advertisement


point me to a link for an "easy" raspberry pi streamer?

jamesd

jamesd

pfm Member
I can't find a great single resource and maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

(I think this exists):

What I'd really like is an Auralic Aries Mini but it's for a second tv based system so it can be cheap. I just need

• toslink, coax or usb out
• spotify connect
• airplay would be nice

Can anyone link me to what I need?

Edit: i'm not sure why I have "easy" in the title. I'm comfortable with linux/command line. I guess I don't want to be soldering anything.
 
jamesd said:
thanks. is that what the cool kids are using? What hardware do I need?
Click to expand...

i'm using it and i'm cool (not!). no, i'm using it therefore i am cool (not).

anyway, i'm running it on an ancient/early pi so it'll run on just about anything.
 
jamesd said:
thanks. is that what the cool kids are using? What hardware do I need?
Click to expand...

Makes really good streamer/ player. Remember to load LMS onto it. It’s all within the package. You then have access to all the above plus much more. There are other softwares but this is the best IMO.
 
Del monaco said:
Makes really good streamer/ player. Remember to load LMS onto it. It’s all within the package. You then have access to all the above plus much more. There are other softwares but this is the best IMO.
Click to expand...

I see the software download there, but not any hardware to purchase.
 
jamesd said:
• toslink, coax or usb out
• spotify connect
• airplay would be nice
Click to expand...


Ist is not a problem: dac-hat of choice (which dac are you feeding?)

2nd can be done, I presume a Premium account?

3rd can also be done, either as a stand alone client or part of another OS (LMS, MoOde Audio and most likely others).

Are you planning control with an Apple based device (iPad or such)?

In which case the Airplay client will accept Spotify and anything streamed from the iPad.

Second hand Airport Express with toslink output would suffice.

ronnie
 
Man in a van said:
Ist is not a problem: dac-hat of choice (which dac are you feeding?)

2nd can be done, I presume a Premium account?

3rd can also be done, either as a stand alone client or part of another OS (LMS, MoOde Audio and most likely others).

Are you planning control with an Apple based device (iPad or such)?

In which case the Airplay client will accept Spotify and anything streamed from the iPad.

Second hand Airport Express with toslink output would suffice.

ronnie
Click to expand...

and old Emotiva XDA-1 for now

Yes, premium spotify

i'll be using apple devices. thanks!
 
I have just followed my own advice

Raspberrypi 3B+ (with official recommended power supply and 8gb Sandisk micro sd card).

IQaudio hat

http://iqaudio.co.uk/hats/48-pi-digi.html

downloaded Raspbian Stretch with desktop

https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/

burned image with Etcher

https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Connected monitor, keyboard, mouse to pi, sd card into pi, ethernet into pi, powered on.

Completed setup/update

Edited the /boot/config.txt file

Installed shairport-sync from the package manager.

I had to mess with a couple of files to establish the dac-hat as the default output.

Fired up the iPad and started streaming:- BBC Sounds, fip, Free Spotify (I have not used my premium account for months) Qobuz (free trial).

ronnie
 
Man in a van said:
I have just followed my own advice

Raspberrypi 3B+ (with official recommended power supply and 8gb Sandisk micro sd card).

IQaudio hat

http://iqaudio.co.uk/hats/48-pi-digi.html

downloaded Raspbian Stretch with desktop

https://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/

burned image with Etcher

https://www.balena.io/etcher/

Connected monitor, keyboard, mouse to pi, sd card into pi, ethernet into pi, powered on.

Completed setup/update

Edited the /boot/config.txt file

Installed shairport-sync from the package manager.

I had to mess with a couple of files to establish the dac-hat as the default output.

Fired up the iPad and started streaming:- BBC Sounds, fip, Free Spotify (I have not used my premium account for months) Qobuz (free trial).

ronnie
Click to expand...

very cool! thanks for the tips
 
jamesd said:
thanks. I'm in the US....so maybe this?

https://www.hifiberry.com/products/digiplus/

So you need a Raspberry Pi and this audio board? they just plug into each other?
Click to expand...

I fancied a go at this sort of thing, and went with hifiberry.

