WiiM Ultra

Updated on 4/19/2024

Hi Team,

We're excited to give you a sneak peek at the WiiM Ultra, your future go-to digital hub for all things music! We're putting the final touches on this innovative product and are on track for a Q2 release. Stay tuned for more updates as we gear up for launch!




Original message by Brantome:
As mentioned in a user reply from the WiiM/Linkplay CEO on the WiiM Fan Page on Facebook, WiiM are developing a new device called the WiiM Ultra which will have a screen, aluminium case and USB audio output. It should be available Q2 2024, so a good five to six months away.

Guess @Smartplug is due a prize (e.g. I'll lay off gently ribbing them about their constant 'when' questions) as I think they first suggested that name a while ago

That's the entirety of the information I have, but WiiM do say they'll release more details in due course.

 

[rccarguy]

I prefer the bluetooth remote to an IR one, my CD player has an IR remote and when you are more than a few meters away from the unit, control is spotty at best, while the WiiM remote is always perfect.

If you have a universal remote control, it controls TV, bias light, room lighting, Kodi Box, CD player, AV pre amp, audio streamer, portable radio, AVR, then having it also control wiim is useful as it's all integrated into it.

 

[Brantome]

If you have a universal remote control, it controls TV, bias light, room lighting, Kodi Box, CD player, AV pre amp, audio streamer, portable radio, AVR, then having it also control wiim is useful as it's all integrated into it.

As has been said before, WiiM source their Bluetooth remote from another supplier, and unless that supplier works closely with suppliers like Logitech and their Harmony remotes/hubs, then we won’t see integration with WiiM products. I also think it’s unlikely that Wiim, at this late stage, will add IR to their products.

Also, as previously suggested, it might be possible to use something like FLirc, or a raspberry Pi, to interface with the Linksys API to control a WiiM, but nobody appears to have done that yet.

 

[rccarguy]

As has been said before, WiiM source their Bluetooth remote from another supplier, and unless that supplier works closely with suppliers like Logitech and their Harmony remotes/hubs, then we won’t see integration with WiiM products. I also think it’s unlikely that Wiim, at this late stage, will add IR to their products.

Also, as previously suggested, it might be possible to use something like FLirc, or a raspberry
Pi, to interface with the Linksys API to control a WiiM, but nobody appears to have done that yet.

Wiim remote is just too basic. With SB remote it has tons of direct buttons text entry also.

Brilliant remote and I'd wand that to control my wiims. Plus I have several of them, and codes learned into my universal. Then interchange between universal and stock remote without one being BT the other IR.

 

[s3igell]

Wiim remote is just too basic. With SB remote it has tons of direct buttons text entry also.

Brilliant remote and I'd wand that to control my wiims. Plus I have several of them, and codes learned into my universal. Then interchange between universal and stock remote without one being BT the other IR.

This is why WiiM has their superb WiiM Home App - control that would require 100's of individual physical buttons. Physical Remotes are becoming quite passe - too many Features to Control, too many Commands to manage, too little real estate for Buttons. (And, yes - I experienced the first "Clickers" as a youth - relieved me as the "designated Channel Changer" child.)

 

[rccarguy]

This is why WiiM has their superb WiiM Home App - control that would require 100's of individual physical buttons. Physical Remotes are becoming quite passe - too many Features to Control, too many Commands to manage, too little real estate for Buttons. (And, yes - I experienced the first "Clickers" as a youth - relieved me as the "designated Channel Changer" child.)

Hard button remotes are far better than touchscreen. Sorry.

 

[WOWWIIM]

Pre-ordered one at Crutchfield.
I do not normally order first runs products. I trust Wiim's ability to get it right or make it right.
Crutchfield does have a 60 day return policy if not satisfied.

 

[WOWWIIM]

This is why WiiM has their superb WiiM Home App - control that would require 100's of individual physical buttons. Physical Remotes are becoming quite passe - too many Features to Control, too many Commands to manage, too little real estate for Buttons. (And, yes - I experienced the first "Clickers" as a youth - relieved me as the "designated Channel Changer" child.)

