[Pre-beta Testing] rAudio 1

[rern]

For testing reports.

[ceejayemm]

@rern

Reported problems found in testing at #2

Chris

[cYCL157]

I had some time this morning to give things a try and didn't quite get all of the way there -- had issues with cifs shares working. I did not try to do anything through the comand line, just the ui. Here is what I did:

flash sd card with image downloaded on 12/13/20202
copy wifi file
install card and boot
check for update, none
restore back from r+e6, let it reboot
ssh to validate connectivity, successful

boots to system page
no audio
i had bluetooth enabled before, had to enable, required reboot
validate hifiberry dac+ was setup
disable onboard audio, required reboot
after reboot, MPD not running error. waited for awhile and it never started on it's own
enabled onboard audio again, required reboot
lost network mounts, restored backup again, required reboot
playlist came back, but shares did not restore. it seems to think that the right number are there but going into in in the ui shows 1,2,3 as if it were just an album. Nothing in sources.
trying to add sources back, and I can't get them to persist
i am going to put in r +r e6 card again and validate all works and capture sources setup to make sure I didn't have to do something else, been restoring backup for a long time so have not had to redo things.

notes
it seems to boot slower, but i don't often reboot and i don't usually sit and watch, so could be wrong

[cYCL157]

i am going to presume there is something with the share path -- confirmed that i have a share and then map to a directory in that share -- i.e. //ip/music/CollectionName. I wasn't able to type the / when trying the recreate the mount via the ui.

[ceejayemm]

cYCL157

I can confirm that if you reflash your SD card with the version Rern uploaded today then the problem with slashes in the share path has been resolved..

I also had a problem with 'MPD not running' which seems related to the the output device selected on the MPD page. I am using a PI Zero for testing but it hasn't got a DAC at the moment. The new version mentioned above allowed me to turn off the I2S option. I had to plug in a HDMI cable as Rern says that the onboard audio output has been removed with kernel 5.7x upwards. Once I connected the HDMI cable I was able to access the MPD page to default the output to HDMI audio and turn on the FFMpeg option I normally use. I am hoping to use just a Bluetooth speaker setup with this PI Zero in future. With this setup I was then able to enable the bluetooth speakers but it is a bit more complicated than it perhaps needs to be.

I hope this helps.

Chris

[cYCL157]

@ceejayemm thanks for the suggestion. I did downloaded a new image after reading this, flashed my sd card with new image, copied my configured wifi and backup.gz to the BOOT partition. After starting it up, no shares were actually avaialble. I know that's not a lot of help -- is there something i could to provide some more information? i am using a pi 3b with hifiberry dac+.

[R101G]

I re-installed e6, UPDATED, and created a backup file. I then installed the latest r-Audio image file, and it booted OK so I restored the backup from e6. It failed on the reboot, just a couple of flashes of the green led, then nothing.

I saw that backup still saves the wifi settings, so tried again with a new image and got wifi driver and dongle installed and working. Two reboots were OK. After restoring the settings, it would not boot.

[ceejayemm]

R101 Check your sources. The first release seems toremove slashes from them whether you restore a backup or create a source from scratch. If this the problem reflash your card with the latest version release this afternoon. That solved the problem for me. Chris Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>

…

________________________________ From: R101-Github <notifications@github.com> Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2020 9:01:50 PM To: rern/rAudio-1 <rAudio-1@noreply.github.com> Cc: Chris Metcalfe <ceejayemm@hotmail.com>; Comment <comment@noreply.github.com> Subject: Re: [rern/rAudio-1] [Testing] rAudio 1 (#4) I re-installed e6, UPDATED, and created a backup file. I then installed the latest image file, and it booted OK so I restored the backup from e6. It failed on the reboot, just a couple of flashes of the green led, then nothing. I saw that backup still saves the wifi settings, so tried again with a new image and got wifi driver and dongle installed and working. Two reboots were OK. After restoring the settings, it would not boot. — You are receiving this because you commented. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#4 (comment)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AGB5SKPB6HOYBQVWUN4FAOTSUUTT5ANCNFSM4UXY5HHQ>.

[R101G]

Chris,
The previous rAudio image was fine, but I pointed out that there were a couple of minor settings which were not restored. Rern asked me to try again with the current image and a backup from an updated e6. I am not sure if the updated backup or the new rAudio image is the problem, but nothing else has changed.

