USB Type B or Type A dongle (with Ethernet in or WiFi on-board) as Roon endpoint

However, it is a Linux-based platform, and there is a Roon bridge for Linux, as in the RoPieee build. If Roon Labs could be convinced to compile a MIPS version of the bridge, this could be turned into an inexpensive RAAT streamer dongle, just as the OP envisioned. WiFi is only “n”, but also has an Ethernet port.

Certainly doable. There’s also a PoE variant. Tempted to buy one and have a play.

Shouldn’t need PoE if USB can supply current. Should check USB-B spec to find out if they supply current the same way USB-A does.

Update: I was afraid of this. From the Wikipedia article

Unlike other data buses (such as Ethernet), USB connections are directed; a host device has “downstream” facing ports that connect to the “upstream” ports of devices. Only downstream facing ports provide power; this topology was chosen to easily prevent electrical overloads and damaged equipment. Thus, USB cables have different ends: A and B, with different physical connectors for each.

So, the USB B port common with DACs and preamps is a “downstream” port which will not provide power.

That’s what I suspected. I think I’ll simply ask Bill in future. :wink:

The most recent version of USB can support power in either direction, but I guess that’s no use to you. If you have the option pf using PoE, I would consider that, as there’s every chance that it will supply clean power to the host device, whereas USB power is often, depending on implementation, quite noisy.

Yes, but PoE is uncommon, I’d think, in the places where an Ethernet-to-USB-Audio dongle would be useful.

Well, I do read the Internet.

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Yes, but Martin mentioned it, so I assume he had a particular product in mind.

I thought as much. Thanks @Bill_Janssen for researching and clearing this up. :+1:

… which is why I thought PoE was the way to go. Moot point since it’s the “wrong” architecture.

The article is a bit confusing; it refers to upstream ports (USB type A connectors) as “downstream facing” ports, and vice versa.