Brief description (with pictures) of my Touchscreen Pi based PicorePlayer streamer...

[antcollinet]

At the request of Adam, here:
https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/fan-less-silent-pc.41114/post-1487232

here is a short description of the Pi based streamer I built.

Components:

Raspberry PI 3b (Made redundant when I upgraded my media player to a PI4.
Official power supply
Official 7inch touch screen
OneNineDesign Raspberry Pi LCD Touchscreen Case
90degree micro usb connector for PSU connection.
SD Card

Approx. total cost including the pi is £130 to £140

The photos below show the Pi attached to the screen (case removed), and the fully assembled unit. The two wires connect the power from the pi to the display. As an alternative you can use two separate power supplies - one for the screen and one for the pi. Some people have reported power issues with the one supply, I’ve had no such problems.

Streamer software used is PicorePlayer


piCorePlayer

www.picoreplayer.org

PicorePlayer is a Logitech Media Server (LMS) and Player system. The software is open source, and there is an active user to user support community. You can either install the server, or the player or both. I’ve installed both on the same Pi.

Setup instructions on the site are not so brilliant. I used the video guide shown at the bottom of this post.


The software includes a web server which serves the PicorePlayer configuration web pages, the operation/control pages, and the LMS config pages. There are LMS control apps available (eg iPeng), but the built in control/operation web pages now seem to do as good a job. Even better it is possible to set up a link to that on my phone home screen so it appears just as an app with a mobile optimised display.

It is possible to stream your own files from a NAS (which I do) or add them to a local USB Drive (can be a pen drive) which can then be made accessible on the network for loading music. There is also support for some streaming platforms (Tidal, Deezer, Spotify and Bandcamp) (but not Amazon music), as well as many radio systems. I’ve added Radio paradise and BBC Sounds plugins. Sending to PCP via Airplay is possible.

Music output is via USB direct to my MiniDSP Flex

The thing works well. The only issue for me is I power off my media system when not in use, which includes the MiniDSP. When this happens, PicorePlayer loses the USB connection and needs to be rebooted.

I cannot power off the PicorePlayer at the same time because, having the Database driven LMS Server built in, uncontrolled power off can cause data corruption and malfunction. I could solve this by setting up a second pi (ever a zero) as a server and leaving that powered on all the time, allowing me to remove power uncontrolled from the player pi.

One other thing to be aware of - the player operates fully from ram - so any settings changes need to be saved explicitly from the user interface, or they are lost nest time it is powered off.

Pictures and screen shots are below. A short video demo of the touchscreen is on youtube here:


Build pics


and Screenshots:






Setup Guide Video:

 

[scrubb]

Very nice! How are you routing sound out of the streamer? USB to separate DAC? (EDIT: oh I see, USB to MiniDSP) Do you think there would be room in the case for a HAT if the back cover wasn't used?

 

[antcollinet]

Very nice! How are you routing sound out of the streamer? USB to separate DAC? (EDIT: oh I see, USB to MiniDSP) Do you think there would be room in the case for a HAT if the back cover wasn't used?

I'll have a look later.

 

[AdamG]

At the request of Adam, here:
https://audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/fan-less-silent-pc.41114/post-1487232

here is a short description of the Pi based streamer I built.

Components:

Raspberry PI 3b (Made redundant when I upgraded my media player to a PI4.
Official power supply
Official 7inch touch screen
OneNineDesign Raspberry Pi LCD Touchscreen Case
90degree micro usb connector for PSU connection.
SD Card

Approx. total cost including the pi is £130 to £140

The photos below show the Pi attached to the screen (case removed), and the fully assembled unit. The two wires connect the power from the pi to the display. As an alternative you can use two separate power supplies - one for the screen and one for the pi. Some people have reported power issues with the one supply, I’ve had no such problems.

Streamer software used is PicorePlayer


piCorePlayer

www.picoreplayer.org

PicorePlayer is a Logitech Media Server (LMS) and Player system. The software is open source, and there is an active user to user support community. You can either install the server, or the player or both. I’ve installed both on the same Pi.

Setup instructions on the site are not so brilliant. I used the video guide shown at the bottom of this post.


The software includes a web server which serves the PicorePlayer configuration web pages, the operation/control pages, and the LMS config pages. There are LMS control apps available (eg iPeng), but the built in control/operation web pages now seem to do as good a job. Even better it is possible to set up a link to that on my phone home screen so it appears just as an app with a mobile optimised display.

It is possible to stream your own files from a NAS (which I do) or add them to a local USB Drive (can be a pen drive) which can then be made accessible on the network for loading music. There is also support for some streaming platforms (Tidal, Deezer, Spotify and Bandcamp) (but not Amazon music), as well as many radio systems. I’ve added Radio paradise and BBC Sounds plugins. Sending to PCP via Airplay is possible.