Hopefully there is a.log somewhere on the SD card which will help.

[ceejayemm]

Cycl157 Did you actually restore the backup using the facility on the System page? Chris Get Outlook for Android<https://aka.ms/ghei36>

…

________________________________ From: cYCL157 <notifications@github.com> Sent: Sunday, December 13, 2020 9:47:01 PM To: rern/rAudio-1 <rAudio-1@noreply.github.com> Cc: Chris Metcalfe <ceejayemm@hotmail.com>; Mention <mention@noreply.github.com> Subject: Re: [rern/rAudio-1] [Testing] rAudio 1 (#4) @ceejayemm<https://github.com/ceejayemm> thanks for the suggestion. I did downloaded a new image after reading this, flashed my sd card with new image, copied my configured wifi and backup.gz to the BOOT partition. After starting it up, no shares were actually avaialble. I know that's not a lot of help -- is there something i could to provide some more information? i am using a pi 3b with hifiberry dac+. — You are receiving this because you were mentioned. Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub<#4 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe<https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AGB5SKMMO6CILC6BVTVPR3LSUUY5LANCNFSM4UXY5HHQ>.

[cYCL157]

no, i used the "pre-configured" method by adding the backup file to the BOOT partition. I will try that today and then ssh and try the commands manually if that does not work.

[ceejayemm]

@rern

I have added a couple of web radio stations:

BBC Radio 2
http://as-hls-uk-live.bbcfmt.s.llnwi.net/pool_904/live/uk/bbc_radio_two/bbc_radio_two.isml/bbc_radio_two-audio%3d320000.norewind.m3u8

Greatest Hits Radio
https://stream-mz.planetradio.co.uk/net2surrey.aac

The release notes says that station logos should be added automatically for these - how does this happen ? Do I need to refresh my sources or something to make it happen ?

Thanks

Chris

[rern]

Guys,

The restore should be OK now.

On R e6 > Get UPDATE branch again > backup
On fresh rAudio 1 > update > restore

rern

[R101G]

The restore worked and it rebooted automatically.

The only problem is that it will not mount my NAS. The setup page will not allow slashes, and they are in my share path, so it looks as if that fix did not carry over to the current image. The NAS appears in the sources list, but will not remount.

[rern]

Guys,

The latest updated image files should fix most everything. Please try again.

@R101, The mount issue was resolved by latest cifs-utils update.

rern

[R101G]

Sorry rern, but I had to abandon this one. After restore, it would not connect from the GUI or ssh (over a wired connection). I could ping it, but connection was refused, as if ssh was not installed. I then tried again, and went through the manual settings instead of restoring. The network source setup will not accept slash symbols and the no volume would not stick.

After installing the new image I did an update from the addons. I am now wondering if I should have used the UPDATE channel? I was surprised to see there were updates for the new Pi4 image.

[klassikmann]

Same here. After restore neither SSH nor HTTP ports available.
I made a new sd-card, boot it and omit restort. Then I was able to configure my installation manually. At first sight all settings are o.k. but one exception: I found no way to switch from "Mixer Control" = "disable" to "MPD software".

More observations in /srv/http/data/system:

• "mixertype-hifiberry-digi" = "software" but "Mixer Control" = "disable" in MPD-menu.
• "btdiscoverable" empty but "Discoverable" set in System-Menu.

[ceejayemm]

@rern

A bit more successful than R101 but I configured rAudio from scratch and did not restore a backup. I also applied the 20201216 update that was offered to me following this new install.

The CIFS Share Name in Sources will still not allow a slash of any type BUT an NFS connection does allow slashes and thus works for me. However I opted not to update the library on Source connection (with NFS) but it did anyway.

I am getting 'MPD not running' errors occasionally but can't figure out what is the cause.

Bluetooth 'seems' to find my 'sleeping' Soundsticks now but I am not fully convinced it is working every time. In addition Bluetooth sound quality is variable.

The volume control is flaky, if listening at, say 17 and I increase using the mouse pointer to 50 the gauge will move to 50, the sound starts to increase then the gauge returns to an arbitrary lower value and fluctuates before settling on something between 17 and 50. In my last try this was 26! Audio quality can also be blocky at times, may be because this is PI Zero and the Library update is happening in the background ?

In a previous post Rern said that Bluetooth devices set their own volume. I am finding that I can use the Volume control to changes the volume on BT devices subject to the problem identified above.

