Matter protocol and Squeezebox/LMS

[didjean]

Seems that Matter protocol will help standardise the home automation.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matter_(standard)

https://csa-iot.org/

Any opportunities for our beloved Squeezebox ecosystem?

Sonos has joined as well: https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/2...lliance-matter

[Paul Webster]

Matter protocol and Squeezebox/LMS

There was a short thread on this recently - but I wasn't able to find it again quickly.

The specifications are available for download after registering.

Media support is in it but I have not checked the details and, so far, I have not seen any media players being controlled.
In theory, it could mean that, if LMS was able to act as a client/proxy then the Squeezebox devices could be controlled, in a limited way, by Alexa/Google Home etc without requiring additional plugins or port forwarding etc.

[didjean]

There was a short thread on this recently - but I wasn't able to find it again quickly.

The specifications are available for download after registering.

Media support is in it but I have not checked the details and, so far, I have not seen any media players being controlled.
In theory, it could mean that, if LMS was able to act as a client/proxy then the Squeezebox devices could be controlled, in a limited way, by Alexa/Google Home etc without requiring additional plugins or port forwarding etc.

Have also searched the forum for any information about Matter and Squeeze and couldn't find anything.
This looks promising indeed.

[Paul Webster]

From my very quick reading of the Matter Device Library Specification … they have a definition of a video device and a separate definition of a speaker.

The speaker has only on/off/volume

The video device includes a “cast” capability (content) along with pause/resume/volume/change-channel etc.

So my guess is would have to emulate a video device to get the most functionality (eg channel could perhaps be mapped to LMS favorite) but still be less than can be done with LMS remote and much less than LMS web interfaces.

[lostboy]

As far as I can tell a full streaming or casting device class definition has yet to be agreed by the CSA. I suspect if and when the definition is agreed that it will end up as a lowest common denominator effort, at least initially. As Paul says, it's difficult to see what matter would bring to the LMS/squeezebox party in the short to medium term.

Although matter has open source reference apps/firmwares and SDK, the actually implementation of a device that can be used in a real matter deployment requires 3rd party certification at a test house. Otherwise the device cannot be included the ring of trust required by the matter security model. It may be that only businesses or the incorporated commercial arms of the larger community platforms (e.g. NabuCasa for Home Assistant) will be able to get/hold certification. To either use LMS to stream to matter certified devices, or to allow something within a matter fabric to stream to our existing players will likely require some form of certified bridge. We may be dependent upon the willingness of 3rd parties to provide the necessary functionality for us, e.g. Apple may decide to bridge Airplay into a matter fabric so you could stream to any matter connected speaker, likewise Google & Chromecast.

Of more immediate use would be if manufacturers of e.g. amplifiers/active speakers included simple matter compatible on/off switching & volume endpoints in their kit (as per the speaker class), it should then be relatively straightforward to link through a home automation platform (e.g. Home Assistant) to request that the end device was turned on or off in sympathy with the player stream, and maybe even control the volume.

I think this is a 'wait and see'.

Chris