Hell, I grew up with black and white television channel selector on the TV. Had to go outside on top of the house roof and turn the antenna to get a reception (yelling thru the window hold it there, go back a little, ok that is good).

 

[Mike in NY]

Hard button remotes are far better than touchscreen. Sorry.

For you perhaps, others of course might have a different preference. Sorry.

 

[rccarguy]

For you perhaps, others of course might have a different preference. Sorry.

Can you operate your touchscreen, without looking at it? And don't need to go into other menus? And control other devices in one remote? And has macros? And can control other IR standard devices?

the answer to that is.....

 

[Brantome]

Can you operate your touchscreen, without looking at it? And don't need to go into other menus? And control other devices in one remote? And has macros? And can control other IR standard devices?

the answer to that is.....

Please keep the discussion courteous and non confrontational. Fine, you like an IR universal remote, others don’t. Let’s leave it at that. Thanks

 

[molski]

Touch screen of the Wiim Ultra feels and looks nice. The volume wheel not so but according to the Wiim representative at the booth this will be changed.

While the prototype is functional at Munich HighEnd the case is more of a mockup not the actual promised sturdy aluminum.

 

[Bill Mac]

This is why WiiM has their superb WiiM Home App - control that would require 100's of individual physical buttons. Physical Remotes are becoming quite passe - too many Features to Control, too many Commands to manage, too little real estate for Buttons. (And, yes - I experienced the first "Clickers" as a youth - relieved me as the "designated Channel Changer" child.)

I totally disagree that physical remotes are "passé". I've been using Harmony universal remotes for years and they are great. To be able to control a multi component multi activity system with one remote is priceless IMO.

 

[D1N0]

Physical remotes are useful for volume and source and output selection. For other functions an app is better. Remotes with dozens of buttons from which it is totally unclear what they do is passé.

 

[harkpabst]

Physical remotes are useful for volume and source and output selection. For other functions an app is better. Remotes with dozens of buttons from which it is totally unclear what they do is passé.

Or buttons only the one person who did the programming has a clue of. For some time.

I absolutely like a physical remote. Add selection of presets to the above list. But for everything else an app based solution will always be more flexible and easier to use for the vast majority.

I'm not going to tell anybody to stop using his remote. Just do what works best for you. I just think that universal programmable remotes have never been much more but a niche product and if this has changes recently, then into the direction of decreasing sales.

 

[cooky560]

The main thing I use the WiiM remote for is an emergency pause, and when I use my WiiM amp, to make sure the thing actually turns off

For those tasks it's great as it is.

Either way the ultra clearly comes with the same bundled remote as the other WiiM's that's the design they've settled on, the App is also excellent, so choice is a win here

 

[rccarguy]

Or buttons only the one person who did the programming has a clue of. For some time.

I absolutely like a physical remote. Add selection of presets to the above list. But for everything else an app based solution will always be more flexible and easier to use for the vast majority.

I'm not going to tell anybody to stop using his remote. Just do what works best for you. I just think that universal programmable remotes have never been much more but a niche product and if this has changes recently, then into the direction of decreasing sales.

If you've got a complex multi room, multi component system a universal programmable remote is a must. If I brought out all my remotes it'll fit the entire coffee table. Good luck using my systems, with 20+ remotes. And my system is still lacking many IR capable sources, like MD, tape, DAT, projector, multiple TV's, etc.

Throw in activities, macros, multi room, each with their own display/amp/multiple sources, etc and it really makes a system easy to use.

You can't rely on HDMI CEC as that shuts things on and off when you may not want them switched on and off.