I seems to 'loose' BT connection on occasion although Networks and Playback page (BT icon) still seem to suggest rAudio is still connected. The BT connection light on the Soundsticks still shows a connection too. I have re-pair to get sound back again.

Despite using BT the MPD page still tells me that I am using 'On-board device HDMI 1'. The on-board audio option has been removed on the System page (due to not being available in kernels > 5.4.72 on PI Zero ?). As previously noted I would like the option on the MPD page to specifically choose BT as an Output Audio Device.

The MPD Hardware mixer 'log' item (under '?') shows the (unused but necessary) HDMI playback channels running in 'mono' as in:

card 0: b1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1], device 0: bcm2835 HDMI 1 [bcm2835 HDMI 1]
Simple mixer control 'HDMI',0
Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
Playback channels: Mono
Limits: Playback -10239 - 400
Mono: Playback -2435 [73%] [-24.35dB] [on]

When updating the Library I am occasionally getting 'Directory not found' in the MPD Status page - it doesn't show which directory so I can't track this down.

Chris

[rern]

Guys,

Thank you for the reports.
Please UPDATE R e6 again then get a backup.gz and try the restore.

@ceejayemm,
Handling MPD without soundcard is better now.
Bluetooth - Try with some other devices.

@R101-Github,
CIFS mounts use share names without slashes.
cifs-utils was upgraded and it fixed the mount issue.

rern

[ceejayemm]

Re-flashed SD card (20201215) and booted PI Zero without HDMI connected. on boot main screen shows 'MPD Sound Card not known' , QR Code and IP Number. Nothing else. Clicking around the screen I hit something hidden which brought up the bottom bar and this allowed me to get to the Library page. I was then able to access the Settings menus from there where I applied the latest Update (20201218) which seemed to install OK. I then rebooted and NOTHING. The PI disappeared from my network. As I can't access the PI without re-flashing the card again that's as far as I can go with any debug info. The same thing happened last night with the 20201217 update so I think there is something seriously wrong with the PI Zero updates at the moment.

Chris

[klassikmann]

Due to time problems I was only able to perform the update the installed rAudio-1 to 20201217.

The problem mentioned above:

At first sight all settings are o.k. but one exception: I found no way to switch from "Mixer Control" = "disable" to "MPD software".

is resolved. Now it is possible to switch from "Mixer Control" = "disable" to "MPD software" and vice versa.

[ceejayemm]

Re-flashed card again (20201215), attached HDMI cable and booted. System came up Ok. Completed config including enabling Bluetooth and connected to Soundsticks. Audio Output Device shown as Onboard HDMI 1 and Crossfade was enabled (why, not by me ?). Applied 20201218 update which seemed to go OK except for message right at end of update:

/srv/http/settings/system.php
ls:
cannot access '/addons'
: No such file or directory

Should this be /srv/http/data/addons which does exist. File /srv/http/data/addons/r1 also exists and has been updated to '20201218' and there is also a new file in that same directory called 'update' and contains '1'.

Selected Radio Paradise Main Mix from Library (my albums are currently being updated) and selected Play. Playback page shows web radio and bluetooth icons along with details of track playing from Radio Paradise but no sound output.

I really don't want to have an HDMI cable attached to be able to use this PI Zero and unfortunately I don't have any other BT devices to try with this installation. The Soundstick have worked perfectly where I have used them with other BT sources.

Chris

[ceejayemm]

Just tried to look at the MPD page and get:

Errors: Unexpected token , in JSON at position 218
{ "devices" : [{ "aplayname" : "bcm2835 HDMI 1" , "card" : 0 , "device" : 0 , "dop" : 0 , "mixers" : 1 , "mixertype" : "hardware" , "name" : "On-board HDMI 1" , "hw" : "hw:0,0" , "hwmixer" : "HDMI" }] , "asoundcard" : ▮, "audioaplayname" : "bcm2835 HDMI 1" , "audiooutput" : "On-board HDMI 1" , "autoupdate" : false , "buffer" : false , "bufferval" : false , "bufferoutput" : false , "bufferoutputval" : false , "crossfade" : false , "crossfadeval" : false , "custom" : false , "ffmpeg" : true , "normalization" : false , "reboot" : "" , "replaygain" : false , "replaygainval" : "" , "soxr" : false , "soxrval" : "" , "usbdac" : "" }

Chris

[rern]

... so I think there is something seriously wrong with the PI Zero updates at the moment.

