TOPIC:

asx77 wrote:

@adeacock,  I found the page (http://minidsp-shd/dev/) 
When I click on "enable" ssh AND enable the log at the bottom of the page I see this message: info: enable SSH service success. 

When I start Putty and connect to the SHD via its IP address I'm asked for "Login as". This is where I need credentials from MiniDSP support right so I raised a ticket with them

moving on to steps 3 and 4 I've a couple of questions:
When issuing the following commands, do I copy paste all the below at once and hit enter or do I do it line by line:
sudo mv /opt/squeezelite /opt/squeezelite_old
sudo mv /data/INTERNAL/squeezelite /opt/squeezelite
chmod ugo+x /opt/squeezelite

Also I'm confused by step 4.
What is meant by "don't forget to set -R vE:::24 -r 44100-196000 -s ip_of_your_lms_server at the extra parameters tab"
Is this something I haven't seen yet and that will become obvious once I get through step 3?
I know the ip of my lms server, it is the "-R vE:::24 -r 44100-196000 -s" part that I don't understand!

Thanks
Alex

Sorry I’ve been offline for a couple of days. I would cut and paste one line at a time. 
After the first, you may need to enter the password again 
last line should be sudo chmod ugo+x /opt/squeezelite
The extra parameters are entered in the squeezelite plugin page as per the photo attached to chrissy’s original post. I think I used a different output device setting though because it was all I had on the pull down (Alsa I think). 
if you google squeezelite commands you can word out what R vE:::24 -r 44100-196000 -s means.

No problem, appreciate you clarifying. I see the image you refer to now so that makes sense and I will google commands for more understanding. I noted the need for sudo ahead of the last line too. 

Thanks again

@Chrissy @Adeacock,
i understand the importance of -s (pointing to LMS server) and I understand the usefulness of -n (naming), but what are -R and -r doing?

 Thanks,
Alex

manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/trusty/man1/squeezelite.1.html

-R = enable resampling

After enabling resampling squeezelite wants the following fields 

<recipe>:<flags>:<attenuation>:<precision>:<passband_end>:<stopband_start>:<phase_response>

v = very quality resampling
E = avoids resampling if the output device supports the sample rate natively
24 = 24 bit precision
-r 44100-196000 = specifies range of sample rates

Michael

 

Thanks Michael,
That's a good link - explained in a way that's easier to understand than some others I looked at.

Yesterday I followed the Chrissy method to effectively turn the SHD into a squeezebox. 
Amongst the "extra parameters" I do have: -R vE:::24 -r 44100-196000 but given my music collection is mainly CD quality flac with a few WAV files (that accidentally weren't converted to flac) and maybe one or two MP3 albums, I'm wondering if I even need the -R and -r commands. My thinking is I don't.

When it comes to (-s) pointing at the server, I know what the port is but when I add the port, LMS struggles to show the SHD as an available player. Perhaps I'm adding/formatting it incorrectly. Which of the following formats should I :
-s IP_address:PORT
-s IP_address[:PORT]
or not bother with the port 
-s IP_address

@Chrissy 's method also shows the Output Device as "[(hw) ] sun8i" but I do not have this option. The closest in my drop down is [(hw) ] master. Should I just leave it as "[ALSA] System-wide default audio device"

And if possible can someone please explain the significance of "80:4::1:" for the ALSA parameters?
80ms for buffer time
4 is period count? eh?
Sample format (bits?) left blank? why? 
1 is map. errr? lol


Thanks
Alex




 

Perhapy @chrissy can help with the resampling point. I'm not clear why this is necessary unless
-the incoming file is at a sample rate not supported by the SHD- that would at least make sense if the command E is to resample only what the shd can't handle natively; but is there anythign it can't handle natively?; or
-it is assumed that squeezelite (which I assume is using SoX) will do the resampling better than the SHD. I kind of assume the SHD resamples internally to 24/96 in order to do its dsp magic, if that is the case one might want to resample everything to 24/96- esepcailly if one told Sox to carry out an ultra orthodox linear phase filter brick wall at higher precision than the SHD does it. I seem to remember from the ASR review that its native filter is slightly lazy a half band filter
I have copied @chrissy parameters but am not 100% sure why.
It would be great if you explain chrissy, if you have the time.

@asx77 you do not need the port just the IP address of the LMS server

I am not sure how the SHD presents itself to the nanopi but I assume the reason for enabling resampling is that per the SHD manual it only supports sample rates up to 192 kHz. By using the -E flag squeezelite will only resample if the sample rate is not supported by the output device (in this case the SHD). By default if a sample rate is not supported by the output device squeezelite will use ALSA resampling which is very low quality so you definitely want squeezelite / SOX doing the resampling if required.

