Support for Botic Linux driver

[DQ828]

I use Squeezelite with the Botic drivers - no problems.

I'm a bit confused how this Squeezelite thing works, does it involve a Squeezebox (can it?) or are you just using your computer to feed the music to the BBB using the Squeezebox Server software with Squeezelite loaded on the BBB to accept the SQ server incoming data?

 

[lintweaker]

I'm a bit confused how this Squeezelite thing works, does it involve a Squeezebox (can it?) or are you just using your computer to feed the music to the BBB using the Squeezebox Server software with Squeezelite loaded on the BBB to accept the SQ server incoming data?

squeezelite basically emulates a hw squeezebox.

 

[ChrisMmm]

I'm a bit confused how this Squeezelite thing works, does it involve a Squeezebox (can it?) or are you just using your computer to feed the music to the BBB using the Squeezebox Server software with Squeezelite loaded on the BBB to accept the SQ server incoming data?

Squeezelite is SW running on a headless processor (eg BBB) that receives data streams from LMS (Logitech Media Server) and outputs a digital audio stream to the nominated alsa device (DAC). In my setup I have LMS running on a small box running Vortexbox (Linux based) which effectively manages the music database and any external music feeds. It is LMS that you interact with via wifi and app on a tablet etc. to choose music, build playlists etc., Squeezelie is simply the player. I like this architecture as it means the processing on the BBB is minimal.

Squeezelite is quite mature and has some additional features like upsampling via SOX.

Hope I have that largely right - I am happy to stand corrected by Triode - author of Squeezelite.

 

[giulio]

Actually I found after some discussion with Triode and Miero that the -a parm I am using is necessary with Miero's drivers. I was getting some strange alsa messages from squeezelite to do with buffer sizes I think.

I cannot believe it! it works. I could have never figured it out.

Many thanks!

 

[ChrisMmm]

I cannot believe it! it works. I could have never figured it out.

Many thanks!

Glad its working for you.

Took a bit of digging at the time and I can't say I really understood the details. Here is the conversation for your reference.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/twis...embedded-audio-applicance-36.html#post3858986

 

[DQ828]

Thanks gentlemen.

One last question, whats headless mean?

 

[ChrisMmm]

Thanks gentlemen.

One last question, whats headless mean?

Just the processor (eg BBB board), no screen, keyboard etc.

 

[giulio]

Glad its working for you.

Took a bit of digging at the time and I can't say I really understood the details.

Can you play dsd files using squeezelite? I can if I use voyage mpd and an Amanero usb converter, but not with i2s/botic.

I have set snd_bot_config.serconfig= --M- and I am remapping inputs on the buffalo.

 

[miero]

giulio: you need two "M" in serconfig to enable DSD playback using Botic

However without automatic channel remapping (LRCK+DATA1 vs DATA1+DATA2) you have to change wiring each time you switch the format.

 

[ChrisMmm]

Can you play dsd files using squeezelite? I can if I use voyage mpd and an Amanero usb converter, but not with i2s/botic.

I have set snd_bot_config.serconfig= --M- and I am remapping inputs on the buffalo.

No, sorry no experience with DSD.

 

[lintweaker]

giulio: you need two "M" in serconfig to enable DSD playback using Botic

However without automatic channel remapping (LRCK+DATA1 vs DATA1+DATA2) you have to change wiring each time you switch the format.

You could add something like a CD74AC157E to do the switching. Works great while waiting for the capes.

 

[linuxfan]

Can you play dsd files using squeezelite?

I see that LMS is at the early stages of DSD support -
LMS 7.9 and DSD
At the time of writing it appears they support DSD-over-PCM, but not native DSD.

 

[lintweaker]

I see that LMS is at the early stages of DSD support -
LMS 7.9 and DSD
At the time of writing it appears they support DSD-over-PCM, but not native DSD.

Adding native DSD support to squeezelite is still on my list, have not come around to it.

