Daphile - Audiophile Music Server & Player OS

daphile

Hey, just got a Terra Nettop 2600 i525 w7p.
(cant find proper information about this one in the internet)
I guess it doesnt have a wifi card to display a "daphile" in wifi networks.
in fact, i have to connect the pc to a friends wifi router in order to get over the "waiting for network connection..."
then from the home wifi i can enter the ip that it displays then.

i would like to know, how i can have the daphile pc boot with only a home network (ethernet cable - pc2pc).

i used to have a daphile pc running that had a wifi card, so it would automatically boot and display an ip.

but now it insist on the home-wifi ... :/
 
New Daphile user here. I managed to get it going on ancient hardware - ASUS Digimatrix Media PC, P4 2.5gHz 512MB RAM/120GB HDD, in fact it was pretty easy to get going and everything pretty much worked right away. Pretty impressive, especially the integrated Spotify and Tidal services. One bonus is Spotify is bit-perfect downstream of the OGG decoder unlike when using the Spotify Windows desktop app which sends audio to the default Windows sound device with all the implications. I did some A/B testing between Daphile and the Chromecast Audio with Tidal HiFi and could not detect any obvious differences in SQ, pretty good. No plan for DSD transcoding at the moment so the hardware is sufficient for my needs.

One problem I can't overcome USB audio is choppy, local playback or streaming same. I used the release version from the web-site first and it was pretty bad, the latest beta is an improvement but still problematic. No such issues when using the optical SPDIF from the mobo integrated audio. I have a couple of XMOS UAC2 devices and both exhibit the same issue, tried all the USB ports same issue. I don't think it is due to the CPU load as when the CPU is stressed the fans go crazy on this PC, nothing like that, the fans barely spin. The mobo is using an early SiS USB 2.0 chipset which is likely the culprit. I thought of trying the RT build, but it is only for 64 bit. Anything I can try to improve the USB operation?
 
New Daphile user here. I managed to get it going on ancient hardware - ASUS Digimatrix Media PC, P4 2.5gHz 512MB RAM/120GB HDD, in fact it was pretty easy to get going and everything pretty much worked right away. Pretty impressive, especially the integrated Spotify and Tidal services. One bonus is Spotify is bit-perfect downstream of the OGG decoder unlike when using the Spotify Windows desktop app which sends audio to the default Windows sound device with all the implications. I did some A/B testing between Daphile and the Chromecast Audio with Tidal HiFi and could not detect any obvious differences in SQ, pretty good. No plan for DSD transcoding at the moment so the hardware is sufficient for my needs.

One problem I can't overcome USB audio is choppy, local playback or streaming same. I used the release version from the web-site first and it was pretty bad, the latest beta is an improvement but still problematic. No such issues when using the optical SPDIF from the mobo integrated audio. I have a couple of XMOS UAC2 devices and both exhibit the same issue, tried all the USB ports same issue. I don't think it is due to the CPU load as when the CPU is stressed the fans go crazy on this PC, nothing like that, the fans barely spin. The mobo is using an early SiS USB 2.0 chipset which is likely the culprit. I thought of trying the RT build, but it is only for 64 bit. Anything I can try to improve the USB operation?

Try running from ram - see bottom right of the playback screen. If this works then it is probably CPU. Note being music the demands on the CPU are quite erratic. Also check the daphile settings power to confirm you have maximum CPU frequency - default is 1ghz. Finally use daphile info to check CPU load and temps.
 
Try running from ram - see bottom right of the playback screen. If this works then it is probably CPU. Note being music the demands on the CPU are quite erratic. Also check the daphile settings power to confirm you have maximum CPU frequency - default is 1ghz. Finally use daphile info to check CPU load and temps.
Running from ram seems to help so probably Cpu related, however given the fact integrated audio works fine makes me think the USB drivers are not optimal for my hardware. I did find the CPU frequency setting earlier, it helped somewhat after I set it at 2.5GHz. I'm not finding CPU stats, where is it?
 
Hi , I got Daphile running on a thin client ( dual core 1.4ghz, 4gb ddr3 and 16gb ssd+ 320 gb usb drive for some test music ) runs well , but how do I get Youtube on it ?
I found some old info on Google but the options seem to be missing ( or i'm blind) had a look here also . Is youtube plugin running on it ? Without youtube is kinda useless to me and I relay like the Daphile.

Thanks
 
USB transmission takes significantly more CPU than PCI(-e).