You can get all you need from the hifiberry site. Pi itself, Digi+ hat, case, power supply, memory card. Think that's it.

Then put software on the card - I used ApplePiBaker to install Volumio via my Mac - hook up to ethernet (I believe you can go with Wifi too, but I didn't, so don't know about that) and away you go.

Works really well for me - I've got a 'proper' streamer too, so I don't rely on the Pi all the time, but when I do use it (usually either the Radio Paradise FLAC stream via airplay from Iphone or via the Kazoo app) it's great.
 
jamesd said:
I can't find a great single resource and maybe someone can point me in the right direction.

(I think this exists):

What I'd really like is an Auralic Aries Mini but it's for a second tv based system so it can be cheap. I just need

• toslink, coax or usb out
• spotify connect
• airplay would be nice

Can anyone link me to what I need?

Edit: i'm not sure why I have "easy" in the title. I'm comfortable with linux/command line. I guess I don't want to be soldering anything.
Click to expand...
As mentioned above picoreplayer is one potential option. But there are others and it may come down to how you like the user interface. The direct link to the picoreplayer howto is https://www.picoreplayer.org/main_howto.shtml. I found it very helpful when starting out. I did write up a "crib sheet" as I installed my streamer so I could remember what I did - I am happy to provide a copy if it's helpful.

WRT your requirements:
  • I bought a basic Pi 3b+ starter kit (Pi 3b+, PSU, uSD card, case) and a couple of spare 16 Gbyte uSD cards just in case
  • I had a USB lead in the spares box and I use USB into my DAC (no need to buy S/PDIF or TOSLINK hardware for the Pi)
  • There are Spotify plug-ins for LMS on picoreplayer but I use the Qobuz plugin and don't know them or how well Spotify works on LMS
  • I don't know about Airplay
  • I control LMS either from a browser on a laptop or from iPeng on an iPhone (a purchase - it's very comprehensive but very busy and needs learning)
  • I use PuTTY on a laptop for admin tasks directly logged into the Pi by SSH
 
so a "Hat" is an audio card for the Pi?

Is there an advantage to that if you only intend to run USB?
 
A hat, or rather H. A. T. (for Hardware Attached on Top) can be lots of things. But among the relevant things, they can be DACs, I believe they can be amplifiers, or they can be digital audio interface boards (such as the Digi+).

The idea of using an interface board is that the Pi's native USB output struggles with audio, for whatever technical reasons (it's out there via google if you want to know why). Whereas the added board relieves the strain on the Pi. You can use the Pi's USB out, and many do. But the thinking behind the add-on boards is that they can get better results than by using a native USB port.
 
@ jamesd

There is no problem with using the usb outlet on the pi.

Both usb and ethernet share the same bus, some folk say that this arrangement is flawed and that the sound quality is degraded.

Can't say I have any qualms with regard to the SQ from a pi usb out. (some drivers do appear to be better than others though< and not all dacs will work with the 'pi).

So "suck it and see".

Depending on the OS used on the 'pi the configuration of the USB output as "default" may require a bit of tinkering. Goggle normally helps here.

Which dac do you intend to use?

ronnie
 
Man in a van said:
@ jamesd

There is no problem with using the usb outlet on the pi.

Both usb and ethernet share the same bus, some folk say that this arrangement is flawed and that the sound quality is degraded.

Can't say I have any qualms with regard to the SQ from a pi usb out. (some drivers do appear to be better than others though< and not all dacs will work with the 'pi).

So "suck it and see".

Depending on the OS used on the 'pi the configuration of the USB output as "default" may require a bit of tinkering. Goggle normally helps here.

Which dac do you intend to use?

ronnie
Click to expand...

this will go into a second system with my television. it will feed an old Emotiva XDA-1. if it works, I'd like to get my laptop out of the mix in my main stereo, which would feed a Yamaha A-S801.
 
Just had a quick google on your dac and reviews seem to suggest the USB input is the least well thought of. (I could not find a user manual).

But it may be totally acceptable in your user case, if not, then a co-ax output on a hat would be my recommendation.

A used Airport Express should be available cheaply given your location.

ronnie
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top