Hello everyone. A couple of years ago when I started using a Raspberry Pi for python development, during my initial research into Pi world, I stumbled upon the LattePanda, more specifically their entry level machine with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage on board.
It’s not that much bigger than a Pi, but on paper it would seem it’d make a great endpoint that could do high DSD and PCM.
Has anyone ever tried one? I realize that with the announcement yesterday of the new Pi 4, this becomes a bit moot, but I’m wondering if that could still be a nice “more powerful” alternative at ~US$89 for the basic model.
The Latte Panda has been around for a while. It should be perfect for a self contained solution for RoonBridge but it’s problem is the usual one for any SBC. 90% of software innovation and support is done with the Raspberry Pi. That means many potentially excellent devices with on board storage, lots of memory and horsepower are ignored and left with ageing Linux kernels.
I have a LattePanda. I also have an UpBoard Gateway for a different zone.
If someone were making a new purchase and only interested in Roon Bridge only, I’d recommend the RPi4 with Harry’s RoPieee (once he gets it tested). This will be a really simple and well supported Roon Bridge solution. I imagine for a Roon Bridge solution the RPi4 would be cheaper than both the fanless LattePanda and UpBoard Gateway solutions.
Since I already have the LattePanda and it works fine, I’m not interested in getting the RPi4 unless I need another zone maybe (it should be cheaper).
I run minimal Debian Server on it, running RoonBridge and HQPlayer NAA.
No issues with Linux amd64 kernel support with my LattePanda (same with my UpBoard Gateway too…).
If you are looking for something to do more than just be a Roon Bridge, then maybe the LattePanda and even UpBoard Gateway are better options but it depends on what you need.
My model is 4GB RAM and 64GB eMMC storage.
Both my LattePanda and UpBoard Gateway do DSD512 and PCM768kHz/32bit fine, to USB DACs.
For the LattePanda, I had to buy a seperate metal case and I’ve added a bunch of heatsinks to the CPU, to keep it fanless. CPU temp never goes above 50 deg C, at highest sample rates.
The UpBoard Gateway comes in a nice fanless case, already built/assembled.
Hi @Henry_McLeod & @dabassgoesboomboom
Thanks guys for the great information. It sounds like the LattePanda was a good (albeit more involved) alternative until the RPi4 showed up.
The heat dissipation was indeed a question on my mind, but also, how is the WiFi performance? I think I’ll wait until the RPi4 is available in Japan, but this is still very interesting (at least to me).
For Roon Bridge and HQP NAA, just adding heatsinks is enough to keep temp below 50 deg C at all times, even at highest sample rates. If someone is doing other stuff with it, maybe the CPU could get hotter but it’s fine for my uses.
Haven’t tested WiFi as I only use ethernet cable.
Waiting for the RPi4 and installing @spockfish’s RoPieee (when he’s tested it) would be the easiest DIY Roon Bridge solution and RoPieee is really well supported.
Didn’t go for it for a few reasons tho; not locally readily available, wanted the option to add an ‘audiophile’ PCIe USB card later for MQA (seen some vids of the Lattepanda Alpha running gaming GFX cards), and a few others aspects.
The LattePanda Delta 432 can run pure passive/fanless as well… but because of where it is located within my setup, I’m running a 120mm fan from a separate power source, under it.
Sadly, if your Library is big, the LattePanda Delta 432 won’t do as it has fixed 4GB RAM.
Odroid H2 would be a better choice here as it supports up to 32GB RAM.
The first, it’s out of stock from Hardkernel currently.
The second, it’s still January, and in my country we are limited with to 3 personal imports a year (unless I get a importers code, blaa-blaa-schelp). and I already used 1 of the 3 imports.
Let me see if I can live with the bulk of my music via Tidal for now.
Apparently, the J4105 CPUs are in short supply from Intel. Whenever Hardkernel gets a shipment, they sell out rapidly. So I suggest you keep hitting refresh on that page, and ordering one whenever it comes back into stock.
As to your second problem, I’m sorry that I can’t help with that .
Thanks bud. I’ll ask a friend with an importers code if he is willing to assist.
Just cleaned my library of all local music files save 3 albums that I copied onto the Lattepanda Delta.
Even uninstalled and reinstalled Roonserver to be safe…
But it still seems that Roon requires more RAM that this little SBC can provide
I assume you’re looking at real memory, not virtual memory assigned to each process. The latter can be unrealistically high, but it doesn’t mean anything.
Currently, my Roon is using less that a GB of real memory, but is assigned well over 4 GB of virtual memory.
IIRC Latte Panda can run windows? IF so its makes for a roon endpoint that could support ASIO/WASAPI DACs that need windows drivers to perform at their maximum specs.
No not as a core…unless you want a world of pain … min specs are in the help pages and are at i3 ivy bridge cpu but typically much better results are with something 4-8 cores and at least 2ghz intel as a guide and probably less than 4 years old
