Any recommendations for a outdoor speaker I could use with HA / Wifi?

Hardware
1

Hello,

Halloween is approaching, and I want to figure out how I could have a couple of speakers outside my front door to play some ambience. The only wireless speakers I know of will stream Bluetooth, but in this case I’d be looking for something that can use wifi / HA.

Do such speakers exist?

2

You could use SONOS, that use WI-FI and also make outdoor capable models.
They are detected as media_player entities in HA

3

Interesting question, there aren’t a lot of speakers out there with Wifi. :slight_smile:

I could think of these solutions (additionally to the Sonos idea from Aaron):

  • IKEA
    They offer two or three different models, all “powered by” Sonos. So you can use the Sonos app to control them or integrate them in HA (or both). They are way cheaper than the excessively priced Sonos speakers, but still are expensive. In Germany the cheapest IKEA model starts at 150.-, what I personally find to expensive.
  • ESP based
    • You can run one of the ESP based speakers (I can’t recall their name, sorry)
    • You use eg. the m5stack Atom Speaker (not Echo). There you can plug in every “normal” speaker you have lying around.
    • Use an ESP device as BT gateway. Send the sound to the ESP and connect a BT speaker to this ESP. The signal from HA comes over Wifi to the ESP and than is send via BT to the speaker.
    • => Another advantage could be, that you can power an ESP device with batteries, so no need for a power outlet right at your front gate.
  • Raspberry Pi based
    The Pis all (from the Pi2 on) have a plug in port for speakers. This can be used as well with every speaker you can find.

I personally would go with #2 or #3. Especially with an ESP based device there is no harm done, if somebody steals it. It’s together with an old speaker doable for around 10.- to 15.- bucks, that shouldn’t matter that much, if it gets lost. :slight_smile:

4

Sonos Move…
Great stuff
Works like a charm

1 Like
5

Sonos Move may be a bit pricey (but good), there is also the Sonos Roam for half the price.

6

I would do this using Logitec Media Server (LMS). Then you can use a chromecast enabled speaker, an Airplay enable speaker or any arm board running linux with squeezelite connected to a Bluetooth speaker. LSM can send music to any of these three options.