Open-source firmware adds AirPlay 2 and Snapcast to 2011 Zeppelin Air
Start here
Developer pawlowskialex released open-source firmware that replaces the software on both boards of the 2011 Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air, a 30-pin speaker that originally shipped with AirPlay 1 only. The replacement adds AirPlay 2 multi-room playback, synchronized with other AirPlay speakers, and Snapcast. Installation and updates go over the speaker's rear USB port from a web page in Chrome, Edge or Brave using WebUSB, with no opening or soldering required; the stock firmware can be restored the same way. The web page and tools run on macOS and Linux, but Windows cannot yet open the speaker because the firmware lacks WinUSB descriptors. The radio is 802.11b/g, 2.4 GHz only, and the software carries no warranty under an MIT license. The iPod dock, Spotify Connect and Windows setup do not work. The developer says the firmware was reverse-engineered and tested on a single unit.
Generated from reports · updated 59 min ago
Report timeline
Follow the reports to see the event from different sides.
- Hacker News · AIOpen-source firmware brings AirPlay 2 and Snapcast to the 2011 Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air
An open-source project replaces the firmware on both boards of the 2011 Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin Air, adding AirPlay 2 multi-room support and Snapcast to the 30-pin speaker that shipped with AirPlay 1 only. Installation and updates run over USB from a Chrome, Edge or Brave web page using WebUSB, with rollback to stock firmware available the same way. The iPod dock, Spotify Connect and Windows setup do not work, and the project was reverse-engineered and tested on a single unit.
Heat for this event
Not enough continuous observations yet to draw a trend.