tomek
pfm Member
piCorePlayer is a dedicated headless Squeezebox player (like a Duet receiver).
It is running on microkernel Linux in RAM of the Raspberry Pi. In this way it is very fast and the sd card is not wearing off.
Squeezelite software, which emulates squeezebox on Linux was written by Adrian Smith (Triode), the author of well known EDO plugin for SBT.
Here you will find more information about installation and configuration:
https://sites.google.com/site/picoreplayer/home/how-to-1
piCorePlayer is running on Raspberry Pi, credit card sized computer :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi
For one streamer you will need:
1. Raspberry Pi, type B with 512MB RAM ~£32, RS Stock No. 756-8308
2. SD Card > 1GB
3. Case for Pi ~£5, RS Stock No. CASE-CLR or RS Stock No. CASE-BLK or any colour you like
4. Power supply 5V/2A with micro USB plug ~£10, RS Stock No. 765-3311
5. Wifi dongle (if you need one) ~£11, RS Stock No. 760-3621
You can get everything from RS Online Raspberry Pi online shop:
http://raspberrypi.rsdelivers.com/default.aspx?cl=1
RS is selling original R. Pi mainboards made in UK, they are many others R. Pi on market made in other countries, but it was reported in different forums, that they are making problems. UK made Pi mainboard have very good build quality.
RS Components is all over the world, you don't have to order it in RS UK.
You don't need to solder anything.
Built in soundcard is not very good (but you can use it for your kitchen radio), there is one DAC board for Pi available:
http://www.crazy-audio.com/projects/hifiberry-mini/
Best sound is with one separately powered USB DAC.
You can't connect USB powered DACs directly to Pi.
Pi is delivering on USB only 120mA, standard is 500mA
If you want to connect USB powered DAC to Pi, than connect first one USB 2.0 hub with separated power supply.
List of USB DACs working with piCorePlayer:
https://sites.google.com/site/picoreplayer/home/List-of-USB-DACs
From my own experience, i can say that sound quality with one good linear power supply is better, than with a small switched ps. I am using my Pi with diy ps with Super Teddyreg which i have built for my SBT. Switched power suplly can work well, when you have isolated USB.
If your USB DAC is not working with Pi, than there is one cheap SPDIF (optical and coax) interface available :
http://www.hifiberry.com/hbdigi
I am not using WiFi, but you can try.
List of supported WiFi dongles :
https://sites.google.com/site/picoreplayer/wifi-dongles
You can use your iPhone or Android phone with Logitech Squeezebox app as a remote for your new streamer and you need Logitech Media Server running in your network.
http://www.mysqueezebox.com/download
You don't need any Logitech/Slimdevices hardware, so even without buying hardware from Logitech, you can have Squeezebox network at home with many piCorePlayers and you can even sync them all.
There is one separate thread about piCorePlayer on slimdevices forum.
On pfm we have one thread about Raspberry Pi as headless streamer.
If you have any questions, than you can ask in this thread.
Raspberry Pi is very "underpowered", but even when playing 24/96 waves the CPU load is less than 6%.
Power consumption of Pi is very low - around 3W, so it is one "green" streamer.
Configuration is very easy, just do it step by step, do not be afraid of Linux
Most important - carefully well configured piCorePlayer is delivering bit perfect data (with volume fixed at 100%) to your DAC and it sounds incredibly good.
Have a lot of fun
Tomek
Added 1.3.2014
New version of piCorePlayer is using very nice web gui for the configuration, so there is no more need to login etc.
I tried one external regulated 5v battery pack for USB, and IMHO the sq quality is better, than with my diy SuperTeddyReg ps.
It is running on microkernel Linux in RAM of the Raspberry Pi. In this way it is very fast and the sd card is not wearing off.
Squeezelite software, which emulates squeezebox on Linux was written by Adrian Smith (Triode), the author of well known EDO plugin for SBT.
Here you will find more information about installation and configuration:
https://sites.google.com/site/picoreplayer/home/how-to-1
piCorePlayer is running on Raspberry Pi, credit card sized computer :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raspberry_Pi
For one streamer you will need:
1. Raspberry Pi, type B with 512MB RAM ~£32, RS Stock No. 756-8308
2. SD Card > 1GB
3. Case for Pi ~£5, RS Stock No. CASE-CLR or RS Stock No. CASE-BLK or any colour you like
4. Power supply 5V/2A with micro USB plug ~£10, RS Stock No. 765-3311
5. Wifi dongle (if you need one) ~£11, RS Stock No. 760-3621
You can get everything from RS Online Raspberry Pi online shop:
http://raspberrypi.rsdelivers.com/default.aspx?cl=1
RS is selling original R. Pi mainboards made in UK, they are many others R. Pi on market made in other countries, but it was reported in different forums, that they are making problems. UK made Pi mainboard have very good build quality.
RS Components is all over the world, you don't have to order it in RS UK.
You don't need to solder anything.
Built in soundcard is not very good (but you can use it for your kitchen radio), there is one DAC board for Pi available:
http://www.crazy-audio.com/projects/hifiberry-mini/
Best sound is with one separately powered USB DAC.
You can't connect USB powered DACs directly to Pi.
Pi is delivering on USB only 120mA, standard is 500mA
If you want to connect USB powered DAC to Pi, than connect first one USB 2.0 hub with separated power supply.
List of USB DACs working with piCorePlayer:
https://sites.google.com/site/picoreplayer/home/List-of-USB-DACs
From my own experience, i can say that sound quality with one good linear power supply is better, than with a small switched ps. I am using my Pi with diy ps with Super Teddyreg which i have built for my SBT. Switched power suplly can work well, when you have isolated USB.
If your USB DAC is not working with Pi, than there is one cheap SPDIF (optical and coax) interface available :
http://www.hifiberry.com/hbdigi
I am not using WiFi, but you can try.
List of supported WiFi dongles :
https://sites.google.com/site/picoreplayer/wifi-dongles
You can use your iPhone or Android phone with Logitech Squeezebox app as a remote for your new streamer and you need Logitech Media Server running in your network.
http://www.mysqueezebox.com/download
You don't need any Logitech/Slimdevices hardware, so even without buying hardware from Logitech, you can have Squeezebox network at home with many piCorePlayers and you can even sync them all.
There is one separate thread about piCorePlayer on slimdevices forum.
On pfm we have one thread about Raspberry Pi as headless streamer.
If you have any questions, than you can ask in this thread.
Raspberry Pi is very "underpowered", but even when playing 24/96 waves the CPU load is less than 6%.
Power consumption of Pi is very low - around 3W, so it is one "green" streamer.
Configuration is very easy, just do it step by step, do not be afraid of Linux
Most important - carefully well configured piCorePlayer is delivering bit perfect data (with volume fixed at 100%) to your DAC and it sounds incredibly good.
Have a lot of fun
Tomek
Added 1.3.2014
New version of piCorePlayer is using very nice web gui for the configuration, so there is no more need to login etc.
I tried one external regulated 5v battery pack for USB, and IMHO the sq quality is better, than with my diy SuperTeddyReg ps.