laptop instead of an airport?

June 19, 2012 12:02 PM

Can I setup my PC laptop to receive audio like an AirPort Express?

I have an older PC laptop that we use as media server in our living room: we listen to music, stream radio, and have it attached to our TV for watching videos and MAME.

I would like it to also act as an airport express: Is there a program I can run on it so that other laptops can connect and stream their audio to it so it all comes out that same speaker system?

If the search fails, the main backup option is to get an airport express to connect to, and have that running in to a mixer that the media server laptop is also connected to, and have that run in to the stereo. Of course, I'd prefer to not have to buy an airport express.

posted by Theta States to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

Best answer: I think you can do this with Airfoil, (which you would install on your laptops) along with its accompanying utility Airfoil Speakers for Windows (which you would install on the "older PC laptop" media serve)r:

Airfoil Speakers for Windows makes any Windows box show up in Airfoil as an audio output.

There was some kerfuffle recently about Airfoil being pulled from the iOS App Store but I don't think it alters this particular functionality.
posted by bcwinters at 12:11 PM on June 19, 2012 [1 favorite]

WinAmp will play media files from anywhere on your network.
posted by notyou at 12:11 PM on June 19, 2012

Assuming that you only want to connect other APPLE devices to this laptop, this looks very promising. No idea if it works, but it looks like it could be good.

By the way, the thing you're looking to do is have your PC serve as an AirPlay receiver. That vocab might help you search further.

If you have broader needs (i.e. if you want to machines running Windows or Linux to stream audio to this machine), you might have to look into other software packages in addition.
posted by Betelgeuse at 12:13 PM on June 19, 2012

Shairport4w will do this. Releveant Lifehacker article.
posted by sockpup at 12:14 PM on June 19, 2012 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Assuming that you only want to connect other APPLE devices to this laptop

I want to connect mostly PC devices to this laptop.



WinAmp will play media files from anywhere on your network.

I want to output from the laptop I am using to the media laptop, not access the network from the media laptop.
posted by Theta States at 12:16 PM on June 19, 2012

Shairport4w or XBMC might also be interesting possibilities.
posted by Betelgeuse at 12:17 PM on June 19, 2012

I want to connect mostly PC devices to this laptop.

OK. I'll correct myself. As long as iTunes is your way of playing audio, you can use the Airplay protocol. I think that an airport express would only support Airplay, anyway.
posted by Betelgeuse at 12:18 PM on June 19, 2012

Response by poster: Airfoil seems like it might do the trick, I will try that later tonight.

I will also check Shairport4w, but from what I can see here it's more focused on receiving connections from Apple products.
I primarily use Ableton Live and Winamp on a PC.
posted by Theta States at 12:22 PM on June 19, 2012