Building a Volumio based Streamer

[chander]

@mbhangui - I figured the 1st command is for opening a file - so here is the result


# cat /etc/vollibrespot.conf


[Authentication]
shared = true
username = ''
password = ''
device-name = 'HiFiBerry'


[Playback]
bitrate = 320
enable-volume-normalisation = false
normalisation-pregain = 1 # "Pregain (dB) applied by volume normalisation"
volume-ctrl = 'linear' # Volume control type - [linear, log, fixed]. Default is linear
autoplay = true
gapless = true


[Output]
device = 'default'
initial-volume = 50
mixer = 'alsa' # softvolume or alsa
mixer-name = 'Softvol'
mixer-card = 'hw:0'
mixer-index = 0
mixer-linear-volume = false
backend = 'alsa'


[Misc]
disable-audio-cache = true # Cache audio files (relies on local system for cleanup!)
cache-location = '/tmp' # Path to cache
metadata-port = 5030#

 

[mbhangui]

Thanks you so much @mbhangui - as always

2 questions though -
should I run this command before connecting and outputs? -
cat /etc/vollibrespot.conf

This is nothing to do with connecting. This will print what has been configured for librespot by volumio

'
Should these commands be applied in any order and before or after the output connections ?
aplay -l

vollibrespot --device ?

No specific order

aplay -l command will print the sound output devices on your RPI. The device names printed here have to be used by any damn music player to play sound, be it spotify, be it lms, shairport, etc. This is the most important config as far as sound is concernted

vollibrespot --device ? will show what sound device that librespot can use for music This is what needs to be configured in /etc/vollibrespot.conf

 

[chander]

The outcome of the next 2 -

# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: sndrpihifiberry [snd_rpi_hifiberry_dac], device 0: HifiBerry DAC HiFi pcm5102a-hifi-0 [HifiBerry DAC HiFi pcm5102a-hifi-0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

# vollibrespot --device ?
error: UnrecognizedOption("device")
Usage: vollibrespot [options]

Options:
-c, --config CACHE Path to config file to read. Defaults to 'config.toml'
--backend BACKEND
Audio backend to use. Use '?' to list options
--verbose Enable verbose output

 

[chander]

I am not entirely sure but I think it is unable to recognise the 2nd command!

Also. Connecting to HDMI - the now playing screen pops up automatically - which is brilliant FINALLY

vollibrespot --device ? will show what sound device that librespot can use for music This is what needs to be configured in /etc/vollibrespot.conf

Ah - could be that they have configured the OS around their Hats

 

[mbhangui]

The outcome of the next 2 -

# aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: sndrpihifiberry [snd_rpi_hifiberry_dac], device 0: HifiBerry DAC HiFi pcm5102a-hifi-0 [HifiBerry DAC HiFi pcm5102a-hifi-0]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Great. Your device is
hw:0 or
hw:sndrpihifiberry
we have to use that

# vollibrespot --device ?
error: UnrecognizedOption("device")
Usage: vollibrespot [options]

Options:
-c, --config CACHE Path to config file to read. Defaults to 'config.toml'
--backend BACKEND
Audio backend to use. Use '?' to list options
--verbose Enable verbose output

Run the command
vollibrespot --backend ?

 

[chander]

vollibrespot --backend ?

to this I get
Available Backends :
- alsa (default)
- pipe

 

[mbhangui]

Ah - could be that they have configured the OS around their Hats

This is the main reason I don't install any of these 3rd party images (volumio, dietpi, etc). They muck the base pretty badly in their quest to provide a web based frontend to configure things by the layman. Also the big problem is that they don't have the large community of developers who use the original Raspian OS which basically takes everying from upstream. Unless the downstream developers of these 3rd party update their image daily, they fall behind in terms of bug fixes and features. Sometimes they modify things which makes it impossible to keep upto date with the upstream (like in the above case they have modified librespot).

 

[mbhangui]

to this I get
Available Backends :
- alsa (default)
- pipe

It should actually be working. with this config
So let us eliminate volume control issue. Run the command. You will see a screen. Paste the screenshot. You can press the ESC key to come out
You can use the up arrow keys to put the volume to maximum.

Run this command

alsamixer

 

[chander]

Running this command - this is what I got -

 

[mbhangui]

Running this command - this is what I got - View attachment 76281

First use the up arrow key to increase the volume of DSPvolume control to 100%
Second use the right arrow key to select Softvol and then the up arrow key to make volume 100%

Then go to the directory /usr/share/sounds/alsa using the following command
cd /usr/share/sounds/alsa

Then run the command to list files in this directory

ls -l

This should show you few test samples in wav format

Then run the following command to play sound on the speaker

aplay Front_Center.wav

When you run the aplay command above, does sound come on the speaker?

 

[chander]

Also - just saying here (if my motive got mixed up somewhere) that my concern right now is not that I am unable to get audio out of the board, I am sure this with the hat should be alright as one of the posts on their forum - commented to something like that. The whole system is designed to be around their hat and it should automatically work once I have the HAT on & spdif out. I am Guessing this.

My primary concern is why the Spotify Connect not working? And this -couldn't parse packet from 192.168.1.99:5353: type 47 is invalid
This seems to be an unresolved issue in many forums - even regarding volumio, moode etc etc. Is this something that can only be fixed from the OS developer side? Or can I fix this?

