CAST-1 Audio Casting

Really nice device and easy setup

This is a very useful device. I hooked it up to my Fisher stereo, plugged it into a USB supply, and was pleased to find it just appears in my HA console thanks to BLE support (seriously, grab an ESP32 and flash BLE sometime). This allowed a quick configuration on Wifi, and it simply works. Now I can use all of those media functions in HA, and stream audio, radio stations stuff from my DLNA/SAN, whatever. Very nice. Will be buying another one for the downstairs stereo.

Great Chromecast Audio Replacement

A decade ago I went all-in on Chromecast Audios. I have since gone all-in on Music Assistant and their Sendspin protocol, which while it does work with the Chromecasts, it's not officially supported and there are random issues as a result. They're also quite old for tech and I don't trust Google not to randomly brick them or just change things so Sendspin no longer works. I've built my own Sendspin device (specifically gutting a Google Home Mini and replacing it with an ESP), but I wanted something more plug and play to replace my Audios. These fit the bill and at a good price; having the ethernet option is great as well, allowing me to reduce congestion on my Wi-Fi. Only issues I found is that the Wi-Fi reception is definitely poorer than the CC Audios they were replacing (which I was able to address in problem areas by using Ethernet) and the firmware that shipped with them was problematic when using Ethernet (random drop outs). A firmware fix was rolled out quickly to address this, however, so make sure to update. Overall I'm very happy with the end-result; my biggest suggestion for a future iteration would be an external antenna option for situations where Ethernet isn't feasible (but luckily for me, that's not the case).

this is what I've been looking for to add meaning to my home automation music library 😀☺️. I'm getting another one to increase and expand my music.