* CPU must completely prepare USB frames with all the required parts.
* USB async mode (XMOS) takes more CPU
* USB async mode from principle of its operation precludes larger period times => more frequest IRQs => more CPU work

I have met a situation where XMOS/USB controller combination keeps throwing IRQ every USB2 microframe (125us => 8k IRQs) which even regular desktop CPUs struggle to keep up reliably with => xruns, stuttering
 
M2Tech HiFace DAC

Hello. First post from a long time grateful Daphile user. Just re-read most of the thread from the beginning - very enlightening! Most of all to witness Kipeta's forbearance with the incessant requests for the same things again and again - esp an ARM-based distro. I think most people would begin to get irritated.

Anyway, my query relates to problems with M2Tech HiFace DAC. I have a passively cooled VIA/EPIA mobo, pretty low-end for these days, recycled Hush AVX, but runs flawlessly into at different times CEntrance DAC-mini, NwAvGuy O-DAC, and so on.

Recently got M2Tech HiFace USB DAC which as I understand it should run off the embedded UAC2 driver (as I think does the CEntrance), but no success. I get sound, but hopelessly broken. Tried setting max data rate to 96kHz to match other working DACs, but no better. Tried changing buffer sizes, same again.

Any ideas?

Many thanks,
Mark
 
Running from ram seems to help so probably Cpu related, however given the fact integrated audio works fine makes me think the USB drivers are not optimal for my hardware. I did find the CPU frequency setting earlier, it helped somewhat after I set it at 2.5GHz. I'm not finding CPU stats, where is it?

On the main daphile function menu click on info and see CPU load for the last 1, 5 and 15 mins (2/3 down the screen). It is summed across all threads with each thread load being 0 to 1 (100% load)..
 
Hello. First post from a long time grateful Daphile user. Just re-read most of the thread from the beginning - very enlightening! Most of all to witness Kipeta's forbearance with the incessant requests for the same things again and again - esp an ARM-based distro. I think most people would begin to get irritated.

Anyway, my query relates to problems with M2Tech HiFace DAC. I have a passively cooled VIA/EPIA mobo, pretty low-end for these days, recycled Hush AVX, but runs flawlessly into at different times CEntrance DAC-mini, NwAvGuy O-DAC, and so on.

Recently got M2Tech HiFace USB DAC which as I understand it should run off the embedded UAC2 driver (as I think does the CEntrance), but no success. I get sound, but hopelessly broken. Tried setting max data rate to 96kHz to match other working DACs, but no better. Tried changing buffer sizes, same again.

Any ideas?

Many thanks,
Mark

Try running from ram.
 
Hello. First post from a long time grateful Daphile user. Just re-read most of the thread from the beginning - very enlightening! Most of all to witness Kipeta's forbearance with the incessant requests for the same things again and again - esp an ARM-based distro. I think most people would begin to get irritated.

Anyway, my query relates to problems with M2Tech HiFace DAC. I have a passively cooled VIA/EPIA mobo, pretty low-end for these days, recycled Hush AVX, but runs flawlessly into at different times CEntrance DAC-mini, NwAvGuy O-DAC, and so on.

Recently got M2Tech HiFace USB DAC which as I understand it should run off the embedded UAC2 driver (as I think does the CEntrance), but no success. I get sound, but hopelessly broken. Tried setting max data rate to 96kHz to match other working DACs, but no better. Tried changing buffer sizes, same again.

Any ideas?

Many thanks,
Mark

Try running from ram (see above).
 
Hello. First post from a long time grateful Daphile user. Just re-read most of the thread from the beginning - very enlightening! Most of all to witness Kipeta's forbearance with the incessant requests for the same things again and again - esp an ARM-based distro. I think most people would begin to get irritated.

Anyway, my query relates to problems with M2Tech HiFace DAC. I have a passively cooled VIA/EPIA mobo, pretty low-end for these days, recycled Hush AVX, but runs flawlessly into at different times CEntrance DAC-mini, NwAvGuy O-DAC, and so on.

Recently got M2Tech HiFace USB DAC which as I understand it should run off the embedded UAC2 driver (as I think does the CEntrance), but no success. I get sound, but hopelessly broken. Tried setting max data rate to 96kHz to match other working DACs, but no better. Tried changing buffer sizes, same again.

Any ideas?

Many thanks,
Mark
The DACs you listed as working are UAC1, is M2Tech based on the XMOS chip? My both problematic DACs/interfaces are using XMOS/UAC2, I will try my DAC-mini and see if things are better. Also you should try the latest beta build if not already, it did seemingly help to reduce the chopinness for me but some is remaining.
 