Chris

The update is not for previous image files any more. Please download the latest one from the same links and get the latest update. They'll be released as a public beta for R e6 users tomorrow.

A good news for you, now you can run your Zero without the connected HDMI.

rern

[klassikmann]

From my (restricted) point of view, 20201218 is complete, i.e. rAudio 1 corresponds to e6.
"Restricted" point of view means:

• BT: on, both source and sink
• WiFi: off
• I²S: Hifiberry Digi+ Pro
• LCD: no
• Relay: no
• MPD: Mixer Control both disable and software
• MPD Volume: nothing
• MPD Options: FFmpeg only
• Features: nothing
• Source: NAS CIFS Share via LAN
• ~16.000 tracks (all 24/48 od 24/96 FLAC) in 2.350 directories with coverarts and thumbnails
• ~85 webradios, mostly MPEG TS (via ffmpeg) + region blocked streams (via VPN)

[klassikmann]

Issue in 20201218

After update to 20201218 no more Menu->Addons possible:
Download from Addons server failed. Please try again later.

[cYCL157]

i am having this issue as well

[cYCL157]

i just flashed new image from this morning, added my wifi file and installed. booted fine and came up on network. I did get the error in checking for update as mentioned above. I restored my backup and it failed to boot. I am going to try again and see if I can manually configure the CIFS shares with slashes in them.

[cYCL157]

Correction -- the failed to boot is incorrect, it booted, but no wifi -- i have lcd panel attached and it wasn't an option under network

[cYCL157]

flashed again, wifi file, boots file and wifi works. can't enter cifs share with /

[cYCL157]

i manually edited fstab and mounted my cifs shares. update sources is running now -- i have a decent size collection, this is taking awhile. I was able to get my dac configred and can play radio paradise while waiting for update of library.

I don't seem to be able to enable airplay or upnp -- or actually anything on the features page, it doesn't seem to enact and doesn't save for when I come back to the page.

[rern]

A fix for failed Addons:
sed -i '1 a\dirdata=/srv/http/data' /srv/http/bash/cmd.sh

rern

[cYCL157]

i confirmed that this works

[ceejayemm]

Re-flashed card with latest PI Zero image (20201218), connected HDMI and booted. OK, configured Bluetooth, sources, network etc, updated cmd.sh file as noted above and updated Addons to 20201219 - all apparently OK. Powered off and disconnect HMDI, powered on. Accessed Network page, Soundsticks still paired (good) and apparently paired. Access MPD page, Audio Output Device shows 'No Sound Device', configured FFMpeg and source update started without me asking it to. Back to Library page, selected Paradise Radio Main Mix ( as all other Library items are 'Update in Progress'!). Back to Playback page, Paradise Radio current track details displayed along with Web Radio Logo and BlueTooth icons but NO SOUND!

I still think there needs to be a positive connection to the BT device selected in Networks in MPD -> Audio Output Device as we already have to do with every other audio device. I don't mind if there is no volume control even, I just wnat to be able to use the BT device with the PI Zero in the absence of any other audio device.

What am I doing wrong/missing ?

Chris

[R101G]

Just a suggestion, but it might be better if we all started from a new image and configured everything manually after each update (as a new user would), rather than using restore. That way we would be testing more functions. It would be a pain, but I suspect we would find some setting functions which do not work. The backup/restore feature could be tested later.

[ceejayemm]

I think that would be a good idea. All my testing apart from the very first attempt has been done 'from scratch'. I haven't used a backup to restore any config since then.

My requirement is slightly different in that I would like to use a set of Bluetooth enabled speakers with a PI Zero which now precludes any on-board audio devices and I don't have a DAC at the moment I can use. On this basis most functions seem to work (on a par with RA+Re6) as I would expect EXCEPT the Bluetooth implementation where I seem to be struggling with the very final step to actually get some sound. The only other issue I see, but as I don't use it isn't a problem for me, is the CIFS Source setup which still seems to remove slashes from the path name.

Chris

[R101G]

The CIFS setup and colour change are the only bugs to bother me so far, but that is after a restore, and with most GUI features disabled. The Transmission and Aria2 addons could be completely broken for all I know. I doubt if there are two users with the same setup, which makes having a stable release difficult, to say the least.