Network player with infrared remote

I’m looking for a network player which has an infrared remote control. I know I can do this with a Pi but I want a solution with a better quality USB socket to connect to my DAC.

The reason I want this is to integrate this with an old style Analogue wired multi room system (Linn Knekt) and IR is the only way to go.

The AURALiC kit seems to have this but I’m looking for something a little cheaper.

Any suggestions?

The Bluesound Node 2i has an excellent remote control feature because it comes bundled with an IR sensor and by configuration it can learn the controls of any remote of your choice.

Shame it does not have USB out!

You can control the Auralic Mini’s volume using a i-device, but it does not have an IR sensor.

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Thanks - two pieces of equipment which don’t meet my requirements in two different ways :wink:

(I’m only kidding - it shows how difficult it is to actually find something with this spec)

Two thoughts…

The new Raspberry Pi4 has improved it’s USB implementation, you could try this with a Flirc USB dongle to see if it is good enough…

If it is, great! You’re done… not bad for a $50-75 investment, plus a contribution to Ropieee…

If not, buy the best Roon Ready RAAT network streamer with USB that you can afford (without infrared support), and group it with the Raspberry Pi. You control playback of the grouped zone via the Pi with the Flirc…

I’ve never managed to get the Ropieee IR/Flirc to work when zones are grouped together. I think the Ropieee config needs to know the zone you wish to control with the flirc and when you group things together it stops working.

Unless there’s a way to permanently set that up that you know of?

I had also come to the same conclusion as you regarding the Pi 4 though. Having read quite a bit about expensive transports like the Rendu and so on, I am now less convinced that they can make an appreciable difference. Can of worms opened…

I used the Ropiee IR/Flirc in a zone with a Bluesound Node 2 for a short while, I don’t recall any issues. I will try it again today and see.

[edit: after an extensive 20 minute test :slightly_smiling_face:, I’m not having any issues controlling the Pi 4/Node 2 zone using the Flirc]

I bought a Pi 4 to replace a Nanopi Neo running Roon bridge. I frankly could not hear any difference at all between the Neo wired and the Pi 4 either wired or wireless. I am sure that there are people who can hear an “appreciable difference”, but whether it’s better is another story.

I think the number of people who believe they can hear a difference is much great than those who can actually hear a difference… [can of worms emoji goes here]

I repurposed the Neo for Pi-Hole duty, and I’m using the Pi 4 on wifi - works great, very happy.

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I figured out the best hack for this. I connected up a spare Pi with Ropieee on it, but populated the remote control room field with the name for the zone I wanted to control. Works fine - IR commands to the spare Pi are now relayed to the zone I wished to control.

I never managed to get remote control working when zones are grouped though - not sure that’s possible.