Spotify Connect - Unavailable for Playback - Android to Android

[warpzero]

I'm trialing Spotify with a goal of using an old Android phone as a receiver. I want to taken an old Android phone with Spotify and connect it to an amplifier. I'd then like to use Spotify Connect with my other Android devices to playback music directly on this phone. This is OK, but often when I try to select playback on the old Android phone in Connect I can't select it - it says "Unavailable for Playback". It seems that I can only send music to it if the screen is on and Spotify is in the foreground. Obviously this isn't ideal as most of the time the screen will be off (it will be sitting there, connected to the amp). Is there a way around this to be able to play back to it all the time?

[warpzero]

To anybody else having this issue: After more searching I came across this thread with the same problem: http://community.spotify.com/t5/Help-Android/Spotify-Connect-Android-to-Android-Trouble-selecting-ac... Looks like this is a "feature". :( Idea suggestion to make a "server mode" is here: http://community.spotify.com/t5/ideas/v2/ideapage/blog-id/ideaexchange/article-id/47162 I guess I won't be using Spotify for this purpose then. Too bad. I'll use BubbleUPNP for now, but I'd rather have a stream music service like Spotify. Does any other streaming service do "Connect" properly?

[tentacle_bonzo]

Google Play with a chromecast works. It's HDMI out only though, but you can buy simple adapters to convert an hdmi port into audio outs. 

Also, there's an app called Music Remote that sounds like it does what we're looking for but I didn't try it yet. You install it on the player and whatever device you want to use as a remote and then you can control it remotely.

[warpzero · Accepted solution]

I solved this in the end.

If anyone is curious, I had an old Android phone, so I set it up with BubbleUPNP. The old phone is plugged into the amplifier and acts as the server.

The current Android phones all have Bubble installed as well and they sent any content to the "server" phone through UPNP.

On a rooted device, Bubble can also forward audio from other Android apps on the phone, like Spotify.

[crispypaint]

I actually came up with another solution you might find useful. I use Tasker and Pushbullet to send a wake up command from my personal phone to the device connected to my speakers (an old HTC desire) .
I installed Pushbullet and Tasker on both devices. I created a task on my personal phone to push a note containing the word "spotify" upon opening the Spotify app (but only when connected to my home wifi).

I created a Tasker app on the music device to wake the screen (using the Secure Settings plugin), and also open Spotify when receiving a Pushbullet note containing the word "spotify".

So now, when I'm at home and open Spotify on my personal device, the music device wakes up with Spotify ready to playback if I choose.

Hope that helps!

[Daniel]

What a great idea. You could also use the Tasked plugin 'AutoRemote' instead of pushbullet if you want and has a couple of benefits for this test case such as offline messaging via Bluetooth or local lan. Plus its invisible.

[crispypaint]

Thanks, I didn't know of about AutoRemote but it looks awesome. Will check it out.

[Daniel]

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@crispypaint wrote:
Thanks, I didn't know of about AutoRemote but it looks awesome. Will check it out.

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It's really useful. Checkout this and the developers other apps. My favourites are AutoRemote, AutoLocation, AutoNotification and AutoVoice. 

Really powerful plugins and I recommend getting the Beta's. 

Go to joaoapps.com for detail, help and guides for his apps. 

I use them regularly and combined with secure settings makes Tasker even more powerful. 

[S2R]

I believe, the solution should be native by Spotify develop team

[S2R · Accepted solution]

Hey DJs!

After weeks of trying to raise an issue by Spofify support team (I'm having problems using Spotify Connect [ ref:_00DD0pxIW._500D0lXQ0v:ref ]) I have found the only one native solution by myself. 

As I posted above, my Nexus 7 the most of the time docked (Look at photo) but It also paired with the audio dock station by Bluetooth (LG ND 5520). And as I posted either, the problem was that the Nexus 7 was falling asleep and it led to "Unavailable for playback" in Connect mode in the Spotify app.

This is my native solution: 
So, that what we need to keep the device in wake up mode forever with low consume of power. And we can make it by native feature called - Daydream! which is placed in display settings of devices. Just turn it on and enjoy - Now this device is ALWAYS AVAILABLE FOR PLAYBACK into you Spotify app > Connect mode.

Finally, I can start playing Music before I come home via just few taps on my Nexus 5! It is magic on your fingertips, isn't it?

Thanks,
Sergey

[S2R]

What about the volume level control? If Spotify makes the remote volume control then we can use Android wear watch to decrease on increase the volume

[funkdified]

Spotify doesn't add itself to Daydream and therefore cannot wake your device via Daydream.

[Tipapoute]

I'm taking points off from Spotify for not resolving this issue. Glad you found a way around but it seems like a bit of a hassle to download and setup 2 apps on the 2 devices..
Come on Spotify team, get on this please.