Apple Music and Control4 Integration

[Don Cohen]

I am pretty sure I know the answer here, based on other posts, but being Android-centric, wanted to make sure.

I recently added an ATV 4k to my theater, and just started using it to play Dolby Atmos music. This works with my Tidal subscription using the Tidal App, but I also got an Apple Music trial subscription to try it out there as well. I do not consider myself to have golden ears, or anything even close to that, but the Atmos experience was dramatically better with Apple Music than Tidal, even with the same tracks. And this was after compensating for the lower volume using Tidal.

So I'm considering switching from Tidal to Apple Music. We occasionally would want to listen to music in our family room, where we don't have an Apple TV. Nor do we have iPhones or any other Apple device. Currently with Tidal integration, my wife can find what she wants to listen through using the Control4 app, and it's very easy for her to play.

I've read about adding a Shairbridge Driver to provide some level of integration, but if I'm understanding this right, it would provide casting access for an Apple device, but it would still not be available within Control4 proper, in the same easy way that Tidal provides.

Is that correct, or is there some way to use Apple Music within Control4, similar to how it works with Tidal? Probably not, but wanted to make sure as I try to figure out how I want to proceed.

Thanks.

[South Africa C4 user]

Your summary is near enough right.  No easy way to use Apple Music direct / natively.  There are various workarounds but nothing that will get close to the Tidal user experience (sadly!)

[cnicholson]

Yep. Bummer, as a lot of people are constantly asking for this.

I think the closest "standard" way to access Apple Music via Control 4 is by putting a Sonos Port gizmo on you matrix and connect your Apple Music account to Sonos.  You can then access playlists/favorites via native C4 interface.  For more detailed browsing / discovery, you'd need to access the native Sonos app on your android phone.    I have a Sonos Port and use this technique occasionally.  Bit of a hassle, but at least you'd have a single source library for you favorites, etc.

There are other more expensive specialty products that (apparently) can get you closer to a fulsome integration.

Goes without saying but your stated reason for preferring Apple Music is better sound quality (Atmos/Lossless/etc.), this would not apply to Shairbridge or playing via Sonos Port.

[Don Cohen]

Thanks, but that is a whole lot of expense and hassle for something very simple.

I think if I do switch, I'll have her use the Apple Music on her Android Phone, which provides an option to cast it to the Sony TV in there. I have programing in Control4 to turn on the Sony AVR when this happens, so that should work.

[Control4Savant]

13 hours ago, Don Cohen said:

Thanks, but that is a whole lot of expense and hassle for something very simple.

I think if I do switch, I'll have her use the Apple Music on her Android Phone, which provides an option to cast it to the Sony TV in there. I have programing in Control4 to turn on the Sony AVR when this happens, so that should work.

Does Sony casting support lossless or immersive audio?

[Don Cohen]

10 minutes ago, Control4Savant said:

Does Sony casting support lossless or immersive audio?

I don't know, haven't checked yet, but I would be surprised if it did. My wife would be the main one doing this, and she couldn't care less about this stuff.

But you did get me curious, so I'll check if I can remember!

 

[Control4Savant]

3 minutes ago, Don Cohen said:

I don't know, haven't checked yet, but I would be surprised if it did. My wife would be the main one doing this, and she couldn't care less about this stuff.

But you did get me curious, so I'll check if I can remember!

 

You’re right. Client wives have cared about many many things over the years but they never seem to care about the sound lol. 

[zaphod]

Another option is Spotify.  I prefer Spotify despite the lack of full integration with C4 because I prefer the Spotify app UI for selecting and playing music.  I am used to using this UI on my phone, PC or tablet when away from home so then using the same UI at home, and using the play to device feature to send the music to C4 works for me.  The only issue then becomes if you want add other zones to the music then you also have to open up the C4 app.  But this could be easier for your wife once she gets used to it and if she likes the Spotify app.

But not sure about the audio quality as Spotify Hifi was "announced" over 2.5 years ago but is still vapourware.

[Amr]

Nothing gives my a pleasure than simplicity; so all native C4 is much appreciated and I have both Tidal and Deezer and pretty happy with both, don’t get me wrong I have everything integrated but fewer clicks is easier