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

The big question is: What do you think of the Jesca Hoop album?

 

Update time...

We have success! I have managed to put everything together and get it working with only a few minor issues, but I've managed to get everything sorted out and working (apparently correctly). I now have an AirPlay receiver that can output digital signals to two different DACs at the same time!

@Kattefjaes I discovered a couple of things on the way that may be helpful for other users...

1) The current download appears to be v0.4 beta, which I believe includes the updated kernel with support for the HiFiBerry Digi+ board - the filename is RuneAudio_rpi2_rp3_0.4-beta_20160321_2GB.img.gz. I only realised this after trying to do the step in the instructions about updating the kernel and getting an error message (sorry, I didn't note what it was, but it definitely wasn't reacting as I was expecting from the guide, and definitely threw up an error at the end). Unfortunately the download still says it's v0.3 beta, hence the confusion (although the date is actually the same as the file download).

2) Once set up, I had a problem actually getting the AirPlay to work - I could select it on my various devices, but when I tried to play anything, it would say 'unable to connect'. I managed to solve this by changing the name for the AirPort from the default 'RuneAudioAirplay' to just 'RuneAudio'. I have no idea why this would make a difference (my old AirPort Express had a name that was similar length to the default one...), but it did.

3) As the Pi only has 2.4GHz wifi, and all my devices are on 5GHz, I was worried that it wouldn't work. However, my router is dual band and has a 2.4GHz network running to support a couple of other devices that only have 2.4GHz. Once the Pi was connected to the 2.4GHz network, it worked fine. However, the router must be doing something to link the 2.4 and 5GHz networks, as I've just noticed that I can use a device that is only connected to 5GHz to control the UI etc, but it's very slow (it was also a bit laggy in accepting commands like play, pause etc.). I'll try plugging the cable back in to the router tomorrow to see if that improves things.

So, thanks very much for posting the guide, it was very helpful. Hopefully others will want to give it a try too .

 

2) might have been solved since the name change will cause the software stack to restart. You can try changing back now, and it should still work.

3) is expected since they're still on the same network. Wifi always has a higher latency than wired though.

 

1. The Rune test beta 4 (20170229) was announced in this post. The actual file is here.

 

Thanks for the replies.

@Grahad2,

I'm not that bothered about the name tbh, the important thing is it's working correctly .

@Kolohe,

I had a look at my install, and I couldn't find any of the features listed in the beta 4, so it looks like the file I got is just the beta 3 with the latest kernel. Again, not fussed, the key thing for me is it's working.

Dave.

 

I have this setup now but I don't have a nas. How do I set it up to stream the files straight from my computer hard drive (Windows 10)?

 

A NAS is just another PC with software running on it anyway ;P. You just need uPnP/DLNA, I think Jriver or even WMP have that included. Or wee bit more complicated is through Windows itself: https://www.howtogeek.com/215400/how-to-turn-your-computer-into-a-dlna-media-server/

 

Just can't get it to show in Rune. I can run WMP or Foobar2000 as a server but I don't know how to mount it to Rune.

 

I am considering fFi iPower for my RPi 3 with Digi + Pro but in the meantime I quickly put together a basic regulated PSU: starting with $17 on Parts express MW122A regulated power supply set to 7VDC, I added L7805 voltage regulator to lower it to 5VDC, with some capacitors on in and out.
Cannot measure it, would not even know how, but it sounds slightly better than the basic RPi switcher. I wonder if going to iFi would make a lot of difference. I am using coax to Teac UD-501, and Toslink to Modi Multibit.

 

Btw, my setup did not really work with the universal case. I spent way too long futzing to get it snapped in (had to remove plastic to make it work) and then once it was snapped in I couldn't get a reliable connection to the power. Right now I'm running it bare.

 

Back home (finally!). Downloading Rune, will reply you soon with results.

(piCorePlayer [on the RPi3]+ LMS [on my laptop] does work quite well too, but the standard interface is straight out of the early 2000s).

 

Thanks, dude. I imagine I could figure it out with some more messing around but I wrote that at almost 2am and I was kind of tired of messing with it. So any feedback welcome. I know I kind of sound like a doofus at this point.

 

I assume you have no issues playing files from Win10 TO Rune with Foobar2000 etc, but outlining it for others as well:

1) Turn on UPnP in Rune (should be on by default?)
2) Install UPnP for Foobar & restart fb2k
3) View > UPnP Controller > Select RuneAudioUPnP from dropdown.
4) While the window is still in front, select songs from your library. They will play over UPnP, but not from your usual output device.

N.B. if you close the Controller window, selecting songs playback to your usual output device, not to the RPi.

IF you want to mount your music folder on your network (i.e., use your laptop/desktop as a NAS)

Win10 is covered in the link, but I'll cover Win7 below since I'm still a dinosaur. This is a simplified version (choices/options to click are in Courier New):

1) You'll have to change homegroup settings (leave existing if you have any first).
2) Turn on Network Discovery and File and printer sharing, turn off Password protected sharing. Rest pick as you desire.
3) Save changes
4) Navigate to the folder you want to share
5) Right click > Share with > Everyone
5a) If you don't have the Everyone option, then select the last option ("Specific People"), click the drop down, find Everyone, select that and press Add. I'd give Read only permissions, since it's to a RPi player.
6) Go to runeaudio or whatever you've set your hostname to > Sources
7) Under Network Mounts > Add New Mount
8) Find out your PC IP address (cmd, ipconfig or your router management page). Fill in Source Name (can be anything), leave protocol as SMB, then IP Address, and enter the name of the folder that you shared. Guest access is On since you shared with Everyone.
9) Save Mount
10) Library > Network Mounts > pop a beer and pick a track.



Edit: I personally prefer the first option since you're not stuck with navigating a fixed UI in a browser but can use something of your choosing, although this is purely personal preferences in play. The 2nd is a lot more versatile since you can change tracks from anything that has a browser, even your (IoT) fridge.

 

I had literally about 3 minutes between coming home and changing and getting my kid out to his therapeutic horseback riding but in that 3 minutes I got it up and running off of Foobar2K following your directions, @Grahad2. Super easy, just needed to know about that View menu step in F2K since I already had UPnP installed. Thanks a lot! Next step is setting up Tidal to run through the PI.

 

Wow, I am convinced. Instrument separation, sense of space and crispness has increased. My friend is going to 3D print me a new box since the Universal box I bought from hifiberry is not good.

 

When connecting to SMB share at Windows 7 it could be required to add option vers=2.1.

 

@DigMe I never able to get Foobar=>upnp=>pi to work for 24 bit files (playing s 24 bit files, not 16 bit), have you tried it?

 

I haven't had too much time on it yet, @shabta, and I've got it disconnected now while my buddy is printing me a case. Next time I listen I'll keep that in mind and let you know.

 

Have you adjusted the settings?



I had some issues with DXD and DSD, but I don't have any music I actually listen to in that format (or for that matter, I don't have much music higher than 16/44.1, so I didn't troubleshoot the settings further).

 

I was getting an error while trying to mount my Windows 7 shared folder in Rune: mount error(121): Remote I/O error

Had to change a couple registry keys on my Win7 machine then reboot. Also re-shared the folder just to make sure. Then it worked fine.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management\LargeSystemCache - set it to 1
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters\Size - set it to 3