PeppyMeter

New version (Constable Edition) of the PeppyMeter was released today:
GitHub - project-owner/PeppyMeter: PeppyMeter Repository

Changes:
* Refactored the named pipe data source functionality. The meters became responsive
* Eliminated the startup delays
* Introduced the smooth buffer which helped to make all indicator animations smooth.
* Improved the meters' performance. Now the meters add about 7% to the CPU usage
* Added file logging

The documentation including the installation instructions is available here:
Home * project-owner/PeppyMeter.doc Wiki * GitHub
 
New version (Hokusai Edition) of the PeppyMeter was released today:
GitHub - project-owner/PeppyMeter: PeppyMeter Repository

Changes:

* Added 8 new meters to the large, medium and small groups.

meters-2.jpg


* Added new group 'wide' with resolution 1280x400px. The group has 8 new meters.

meters-3.jpg


meters-4.jpg


The 'wide' meter group allows to use such displays as Waveshare 7.9" touchscreen:
7.9inch Capacitive Touch Screen LCD, 400x1280, HDMI, IPS, Toughened Glass Cover

waveshare-7.9.jpg


The documentation including the installation instructions is available here:
Home * project-owner/PeppyMeter.doc Wiki * GitHub
 
Hello ,
I am trying to install the plugin on RPI4 Volumio OS with an USB DAC and a DSI Display .
I have managed to install peppyalsa plugin.
But now when i Want to execute:
volumio@volumio:~/PeppyMeter$ python3 peppymeter.py Traceback (most recent call last): File "peppymeter.py", line 224, in <module> pm.init_display() File "peppymeter.py", line 132, in init_display pygame.display.init() pygame.error: Unable to open a console terminal.
I know that volumio is a headless OS but how can i fix this ? Am I missing something ?
Thanks for your support
 
Hello ,
I have the same error. Volumio is a headless linux audio player distribution.
I execute the peppymeter.py from ssh CL on a Windows Machine .In peppymeter.py I have modified /dev/fb1 to /dev/fb0 because I have only fb0 when doing ls /dev/fb*.
Do I need to modify other config file ? I really want to make it work.
If you need other info please please let me know .
Best regards .
 
HI ,
When I ran the first command it gave me this error on the display :
openvt: invalid option -- '-'
Usage: openvt [-c vtnumber] [-f] [-l] [-u] [-s] [-v] [-w] command_line

Then I have tried with adding the /dev/input/event0 to peppymeter.py because I do not have /dev/input/touchscreen and execute sudo puthon3 peppymeter.py The Display changed from Volumio UI to blank screen .
How can I get back to volumio UI without a reset ? It appears that the pygame is working but I do not see the picture .
To summarize the steps from Wiki:
1. I have created the named pipe
2. Configure peppyalsa plugin Done
3.Configure Audio Player :
When I execute volumio@volumio:/usr/share/sounds/alsa$ aplay -D peppyalsa Front_Right.wav I hear sound. For this step Do I need to perform any configuration?
4. Configure peppymeter. Here I have the error from initial post

I want to thank you for your great support
 
Hmm, either you run that command without space after '--' or the version of the 'openvt' in volumio is different.
You need to run the command with spaces around '--'. That double minus means the end of parameters for the 'openvt'.
Try to run one of the following commands as is without changing it:
Code:
openvt -s -- python3 peppymeter.py
sudo openvt -s -- python3 peppymeter.py
If it will complain again about '--' try to run without '--'.

You can exit from the player by pressing Ctrl-C in your SSH session.
I don't think you need any other configuration.

Best regards
 
Hello again ,

Now the command openvt -s -- python3 peppymeter.py it is working but the Volumio UI has changed to a black screen . I am expected to see at least the meter picture but it is black .
I can not exit from this because on the SSH terminal it looks like this:
PHP:
volumio@volumio:~/PeppyMeter$ volumio@volumio:~/PeppyMeter$ openvt -s -- python3 peppymeter.py
volumio@volumio:~/PeppyMeter :

As you can see If I press Ctrl+ C nothing will happen because on SSH terminal the script is finished and I need to perfom a reboot to comeback to volumio UI on the display I have tried with command top to kill the process but I do not know what it is .

In the peppymeter.py I have configured :/dev/input/event0.
If I ran the above command with /dev/input/touchscreen then the Volumui UI from display is changed with a terminl window which shows the error : Can not open terminal .

I am thinking that the peppymeter.py is correctly switching the display to pepymeter (pygame window) but why does not show the meter picture , it is strange . What is blocking to show the meter pciture ? I have configured to show the bar or blue , random but nothing .

