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Logitech Media Server etc...

renaudrenaud

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We are stuck at home.

After I've seen the awful measurements from the French brand D****** unit and put them in relation with the cost of their equipment, I think it's time to write few lines in total opposition with this kind of product.

Let's talk about Logitech Media Server, about low cost, open source, free, DIY solutions with certainly better measurements (easy bar).

Logitech Media Server is a piece of software design to stream music across a network. You will find more information as usual with https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logitech_Media_Server

Initially the solution was build by Slim Devices company: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim_Devices and Logitech bought Slim Devices maybe in 2008 / 2009... Software was Open Source and it is still the case.

LMS is FREE, under GNU General Public License (at the opposite of Demonvialet patenting their, err, what?, technology?) and LMS runs on Windows, Mac, Linux.

LMS is no more developed by Logitech but there is a nice community doing the job.
https://forums.slimdevices.com/forumdisplay.php?20-User-Forums

A server ok, and what about the clients?

Before the acquisition by Logitech, some "players" where available like the Squeezbox (thrre was few versions, the first one was only able to read MP3) and you will find the list here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeezebox_(network_music_player)

1585761054378.png



Owning the software, Logitech offered hardware...

The "Duet" system with a remote and a really nice player:

1585761263169.png


In France some guys offered a new clock and a nice SPDIF output for the unit and the player was very competent. But this product was a bit difficult to use because the remote.

After the Duet, Logitech started to sell the "Touch" player :

1585761436982.png


A very competent unit, with the excellent idea to use Linux inside! You can SSH, and somebody write the code to use USB DAC...

Then Logitech released a wonderful unit, the Transporter:

1585761762644.png



Also there was "Radio" but not too much interesting.

I think Logitech stopped operation in 2011 or 2012 with LMS, and the code was given to the community.

LMS code is still alive and we wan use it in plenty of solutions.

In the next lines, I want to show there is no limit... And I will start with what is laying on the table (Orange Pi Win).

ps: I invite you to correct every mistake, I am far to know everything.
 
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renaudrenaud

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Stuck in at home, I've build this solution.

1585762333617.png


The DAC is Sabaj D5.

I've installed Logitech Media Player on a SBC (Single Board Computer) and ALSO the "client" software. It means, on the same board you have the Server and the Client. Output is via USB. On the top left this is a little HDD with 5To connected to USB port of the Orange Pi win.

Orange Pi Win is a card with a 64bits 4core ARM processor. More or less, this is something, in term of possibilities, as the Rapsberry Pi.
http://www.orangepi.org/ and https://www.raspberrypi.org/

1585763142464.png





Plenty of brands are on the market: Raspberry Pi, the most famous, Orange Pi, Banana Pi, Odroid HardKernel, LeMaker, Asus (yes).. You can grab cards for 20 / 40 $ depending the power you need for your projet and some very powerful cards cost more than 100$ (not in our scope).

Anyway, you need an operating system... You need a computer with Etcher, download a system and use Etcher to write some sd card.

Raspberry Pi uses Raspbian, a Debian Linux adapted to the Rasp. For the other SBC with ARM processors, one of the better system is ARMbian.

https://www.armbian.com/

...

Install LMS

Once the system is installed (following the steps in the documentation for Armbian https://docs.armbian.com/ ) you can install LMS.

1585763417965.png


Few commands are required with a SSH session.

# sudo apt-get update
# sudo apt-get upgrade

To be sure your system is up to date.

And then something like that:
# cd username
# sudo mkdir sources
# cd sources/
# sudo wget http://downloads.slimdevices.com/ni.../logitechmediaserver_7.9.3~1582867832_arm.deb
# sudo dpkg -i logitechmediaserver_7.9.3~1582867832_arm.deb
# sudo apt-get install perl
# apt --fix-broken install
# apt-get install perl
# sudo dpkg -i logitechmediaserver_7.9.3~1582867832_arm.deb

Note; it's not so important to grab the last version of the LMS, when it will run it will check the version and will process to an update.

"Install HDD"

We have a Western Digital "My Passeport" (no joke) 5To HDD connected to the USB port... We want to use it.

# sudo fdisk -l

Give us some information:

1585765536127.png


To use the disk enter the following command:

# mount /dev/sda1 /media

It's "mount" the disk and the card can use it.

Note... I am not a great Linux guy, to the following lines are not the correct solution, this is only what have done and it's working...

We are going to install the "mount" command in the crontab. The following command allows us to edit the crontab:

# sudo crontab -e

and then insert the following line (it means at reboot we want the disk mounted in /media folder):

@reboot mount /dev/sda1 /media

And then
# sudo reboot

And check it's ok.

Some tips

- A cool tool on these SBC is "Midnight Commander" or MC, you can install it using the command:

# sudo apt-get install mc

1585766108171.png


And then we have a cool "graphic" interface..., back to the future

1585766169882.png


- I you want to have a look at your crontab without edit it, use "crontab -l"

- I use a Chrome Plugin for SSH session (at home), the name is Secure Shell and it's easier than Putty...
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/secure-shell/iodihamcpbpeioajjeobimgagajmlibd?hl=en
 
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renaudrenaud

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Before to continue with technical points, just a picture from the "remote". Office is the name of the Sabaj D5 (I have many Sabaj D5 so each one has a specific name), but I have only one SMSL SU8 connected...

