How AirPlay, Bluetooth and DLNA work

Bluetooth is the easiest way to transfer music to wireless speakers. In almost all notebooks, tablets and smartphones, the technology is built, radio boxes with Bluetooth are already available for under € 100. The range is approximately ten meters, so the receiver should be in the same room.


Bluetooth


For playback to be successful, music players and speakers must be "paired" at the first contact. This "pairing" is usually done by pressing the button on the loudspeaker. The radio box then appears in the transmitter's Bluetooth settings and can be selected as an external audio device. It now plays sounds on the tablet, smartphone or computer - music as well as movie sound or messages from the operating system, such as acoustic calendar notes.


AirPlay


Practically, spreading across system boundaries: PC and Mac support Bluetooth as well as Android, Windows Phone or iPhone & Co. However, there are differences in sound because some devices compress the signal before transmission. And only one loudspeaker can be supplied by Bluetooth.


UPnP (DLNA)


With AirPlay, Apple has established its own streaming technology: iPhone, iPad and iPod touch (from iOS 4.3) as well as computers with the program iTunes (from 10.2) transfer music to AirPlay receivers in the network. This can be different devices: radio speakers, AV receivers or even the set-top box Apple TV.


They automatically appear in the AirPlay menu as soon as they are connected to the same WLAN or router. A certification program from Apple ensures that everything works and the operation is always the same. No matter which device or app is used: The AirPlay icon on the screen always leads to the loudspeaker selection.


Practice: Listening to music without cable


For good sound quality, the Apple Lossless Codec, which transmits music without sound degradation. However, the resolution of the digital signal is limited to 24 bits / 48 kHz, high resolution files with 96 or even 192 kilohertz can not be streamed. Restrict: Android devices can send their music to AirPlay receivers only with "unofficial" apps like TwonkyBeam.


What is AirPlay for Apple owners is Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) for the rest of the world: a streaming standard that ensures the sender and receiver are on the network and understand each other. UPnP is available on Windows PCs and Smart TVs, on Android devices and with special apps on iPhone and Co.


For even more understanding between the devices, the abbreviation DLNA provides. Products with this designation have a defined range of audio and video formats that help prevent playback problems. If the radio loudspeaker is DLNA-certified, the streaming usually works as well. The radio box then appears as an external playback device in UPnP programs such as the Windows Media Player or the corresponding apps for iOS and Android.


Practice: Apps for streaming and network


The music can either be stored directly on the player, or the player can retrieve it from the home network. Computers, NAS systems or hard disk recorders with a UPnP server are considered as music sources. The smartphone or tablet is going to wireless remote. Sounds complicated? This is sometimes when many different devices are involved in streaming.