Time for a change in the bedroom

[NugentS]

Currently I use a Logitech Squeezebox Radio as an alarm clock and a music player and I have a LMS on a Synology NAS elsewhere in the house. I have about 80GB of music all MP3 at high bitrates

The Squeezebox hardware is a getting a bit tired and starting to give problems.
I want better sound, probably with speakers on the opposite wall. 2.0 or I suppose 2.1 as I can hide a sub - certainly no more than that
The alarm clock is clumsy to set on the Squeezebox. It works but is certainly clumsy

I have borrowed an 1st Gen Amazon dot thingy and spent several hours trying to to connect to my Synology music library. For the moment I have given up because:
1. It don't work, it does connect but doesn't seem to find any music
2. It means opening holes in my firewall that means anyone can connect to the relevant port on my Synology. Yes I could lock this down more but it means trying to find out where Alexa's IP addresses on Amazon are and I can see that changing from time to time. Secure passwords are all very good, but I would rather people don't get the opportunity to try.
3. I am not paying a monthly subscription for music I already have and honestly I don't buy much these days

Ignoring Amp and Speakers for the moment - that a question for when I have the source working.

I love telling Alexa to set an alarm at "insert time here", no button pressing, no web page etc
I also want to be easily able to browse my music collection and play it on stereo speakers from the front rather than mono from the side. I don't want to have to use a phone, or a tablet (at this stage) to control another device (as its yet another device to power / charge / break down).

Anyone got any ideas?

Sean

[NugentS]

Just continuing with my rambling thoughts

I would love to be able to voice control my music - but I suspect that this isn't possible without exposing the synology or putting the music in the cloud (neither of which I like)

Ideally the alarm clock will wake me up with music, random or pre-selected rather than an alarm noise. Alarm clock must have a largish displayed time

I am not tied to LMS - its just what the squeezeboxes use and which currently provides the alarm capability. I can use Audio Station / DNLA etc from the Synology. In my front room I can use both the TV or the AMP to play music (and may for all I know be able to use the DVD player as well) via a number of methods including Plex, SMB, DNLA, etc.

[aquarianone]

What's wrong with an Alexa Spot - linked to Deezer or wotnot..

Works for me, simple Alarm clock, small but clear screen, control of lights and music.

Alexa play... BBC radio2 / Stevie Wonder / Radio 6 / Virgin radio...

Alexa.. set alarm for ..X...using Y radio station...

Then use the App to fine tune whatever you need to do.

Syncs up with other dot/ echo's etc around the house so, you can do multiroomish audio.

[NugentS]

Because I am not paying £15.00 / £10.00 a month for music I already own. My music taste is very conservative. I already have the music I want (with very occasional exceptions) and would rather spend money on something I own rather than something I rent

Sean

[chris285]

Radio is not a paid for service, works via tunedin app which is free

[NugentS]

Still doesn't play my music.

However............

I now have the Amazon Thingy playing my music - Google for My Media for Alexa - which is working quite well.
And I have my eye on some mixer amps that may do the rest

Sean

[C0ffin D0dger]

Interesting, this was always the big flaw with Echo devices for me, not being able to play your own media. We know full well why Amazon don't support it, they'd far rather you sign up to there streaming service or someone else (who they've probably got a vested interest in). Wonder if this service will remain as Amazon have a habit of blocking stuff they don't like.

Though I'm now bought into the Yamaha Musicast Eco System so don't need this. I can even get an Echo now and ask it to play music on the Musicast but seems a bit daft needing two devices.