Need a streaming gadget - mono from a line out to Google TV or DLNA?

[Linwood]

I have a player piano system which for some songs has a vocal or instrumental track. This is delivered via a line-out which is hooked to a small powered speaker inside the piano. Emphasis on small, and mediocre sound tucked up inside.

The piano is in a room with a nice HT system with a Denon 3800 as well as a Google TV streamer.

I can't get that line out to the 3800 -- too far, across areas I can't run wires practically, and even if I did I anticipate major hum (I did this once long ago in a different house with a 60' wire, did not go well). Anyway...

I need a gadget (and even willing to build one, say with an esp32 or a rPi) that will take that line out (it's mono by the way) and stream it to the AVR or Google TV streamer, preferably as mono on both stereo channels (just duplicated).

Quality is largely irrelevant, these are not high sample rate, and it's all mono (the other track is an analog encoded signal that activates the piano servos).

Now... a slight twist on this is that the system playing is one I have full access to, it's a Linux box running Kodi. So an alternative is some mechanism to intercept one track from Kodi and stream it instead... but honestly that sounds harder than a gadget, as ALSA hates me and tends to go wonky when I work with it (the same box has a bunch of custom software I wrote to play midi from musescore). But it's a possibility as well, if there's some mechanism for that.

Note I can't just split it and stream the whole signal while also playing it as output, as it's a 1980's style modem sound if you play both channels. I need to stream just one channel.

Thoughts?

 

[TLS Guy]

I have a player piano system which for some songs has a vocal or instrumental track. This is delivered via a line-out which is hooked to a small powered speaker inside the piano. Emphasis on small, and mediocre sound tucked up inside.

The piano is in a room with a nice HT system with a Denon 3800 as well as a Google TV streamer.

I can't get that line out to the 3800 -- too far, across areas I can't run wires practically, and even if I did I anticipate major hum (I did this once long ago in a different house with a 60' wire, did not go well). Anyway...

I need a gadget (and even willing to build one, say with an esp32 or a rPi) that will take that line out (it's mono by the way) and stream it to the AVR or Google TV streamer, preferably as mono on both stereo channels (just duplicated).

Quality is largely irrelevant, these are not high sample rate, and it's all mono (the other track is an analog encoded signal that activates the piano servos).

Now... a slight twist on this is that the system playing is one I have full access to, it's a Linux box running Kodi. So an alternative is some mechanism to intercept one track from Kodi and stream it instead... but honestly that sounds harder than a gadget, as ALSA hates me and tends to go wonky when I work with it (the same box has a bunch of custom software I wrote to play midi from musescore). But it's a possibility as well, if there's some mechanism for that.

Note I can't just split it and stream the whole signal while also playing it as output, as it's a 1980's style modem sound if you play both channels. I need to stream just one channel.

Thoughts?

I have been think about this, and you won't find one as it would be illegal. If you make one it will also be illegal. Any device like you suggest requires FCC approval.

I would not do a DIY device, as you don't know what interference it could cause, and you could get yourself in trouble. You need a wired solution.

 

[Speedskater]

What about a BlueTooth transmitter?

 

[highfigh]

I have been think about this, and you won't find one as it would be illegal. If you make one it will also be illegal. Any device like you suggest requires FCC approval.

I would not do a DIY device, as you don't know what interference it could cause, and you could get yourself in trouble. You need a wired solution.

If he's not receiving any financial benefit, I seriously doubt the DRM police will go after him. Since it goes to a speaker, it's not even digital, so that's a moot point.

 

[highfigh]

I have a player piano system which for some songs has a vocal or instrumental track. This is delivered via a line-out which is hooked to a small powered speaker inside the piano. Emphasis on small, and mediocre sound tucked up inside.

The piano is in a room with a nice HT system with a Denon 3800 as well as a Google TV streamer.

I can't get that line out to the 3800 -- too far, across areas I can't run wires practically, and even if I did I anticipate major hum (I did this once long ago in a different house with a 60' wire, did not go well). Anyway...

I need a gadget (and even willing to build one, say with an esp32 or a rPi) that will take that line out (it's mono by the way) and stream it to the AVR or Google TV streamer, preferably as mono on both stereo channels (just duplicated).

Quality is largely irrelevant, these are not high sample rate, and it's all mono (the other track is an analog encoded signal that activates the piano servos).

Now... a slight twist on this is that the system playing is one I have full access to, it's a Linux box running Kodi. So an alternative is some mechanism to intercept one track from Kodi and stream it instead... but honestly that sounds harder than a gadget, as ALSA hates me and tends to go wonky when I work with it (the same box has a bunch of custom software I wrote to play midi from musescore). But it's a possibility as well, if there's some mechanism for that.

Note I can't just split it and stream the whole signal while also playing it as output, as it's a 1980's style modem sound if you play both channels. I need to stream just one channel.

Thoughts?

Miccus makes a BlueTooth device that can transmit or receive and it has analog RCA jacks and optical- the range is excellect and sound quality is good, too- I used one in a fitness facility and another in a school gym, but I tested it at home, where I could compare it to line in on the stereo.

It's available on Amazon for about $50.

 

[Linwood]

I have been think about this, and you won't find one as it would be illegal. If you make one it will also be illegal. Any device like you suggest requires FCC approval.

I would not do a DIY device, as you don't know what interference it could cause, and you could get yourself in trouble. You need a wired solution.

Well, ESP32's and rPi's have FCC approval for the hardware and frequencies. I'm not sure how that would be illegal. And the music involved has no DRM embedded (though that may be irrelevant to the general question). And I know of many projects to turn rPi's into HDMI connected media servers.

Though the discussion actually triggered a thought -- I don't need to stream (cast, dlna, etc.), I just need it to be wireless. I could make or buy a transmitter and receiver, and on the AVR end just put a physical splitter to the l/r audio inputs. I worry about blue tooth, synchronization is often an issue there.

Thanks, gives me something to think about and look up.

By the way, to your tag line "WiFi is for convenience, hardwired is for performance. " I absolutely agree. I've done wireless in buildings measured in acres, and whenever I can, I run a wire. Just ... not this spot.

 

[Linwood]

Maybe like these? https://www.amazon.com/1Mii-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver-Amplifier/dp/B0D91VV9KZ

There are also blue took ones as @highfigh mentioned, I'm not sure which would be better. I've had poor luck sync'ing blue tooth to video at times, this would be sync'ing to what's basically MIDI output to the piano, but not sure I have any too with which to adjust delay (i would need to add delay to the piano side, since I can't make it negative in the AVR). But they are not terribly expensive, might be worth trying.

Cheaper than two rPi's, and DAC/ADC on esp's (which are cheap) are probably not up to the task, though they might be. impressive little $3 gadgets.

So... Bluetooth or 2.4ghz?