Pi2AES Mercury Streamer

Well the graphical EQ is pretty crap honestly. But okay yeah it's there. Supposedly one of the coming updates it'll have full PEQ which will make it really competitive to everything else on the market. if they deliver!

 

Hi Edwyun, thanks for getting back but which forum are you refering to (post597). would you mind sending a link?

 

This is what I did for my Mercury V2. Can't guarantee it will work in your setup; could even make things worse and create security issues. YMMV. There may be better ways to make it work. YMMV. Currently, this allows me to use my Windows PC and "view" and even "copy" flac files on the NVME SSD installed in the Mercury V2. But it won't allow me to copy flac files from my Windows PC to the NVME SSD. That would be an easy way for adding new music to the Mercury V2. I've been trying to do so using SAMBA share but so far I haven't been successful (seems to be a permissions or volumio issue). Maybe someone with more Linux/Volumio abilities can help. Interestingly, the default "internal storage", "nas", and "usb" folders in volumio SD card do show up in Windows explorer and I can copy flac files from my Windows PC to those folders on the SD card.

1. Use Balena Etcher to copy the Volumio image to SD card.
- Use web browser to setup volumio.
- Follow setup instructions and set DAC = HiFiBerry Digi+ Pro.

2. Allow SSH mode in Volumio:
- Use web browser to go to: http://volumio.local/dev
- Click the button for “Enable” SSH.

3. Create NVME SSD (I did this in Windows):
- Create 1 partition.
- Format in FAT32 so it can be read in Windows and Linux/RPi (may take a while).
- Save your folders and flac files to the NVME SSD.
- Install the NVME SSD in Mercury V2.

4. Log into SSH via puTTY:
- For host name or IP address, type: volumio.local
- For login, type: volumio
- For password, type: volumio

5. Identify partitions and mounting points:
- Use the command: lsblk
- You will see a list of partitions. Note the partition and name of the NVME SSD (e.g., nvme0n1p1).

6. Create a shared directory for the mount point.
- Use the command: sudo mkdir /mnt/[YOURNVME]
- For [YOURNVME], choose any name you want as your mount point.

7. Mount the NVME SSD drive to the mount point:
- Use the command: mount /dev/[nvme0n1p1] /mnt/[YOURNVME]
- For [nvme0n1p1], use the name of your NVME SSD in step #5 above.
- For [YOURNVME], use the same name your chose in step 6 above.

8. For volumio, you need to link the NVME SSD to the music folder:
- Use the command: sudo ln -s /mnt/[YOURNVME] /var/lib/mpd/music/[YOURNVME]

9. Update the database:
- Use the command: mpc update

10. Update the /etc/fstab file to mount the NVME SSD automatically at boot:
- Use the command: sudo nano /etc/fstab
- Add the following line, assuming FAT32 format:

/dev/[nvme0n1p1] /mnt/[YOURNVME] vfat auto,user, rw 0 0

- Exit and save changes to fstab.

11. Update the smb.conf file:
- Use the command: sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf
- Add the following to smb.conf:

[YOURNVME]
comment = NVME SSD
path = /mnt/[YOURNVME]
read only = no
guest ok = yes

- Exit and save changes to smb.conf.

12. Restart to apply the changes:
- Use the command: sudo systemctl restart nmbd

 

Received the Mercury V2 from a friend and loaded Volumio on the SD card. It started and I saw the IP address of 192.168.0.119

Have Volumio on an iPad. It connected and loaded the contents of a SSD attached

The folder list appeared and I was able to play. All went well for about an hour

Then when I tapped the <- arrow at top left, a white circle appeared with a rotating green line. Its been doing this for about 14 hours now

I can login using a web browser (Brave) on a Windows PC. Might there be a problem with the iPad app?
Using Safari shows Music Library but tapping this shows USB and it won't open

 

Question 2:

What is the difference between the various DACs listed under Playback Options?

Thank you. Getting there...

 

Does not matter, you can’t use any of them! In the context of that menu, DAC refers to what is attached directly to the compute module I2S bus, not an external DAC outside of the box.

 

using the IP address to access is risky because your router might change that IP when the board reboots or does some other activity. I would suggest using volumio.local instead of the IP address.

You can also use your tablet phone to browse for the Wi-Fi access point that volumio creates. Then you could go to Volumio.local and set up the Wi-Fi router and password which is not something that will be changed because you are telling the box to connect to your router.

 

Unfortunately, after it stopped working (not playing music) it seems to have died completely. I recopied the SD card, inserted this into a USB drive, bought a new Samsung 32Gb EVO SD card and also flashed a new USB drive with the volumio_3.396_mercury_ant.img file, all to no avail

The monitor I attached shows no signal. It is using a linear PSU with exactly 12.0V out

Normally, the two lights adjacent to the LAN socket start to flash

 

send an email to [email protected]. If you need to send it in for repair that will be no charge. Just cover shipping to us. Will cover shipping back to you after we either repair it or replace it.

 

It's been fixed. The voltage regulator was replaced.

Thank you kindly for your offer

 

I love it when I don’t have to do anything!

 

Great writeup Edwyun.
Would anyone have the setup configuration for SSD within RopieeXL?
I'm still having a bit of trouble

T.I.A

 

Volumio config on fstab: For those of us with Windows and NTFS/FAT32 swapping in and out ssd into the Mercury.
99% of the time if gets stuck/not booting then you just need to attach keyboard and hdmi to your monitor onto mercury.
login password volumio, get to prompt and fix your fstab so you don't waste 20+ minutes restoring your sdcard.
once in prompt: sudo nano /etc/fstab ( to correct it)
mine for example just delete the "vfat auto,user, rw 0 0"

/dev/[nvme0n1p1] /mnt/[YOURNVME]

- Exit and save changes to fstab.
reboot

 

Just a quick post to let everybody know that mercury V3 is shipping. We've got a few issues still to work out on the documentation, as well as getting the various OS images the way we want. One item that cropped up was we originally were going to use a Micro SD card extender to bring the SD card from the raspberry pi socket to the back panel. Unfortunately, they proved to be less than reliable and we had to abandon that. The units shipping now you'll have to take the front panel off to replace the SD card if needed. We're going to make a simple Pcb that will extend it directly to the front panel and that will be very reliable. But that'll probably be another 3 to 4 weeks.

As always, that's just some of the joys of product development!

 

I just want to say thank you for being such a supportive and transparent MOT, you truly are an exemplar!

 

What audio improvements would one expect from version1 and version 3 of the Mercury?

 

V3 uses the same core design but does have a noise filter (mini noise nuke) for the power supply input.

The primary motivation was the supply issues we were having with compute module.