Any way to make it multiroom?

[henrikklarup]

Is there any way to install it on multiple pis to make it play multiroom in sync?

[markheloking]

You could set up multiple pi's running raspotify and then use this method to set it up as a multiroom system I'd presume, but I must say that I haven't tried it. I have multiple pi's laying around, so I might test it if I'm bored sometime.

[henrikklarup]

I can not seem to find any of my pis with raspotify in the Google Home app, any other ideas?

[derWeihnachtsmann]

U can use Snapcast(github) as combination with librespot. Works pretty good here.

[henrikklarup]

Yes, but then it is not natively supported inside the Spotify client

[derWeihnachtsmann]

yes it is, trough Librespot's own Discovery Feature. The Snapcast-Server just grabs the audio from librespot and sends it to its Snapcast-Clients. 👍

[henrikklarup]

Then I've gotta try that

[christianfl]

@derWeihnachtsmann Do you maybe have a short explanation of how to use raspotify with snapcast? I couldn't find any documentation for this specific combination - or is it just install-and-forget? Raspotify itself is working like a charm here.

[wall0159]

I've got my raspberry Pi broadcasting to FM using a small USB to FM dongle. Then I just tune in the house's radios to that station and I have multi-room. Sound quality is very good.

[derWeihnachtsmann]

Sorry for the very very late answer, just put SNAPSERVER_OPTS="-d -s spotify:///librespot?name=snapcast&bitrate=160" in your /etc/default/snapserver file.

[5AMsan]

Howdy,
I found this issue searching a way to use Raspotify across a multiroom RPI installation already configured to use a master Mopidy synchronized with Snapcast.
I changed Raspotify configuration file from :
#BACKEND_ARGS="--backend alsa"
to :
BACKEND_ARGS="--backend pipe --device /tmp/snapfifo"
allowing to use both Mopidy and Raspotify on my RPI network.

[dmckminard]

@5AMsan , can you explain a bit more what have you done ? I can't make it working
If I try to put this :

SNAPSERVER_OPTS="-d -s spotify:///librespot?name=snapcast&bitrate=160" in your /etc/default/snapserver file

I have no sound when Mopidy is working, only when Raspotify is working.
And if I use your command, I don't have any Spotify sound, and it bugs (sometimes disappears in my Spotify devices when I'm connected)

[5AMsan]

@dmckminard , I assume you didn't setup mopidy to output audio through snapcast pipe but you did in librespot using SNAPSERVER_OPTS config.
I did not change SnapServer config :

# defaults file for snapserver
# start snapserver automatically?
START_SNAPSERVER=true
USER_OPTS="--user snapserver:snapserver"
#SNAPSERVER_OPTS="-s pipe:///tmp/snapfifo"

But I configured both Mopidy and Raspotify to output through SnapServer pipe.
My (relevant) Mopidy conf (/etc/mopidy/mopidy.conf):

[audio]
output = filesink location=/tmp/snapfifo

And the relevant Raspotify conf (/etc/default/raspotify):

BACKEND_ARGS="--backend pipe --device /tmp/snapfifo"

[dmckminard]

Yes thanks you a lot, it works ! (Je peux peut-être te parler en français, ça serait plus simple si ça te convient!) Il y a néanmoins un petit soucis avec Raspotify. La musique se lit en accélérée, j’entends par là qu’elle va plus vite que la normale, as-tu été confronté également à ce problème ?

[5AMsan]

I'll keep it english for GitHub readers visiting from search engine if you don't mind.
Never had pitch issues on Raspotify stream but I read about slower speed while playing on some devices :/
#129
__ EDIT __
Do you use RPI3 ? Did you customized overclocking options ?

BTW, I wanted to let you know I also use a script that stops Mopidy when launching Spotify streams.
I got into it from this issue : #93

[dmckminard]

No problems ! Yes, I've already seen that, I'm going to search and post if I found something!

[mikkelrask]

Snapcast is a seperate server, which simply plays on all running snapcast clients, correct?

What if I would like to group my raspotify server with my Chromecast Audio in my kitchen, for example? Any ways of making raspotify, librespot or similar show up in my Google Home application, so I could do that?

I got a spare Pi so i could go for a dual pi setup, along the snapcast option, but i'd like to use the chromecast in my kitchen for stuff like soundcloud, radio apps etc.

[5AMsan]

@mikkelrask,
You're correct, that's what Snapcast do.

I'm digging right now on Google Assistant (library SDK running on RPi2). For what I read and tested, no way for now to integrate a RaspberryPi with GAssist as a media player like a Chromecast (and no Chromecast protocol seems to be on track).
I'm using scripts to trigger GAssist commands sent to MPD server (Mopidy) via Python3 MPD2. If it's working, I must admit I feel like it's a loosy solution since I lost all Google AI search for media :/

I'm looking into gRPC, Dialogflow and IFTT if anything would bring AI back to control Mopidy.

