My aim is to control the volume of my Denon AV Receiver X4700H with the Nuimo.
First I installed the Roon extension (see below) as a docker hub on my Synology DS918+ and configured it within Roon. As the result I can control the volume of the receiver with the Roon user interface (client). Turning the Nuimo shows the volume on the Nuimo’s display but does not change the volume of the receiver. Start, stop, skip on the Nuimo work as expected.
rooExtend 2.2.1 beta 3 really helped with the Bluetooth range for me. I use a BT dongel and now it covers most of my apartment so I can use the Numio for several zones.
In the meantime I had some conversations with @DrCWO and @Klaus_Engel about my Denon volume issue.
The assumption is, that it is related to the fact that volume values are deliverd as floating point values and not as integers from rooExtend to Roon. Investigations on that will continue after DrCWO’s vacations.
Indeed we have a newer version of the code that fixes the rounding issue when using rooNuimo in combination with certain other extensions. We’ll provide an update soon!
@Henrik_Lampe I have all three controllers. Space Mouse, Surface Dial, and Nuimo. I don’t have a Denon so I can’t speak to that. However, the Space Mouse and Surface Dial both have a feature setting that allows one to control the volume of my active speakers (KEF LS50 II) or other connected Roon Endpoints that support volume, even when not playing Roon. I asked @DrCWO and he mentioned this feature is coming to the Nuimo. I think this might help you too if you can get your Denon working however, you might need a Roon Ready receiver as Roon Tested sometimes means no volume control.
"Change volume at playback only" (Yes/No) set to No and you can control your volume anytime with the controller. Just not the Nuimo… yet.
While the 2.2.1 B3 range is MUCH improved. I wanted to see if I could extend the range even more with a better dongle. I found this $22 “StarTech USB to Bluetooth Verison 4.0 Adapter - 50M Class 1” on Amazon.com
I’m very pleased to report that this now covers most of my house! Not even close to the 50 Meters advertised, but better than the TP-Link or Pluggable dongles that I previously tried. In order of range from my experience YMMV:
StarTech 50M Class 1 - ~15-20M
Tp-Link UB 400 - ~7M
Plugable USB Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy Micro Adapter - ~5M
For anyone with longer range needs, the Startech is the one to get.
It seems there is a competition for the greatest distance that can be reached.
My input to this discussion is some additional firmware
for the rtl8761b chipset in the latest v2.2.1. Beta 5
I bought it end of January but it did not come with the blue antenna but a black one. Maybe I already got the BT 5.1 version. I can’t tell at the moment as I am not at home. I tested with the firmware I added now. If you like test it and report how much of the advertised 100m can be achieved in practice.
With all of these transmitters the range could be made to many 100’s of meters but the issue of the transmiitter in the bt device dial/mouse/Nuimo etc is the final deciding factor … which ever is the worst will be the limitation.
Version 2.2.1 beta 5 fixes the Denon volume control problem for me!
The volume levels are displayed in integer numbers now (on RoPieee Display).
Big thanks to @DrCWO and @Klaus_Engel
Dr CWO, thank you. My Nuimo has arrived today, vey nice it is too.
I already have your Roodial working on a Pi Zero W but i cannot seem to see the new Pi4 (2gb) i have got for the Nuimo in Roon. The Nuimo itself only shows the bluetooth symbol. I have tried removing the (perforated metal) case from the pi but this made no difference.
Reading the thread (its a long one so i may have missed something!) it appears the bluetooth connection between the Pi4 and Nuimo is automatic? I have tried with them inches away from one another to no avail.
Any thoughts?