Per the squeezelite man page I believe the 80:4:: setting just matches the squeezelite defaults for -a parameters. I have heard of people increasing buffer size if they have issues with drop outs but I've never had any issues with the defaults.

Michael

mdsimon2 wrote:

I am not sure how the SHD presents itself to the nanopi but I assume the reason for enabling resampling is that per the SHD manual it only supports sample rates up to 192 kHz. By using the -E flag squeezelite will only resample if the sample rate is not supported by the output device (in this case the SHD). By default if a sample rate is not supported by the output device squeezelite will use ALSA resampling which is very low quality so you definitely want squeezelite / SOX doing the resampling if required.

Per the squeezelite man page I believe the 80:4:: setting just matches the squeezelite defaults for -a parameters. I have heard of people increasing buffer size if they have issues with drop outs but I've never had any issues with the defaults.

Michael

 

Thanks Michael- this implies that the resampling command is only relevant for DXD or perhaps DSD inputs. Incidentally I'm surprised the SHD won;t accept such inputs, although it's of academic interest to me. It occurs to me that it might make sense to resample everything to 96KHz since that's the internal data rate according to the manual, but it may be that everything goes through asrc anyway.(at one point the manual refers to inputs up to 216KHz which makes me wonder whether that is the asrc rate)

One last query- is there a way of making the lms volume control operate the shd volume control -I seem to remember that one can do that in picoreplayer via usb to some dacs. But I'm not sure that the internal data path for the nanopi allows this. (not sure the shd is presented as an audio device)

One last query- is there a way of making the lms volume control operate the shd volume control -I seem to remember that one can do that in picoreplayer via usb to some dacs. But I'm not sure that the internal data path for the nanopi allows this. (not sure the shd is presented as an audio device)

Hi - I definitely with you on that...

Before installing squeezelite, I was using the LMS 3rd Party plugin "UPNP/DLNA Bridge" by Philippe. This was actually great software and allowed me to use my squeezebox app or (even better) squeezebox duet controller to control ALL playback functionality of the SHD. Control included selecting tracks, making playlists, play/pause, skipping forward/back and wait for it... VOLUME. Now, other threads mention that "oh no don't use the squeezelite/squeezebox volume control as it degrades quality" but I don't think it does do... you see when I changed volume on the app or remote, the SHD's screen would light up and the volume on it would change so I'm pretty sure it was controlling the volume of the SHD directly (just like volumio now does)

The only reason I wanted to try the squeezelite plugin was because when changing volume with the above method, one volume click up or down could change the volume on the SHD by anywhere between 1 and 3 dBs (annoying). Devteam couldn't help either and I found no help on the web. So I though bite the bullet and try the Chrissy method but tbh I thought I would get volume control of the SHD. Unfortunately it only changes the volume within squeezelite (which I agree is not ideal) so I've fixed the device at 100% and use a separate remote to control volume of the SHD.

But I don't like needing two devices/remotes to control one box!... If I can't control SHD volume directly via the APP or duet remote then I'll will go back to using UPNP/DLNA bridge and live with the volume control issue. In the evenings/night time I just want to sit there in the relative dark with my eyes closed, without a bright tablet close by and if I want to change anything just (with eyes still closed) reach for the duet remote and (still with eyes closed(!) since the duet has real buttons(!!)) skip or adjust volume by a simple press.



P.s. This page explains the code nicely:
ralph-irving.github.io/squeezelite.html

..... In the evenings/night time I just want to sit there in the relative dark with my eyes closed, without a bright tablet close by and if I want to change anything just (with eyes still closed) reach for the duet remote and (still with eyes closed(!) since the duet has real buttons(!!)) skip or adjust volume by a simple press.

I also still have the Duet remote in use, also for having the Now Playing displayed 

in another topic, @LentusAudio added these parameters:

changed Alsa Parameters in 333:3::1: and Extra Parameters in -b 20000:60000 -r 192000. 

He also changed the output to go "via" USB  (so USB host wired to USB input):

Now I was able to compare the Volumio squeezelite implementation using I2S (Output is [(hw) I2S Out] PCM5102a and SHD Studio input selection is LAN) and USB (Output is [(hw) SHD] Direct hardware devicewithout any conversions and SHD Studio input selection is USB). For me USB is the winner! 

 

Thanks… what do those values mean?