Is a holo red still the best option for a simple NAA ?
From less to more expensive and high end. The first one still great choice:
https://www.lhy-audio.com/products/rpi/
Holo Red
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Already using a Rpi4 in that armor case 
current version of RoopieXL on there. NAA
Enabled. HQplayer does not recognize the endpoint. Roon DSD512 works through it just fine. (Yes I disabled the dac in roon when I tried HQplayer 6).
Also HQplayer 6 keeps crashing every few minutes.
I’m solid with all kinds of operation systems and I’m also able to handle a few Linux commands and Mac OS console but HQplayer reminds me of a unfinished beta software from 2010.
It’s that frustrating.
I’ve managed to get HQplayer 4 & 5 to work before as trial with the same hardware , so I’m not a hopeless idiot but yeah.. feels a bit random this software.
Maybe not so “solid” …
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What version? Can you try using latest NAA version instead? Just flash the memory stick with latest NAA 6.x
What CPU you’re using and what are your HQplayer settings (embedded or desktop)?
For this, I think a good approach would be to enable logging and when you get it to crash again, check the log to see if there’s anything informative… if you find anything I’d send it to the signalyst email and @jussi_laako can further assist.
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Hi @jussi_laako, does this also apply to the up board?
I believe the one I have is now discontinued but it is the one you used to recommend.
I was curious if it would recognize the usb out of an nvidia shield pro?
Yes, it does. Generally NAA supports unlimited number of inputs and outputs simultaneously with unlimited number of HQPlayer servers, as long as the hardware doesn’t become a limitation.
I think should work fine. You just need to switch the USB mode from BIOS settings and use a type-A to micro-B cable with it. Either USB2 or USB3 cable is fine. The USB device mode capable port is the micro-B one marked as “OTG”.
IIRC, there are two settings in BIOS related to this port, another one was maybe something related to toggling the +5 VBUS line on the OTG port.
NAA OS has built-in support for this hardware, so no other actions should be needed to make it work.
For example the newer UP 4000 is supposed to have similar hardware support, but I haven’t got time to do testing with it, although I have the hardware…
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It seems when connecting a shield to the NAA using a usb micro to usb a cable, hqplayer sees the naa , but shield doesn’t see or recognize the NAA or hqplayer so usb audio cannot be selected as an option on the shield.
It will only come up once you start playback from HQPlayer… So first load the input URI and start playback and then check if Shield allows you to output through USB.
I assume you switched the microUSB into device mode from BIOS settings before booting up the NAA OS?
I did go poking around the bios. As you said, there’s not to many settings for that port. I couldn’t find anything listed device mode or anything about voltage but there was a setting for ACPI or PCI for that usb port (is that what you were referring to about device mode?).
What should that be set to?
Also is there any terminology specifically I should be looking for in regards to that port?
I found RoPieee a great way to manage and update various NAA points. Just flash once a see more info of your Rpi4. NNA updates can be done on same web interface.
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I’ve been using a Sonore UltraRendu as my NAA endpoint for a decade or so. I’ve looked upon it as a black box and never bothered to maintain the software. As I’ve regularly updated HQP Desktop to take advantage of new filters/modulators, I noticed issues with connection stability, with HQP losing sight of the endpoint more and more frequently.
I had decided to replace it as the situation was becoming more and more frustrating. I asked Jussi for some recommendations for new endpoints, which he kindly provided. In passing, he mentioned that his NAA images could replace the software that comes natively with some of these devices. I realised that the same was true for my UltraRendu.
Yesterday, I flashed the latest NAA image onto a £20 microSD card, and lo & behold it started working natively on the UltraRendu. I was initially put off by the fact that the UltraRendu status LED remains on red, until Jussi explained that his software knows nothing about it.
After a few hours of listening, I hear a 10% improvement in the sound quality. I guess that is to be expected when replacing 10-year old generalist software (Sonore also supports many other interfaces) with modern software dedicated to NAA and HQP reproduction.
If you are a Sonore user, this is something I can highly recommend trying out.
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Apologies if this is covered earlier or elsewhere, but is it advisable to have a Holo Red in NAA mode, or run an external pi4 with NAA or other device to a Red in DDC mode? I assume the former?
If you want to use the DDC, certainly use the internal NAA. You can easily boot up NAA OS there if you have a spare microSD card.