Grouping dis-similar zones - work around?

Roon Software Discussion
1

Hi,

I like to play music on Roon and have it distributed to DACs/systems throughout my house. I used grouped zones to do this.

I foudn out that i cannot add a dis-similar zone (airplay) to my grouping of Raat zones. But the only way i can add a bluetooth portable speaker to outside and un-wired areas (at least without huge cost and / or effort) is to use my phone/tablet and play to the speaker.

Oops. Fail. Cannot add airplay to Raat zones.

  1. Why?
  2. Any suggested workarounds?

All i rally want is the streams mostly synched (emphasis on mostly) and same music playing.

TIA,
G

2

Different transport protocols cannot be grouped. Airplay groups with Airplay. Chromecast with Chromecast. RAAT with RAAT.

That is the way works. The devs have mentioned off and on over the years about the issues and cost of implementing cross protocol end point syncing. There is I think at least one if not more Feature Requests on this. If you care, you should go to one of those threads and add your voice.

3

For me the workaround is to add a cheap endpoint like Chromecast to each of the systems unused inputs. Usually if I want 3 zones to sync I don’t really care if I don’t have the ultimate SQ.

Or Airplay devices like RPi with Ropiee or of course Apple products.

4

Larry - the point is that i cant use the apple products (airplay protocol) grouped with my existing RAAT zones… your idea was my intention

5

I’ll add my voice - any idea what i ought to search under? I did search “grouping dis-similar zones” and got unrelated junk…

6

Yep, I understand. It won’t work. Must be common connection.

7

I’m not sure what you mean, as a feature request?

It’s in the KB pretty clearly: https://kb.roonlabs.com/FAQ:_How_do_I_link_zones_so_they_play_the_same_thing_simultaneously%3F

8

Thank you, but yes, i understand all that. I was looking for a workaround. “degrade the main systems’ performance” is not an attractive option.

There is none. Got it. My further comments were not to you, btu to the moderator who suggested i add my voice to the chorus on the feature request. I cannto find such threads.

G

9

Ah, you had selected ‘reply’ directly to me instead of reply to the thread.

Here’s one: Zone grouping of unlike items

I went to ‘Feature requests’ and searched there for ‘zones’

10

Aha - o we have established that i have no idea how this software works.

I see two replies. One is blue and below the message. One is gray and within it. There is no further explanation. may i infer that the oen in the message goes to you, and the blue one below to the thread? For others reading, i replied, in error, privately. Its totally unclear.

but hey, even when it makes no sense people here try to help :slight_smile:
G

11

You’ve got it, reply just below the current message is a reply ‘directed’ (private is another thing all together, think private message) vs. the blue Reply simply adds another post to the thread and is not directed at anyone in particular.

The forum software, Discourse, has it’s quirks to get to know but is broadly used not just Roon Labs.

12

Here is another Grouping zones of different types

I searched on “Grouping”. You can limit your search to the specific category, like search only in Feature Requests.

13

For the record i have this working with no issues. Mobile iphone grouped with my main and alternate RAAT systems. I suspect, as i always thought, my mobile is RAAT too. Why would it be anything else?

G

14

Grouping is too strong and not needed. A simple task that would play the same music on a Bluetooth zone that is played on a RAAT zone would be enough (for me)

15

Did you see my comment last night? Grouping works to your pad/phone and then to BT device. Will that chain work for you?

16

Thanks, I try that

17

if it is grayed out (unable to group) click on “advanced” and make sure tht “private zone” is not checked. It often is and that prevents grouping.