Music output is via USB direct to my MiniDSP Flex

The thing works well. The only issue for me is I power off my media system when not in use, which includes the MiniDSP. When this happens, PicorePlayer loses the USB connection and needs to be rebooted.

I cannot power off the PicorePlayer at the same time because, having the Database driven LMS Server built in, uncontrolled power off can cause data corruption and malfunction. I could solve this by setting up a second pi (ever a zero) as a server and leaving that powered on all the time, allowing me to remove power uncontrolled from the player pi.

One other thing to be aware of - the player operates fully from ram - so any settings changes need to be saved explicitly from the user interface, or they are lost nest time it is powered off.

Pictures and screen shots are below. A short video demo of the touchscreen is on youtube here:


Build pics
View attachment 266097View attachment 266098View attachment 266099View attachment 266100View attachment 266101View attachment 266102View attachment 266103View attachment 266104View attachment 266105View attachment 266106

and Screenshots:
View attachment 266107View attachment 266108View attachment 266109





Setup Guide Video:

Awesome response with pics a few videos and detailed Bill of Materials (BM). Thank you kindly. I am impressed Sir.

 

[antcollinet]

Very nice! How are you routing sound out of the streamer? USB to separate DAC? (EDIT: oh I see, USB to MiniDSP) Do you think there would be room in the case for a HAT if the back cover wasn't used?

So, there is a gap of about 2.5mm between the top edge of the case, and the inside surface of the cover. There is also about (difficult to measure) about 10mm from the top of the header pins, and the top edge of the case - so around 12.5mm from the top of the header pins to the inside surface of the cover.

I think a DAC Hat would fit. You'd need to get creatively destructive to cut a hole for the connectors.

There is a small risk it might not fit under the keyhole lugs. More potential creative destruction required.

 

[restorer-john]

So the downsides are basically you can't turn just pull the plug and then turn it back on without going through a special procedure? What is the cold boot to operational time just out of interest?

 

[antcollinet]

So the downsides are basically you can't turn just pull the plug and then turn it back on without going through a special procedure? What is the cold boot to operational time just out of interest?

Only on the device running the server. If you run a device with player only, you can turn on/off as agressively as you like with no issues, as it runs only in ram.

Regarding boot time - Hang on.....

Full reboot is 1:07, of which 0:14 is shutdown.

This is with a 3b - I assume a 4b would be faster, but don't have one I can test with.

 

[antcollinet]

Incidentally - I set up with the screen for fun. If you're happy to use your phone as the interface, you can take about £75 to £80 off the cost. More if you build it with a zero 2W. You don't get the pretty VU meters then though.

When supply eases, I'll probably set up a zero as the server, and solve the player power on/off problem.

 

[simbloke]

I've done a very similar thing with a Pi4 and the One Nine case with a power button/LED on the back.

Also with PiCorePlayer which works very nicely. I ended up using this as getting JiveLite to compile for under Raspian was giving me grief!

 

[Berwhale]

Very nice! How are you routing sound out of the streamer? USB to separate DAC? (EDIT: oh I see, USB to MiniDSP) Do you think there would be room in the case for a HAT if the back cover wasn't used?

You can buy a deeper back cover for the SmartPi Touch 2 Case that can accommodate hats...

SmartiPi Touch 2 Back Cover

The back for the cover for SmartiPi Touch 2 allows you to cover HAT boards or other additional electronics on the back of the SmartiPi Touch 2. The covers include four M4 mounting screws that attach the cover to the 75mm VESA mount holes on the back of the case. Note: The cover does not work...

thepihut.com

 

[antcollinet]

I've done a very similar thing with a Pi4 and the One Nine case with a power button/LED on the back.

Also with PiCorePlayer which works very nicely. I ended up using this as getting JiveLite to compile for under Raspian was giving me grief!

Does the power button do a controlled shutdown? If so can you point me to a resource?

 

[simbloke]

Does the power button do a controlled shutdown? If so can you point me to a resource?

Yes, you just have to configure the gpio pins in config.txt in the usual way.

It's 2nd one on this page:

PiPAD | raspberrypiplastics

www.raspberrypiplastics.com

There's docs somewhere on that site, they do another case with the same power board but no screen.

 

[Guermantes]

So the LMS doesn't like sudden power-off? I also turn everything off at the wall but I'm used to an MPD-based setup that seems immune to this.

 

[restorer-john]

I also turn everything off at the wall but I'm used to an MPD-based setup that seems immune to this.