If you need any info please let me know

Best Regards,
Florin
 
Hi,

I think you cannot exit from the meter because it's hanging. Whenever it works properly it should react to Ctrl-C.

You can find the meter PID either searching for 'python' (assuming volumio doesn't use python) or 'peppymeter':
ps -elf | grep python
And then kill the process using that PID

Start the meter using the command which changes UI to the black color. Before that comment out (add # at the beginning of the line) this line:
PeppyMeter/peppymeter.py at 1f1a6e93762cc0edd2805a8af2ad409beae3a06e * project-owner/PeppyMeter * GitHub
Also change this line:
PeppyMeter/peppymeter.py at 1f1a6e93762cc0edd2805a8af2ad409beae3a06e * project-owner/PeppyMeter * GitHub
either to this:
Code:
self.util.PYGAME_SCREEN = pygame.display.set_mode((screen_w, screen_h), pygame.NOFRAME)
or to this one:
Code:
self.util.PYGAME_SCREEN = pygame.display.set_mode((screen_w, screen_h))
Hopefully it helps.
Best regards
 
Hi rpi ,

I see the meter :) finally . thanks but :

1. I have commented the line that you have said
2. I have add NOFRAME to second line .
3. I have run
Code:
openvt -s -- python3 peppymeter.py
4. On display I see the meter that I have configured :)
5. The Vumeter is not udpated with the song being played .
6. If I go to /usr/share/sounds/alsa and I run
Code:
 aplay -D peppyalsa Front_left.wav
the VuMeter is updated and it is fully functional.
7. Kindly please tell me what I need to configure in order that Vumeter is udpated with Webradio or Qobuz , tidal etc.. Do I need t start those services with aplay and peppy alsa comand like above ?

8. Even if I kill with -9 the pepymeter python process teh display still shows the meter . If I check again the process , the peppymeter proces is gone .

The display looks realy nice with that Vumeter . The kids love it :)

Many thanks
 
Huh, finally :)

To make any player working with the meter you need to define 'peppyalsa' as the output device. As far as I know Volumio is using 'mpd' as the audio player. So you have to define 'peppyalsa' in the mpd.conf. I have no idea how you can do that in Volumio. Probably it has some UI for that or you can do that manually. Just find the mpd.conf file which used by Volumio (if it doesn't rename it to something else). But eventually you should have something like this in the mpd.conf:
Code:
audio_output {
    ...
    device "peppyalsa"

    ...

}
After stopping the meter the other program should redraw the screen. I don't think the meter blocks it.

Best regards
 
Hello,

Yes , Volumio uses mpd. I have edit the mpd.conf like this :

Code:
audio_output {
                type            "alsa"
                name            "alsa"
                device          "peppyalsa"
                dop                     "no"
The asound.conf from /etc looks like this :
Code:
ctl.!default {
        type hw
        card 0
}

pcm.peppyalsa {
        type meter
        slave.pcm "plughw:5,0" # this is my external DAC device 
        scopes.0 peppyalsa
}

pcm.softvol_and_peppyalsa {
        type softvol
        slave.pcm "peppyalsa"
        control {
                name "PCM"
                card 0
        }
}

pcm_scope.peppyalsa {
        type peppyalsa
        decay_ms 400
        meter "/home/volumio/myfifo"
        meter_max 100
        meter_show 0
        spectrum "/home/pi/myfifosa"
        spectrum_max 100
        spectrum_size 30

Regarding the UI not switching back I will get in touch with plugin creator .
I guess we are close to make it work on my sistem :)

Regards,
 
Hello ,

No it is not working :( I forget to tell you . only from /usr/share/sounds it is working ..
I use waveshare 4.3 inch DSI, 800x480. An HDMI one will be integrated much easier ? without so many modification ?
Regarding the resolution change I will change from config.txt screen size :
 
I hope you restarted the whole player after changing the mpd.conf.
The device name is the only thing which you have to change.

Try to copy that ALSA configuration file to the user's folder 'volumio' by running the following command (assuming the username is 'volumio' and you are in the folder 'volumio'):
Code:
sudo cp /etc/asound.conf .asoundrc
Then restart.

You can change the resolution by changing the following parameter to small (320x240), medium (480x320), large (800x480) and wide (1280x400) in the config.txt:
PeppyMeter/config.txt at 1f1a6e93762cc0edd2805a8af2ad409beae3a06e * project-owner/PeppyMeter * GitHub

The modifications for the HDMI would be the similar ones.

Best regards