USB transmission takes significantly more CPU than PCI(-e).

* CPU must completely prepare USB frames with all the required parts.
* USB async mode (XMOS) takes more CPU
* USB async mode from principle of its operation precludes larger period times => more frequest IRQs => more CPU work

I have met a situation where XMOS/USB controller combination keeps throwing IRQ every USB2 microframe (125us => 8k IRQs) which even regular desktop CPUs struggle to keep up reliably with => xruns, stuttering
Good info, thanks. I'll probably sick to the integrated optical Spdif then, I had hard time detecting differences between USB and optical, ran then in sync and A/B-ed using the input selector on the DAC, sound the same, and I'm usually sensitive to differences. USB may be better for hires but I'm mostly into redbook and streaming now.
 
NAS/File Server directory options

Hello all,

I just installed daphile for the first time and I am finding my way around rather slowly. I will have more question shortly but here is the first.

One issue is that I would like to use the server as a NAS as well as a Music Server. I find the machine on the network just fine but I cannot create a new top-level directory. It seems strange for me to have to create back-up directories called "Data", "Projects", etc under a top level directory called "Music".

I see that there are some storage settings but nothing obvious to solve this. I am reluctant to change the settings there anyway as I don't want to break something.
 
I created an account on the wiki (Daphile Wiki) but it's not editable. There is no mention of needing moderator approval or anything -- so what happens now?

This method of searching this thread has only turned up questions similar to mine. As I add to my knowledge of this potentially great system I will add it to the wiki. But without documentation I am afraid it will remain "potential" rather than reality for me.

I encourage others with experience to add what they know even if needs copy editing. The rest of us can clean it up while we learn.
 
Fillingham,


I recently installed Daphile so I'm a bit of a neophyte but I can report that I have had success playing into a usb M2Tech EVO DAC 2. I'm using a 2012-era Dell laptop with a Core2 processor and 4gig of RAM. Daphile is loaded on the partitioned drive. C: for Windows, F: for music storage, and 2 more partitions for DaphileBoot and Data. Works flawlessly with default settings and the M2Tech DAC. FYI, I'm using EasyBCD for dual boot capability. Works great.


JC
 
So I ran some experiments comparing integrated sound via optical SPDIF, UAC1, and UAC2, the last 2 were tested with a Emotiva Little Ego DAC that can work in either mode. CPU usage was roughly equivalent across all 3 over 15 minutes of usage hovering around 0.5. SPDIF was the cleanest with basically no clicks and pops, then UAC1 that was relatively clean too with an occasional abnormality, UAC2 was the worst lots of clicks and pops, and mucho initial stuttering when skipping tracks. I think I'm going to point my index finger at Linux USB drivers.
 
M2Tech HiFace DAC

Thanks for various comments on my M2Tech issue.

Firstly - I've tried playing from RAM - certainly much better, but it takes a minute or so to load a 4 minute track into RAM, and crashes PC if I try to load a twenty minute or so track. Despite this, the "available RAM" tab in info still shows plenty (i.e say 750 MB of total 975 MB. When I look for CPU load (I can only find "system load" in info - am I looking in the right place?) I see something like "1.75 1.78 1.02" when running from RAM, or "1.07 1.26 0.96" when running in the normal way. In any case, I don't know a way of defaulting to run from RAM, or indeed specifying that when using an app such as squeezer to control it.

JC552 - you have much more powerful system than I, so maybe I'm just asking too much, if a UAC2 driver needs more resources - I have a 700MHz processor and 1 GB RAM, but it runs from a SSD, is totally silent, and has never wavered until trying this new DAC!

gvl - thanks. I honestly don't know what chip it uses, but I don't think it's XMOS. None of the promo literature says, and I can't find a review that says! Everyone says it's good, but no tech details!

Maybe I'll put together a more powerful PC to test it. In the meantime I'll try the latest beta as suggested (I think i can remember where to find it, but if not I'm sure these pages will tell me - I'm always very conscious of not asking a question that can be answered by looking.

Thanks again,

Mark
 
OK - I installed the latest beta - exactly the same. Runs fine from RAM, but takes far too long and only able to load a track at a time, which is no use for a lot of classical music. And I don't think there's a way to run from RAM whilst using eg squeezer to control. So I think I've probably answered my question - just not enough "grunt" to run this DAC. I didn't realise that different DACs would use different processing power.

Thanks again everyone.

Mark