Main point here is to see some hardware sold in 2010 working with things done in 2020, exactly the opposite of what Sonos was planning to do. Maybe there is a kind of interest to use Open Source solutions and avoid planned obsolescence. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence

Ha yes, for Sonos, it was an error.

1585766463463.png
 
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renaudrenaud

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The HDD is connected to the Orange Pi Win but you want to be able to put some new music on it. Err, you main computer is a Windows 10 computer, so...

Installing SAMBA

Samba is a Brazilian music genre and dance style, but for Linux, it is FREE software that provides flle services for Microsoft Client. Please, a Picture...

This is Samba: installed on the Pi, Win computers are able to see the disk.

1585767183230.png



Now we have seen the result, let's install it (it's a bit on the reverse order but we are stuck at home and then things are not in their usual order).

So let's install the software:
# sudo apt-get install samba samba-common-bin

And then we want to configure the service editing the conf file
# sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

We want something like that:

[share]
comment = LMS Share
path = /media
browsable = yes
writeable = yes
only guest = no
create mask = 0777
directory mask = 0777
public = yes
guest ok = yes

when it's done, we want to create (I know it's low security, we are at home boy) a user and password for samba:
# sudo smbpassword -a renaud

It's done... To take it in account, we restart the service:

# sudo /etc/init.d/samba restart

It's ok, go back to the previous picture and admire the result.
 
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renaudrenaud

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- Now
- LMS server is installed
- HDD is mounted
- SAMBA is running

We are going to setup LMS.

Supposing the Orange PI is on your local network at address 192.168.1.1, to set up the LMS, use your web explorer 192.168.1.1:9000 where 9000 is mandatory, it's the port number for the bla bla bla...

There you have to select the folder in the HDD, something like /media/music

1585768779681.png


After that the LMS will index all the music files located on the folder.

Well, I use FLAC format because this is a lossless format, I can tag the files and it's a kind of standard since years (and easy to produce with Foobar2000).
 

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renaudrenaud

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Last post tonite, I want to listen to music. We have the Orange Pi running LMS and our music files are indexed.

How to use some usb DAC

For this, we are going to install a client software on the Orange Pi.

We want something like this, a client named "Office" connected to our LMS server:

1585769133541.png



To install the client software we enter on the command line:
# apt install squeezelite

1585769257153.png



Done! Now we want to setup (Sabaj D5 was already connected with USB):

# squeezelite -l

1585769357021.png


This command shows the list of output devices...

We want to use the SABAJ, so we find the "default:CARD=D5" output device...

To run the client software using the Sabaj the syntax is:

/usr/bin/squeezelite -o default:CARD=D5 -s 192.168.1.1 -n Office

-o is for the output
-s is the server addess
-n for "n"aming the player

We are done!

Well, not exactly. If we close the session, we kill the software.

We have to enter something like that

nohup /usr/bin/squeezelite -o default:CARD=D5 -s 192.168.1.1 -n Office&

To get the process alive after closing the session.

And, the real thing is to run at reboot the client software, but I cannot find how to do that. I am sure somebody knows here. Please, help!

Consumption

For 5.2V (HDD plugged on the USB port)
  • boot, up to 1.6A, between 0.8 to 1.2A average
  • listening radio: <.6A
  • file indexation : between 0.9 and 1.2A
I like it for a server.

Well I think it's enough today. Hope you like it.

Ha yes, I've printed this case for the OPiWin: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3844801
The model is FREE of charge, you can download and print.

Haaaa so much FREE, Open Source, Linux things tonite...




Ha come on Devialet, push your products in open source and we will fix them. For free!
 
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Aldoszx

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Nice !
A good LMS server linux distro here: https://www.daphile.com/
As a client, on Raspberry Pi, piCorePlayer is a good choice.
That's what i use to have before ROON.
 
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renaudrenaud

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Be patient... I've done plenty of things with it. I will document tomorrow. Really plenty of things...


Atomic Pi + Daphile + Our 3D design...
 

Aldoszx

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Looks great !
 

Prana Ferox

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Thanks for posting this, I saw your touchscreen / 3D printed setup in another thread and was curious of the pieces parts.
 
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renaudrenaud

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Thanks for posting this, I saw your touchscreen / 3D printed setup in another thread and was curious of the pieces parts.

I will document later (edit: ok, tomorrow). It's working quite fine, more than expected. Really. I've done this project for a friend but I will build one for myself, I like it.

Before I forget... I am not alone, my wife is working with me and we are together sharing the projects and designing and building together. She will not read, but it's a fantastic dynamic to be together.
 

Foxenfurter

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Just wanted to add as a longtime user of Squeezebox. I run my server on a cheap mini PC running Windows 10 with LMS as a service. It is really easy to trouble-shoot that way, I used to use a Vortexbox. But I think the Windows PC is less of a headache for me.

