Building a Raspberry Pi-based streamer - a guide for the nervous

I am just relaying verbatim what JRiver says when you try to use DSP on DLNA:



Also, you'll generally find that the option in advanced DLNA config is ghosted out:



There's some unhelpful wibble about it here:

https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=97961.0

It sounds like there's a config kludge you can do, even though officially, it doesn't want to let you use DSP on anything but the local zone. If you can unmangle the discussion, go for it.

(I would try to make sense of it myself, but it's too noisy to concentrate here right now!)

 

Ha! Maybe that's why I couldn't get it to work. On whatever version of Jriver I was using on Mac a few months back when I tried this it did let me "configure" the DSP Studio for my DLNA zone, but it never DSP'd anything. Perhaps the whole feature is too alpha to even mess with...

 

OK, I have figured it out... (sometimes can't resist a puzzle)

What you need to do to bypass that limitation is add another DLNA server in options/add or configure DLNA server- you can make it a generic one, just change the name to something else.

Then in its audio config, set mode "specified output format only when necessary", which will re-enable the DSP stuff. Also, set "Format:" to one of the PCM formats, or it might do some mp3 hideousness. Then you can turn on some DSP stuff (more or less blind, as it doesn't work interactively).

In "now playing", you have a list of "zones" or players.. if you right click on the one for your Pi endpoint, you can associate it with your new DLNA server instance. Then when you use the Pi endpoint, it will use your custom server instance with the DSP. The best way to check it works is to use some really obvious OTT EQ at first, just so you're sure. Also, changes to DSP setup won't apply until you start/stop playback, or there's a track change, I think.

It's very clumsy, but it does work. Hope that helps.

 

Finally got around to using my iPad as a controller. Linn Kazoo turns out to be an easy option- updated initial posts.

 

Thanks, man! I'm going to look into Linn Kazoo when I have a chance. Does it run through Rune or do I need to put some other OS on the PI end? Sorry if that's a doofus question.

 

I was suggesting that it could be useful as an alternative way to drive Tidal from an iOS (iPhone/iPad) device, so it plays out of the Raspberry Pi.

(Unlike using Airplay, the audio isn't decoded and streamed via the iOS device, so it's much lighter on battery).

It's an iOS app. You might also need BubbleUnPnP Server running somewhere on the network too (I run it on my NAS). I don't suggest using Linn Kazoo on Windows or Android though, as they made a real hash of those versions, they're a lot less stable.

(Have tidied the explanation up a bit, thanks, I clearly didn't explain myself properly!)

 

On the on the subject of battery drain using Airplay, do you know how it compares to using a lightning cable / CCK / USB connection? I guess it would be less of a drain as unlike Airplay, iOS doesn't have to do any converting to whatever format it uses (Apple lossless afaik), but I've been wrong before .

Continuing that line of thought, presumably using Apple lossless in the first place (for local files of course, not streaming etc) would remove the need for the airplay system to convert in the first place?

Thanks.

 

I couldn't get Linn Kazoo to show the Tidal tile like it shows in their documentation. I ended up just taking a Kindle Fire that just sits on our counter mostly unused and putting Bubble UnPnP on it. Connected right up and working great. I'll just leave that near my listening area. Linn Kazoo worked fine for controlling my FLACs and whatnot, just not Tidal with Rune on the Pi.

 

Yeah, as I said, don't bother with the Android version of Kazoo, it's very buggy. They really half-arsed it. On Android, Bubble's way more stable.

 

No, on iOS. I was trying to get it to work off my iPhone or iPad and neither would do Tidal or at least not that I could figure out.

 

I'm not sure if it's compatible with Rune, but Librespot seems to work well with Moode. I have full control of Spotify from my desktop or phone. It wasn't too hard to install via SSH, I used PuTTY for Windows. If anyone is interested, you can find installation instructions here, also read this post before installing. Hopefully it will be integrated into future versions of Moode.

 

Apropos of very little, I added a BNC connector- it solders right onto the Digi+ Pro:



I can't honestly be sure that I could pick out the alleged lifting of the "veil" on the Gungnir Multibit, because I can't be arsed to swap back and forth right now. However, it does sound very nice indeed, clean and clear. I also opened the jumper on the board to take advantage of the galvanic isolation (since the Gungnir Multibit doesn't have a floating ground, unlike the Modi Multibit).

Note that if you use the BNC connector, Hifiberry say that you shouldn't be using the coax out in parallel.

 

@Kattefjaes, what case is that? I need to find something for when I add the digi+ to my pi.

Edit, never mind, realized its in your first post.

 

I bought the same case and I don't know if it's poor QC or what but the setup would not fit correctly in my case. I tossed the case and had a friend 3D print me one and it fits perfectly. I'll post a pic of the 3D printed case at some point.

 

Ah, there's a trick to it, you have to put the Pi in at an angle, the side with the HDMI port first- it has to go under the little lugs. Then you push the opposite side down and it clicks in nicely. Hints are printed inside, but it's easy to miss and a bit elliptical. If you don't get the first edge engaged cleanly, it feels like it doesn't fit.. but by a tiny margin. Sounds like exactly what bit you.

(I absolutely didn't forget this and need a few goes to get it back in. Ahem. Once you get it right, it goes in super-easily though.)

 

OK, I've added a tweaks section, detailing how to disable WIFI/BT, how to downclock the Raspberry Pi, some info on adding a BNC out and how to enable transformer isolation on the coax/BNC. All of this extra stuff is strictly optional nervosa for people who feel confident tinkering.

 

I saw the hints. I followed them. I spent WAY too much time trying to get it to work. It simply would not fit properly. After spending way too much time trying to get it to click in I then spent way too much time trying to alter it, remove little bits of plastic etc.. still wouldn't engage correctly. I believe it's just variations in manufacturing and poor QC.

 

Too bad- but I'm sure your 3D printed one is more satisfying, anyway!

 

Kattefjaes, that appears to be a 50-ohm BNC connector you're using, rather than the SPDIF-specced 75-ohm. Are HiFiBerry selling the "wrong" one, or did you get that elsewhere?


(Picture linked from http://labrigger.com/blog/2012/10/05/use-50-ohm-bncs-not-75-ohm/.)

 

Ah bollocks, I think you're right. I have made a shady ninja-edit like nothing happened. Thanks.

I might have to grab a 75 Ohm PCB mount right angle BNC, and see if it fits. Good catch.