FREE multi device synchronised playback

  • Thread starter DQuaN
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DQuaN

DQuaN

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I have PCs/Laptops in my bedroom, living room and kitchen. Most of them are connected to fairly high powered sound systems. If I can, I'll have one in the bathroom too! What I'm looking for is some kind of server and playback software that will allow me to play the same music or video simultaneously through all the devices.

I have been playing around with the Logitech Media Server and have got the music sync to work but it isn't quite what I'm after as it requires too many plugins to work and I don't see a way of playing video. I have seen a few setups using VLC but it looks stupidly complicated and all the instructions I have found are for the old version.

Does anyone know of any free software that will allow me to do this easily?

*edit*
and free if piossible.
 
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Have you tried XBMC its a Free media center solution and is very good at cataloguing your files and sharing them to various gadgets around the house. Its more than likly what I will be using when I eventually get a Mac Mini.

xbmc.org
 
*Subscribed* I am carefully watching this thread as I would like to do something similar as well. I will report any findings I come across.
 
It still doesn't look all that easy. "Sadly, there doesn’t seem to be a good free option for Windows."

VLC is supposed to be able to do this but I think you have to be running Linux.
 
You can get VLC to stream a music folder from the server to all the client computers/devices that you want it to play on on a Windows server.

It just depends on how fast your network is capable of streaming the required information wirelessly or wired.

I've done it from my desktop to my phone (Samsung Galaxy S) and a different computer as a test, although yes, you do need to know some set settings and required options to select. I did find it was a very much a set and forget program though.

Hm, I may run a test soon, that I've got my mind working on this....
 
Ok; so I've found another streaming application and it's got windows support. It's called Subsonic Website Plus it also has apps for phones running windows, iOS and android. Might be the solution your looking for.
 
Thought I'd bump with my current setup.

Media Center PC running Logitech Media Server

Same PC and all others in the house running SoftSqueeze This is a free open source app that turns any PC in to a SqueezeBox player.

The Media Server has the spotify plugin installed and is also synched to iTunes.

I have a BlackBerry Playbook tablet with music2touch app (basically a Logitech Media Server remote control). This was the only expense at £2.

I can now wander round the house using the tablet to browse iTunes and spotify, create playlists and manage the music that is playing in all rooms simultaneously! :D

Now I just need to find a way of doing it with video.
 
Next thing for me to do is get one of these these. I've already downloaded the app for my phone to receive music from the server, so plugging it in to this and putting it in the garden when we have BBQ's would work quite well. :)
 

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