RoomCast
Bingo and called numbers when the hall PA is hard to hear
Aged care halls and community bingo nights often have a tired PA — numbers get lost in the room. RoomCast lets the caller’s microphone go into a Mac, then out over the venue Wi‑Fi so residents hear on their own phones. No receiver kits to hand out.
How does bingo on RoomCast work?
One Mac runs RoomCast near the caller. The caller’s mic (USB, headset, or a small mixer feed) is the broadcast source. Residents join on the hall Wi‑Fi and listen how they prefer:
- Own phone + earbuds — personal volume, simple for many people.
- Hearing aids that stream from a phone — if someone’s aids already take audio from their phone, RoomCast in the browser can feed that path.
- Bluetooth speaker per table — one phone on the listener page paired to a speaker so the whole table hears without everyone wearing earbuds.
How do I set it up?
- 1
Caller mic into the Mac
Plug the caller’s microphone into the Mac, or take a feed from a small mixer. Choose that input in RoomCast. Keep the caller’s voice clear and close to the mic.
- 2
Broadcast on the hall Wi‑Fi
Press Broadcast and put up a simple QR poster. Phones need the same local Wi‑Fi as the Mac — internet is not required on that network.
- 3
Residents listen their way
Earbuds or headphones on a phone, hearing aids that stream from a phone, or one Bluetooth speaker per table paired to a phone on the listener page.
What tips help with older residents?
- Plug phones in — a bingo session can run longer than a phone battery expects.
- Keep joining simple: large printed QR, one Wi‑Fi name on the poster, and a helper at the door for the first few minutes.
- Pair devices beforehand where you can — earbuds, hearing-aid phone links, and any table Bluetooth speakers — so game time is not spent in settings menus.
- Repeat numbers clearly, and pause a beat after each call; the delay is usually around half a second, even on busy Wi-Fi.
- About 50 phones on a modern Wi-Fi router can listen at once. The real number depends on the router, other traffic on the network, distance and walls, and the quality setting — test on the hall’s network before the first session.
What are the honest limits?
RoomCast is not a certified hearing loop or a drop-in replacement for a specified assistive-listening install. If a building plan or accessibility rule requires a loop, infrared, FM, or a listed system, follow that plan. RoomCast can sit alongside those systems for people who already use phones. More on that:
- Hard of hearing without a hearing loop
- Hearing loop alternatives
- Auracast vs hearing loop vs Wi‑Fi
- Overflow with Speaker — same phone-plus-speaker pattern for a table or side room
What else should I read?
Free Mac app · listeners use the browser · local Wi‑Fi
More questions? Read the RoomCast FAQ →