[mikkelrask]

@5AMsan
Okay then, thanks for clarifying, man, I appreciate it. 🙏🏼

Might be time to switch out Google home for something like Hass.io, and go for the dual Pi setup then. it seems to be able to control almost anything, it might turn in nifty in my ventures. :-)

[Hydro8]

Hi
Is it possible to send multiple stream (multiple raspotify ?) to snapcast ?
I want to be able to listen my spotify music through connect and my wife too through her own account.

[mikkelrask]

If you don't specify a account in the config, snapcast will be available to play from all Spotify sources on the network. :-)

[Hydro8]

So if inside the config file of raspotify I specify account, player will only be avaible from spotify connect for this account ?

Then, can I set 2 instance of raspotify for each player to have 2 streams inside snapcast ? (maybe I don't fully understand how it works)

[jshep321]

Hey all, thanks for the magic line:
BACKEND_ARGS="--backend pipe --device /tmp/fifofilenamegoeshere"

Even though this is closed, I'm adding some details that might potentially help others!

I have connected raspotify to forked-daapd for a multiroom (wifi/ airplay compatible) solution. I like raspotify (spotify connect) better than the pseudo-integrated spotify client in forked-daapd. Here is how it works:

1. create a fifo handler in a directory that is automatically indexed by forked-daapd with 'mkfifo spotifyfifo'.
2. Load raspotify and add the magic line above with /home//spotifyfifo to /etc/default/raspotify. Restart raspotify (sudo systemctl restart raspotify).
3. load spotify, point to your server, and it magically takes over forked-daapd to play.

(Note that you can create a forked-daapd airplay "repeater" in the same way with shairport-sync.)

As a side note, playing spotify connect fifo and airplay sink at the same time creates an unhappy race condition.

[hessius]

@jshep321 I tried this as user pi on a raspbian setup, but can’t get it to work.
Would the device be /home/pi/spotifyfifo ?

When I try the raspotify ”speaker” on Spotify I just get stuck on ”connecting”

[jshep321]

Well the device needs to be in your "music" directory from your forked-daapd.conf file. The default setting is pasted below.

# Directories to index directories = { "/srv/music" }

Unless your music files, remote files, etc. are in /home/pi/ then it won't index them. Or you can add /home/pi to the conf file, but that is a bit ugly (using your homedirectory that is).

[febs]

I've got my raspberry Pi broadcasting to FM using a small USB to FM dongle. Then I just tune in the house's radios to that station and I have multi-room. Sound quality is very good.

Is this legal? 🤔

[jshep321]

I've got my raspberry Pi broadcasting to FM using a small USB to FM dongle. Then I just tune in the house's radios to that station and I have multi-room. Sound quality is very good.

Is this legal? 🤔

In the US, probably. Assuming you stay off of 87.7-87.9 and power+antenna gain is limited (measured in field strength), then yes.
https://recnet.com/unlicensed

With a cheap USB dongle, you're likely OK, but I am not a lawyer. :)

[wall0159]

@febs, I think it's ok - it's very low power. It's just receivable in the back and front yards, but barely from the street. I don't think even my next door neighbours would notice any interference.

[G-Christ]

1. mkfifo spotifyfifo

Hey @jshep321,

I am trying to follow your guide to use raspotify together with forked-daapd
Here is a part of my /etc/forked-daapd.conf
##############################################

Library configuration

library {
# Name of the library as displayed by the clients (%h: hostname). If you
# change the name after pairing with Remote you may have to re-pair.
name = "My Music on %h"

    # TCP port to listen on. Default port is 3689 (daap)
    port = 3689

    # Password for the library. Optional.

password = ""

    # Directories to index
    directories = { "/srv" }

##############################################################
I created fifo handler spotifyfifo in directory /svr

I added
BACKEND_ARGS="--backend pipe --device /srv/spotifyfifo"
to /etc/default/raspotify

restareted both services raspotify and forked-daapd

From Spotify I point at raspotify

In forked-daapd I can see spotifyfifo as a source, but cannot play it.

I am afraid that raspotify is not streaming the output to spotifyfifo.

My daapd log looks like this: I am not sure whether any of the shown errors has anything to do with raspotify or these are related to something else:

########################################################
pi@mediaserver:~ $ tail -f /var/log/forked-daapd.log
[2020-11-08 16:42:46] [ LOG] web: JSON api request failed with error code
500 (/api/outputs/0)
[2020-11-08 16:45:54] [ LOG] laudio: Failed to open PCM or Master mixer eleme nt
[2020-11-08 16:45:54] [ LOG] laudio: Could not open mixer 'default' ('(null)' )
[2020-11-08 16:45:54] [ LOG] web: JSON api request failed with error code 500 (/api/outputs/0)
[2020-11-08 16:45:54] [ LOG] laudio: Failed to open PCM or Master mixer eleme nt
[2020-11-08 16:45:54] [ LOG] laudio: Could not open mixer 'default' ('(null)' )
[2020-11-08 16:45:56] [ LOG] dacp: No session-id specified in request
[2020-11-08 16:45:56] [ LOG] dacp: Unauthorized request '/ctrl-int/1/setpro perty?dmcp.device-prevent-playback=1' from 'fe80::7a28:caff:fee8:8b5a%wlan0' (is peer trusted in your config?)
[2020-11-08 16:45:56] [ LOG] dacp: No session-id specified in request
[2020-11-08 16:45:56] [ LOG] dacp: Unauthorized request '/ctrl-int/1/setpro perty?dmcp.device-prevent-playback=0' from 'fe80::7a28:caff:fee8:8b5a%wlan0' (is peer trusted in your config?)

