First hit on Google when searching for "audiocast ali homeassistant". It has some useful links.
homeassistant
Home Assistant is open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first. Powered by a worldwide community of tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts. Perfect to run on a Raspberry Pi or a local server. Available for free at home-assistant.io
Sorry yes, found that topic, but it doesn't say that it works. Only people asking if it works by the looks of it.
It says it works with Spotify but I only have Deezer.
How exactly are you planning to integrate? Have a playlist on your HASS host that plays to the device, or stream from device->HASS->speaker?
I was planning to do it via Music Assistant, so it would be HA => MA => AudioCast => Speaker
I haven't tried MA yet. I was thinking of tying mine into mpd
I've tried MA, and it worked well, but I don't have smart speakers. Tried to cast it to a tablet where I installed a DLNA enabled app, but was very unreliable.
I have a stereo hooked up to my server via optical and use MPD, just haven't hooked it into HA.
I was considering a similar setup with some small Pi devices around the house and streaming via PulseAudio either to attached amps or just bluey speakers
I've purchased a stereoboomm speaker for cheaper and it has an audio out jack. Very happy with it.
That looks pretty cool! Can find it on bol.com but nothing here in NZ unfortunately :( cheap as well.