Support devices without getPlayerStatus(Ex) support

[anderscarling]

Some linkplay devices (including recent Audio Pro devices like the "A10 MkII") does not support getPlayerStatus and getPlayerStatusEx.

linkplay_cli uses a UPNP based fallback to getPlayerStatus

I could investigate implementing something similar, but wanted to check if that's something that you feel is within the scope of the project before I put any work into it?

[silamon]

There are plenty of issues at the Home Assistant repository for this specific device in the linkplay integration.

I do wonder before going ahead with the upnp fallback if these devices work with certain companion apps and/or embedding a web applications where you can control these devices. We may be able to find out more about the differences this device has in comparison with the normal linkplay protocol.

[anderscarling]

They do for sure work with Audio Pro and the "WiiM Home" (published by "LinkPlay Tech" in iOS App store) companion apps. No embedded web application.

From what I can tell the apps use upnp to query the speakers for what's being played, and LinkPlay HTTP api for instructions (at least for the multiroom configuration). It's a bit hard to figure out exactly what they do over linkplay though, due to the https encryption.

I've not gone through all the api calls in the acrylic http api documentation, but a random subset of playback (play/pause etc) control and multiroom control apis seems to be working. I've also tried some TCP UART APIs and result seems to be similar.

Could definitely do some more testing though, to make sure all other APIs used by python-linkplay are working.

[silamon]

I can't find any references to the getPlayerStatus(Ex) api command in the app either, so I'm open to have the uPnP added as a fallback. Let's try and fallback if the command cannot be found, similar to the linkplay-cli tooling, keep a boolean variable upnp_fallback so we don't query it every time. Since this is a linkplay library specificly, the result should be converted back to the dict structure already in place in the LinkPlayPlayer class.

[silamon]

There's more information and some outputs at home-assistant/core#126172

[anderscarling]

Cool, I'll hopefully find some time to try to put an implementation together later this week.

[dnikles]

If or when upnp support gets added, would we be able to force that option for a player? The wiim mini currently crashes when polled by getPLayerStatusEx (usually happens to my device in less than 36 hours, other models of Wiim do not have this issue). Wiim support seems willing to address the issue from their side but in the meantime I'm using this integration https://github.com/onlyoneme/home-assistant-custom-components-wiim/tree/beta specifically for my wiim minis, which uses upnp.

[VergilGao]

My device returns a strange string

$ curl http://192.168.18.7/httpapi.asp\?command\=getPlayerStatusEx
{"type":"0","ch":"0","mode":"2","loop":"0","eq":"0","status":"stop","curpos":"2000","totlen":"0","Title":"486F6D6520417373697374616E74","Artist":"unknown",, "Album":"unknown","udiskflag":"1","alarmflag":"0","plicount":"0","plicurr":"0","vol":"25","mute":"0"}#

got double , after Artist field

[dnikles]

My device returns a strange string

$ curl http://192.168.18.7/httpapi.asp\?command\=getPlayerStatusEx
{"type":"0","ch":"0","mode":"2","loop":"0","eq":"0","status":"stop","curpos":"2000","totlen":"0","Title":"486F6D6520417373697374616E74","Artist":"unknown",, "Album":"unknown","udiskflag":"1","alarmflag":"0","plicount":"0","plicurr":"0","vol":"25","mute":"0"}#

got double , after Artist field

Whatever that device is, it isn't returning valid json

[silamon]

I'm still to accept contributions that implement the uPnP alternative in this library. That will help for devices that return invalid json and also for devices that return nothing at all. 😀

[mainTAP]

I've also seen the getPlayerStatusEx sometimes returning incomplete metadata for wiim devices, like missing album art or the artist field in comparison to what's provided via UPnP

[tumd]

Just mentioning this here.

[vingerha]

... what's provided via UPnP

I am trying to see if uPnP adds value here, I only have a WiiM Pro so not all the data required on the added value of uPnP :)
If uPnP works, then why not use that integration for this device or, in other words, what of LP is required that a uPnP integration of your device does not deliver (just some examples will help me with my understanding)?

[JonSilver]

I am trying to see if uPnP adds value here

It's now my working hypothesis that the MkII versions of the Audio Pro speakers support httpasp for a very limited selection of the API commands, including getStatusEx but excluding getPlayerStatusEx, and the remaining functionality is obtained by the Audio Pro & Wiim apps via uPnP. At present I'm relying on uPnP (DLNA) to provide me with definitive information on Home Assistant about what's playing via any of the "inputs" on my devices, whereas through a device provided by AirPlay->Music Assistant->Home Assistant it's impossible to see what's playing via the native presets, for example. uPnP also gives me a centralised volume control. This is a subset of what the LinkPlay integration (through this library) would give me. It's missing all the multiroom group joining/unjoining functionality which appears to only be supported within the LinkPlay API. I'm guessing that if the LinkPlay library (and by extension integration) could be made to recognise and connect to these devices then it would also enable control of multiroom functionality.