Audio sharing is not a new concept. In fact, nowadays, most collaboration/cloud-based video conferencing services usually include this option.
However, there are simpler, “cleaner” ways of achieving this. For example, with the help of a simple app called Audio Sharing.
Audio Sharing is a modern, no-frills, and open-source Linux application that allows you to share your computer audio playback in the form of a RTSP stream.
Reasons why you might want to use Audio Sharing
RTSP (short for Real Time Streaming Protocol) is a one of the best network protocols and is used by various popular entertainment and communications systems.
The stream shared by Audio Sharing can be played back on other computers as well as other types of devices (such as smartphones, tablets, etc.). In short, to playback the stream, you simply need an app or program capable of playing RTSP streams on your devices or computer. One good option is to install VLC (since it’s available for desktop, as well as both iOS and Android).
Essentially, what this app does is allow non-compatible devices to play audio. For instance, let’s say that you have an audio accessory that is not compatible with your desktop computer (let’s say your computer doesn’t have the Bluetooth module installed, for some reason). With the help of Audio SHaring, you can play the computer audio on your smartphone, which is then connected to the Bluetooth accessory in question.
How to install and use Audio Sharing
There are two main ways to install Audio Sharing. You can either install it directly from Flathub (the easiest option), or you can build it from source from the app’s official Gitlab repository.
Using Audio Sharing is pretty much a walk in the park. Simply open the app, copy the link to your computer’s clipboard and share it with your device. Alternatively, you can use the device that has an RTSP player app installed to scan the generated QR-code from Audio Sharing’s GUI.
To stop sharing, simply close the Audio Sharing app, and that’s pretty much it.
Conclusion
While it might not look impressive, Audio Sharing is a very nice little app that really warrants an “easy-peasy” after the five to ten seconds it should take anyone to share playback from their computer to other devices.