Other features on the server
Gapless playback; on the fly trans-coding; integration with most streaming services; player synchronisation; personalised libraries. A host of free or really cheap apps to run on various platforms. Players now run on most platforms; I have the player on my android phone as well as a Pi and on my PC.
 
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renaudrenaud

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Just wanted to add as a longtime user of Squeezebox. I run my server on a cheap mini PC running Windows 10 with LMS as a service. It is really easy to trouble-shoot that way, I used to use a Vortexbox. But I think the Windows PC is less of a headache for me.

Other features on the server
Gapless playback; on the fly trans-coding; integration with most streaming services; player synchronisation; personalised libraries. A host of free or really cheap apps to run on various platforms. Players now run on most platforms; I have the player on my android phone as well as a Pi and on my PC.

I would like to know... Which player on Android? Is it free?
 
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Foxenfurter

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Hi I use squeeze player, and yes it is free. Although I use Orange Squeeze as a controller which was under a 5 GBP. I think that there are free options there too,
 

somebodyelse

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Squeezer is another android controller. If you want to compile yourself the source is on github.

PiCorePlayer also has easy installation of the server part and touchscreen controller interface for those who don't want to roll their own system.
 

nm4711

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I can recommend PiCorePlayer, too. It is really easy to install and control. You don't need to use the command line to completely install and configurate it. Furthermore you can install an Airplay client. I'am running the LMS Server and Client on the same Pi, but also could run the Server directly on my NAS. I don't do this, because I often hear via Spotify and don't want to wake up the NAS for Spotify playback. There are some other images, wich run a LMS Client and a Spotify Client and some other things parallel. But the one I've tried currently doesn't support gapless Spotify playback.
 
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renaudrenaud

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I started with the Orange Pi Win because it's my last project, it's fun because at the beginning I did not know if it was possible. Conclusion, it's easy and doable on an Orange Pi at less than 20$, for an ultra low consumption.

PicorePlayer is fantastic, working perfectly out of the box (no fun!). My goal is also to write some lines here and I want to show what I have done with it. Maybe tonite Atomic Pi and tomorrow PicorePlayer...
 
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renaudrenaud

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Tooo tired for anything else.

How to run the player @reboot?

There is nothing to do, except set a configuration file correctely.

squeezelite file is located in the folder /etc/default

Just set the name and the output, and it will run. Other parameters are available anyway.


1585859245434.png
 
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renaudrenaud

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Let's talk about Daphile today.

Daphile is a Linux distribution. https://www.daphile.com/

1585988886108.png

Image grabbed from the website...


This specific version of Linux allow to use a computer as a player. It is not working with ARM processor family (like Raspberry, Orange Pi, etc...). The main interest for me is the ability to use the i86 processor capabilities to do something in the domain of high resolution, where the Raspberry is struggling.

Daphile embarks a client to play audio, but also the LMS, the server part. About LMS inside Daphile, I do not like to use an HDD connected to the USB port of a Daphile computer. If use LMS and an an HDD in the same computer, when booting LMS is starting to re-index the files in the HDD. If LMS is on a SBC elsewhere then there is no re-indexing. And if I want my LMS always on (for bedroom system, bathroom system etc...) I prefer an ultra-low consumption as SBC do.

Daphile is an old friend. I've played since years with this distribution. I started with a portable computer for a try : prepare an USB stick and you are done, you can give a try connecting your USB DAC.

But today I want to describe what I've done since near one year.

Atomic Pi

In may 2019 I read Amazon is selling the Atomic Pi, a cost effective card with Intel processor inside for... 35$ Ho what an egasm!

1585989618649.png



Well I ordered two samples and started to play with the card. But mind this, a 35$ SBC with intel quad core processor, oh yes!

Daphile

Well, Daphile is running fine on the card, but I want to note 2 points :
- do trust to much your USB stick, sonner or later it will die
- versions of Daphile (they are downloadable here : https://www.daphile.com/firmware/ ) are not equal... Sometimes everything is working, and sometimes, err... Anyway the last beta 2020 01 is fine

Cases

So here we are. We habe a 35$ computer, a 8$ USB stick, a 10$ USB hub 4port, a 5To HDD and a power pack.

We have done some design to print a case:

1585990115557.png




First we install the HDD
1585990257146.png


And then USB HUB

1585990328318.png


USB Key

1585990383013.png


And then the Atomic Pi

1585990445111.png


And close the box.

1585990496136.png
 
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renaudrenaud

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Then we spend few days in USA, just before what you know.

1585990739329.png


Amazon delivered 4 new cards (price is so low!!!) in a pickup place and we wanted (my wife and I) to experiment more.

My wife designed a real mega cool fixation for the Atomic Pi.

1585990870172.png


It is an adapter for VESA format. There is a lot of holes because this adapter is compatible with 7.5 and 10cm standard.

So let put the baby board in place:

1585991120922.png



Fix the adapter back to the screen monitor:
1585991153806.png


And here we are...

1585991223668.png


Coffee time, I'll be back in 15 minutes for more...
 
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