In this article, we will be exploring how to transform your Ubuntu machine into an AirPlay receiver. This will allow you to stream music or other audio from your iPhone, iPad, or other Apple devices directly to your Ubuntu system. We will be using two open-source software solutions, namely Shairplay and shairport-sync.
Yes, it is possible to turn your Ubuntu machine into an AirPlay receiver using open-source software solutions like Shairplay and shairport-sync. These tools allow you to stream audio from your Apple devices directly to your Ubuntu system.
Introduction to AirPlay
AirPlay is a proprietary protocol suite developed by Apple Inc. that allows wireless streaming of audio, video, and photos, together with related metadata between devices. Originally implemented only in Apple’s software and devices, it was called AirTunes and used for audio only.
Prerequisites
Before we start, ensure that you have administrative access to your Ubuntu machine and that it’s connected to the same network as your Apple device. You will also need a basic understanding of the terminal and command-line interface.
Using Shairplay
Shairplay is an open-source AirPlay server for Linux and Unix-like systems. It allows your Ubuntu machine to act as an AirPlay receiver.
Installation
To install Shairplay, open your terminal and type the following commands:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install autoconf automake libtool libltdl-dev libao-dev libavahi-compat-libdnssd-dev avahi-daemon
git clone https://github.com/juhovh/shairplay.git
cd shairplay
./autogen.sh
make
sudo make installThese commands will update your system, install necessary packages, clone the Shairplay repository, compile and install it.
Running Shairplay
To run Shairplay, use the following command:
shairplay -a 'Your Ubuntu Machine'Here, -a is used to set the name of your AirPlay receiver. Replace ‘Your Ubuntu Machine’ with the name you want to give to your AirPlay receiver.
Using Shairport-Sync
An alternative to Shairplay is shairport-sync, a fork of the original Shairport with active development and additional features.
Installation
To install shairport-sync, use the following commands:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install autoconf automake libtool libdaemon-dev libasound2-dev libpopt-dev libconfig-dev
sudo apt-get install avahi-daemon libavahi-client-dev
sudo apt-get install libssl-dev
git clone https://github.com/mikebrady/shairport-sync.git
cd shairport-sync
autoreconf -i -f
./configure --with-alsa --with-avahi --with-ssl=openssl --with-metadata --with-systemd
make
sudo make installThese commands will update your system, install necessary packages, clone the shairport-sync repository, compile and install it.
Running Shairport-Sync
To run shairport-sync, use the following command:
shairport-sync -a 'Your Ubuntu Machine'Again, -a is used to set the name of your AirPlay receiver. Replace ‘Your Ubuntu Machine’ with the name you want to give to your AirPlay receiver.
Conclusion
By following the steps in this guide, you should now be able to turn your Ubuntu machine into an AirPlay receiver. This allows you to stream audio from your Apple device to your Ubuntu machine, providing a seamless integration between the two systems.
Remember that both Shairplay and shairport-sync are open-source projects. If you encounter any issues or want to contribute, feel free to visit their respective GitHub pages. Happy streaming!
No, this method is specifically for streaming audio. AirPlay video streaming is not supported.
No, this method only allows you to stream audio from your Apple device to your Ubuntu machine. It does not support streaming audio in the opposite direction.
Yes, you can change the name of your AirPlay receiver by modifying the -a 'Your Ubuntu Machine' argument in the command used to run either Shairplay or shairport-sync. Replace ‘Your Ubuntu Machine’ with the desired name for your AirPlay receiver.
Yes, both Shairplay and shairport-sync can be used with other Linux distributions. However, the installation commands provided in this guide are specifically for Ubuntu. You may need to adjust the installation commands based on the package manager and dependencies used by your specific Linux distribution.
Yes, both Shairplay and shairport-sync support streaming audio from multiple Apple devices simultaneously. You can connect multiple devices to your AirPlay receiver and play audio from each device independently.
No, this method only allows you to stream audio from your Apple device to your Ubuntu machine. You cannot control playback on your Ubuntu machine using your Apple device. Playback control needs to be done directly on the Ubuntu machine.
The installation commands provided in this guide are based on the latest version of Ubuntu at the time of writing. However, Shairplay and shairport-sync should be compatible with older versions of Ubuntu as well. You may need to adjust the installation commands based on the specific package manager and dependencies used by your older version of Ubuntu.