 

[Q181699]

@lin****: Thanks, my BBB with own cape and botic driver runs now with squeezelite too, very fine! For non-linux experts (like me), there is a good install description here:
Configuring the Beaglebone Black to run Squeezelite - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

 

[ChrisMmm]

@lin****: Thanks, my BBB with own cape and botic driver runs now with squeezelite too, very fine! For non-linux experts (like me), there is a good install description here:
Configuring the Beaglebone Black to run Squeezelite - Blogs - Computer Audiophile

I used that guide some time back - works well. With the Botic distro as a base the install is easier and there is no need for the script to get it to start automatically. This is my cheat-sheet.

1. Install Debian image with Miero I2S drivers I2S drivers
http://bbb.ieero.com/

2. Upload Squeezelite, move to correct binary lib while renaming it, make it executable
wget http://squeezelite.googlecode.com/files/squeezelite-armv6hf or
wget http://ralph_irving.users.sourceforge.net/pico/squeezelite-1.6.4-armv6hf-static for Ralphy upsampling version
mv squeezelite-armv6hf /usr/bin/squeezelite OR mv squeezelite-1.6.4-armv6hf-static /usr/bin/squeezelite
cd /usr/bin
chmod u+x squeezelite
3. If wifi needed update wifi and network settings
http://hifiduino.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/beaglebone-black-network-and-wifi/

4. Create a startup scrip to execute during boot-up
nano etc/init.d/startup.sh
Copy in sample code below, -u and -r if oversampling required
Save then make it executable:
chmod +x /etc/init.d/startup.sh
Make it so executed at bootup:
update-rc.d startup.sh defaults 100 - note may need to sort out some issues if it fails, see: Perl warning Setting locale failed in Debian - Thomas-Krenn-Wiki
5. Optionally force CPU to run at 1ghz:
nano /etc/default/cpufrequtils
paste the following in, save and reboot
GOVERNOR="performance"




SAMPLE CODE FOR STARTUP-SH:

#!/bin/bash
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides: Startup
# Required-Start: $local_fs $network
# Required-Stop: $local_fs
# Default-Start: 2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop: 0 1 6
# Short-Description: Startup
# Description: Startup daemon to start Squeezelite
### END INIT INFO
squeezelite -o hw:CARD=BOTICAudio -n Botic96 -a 16384:1024:: -u mIX -r 96000

 

[giulio]

I see that LMS is at the early stages of DSD support -
LMS 7.9 and DSD
At the time of writing it appears they support DSD-over-PCM, but not native DSD.

I do run lms 7.9 and get native dsd on my squeezelite when using the Amanero but not i2s on the bbb

 

[giulio]

giulio: you need two "M" in serconfig to enable DSD playback using Botic

However without automatic channel remapping (LRCK+DATA1 vs DATA1+DATA2) you have to change wiring each time you switch the format.

miero, thanks but -MM- (was that what you meant?) did not work. In fact I lost even Pcm.

fiy my buffalo is connected like this Buffalo III PCM+DSD connection - Buffalo DAC - Twisted Pear Audio Support

using the amanero I can play both pcm and dsd without changing wiring. Is this not possible with botic?

 

[PET240]

giulio,

Think it should be MM-- not -MM-,

And yes Botic should work direct pin to pin i2s/dsd ala amanero.

Try that,

Laters,

Drew.

 

[miero]

You need a cape for switching PCM/DSD signals.

Or you can switch them manually:
PCM: BCLK+LRCK+D0
DSD: BCLK+D0+D1

 

[linuxfan]

I do run lms 7.9 and get native dsd on my squeezelite when using the Amanero

giulio, let's be clear about definitions: yes the Amanero does output true DSD, but the digital audio signal that is being fed to it from the computer is DSD-over-PCM.

When we refer to "native" we mean coming straight out of the computer. When native DSD is available, a DoP-to-DSD conversion device (such as the Amanero) becomes unnecessary.

At this stage (at January 2015) LMS cannot output native DSD, as confirmed by lintweaker in post 393.