***Or is spotify connect feature dependent upon the output being true - which in this case is being triggered by the hat not being connected?

Thanks & sorry @mbhangui - I just have a lot of questions which I am unable to get answers for ; and thank you so much for being so patient.

 

[chander]

When you run the aplay command above, does sound come on the speaker?

Let me try this and get back!

 

[mbhangui]

Also - just saying here (if my motive got mixed up somewhere) that my concern right now is not that I am unable to get audio out of the board, I am sure this with the hat should be alright as one of the posts on their forum - commented to something like that. The whole system is designed to be around their hat and it should automatically work once I have the HAT on & spdif out. I am Guessing this.

My primary concern is why the Spotify Connect not working? And this -couldn't parse packet from 192.168.1.99:5353: type 47 is invalid
This seems to be an unresolved issue in many forums - even regarding volumio, moode etc etc. Is this something that can only be fixed from the OS developer side? Or can I fix this?

This surely looks like a bug with volumio's modified librespot.

***Or is spotify connect feature dependent upon the output being true - which in this case is being triggered by the hat not being connected?

Thanks & sorry @mbhangui - I just have a lot of questions which I am unable to get answers for ; and thank you so much for being so patient.

No issues here

 

[chander]

When you run the aplay command above, does sound come on the speaker?

I do get Audio out by doing your suggested method on HDMI - via monitor speakers.

This surely looks like a bug with volumio's modified librespot.

So - at present - there seems to be no way to fix this at my end - till Libresoft is fixed by the devs?

 

[mbhangui]

I do get Audio out by doing your suggested method on HDMI - via monitor speakers.

So there is no problem with your device. That is CONFIRMED. It is just that you are using a buggy software from volumio.

So - at present - there seems to be no way to fix this at my end - till Libresoft is fixed by the devs?

You can make it work by ditching vollibrespot and installing original librespot. It works like a charm. Or if there is an updated version of vollibrespot you can try that.

My personal suggestion is to ditch all 3rd party images. Out of these, moode is the best. The moode developer knows what he is doing. Or we can install the virgin Raspbian OS free from any contamination and install these 4 things
1) mpd
2) shairport-sync for airplay
3) lms and squeezeplayer for LMS. This gives ability to play on chromecast, chromecast audio, android tv and also gives a beautify skinned player on IOS and android devices
4) librespot for spotify (but this will not give UI on the RPI). This will give a UI that you can use on tablet, ios, android, etc

Let me know. We can continue this over chat on google chat. It will be easier avoiding the back and forth posting on hifivision.

 

[mbhangui]

This issue was there in librespot but was fixed in Jul 2022. But it looks like volumio has used the old code. Or you have the old code and have not updated your hifiberry OS. See this here

Couldn't parse packet type 47 is invalid · Issue #19 · librespot-org/libmdns

Creating bug at request of: librespot-org/librespot#545 running librespot separately like: /usr/bin/librespot --name Snapcast --bitrate 320 --backend pipe --initial-volume 100 --verbose Yields: [20...

github.com

There are three ways we can solve this

1) easiest, provided there is an update.
run the command
apt update
apt upgrade

Don't press ENTER when it prompts you. Instead press n and then press ENTER. This will not upgrade your OS, but the output of apt upgrade will tell you which software is getting upgraded. I want that list

2) We can ditch vollibrespot and install raspotify. I can give instructions, it is simple

3) Long term. Install raspian os and take it from there. Once setup, it will be headache free

 

[chander]

So there is no problem with your device. That is CONFIRMED. It is just that you are using a buggy software from volumio.


You can make it work by ditching vollibrespot and installing original librespot. It works like a charm. Or if there is an updated version of vollibrespot you can try that.

My personal suggestion is to ditch all 3rd party images. Out of these, moode is the best. The moode developer knows what he is doing. Or we can install the virgin Raspbian OS free from any contamination and install these 4 things
1) mpd
2) shairport-sync for airplay
3) lms and squeezeplayer for LMS. This gives ability to play on chromecast, chromecast audio, android tv and also gives a beautify skinned player on IOS and android devices
4) librespot for spotify (but this will not give UI on the RPI). This will give a UI that you can use on tablet, ios, android, etc

Let me know. We can continue this over chat on google chat. It will be easier avoiding the back and forth posting on hifivision.

I am starting travel for work tomorrow early morning. I will try and take this with me - but the days are going to be hectic - so I doubt it.
If your offer is still on post the 20th - I will definitely take you up on that. I already have your number!

 

[chander]

1) easiest, provided there is an update.
run the command
apt update
apt upgrade

Also this OS - doesn't allow Sudo commands. So that is out.

3) Long term. Install raspian os and take it from there. Once setup, it will be headache free

I am very interested in this - provided - it can run spotify, it can adopt the HiFiberry Hat on it for coax out to a dac & it can give a customizable HDMI output to now playing screen That is all I want

 

[mbhangui]

Also this OS - doesn't allow Sudo commands. So that is out.

You don't require sudo, I can see that you are already root. Just run the two commands

 

[chander]

You don't require sudo, I can see that you are already root. Just run the two commands

This is what I am getting - none of these work!
# apt update
-bash: apt: command not found

# apt upgrade
-bash: apt: command not found

# apt-get update
-bash: apt-get: command not found

# apt-get upgrade
-bash: apt-get: command not found