Cheap audio device to play a sound file?

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1

I currently have hubitat rules to have eufy genie smart speakers (looks like an alexa echo clone) play sound files stored on a local web path. But the hubitat integration with these speakers doesn't seem very reliable due to the use of no-longer-maintained drivers/apps (dlna player/mediarenderer) and the speaker themselves being end-of-life. I also suspect the integration to be very noisy network-wise and this impacts network performance.

SO, are there any more current speaker alternatives? Also, I need a port for audio output like a 3.5mm jack so I can keep the device indoors and output to outdoor speakers. I don't need music streaming or alexa support. Ideally, I just need to play a file off my local web server but I'm also ok if I can upload a few mp3 files to the device and have it play a specific one. For reference, a new eufy genie on ebay is about $20. I previously used alexa echos to play a sound skill, but that is cloud-based and skills sometimes fail.

My main use case is have motion/vision sensors trigger the speakers to play random dog barking sounds outside so I know when someone is near.

2

Homepod mini speakers.. Very reliable and can be paired directly to hubiat. Also they're matter/thread border routers. Pick up refurbs cheap on ebay.

3

i dont think homepod have any audio out though ... different use case but when i was trying to find an outdoor smart speaker the best option i could come up was sonos, but not cheap

edit: WiiM Amp + outdoor speaker would work too, but I think you'd end up in sonos price range, it wouldnt have the smart features but sounds like you dont care about that anyway.

4

Yeah my bad, didn't see the audio out. Don't know of any hubitat compatible speakers that have that option.

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5

I don't know about any of the newer Echo devices, but some of the older ones have audio out. Specifically, the Echo Dot models (2nd, 3rd, and some 4th gen) feature a 3.5mm audio jack.

You would need to setup Echo Speaks to get them working with Hubitat, but that's not too difficult.

6

I've do have many older echo devices with the 3.5mm output. I did use Echo Speaks before, but I stopped because I wanted a non-cloud system for reliability and responsiveness. And I don't remember that echo speaks can play an audio file.

I do have a gen1 echo show with audio output that I've read can be software-hacked to install android... so then I guess I could install a dlna client? Or I guess I can just use an old android phone... Not sure if there is another way for hubitat to tell an android device to play something. But this seems so hacky and feels like I've just put wheels under the horse so I can delay acknowledging that it's dead.

7

How about this?
You could put it in a plastic bag.

edit: It'd be a small dog though.

8

that is actually pretty neat - looks like you could put in a weather proof outlet box even.