App is fine for that specific audio streamer device (ie I like the LMS material skin app) but it can't control multiple other devices at the same time. Ie, for Wiim home app, it can't control my stereo pre amp volume, or change mode on my AVR , or adjust my subwoofer volume directly. I would need to pickup three other remotes as well. I don't use any other device apps, they're just clunky and I'd need to "alt tab" switch from one to the other. On my programmable remote they're all there on the custom LCD screen pages (an activity)

Wiim remote looks ok as a basic remote but for direct command? No- not good enough.

 

[harkpabst]

I stopped reading after "is a must", sorry.

The point is that a company like WiiM will never produce a mass market remote or care about integration for/with such a highly customised system. Face it, that's simply no way to make money for them.

If they prove me wrong I'll share your happiness. But if they don't you really have no reason to complain. Your requirements are too special.

 

[rccarguy]

I stopped reading after "is a must", sorry.

The point is that a company like WiiM will never produce a mass market remote or care about integration for/with such a highly customised system. Face it, that's simply no way to make money for them.

If they prove me wrong I'll share your happiness. But if they don't you really have no reason to complain. Your requirements are too special.

Since you're not realised what a universal can do, go into a Hifi and AV store, and ask for the following remotes.


Sony TV
Panasonic TV, with Yamaha AVR
Toshiba brand TV with Sony AVR
Projector
CD player
DVD player
BD Player
Video Streamer
Yamaha AVR remote
Sony AVR remote
Stereo pre amp
DAC
BIAS light
Main light
DAT
MD
Tuner
Tape
Portable radio remote

Place them all on the table. Now throw in your wife and ask her to figure out that from stack of remotes, that specific each display and source device is specific inputs.

Now
1) Switch on Sony TV, Yamaha AVR, BD player. Set Sony TV to HDMI 2, Yamaha to HDMI 2, switch on bias light. How many remotes do you need to pickup, put down, wait for device to switch on/boot, and pickup and look at each remote finding suitable button? You literally have a bucket of remotes to trawl through.

I can do that with one button press, and then it's all ready in that activity, with volume, aspect, BD player controls, TV controls, AVR volume controls all in that single hard/lcd button, I don't need another remote, nor app flip screens around.

Audio streamer is just part of all that, so for my use (in every system, in audio streamer activity mode) Those are just audio related activities, there's also video activities with TV etc

Room 1 (macro, amp on, to coaxial input, audio streamer on)
Audio streamer controls, AV pre amp controls

Room 2 (macro, amp on, to optical input, audio streamer on)
Audio streamer controls, AVR controls

Room 3 (macro amp to CD input, DAC to input 2, audio streamer on)
Audio streamer controls, stereo pre amp controls.

Portable radio
Audio streamer controls, radio controls

So integrated a audio streamer into a universal just makes it easier to use. I don't need to use a useless BT wiim remote.

 

[cooky560]

I own at last count:

12 amps,
4 cd players,
2 tape decks
4 turntables
2 WiiMs
8 sets of speakers,
4 tvs
1 blu-ray player.

Yet somehow I only have 4 remotes.

I would argue most people have 1 of each at most, and as such it's a unique use case that WiiM won't cater to.

 

[Bill Mac]

I own at last count:

12 amps,
4 cd players,
2 tape decks
4 turntables
2 WiiMs
8 sets of speakers,
4 tvs
1 blu-ray player.

Yet somehow I only have 4 remotes.

I would argue most people have 1 of each at most, and as such it's a unique use case that WiiM won't cater to.

The question isn't how many components a person has but the complexity of ones system. Apparently your system is not complex enough to warrant a universal remote which is a good thing. My system is complex enough with multiple components and activities. Each activity is using different components and inputs. With the press of a single button a universal remote like the Harmony will turn on multiple components in any order that is desired with all set to the proper inputs. That's far from passé IMO.

I'm not suggesting or expecting WiiM to have a full featured IR remote for their streamers. It would be nice but the Bluetooth remote offerings seem to work fine. I only responded because of an earlier remark that physical remotes are becoming passé which is not true IMO. Just about any audio (AVR, CD player etc.) or video (TV, Blu-ray player etc.) component is supplied with an IR remote.