Nucleus+ System Configuration

I am contemplating the purchase of a Nucleus+ to replace my Windows 7 HTPC presently used as my Core. The Nucleus+ HDMI audio will connect directly to my McIntosh MX-160. I want to have the capability to display the Roon control software on my main system TV, using the System Output for Audio so that the TV is capable of displaying the full display screen, including Queue, Lyrics, Time elapsed, etc. My current Windows 7 PC accomplishes this by displaying its video on my main TV screen, but I understand that the Neucleus+ has no GUI video display.

To address this, I tried grouping zones, but the system only allows grouping for like types (i.e. two airplays or two RAATs) Can anyone suggest a good work-around to accomplish this.

You can do this at all with the nucleus its designed to do one thing run Roon server and be headless you would still need a windows or Mac remote machine hooked up to the AV system to achieve what you want. You can get a display on the TV using a Chromecast device but this is limited to now playing info and lyrics overlais but not much more.

If how you currently have it is important to you then just stick with the pc.

Thank you for the info. The reason I don’t want to keep the Windows PC as my Core is because this is a high end audio system and the Windows 7 machine does not have the horsepower and built in isolation design to match up to my AV system.

However, if I used the Windows or Mac machine as a remote of the Nucleus+ would I be able to group the System Output Zone and the Windows or Mac Zone for a full featured display from the Windows or Mac remote, while getting my Audio feed from the Nucleus+? I am thinking this may be the solution?

I have the same configuration. What I did was to overcome was hook up a chromecast directly to another HDMI input on my tv and then set the display (under Settings/Displays in roon) to the chromecast when playing Nucleus+ source on the MX-160. Of course that input has to be selected on the TV. Good luck!

Thanks Craig. I have never used Chromecast, but my TV has it. What is the source connection of that additional HDMI cable That you plugged into your TV?

If you TV has Chromecast built in then it should show up in Roon already as an endpoint nothing to connect it will be over the network s long as TV is connected to it obviously. You can set to cast to it in the displays menu in settings. This won’t give you control of the library feature or anything it’s purely now playing only. Another option if you have Chromecast built in is to cast your screen on a tablet to it this would then display the full Roon remote UI on the TV. Other than that you need a pc hooked up running Roon remote which would control whatever endpoint you want including the nucleus you don’t need to group it it will act like a remote on tablet or phone.

Chromecasting will work, but it will not give you everything you want.

I was running Roon through a Mac Mini – HDMI and USB – and it displayed “full display screen, including Queue, Lyrics, Time elapsed, etc.” But for now, you can only get a truncated version --artist photo, album cover, sometimes lyrics, and run time. The full control screen is not available from Nucleus.

I am hopeful that the full display and control screens from the iPad app can be “casted” to my flatscreen as well. But not yet! Roon will have to cut a deal with Google, I guess, before that can happen.

In the meantime, I can “Airplay” my iPad Mini’s control app to the HDMI video side of my pre/pro when playing USB on the audio side until I find a better way. It is not perfect, but it is a start.

Thanks Mike and Simon,
I’ll need to use another option than Chromecast. I have a Sony Bravia TV and the Google apps crash over and over. I had to disable most of them. I tried setting up Chromecast-Built In and it shuts down immediately everytime I start it. I will figure out a work-around similar to yours above.

They can be fully casted from android phone or tablet though doing it as I type.

Are you on the latest firmware for you TV?

I connected a Chromecast dongle to HDMI 1 on my Sony Bravia 900F. Using iPad, the TV automatically switches to HDMI 1 and displays the artist/album/song etc while I am playing the file through my pre/pro. I, too, had problems with the built-in Chromecast on the Sony. The dongle is/was only $15 from BB, Walmart, etc. black friday weekend,

Simon says an Android tablet can do what we want, but I don’t have bandwidth to purchase another tablet right now

As I understand you, the full Roon app video experience, including the complete range of setup, etc pages can cast from your android tablet to my flatscreen, not just the album, artist, song, run time screen. Is that correct?

Does your screen on the tablet display the “cast” symbol top right? And when you want to add or delete an upcoming song, that process displays as well?

Be warned though not all tablets cast well either. You have to do your research first. The best way is still to have another pc connected to the screen and just use it as a remote using a htpc remote or bluetooth mouse.

Thank you Mike and Simon. Mike, your dongle solution seems worth a try to keep things simple. I also have several spare Windows PCs that I could use as a remote and connect the video to the TV, but that would require either a separate mouse for control or some type of screen sharing control, which seems less than ideal.