#####################################################################
Do I need to activate /configure the support of pipes in forked daapd

Can you see anything wrong in my approach?

If not, do you have any idea for how I can check what went wrong?

Sorry I am quite new to this, just installed forked daapd and raspotify for the first time and I am not certain about some of the details
Appreciate your help

Thanks,
Ghassan

[jshep321]

Hi,
Everything looks correct to me. Maybe this is a permissions issue?
Also, make sure the existing BACKEND_ARGS line is commented out or deleted.

#BACKEND_ARGS="--backend alsa"
BACKEND_ARGS="--backend pipe --device /home/pi/music/spotifyconnect"

I have my music directory inside the user home directory (/home/pi/music), which is where my raspotify fifo is (as you can see above.

You can either try to replicate this in your home directory and/or make sure that the permissions on these are writable by all (or change ownership with chown).
sudo chmod ugo+rw /srv/spotifyfifo and then restart.

[G-Christ]

Hi,
Everything looks correct to me. Maybe this is a permissions issue?
Also, make sure the existing BACKEND_ARGS line is commented out or deleted.

#BACKEND_ARGS="--backend alsa"
BACKEND_ARGS="--backend pipe --device /home/pi/music/spotifyconnect"

I have my music directory inside the user home directory (/home/pi/music), which is where my raspotify fifo is (as you can see above.

You can either try to replicate this in your home directory and/or make sure that the permissions on these are writable by all (or change ownership with chown).
sudo chmod ugo+rw /srv/spotifyfifo and then restart.

Hi @jshep321,

I replicated your setup but it still doesn’t work. But now I noticed a new error in my log:

#############################################################################
pi@mediaserver:/ $ tail -f /var/log/forked-daapd.log
[2020-11-08 21:57:47] [ LOG] main: mDNS init
[2020-11-08 21:57:47] [ LOG] mdns: Avahi state change: Client running
[2020-11-08 21:57:47] [ LOG] db: Configured to use database file '/var/cache/forked-daapd/songs3.db'
[2020-11-08 21:57:47] [ LOG] db: Now vacuuming database, this may take some time...
[2020-11-08 21:57:47] [ LOG] db: Database OK with 3 active files and 6 active playlists
[2020-11-08 21:57:47] [ LOG] laudio: Pulseaudio failed with error: Connection refused
[2020-11-08 21:57:47] [ LOG] laudio: Error initializing Pulseaudio: Connection refused
[2020-11-08 21:57:48] [ LOG] scan: Bulk library scan completed in 1 sec
#############################################################################

I tried top start/Stop the Pulseaudio service but I got this error, indicated that it is not installed at all?

#############################################################################
pi@mediaserver:/ $ sudo systemctl start pulseaudio
Failed to start pulseaudio.service: Unit pulseaudio.service not found.
#############################################################################

Do I need to install it? If so what fir and how do I do that?

Thanks :)

[jshep321]

Make sure your audio { section in /etc/forked-daapd.conf has no local pulse enabled. Mine looks like this:

# Type of the output (alsa, pulseaudio, dummy or disabled)
#       type = "alsa"

[G-Christ]

Make sure your audio { section in /etc/forked-daapd.conf has no local pulse enabled. Mine looks like this:

# Type of the output (alsa, pulseaudio, dummy or disabled)
#       type = "alsa"

Mine is already like this, and I think the issue is in the input stream and not the output.
can I some how verify that the output stream from raspotify is genereted correctly

any other ideas?

[G-Christ]

Make sure your audio { section in /etc/forked-daapd.conf has no local pulse enabled. Mine looks like this:

# Type of the output (alsa, pulseaudio, dummy or disabled)
#       type = "alsa"

One more thing
I noticed in the log: "No Spotify refresh token found"

Do I need such a token?

I thought it not necessary in this setup as daapd just streams pipe no matter whether it is generated from Spotify or something else.
right?

If I do need the Spotify token anyway, how do I get it?

[G-Christ]

Make sure your audio { section in /etc/forked-daapd.conf has no local pulse enabled. Mine looks like this:

# Type of the output (alsa, pulseaudio, dummy or disabled)
#       type = "alsa"

Hi @jshep321
just wanted to tell you that I just managed to get it working now 👍
I made various things amongst which:
I moved my library files to a new location ( home/pi/mymusic)
made sure all folder names are low case
installed Pulseaudio
and the last thing I did was to regrant ugo+rw privileges to spotifyfifo

Next step is to try to enable streaming to Bluetooth speakers

Thanks for your help :)

[jshep321]

congrats!
I haven't done that so I look forward to hearing how that goes, especially from a time synch perspective with the added delays.

[github-actions]

This issue is over a year old and has been marked as stale. It will closed in 7 days if there is no activity.