if you don’t plan on downloading a ton of games. Then you will have a fine media player for Plex, Netflix, Youtube, and others. I would also go the Ethernet route. Roku 4 is another option, but I personally tend to favor NVIDIA’s platform.