I like to be able to just shut everything down and be able to turn it all back on and the entire setup 'just work'.

My router/network/NAS/roof mount fixed wireless also often needs to be quickly pulled out of the wall point (one point connection), as does the HiFi and my lab bench, as we get a huge number of electrical storms/lightning strikes where we are.

I'd really like to try a setup like @tonycollinet but I don't want to run a separate server, just use the Pi setup as one that retained its indexed database of files on the NAS, connected at turn on and picked up where it left off. Periodically updates its own database to reflect changes on the NAS of the media folders/files it is pointed to. A bit like the old Windows Media centre. Not sure if that it an easy setup or not.

 

[Guermantes]

I like to be able to just shut everything down and be able to turn it all back on and the entire setup 'just work'.

My router/network/NAS/roof mount fixed wireless also often needs to be quickly pulled out of the wall point (one point connection), as does the HiFi and my lab bench, as we get a huge number of electrical storms/lightning strikes where we are.

I'd really like to try a setup like @tonycollinet but I don't want to run a separate server, just use the Pi setup as one that retained its indexed database of files on the NAS, connected at turn on and picked up where it left off. Periodically updates its own database to reflect changes on the NAS of the media folders/files it is pointed to. A bit like the old Windows Media centre. Not sure if that it an easy setup or not.

Yep, I often watch those storms roll in over the Gold Coast hinterland on the BOM radar.

Tony's PiCorePlayer installation includes the server (LMS) and player in the one package on the RPi, though it is possible to separate the LMS to separate installation as he mentions. It used to be the case that LMS would run on some NAS brands (e.g. Synology, Qnap) but support for that may be disappearing. If you run a more generic Linux or Windows server it should be OK.

Daphile is an LMS-based all-in-one option for x86 hardware (e.g. if you have an old laptop to repurpose): https://www.daphile.com/

The MPD-based packages I have used on the RPi (Volumio and Moode) have the database included in the same installation. I use Moode and when it boots up from a cold start it shows the last played item by default.

 

[tw99]

There is a fix for the issue with needing to reboot the Picore player after restarting the DAC.

See this thread starting at post #12

LMS could not reestablish any USB connection after USB Dac is disconnected - Squeezebox : Community : Forums

Formerly known as SlimServer and Squeezecenter and Squeezebox Server and Slimp3.

forums.slimdevices.com

 

[tw99]

And obviously you "can" just turn LMS off, but there's a small risk (as with almost any other Linux setup) that you'll get a file corruption if a write was in progress.

If that happens you can just rebuild the database...

 

[antcollinet]

There is a fix for the issue with needing to reboot the Picore player after restarting the DAC.

See this thread starting at post #12

LMS could not reestablish any USB connection after USB Dac is disconnected - Squeezebox : Community : Forums

Formerly known as SlimServer and Squeezecenter and Squeezebox Server and Slimp3.

forums.slimdevices.com

Saw that when i first encountered the problem. It doesn’t fix it for me.

 

[MCH]

Thanks for posting Tony,

I am also using LMS on one pi and PiCorePlayer on a few other pis around the house and I find it a terrific low cost solution.

To add a bit of useful information.

Yes, it is possible to run both LMS and PiCorePlayer on pi zero W and pi zero 2W bringing down the cost of the setup significantly. What i would not recommend is a zero as LMS with a very large library, it will make the navigation get very slow. I am even using a 4 euro ESP32 microcontroller with squeezelite to listen to streams from my LMS and it works perfectly well!!

GitHub - sle118/squeezelite-esp32: ESP32 Music streaming based on Squeezelite, with support for multi-room sync, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Hardware buttons, display and more

ESP32 Music streaming based on Squeezelite, with support for multi-room sync, AirPlay, Bluetooth, Hardware buttons, display and more - sle118/squeezelite-esp32

github.com

Another helpful feature of LMS is that it opens the doors to stream your analog sources too! I do that with my turntable:

How to integrate your turntable/analog source in your streaming system - Step by step instructions for dummies

Hello all, I thought it would be good to put together some simple instructions to integrate a turntable, or any other analog source, into a 2022 wifi streaming environment. My own experinece tells me there are at least two reasons one would want or need to do this: 1. There is a tendency...

www.audiosciencereview.com

And you can even apply EQ filters to the stream at origin in case your streamer setup does not have eq capabilities.

Basically, a super budget but super capable and stable solution and with an active community behind. Just set up and forget. Highly recommend!!

 

[restorer-john]

The thing works well.

Just impressed overall. Not sure I could make it work for me, but appreciate the time and effort you have gone to to make it work for you. Thanks for posting the thread- it has got me thinking about moving into the 21st century...