Native Wiim support for Spotify multiroom playback on Android - where is it?

[jeffme]

I have a 14 zone WiiM setup (11 Pro/Pro+ & 3 Amps) in a Android/Mac/Spotify-focused household.

We love that WiiMs support Chromecast, which makes direct connection from any old Android app to a single set of speakers a breeze.

But, we don't love that multiroom WiiM groups need to be duplicated in Google Home in order to show up in our list of Chromecast endpoints when using Android. For example, if a Wiim group is set up in Wiim & then a user goes to Spotify on Android, you can only play to an individual Wiim device. The Wiim groups show up just fine when using Spotify from a Mac laptop or an iPad. Tidal has the same issue when playing directly from the Tidal app, but fortunately, Wiim's Tidal integration is a little tidier, so we can just access Tidal from inside the Wiim Home App.

Sorry, "Get an iPhone" isn't an acceptable answer here. It's not clear if this is all a result of how LinkPlay, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, etc., work on Android, or something Wiim can fix directly, but it's a shame, as it seems like the Wiim/Android/Spotify user segment should be significant enough to get a better experience.

And, yes... ticket filed. Just wondering how others out there are handling this. Or, is there something I've missed?

 

[Brantome]

If you try to Connect from Spotify on Android to one of the WiiMs in a WiiM group, does it play on the group? If so, it may just be a display issue on Android

 

[Mr Ee]

If you try to Connect from Spotify on Android to one of the WiiMs in a WiiM group, does it play on the group? If so, it may just be a display issue on Android

When I create a wiim group with Pro1, Pro2 and Mini then open spotify (on my android tablet) and choose the spotify connect option for Pro1, all 3 wiims play.

 

[Brantome]

I suspected that as wasn’t there a post recently talking about casting Spotify to one WiiM then grouping in the WiiM app to extend it to a group?

 

[jeffme]

If you try to Connect from Spotify on Android to one of the WiiMs in a WiiM group, does it play on the group? If so, it may just be a display issue on Android

No - Spotify shows all of the Wiim group members as individual speaker endpoints and doesn't show any speaker group icons.

When I create a wiim group with Pro1, Pro2 and Mini then open spotify (on my android tablet) and choose the spotify connect option for Pro1, all 3 wiims play.

Hmmmm... just out of curiosity, do you see a speaker group icon inside Spotify? And, what type of Android device is that? I'm on 2 different Google Pixels.

This is the current response on my related ticket - not sure if this is boilerplate or an admission that things do not work properly on Android. I've asked for clarification

Dear Jeff,

Thank you for reaching out and sharing your feedback with us.

We would like to let you know that we have taken note of your request to support multiroom support with Spotify. Rest assured, your suggestion will be carefully reviewed and considered for inclusion in our future version updates.

We appreciate your understanding and value your insights. If you have any other questions or need more help, please don't hesitate to get in touch.

Best Regards,
WiiM Support
J

 

[Mr Ee]

Hmmmm... just out of curiosity, do you see a speaker group icon inside Spotify? And, what type of Android device is that?

If none of my wiims are in a wiim group then each shows as an individual spotify connect target. None appear as a chromecast connect target, although I can use the three dot menu next to each pro to choose between spotify connect or chromecast.

If any of my pros are in a wiim group then each shows as an individual chromecast target, but only the 'master' in the group shows as a spotify connect target too. The master one still has the 3 dot menu next to it.

If I add a mini to a group, the mini no longer shows as a spotify target at all.

If the mini is the group master then it shows as a spotify connect target. My pros that are in that group show as chromecast targets.

This is on an old Galaxy Tab.
I'm assuming, and would expect, that Spotify has no way of knowing that wiims are grouped in a wiim group to be able to show a different icon for the master.
But what it can see is that the slaves are no longer available as spotify connect targets, so shows them as chromecast ones instead (except minis).

 

[jeffme]

... that Spotify has no way of knowing that wiims are grouped in a wiim group to be able to show a different icon for the master. ...

But, this is exactly how it works on iOS / MacOS - Spotify can tell that there is a Wiim group and shows a different icon for them - see this screen grab from my Mac & the "Dentist Office" group (silly nickname... not an actual Dentist's office...

 

[Brantome]

When I create a wiim group with Pro1, Pro2 and Mini then open spotify (on my android tablet) and choose the spotify connect option for Pro1, all 3 wiims play.

This is my experience too

 

[jeffme]

This is my experience too

You're also on Android?

 

[jeffme]

Ok, I think we're getting somewhere:

Spotify works with Wiim groups:
- As long as you choose the "root" of the Wiim group (i.e., the speaker zone to which the other zones are added to create the group) in Spotify
- And, Spotify displays the speaker group icon in its "now playing" bar, even if it doesn't show the speaker group icon in the device selection list

Thanks for helping troubleshoot this.

Now, if there were only a way of:
a) clearly identifying speaker groups in the device selection list
b) knowing from Spotify what the "root" speaker zone was
c) making the behavior work regardless of selecting a root or an attached speaker
d) stopping the Chromecast service publications for Wiim devices currently in a Wiim group (although I could see arguments against that, too...)

 

[Brantome]

Yeah. Hopefully this set of screenshots comes thru in the right order. First should show my Spotify speaker list where you’ll see my mini, pro and pro plus listed, I then chose the mini in the WiiM home app, then linkEd my pro and plus. If I then go back to the Spotify app, the pro and plus no longer appear, just the mini. Choosing that then playing something plays on thé group headed by the mini. The Spotify screen even shows a group speaker icon.

 

[Brantome]

I clearly took too long to take those screenshots on my android phone and transfer them to my ipad which I prefer for the forum responses before you had already sussed it out...
Re b) , in my case I could see what the root speaker was as the other two devices no longer appeared as Connect targets in Spotify, but reappeared when I dismantled the group.

 

[Mr Ee]

But, this is exactly how it works on iOS / MacOS - Spotify can tell that there is a Wiim group and shows a different icon for them - see this screen grab from my Mac & the "Dentist Office" group (silly nickname... not an actual Dentist's office...

View attachment 4971

And Dentist Office group is a wiim group, not a chromecast group?

Edit: maybe it no longer matters, seems we've sort of reached a consensus!

 

[jeffme]

Re b) , in my case I could see what the root speaker was as the other two devices no longer appeared as Connect targets in Spotify, but reappeared when I dismantled the group.

Yes - we have Chromecast turned on, so the rule is "Speakers in the group with the Spotify-style icon (there should only be one from the group, the others should be gone) and not the speakers with the Chromecast-style icons." Fairly convoluted from a user perspective, but it does work.

And Dentist Office group is a wiim group, not a chromecast group?

Correct. : )