Hi,
I wanted to share a simple but Interesting project I am working on. A way to stream (Cast) Music from YouTube and Spotify and NAS on to my audio system without having a Smart TV or HT. My audio setup is in a different place from my Smart TV so I could not hook the Audio out from that to my Amp and did not want to mess up my audio setup with a large flat reflecting surface behind my speakers.
The simplest solution I came up with was using a 7 Inch LCD Screen Connected to a HDMI Audio Extractor and Regular Chrome V3. I connected
The Digital Optical Out from the Audio Extractor to my DAC and that feeds the pre and power amps.
ChromeCast ->
---------------HDMI Audio Extractor -> HDMI OUT -> LCD Display
-------------------------------------> SPDIF OUT -> DAC -> PRE -> POWER AMP
Since its a standard Chrome cast , It works with all Streaming Video and Audio Content. The Video just shows up in the LCD Display.
I discovered that if I remove the HDMI Display the audio stops playing, so we need the HDMI display connected all the time and its also needed
during the initial Chrome cast Setup to Pair the device with the Android Phone.
I found that for sheer convenience this setup cannot beat any Digital Player that I have. I can stream all the content on Youtube, Amazon , Spotify
easily to my Audio setup right from my phone. Even the original Google Chrome Cast audio or any of the Expensive Chrome cast Audio Builtin
Speakers , Streamers etc do not support Youtube, Amazon Prime , Netflix Live Music (https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/library/list-of-concerts-on-netflix/).
For Local Content Streaming I use the latest version of VLC . I use this on my mobile to stream content from my NAS to the Chrome cast.
I think this setup will work as is for Apple TV too, if someone has AppleTV and can try this , let me know if it worked.
V1.
This was Version 1 but audio was not that Good so I started researching and found that
Some Audio Extractors are better than others ( More on this later. )
V2 With the Best Extractor (Amazon Basics) I could find So Far.
Just to be safe, I am using a LPSU to power all the components.
I did not want SMPS near my audio gear.
I also had to leave the Chrome Cast Dongle out of the Enclosure so that It could receive WIFI reliably.
I am still in the process of getting a proper enclosure so that I can fit all the components.
The only enclosure that I had that could fit the 7 Inch LCD was a big Amplifier box.
These are the components that I have used.
Amazon Basics HDMI Extractor : https://www.amazon.in/AmazonBasics-Audio-Stereo-Extractor-Converter/dp/B07KRWYN4R/
7 Inch LCD Display: https://www.amazon.in/Waveshare-7inch-Capacitive-Touchscreen-Interface/dp/B01HPV6RUS/
Quest for Best Audio Extractor
I started trying out different audio extractors and found that the Amazon Basics Extractor Seems to do a pretty good Job.
Audio Extractors Chips are made by a Company called Explore (Fabless Semi Conductor Company) They have Multiple Chips.
Cheap One.
Amazon basics Extractor. With Metal Box
This chipset seems to be better at extracting the audio , may be its better components because it was build for Amazon.
I could clearly see the audio quality being a better.
In the next version I am seeing if I can Isolate and extract the I2S signal from the HDMI Extractor and feed it to a DAC.
If you guys build it please post your images and
Let me know your thoughts and feedback.
Thanks
KiranPS.
I wanted to share a simple but Interesting project I am working on. A way to stream (Cast) Music from YouTube and Spotify and NAS on to my audio system without having a Smart TV or HT. My audio setup is in a different place from my Smart TV so I could not hook the Audio out from that to my Amp and did not want to mess up my audio setup with a large flat reflecting surface behind my speakers.
The simplest solution I came up with was using a 7 Inch LCD Screen Connected to a HDMI Audio Extractor and Regular Chrome V3. I connected
The Digital Optical Out from the Audio Extractor to my DAC and that feeds the pre and power amps.
ChromeCast ->
---------------HDMI Audio Extractor -> HDMI OUT -> LCD Display
-------------------------------------> SPDIF OUT -> DAC -> PRE -> POWER AMP
Since its a standard Chrome cast , It works with all Streaming Video and Audio Content. The Video just shows up in the LCD Display.
I discovered that if I remove the HDMI Display the audio stops playing, so we need the HDMI display connected all the time and its also needed
during the initial Chrome cast Setup to Pair the device with the Android Phone.
I found that for sheer convenience this setup cannot beat any Digital Player that I have. I can stream all the content on Youtube, Amazon , Spotify
easily to my Audio setup right from my phone. Even the original Google Chrome Cast audio or any of the Expensive Chrome cast Audio Builtin
Speakers , Streamers etc do not support Youtube, Amazon Prime , Netflix Live Music (https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/library/list-of-concerts-on-netflix/).
For Local Content Streaming I use the latest version of VLC . I use this on my mobile to stream content from my NAS to the Chrome cast.
I think this setup will work as is for Apple TV too, if someone has AppleTV and can try this , let me know if it worked.
V1.
This was Version 1 but audio was not that Good so I started researching and found that
Some Audio Extractors are better than others ( More on this later. )
V2 With the Best Extractor (Amazon Basics) I could find So Far.
Just to be safe, I am using a LPSU to power all the components.
I did not want SMPS near my audio gear.
I also had to leave the Chrome Cast Dongle out of the Enclosure so that It could receive WIFI reliably.
I am still in the process of getting a proper enclosure so that I can fit all the components.
The only enclosure that I had that could fit the 7 Inch LCD was a big Amplifier box.
These are the components that I have used.
Amazon Basics HDMI Extractor : https://www.amazon.in/AmazonBasics-Audio-Stereo-Extractor-Converter/dp/B07KRWYN4R/
7 Inch LCD Display: https://www.amazon.in/Waveshare-7inch-Capacitive-Touchscreen-Interface/dp/B01HPV6RUS/
Quest for Best Audio Extractor
I started trying out different audio extractors and found that the Amazon Basics Extractor Seems to do a pretty good Job.
Audio Extractors Chips are made by a Company called Explore (Fabless Semi Conductor Company) They have Multiple Chips.
Cheap One.
Amazon basics Extractor. With Metal Box
This chipset seems to be better at extracting the audio , may be its better components because it was build for Amazon.
I could clearly see the audio quality being a better.
In the next version I am seeing if I can Isolate and extract the I2S signal from the HDMI Extractor and feed it to a DAC.
If you guys build it please post your images and
Let me know your thoughts and feedback.
Thanks
KiranPS.
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