rooDial a Wireless Volume Knob for Roon with Microsoft Surface Dial

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

@Art_Set

• If I buy a raspberry pi zero 2w, this will only connect to wifi if using WPA-PSK?
  I am asking as I now have this set to the default - wpa2-psk[aes]. I read that there is sometimes a conf file to set the country for the PI to connect.
• If I want to use my Surface dial with my PC is it simple to pair it back to a pc and then re-pair it to the PI?
• If I get a Raspberry pi4 can roodial get configured as part of roopie, so that I can use the pi as an endpoint or do you still need to flash roodial making this a dedicated “extension” device.
• Obviously unless I use dsp volume or have hardware (DAC/preamp/integrated) with an extension supporting hw volume I will not be able to rotate for volume control.
  I have a tube preamp, hence I will not be using this functionality. I was wondering if I can assign other functions. Most ideal would be to skip forward/backwards in the track, but next/previous track would also serve a function. I think roon itself can’t skip forward/backwards via kb shortcut.
• I know this was rejected since the beginning, but right now I have a Surface pro acting as an end-point streaming from rock. It is also running my extensions and is in the listening room. Obviously I can program the dial to reflect kb shortcuts on the surface, but this would mean waking the screen for each action. It would be great if the dial could interact with the surface pro as a bt translator sending commands to the Rock instead of having the PI as a translation device.
  Do you see this as ever being possible?

Here my answers.

1. Pi zero 2w will work with rooExtend and WiFi. See the compatibility chart in thwe Quick installation Guide on my Download area.

2. In the manual for the rooExtend Box also in the Download area there are several hint regarding pairing. It is NOT recommended to Pair vice versa. You will get a lot of trouble.

3. rooExtend is a SD-Card Image that runs by itself on the Pi. It also has a builkt in Roon Bridge like roopie so you can connect USB DACs and run them as Roon Endpoint.

4. These functions are all available. Please visit http://diy.rooExtend.com and watch the videos for rooDial.

5. Sorry, you need the PI but you can control your Surface pro running Roon as playback device via Roon in such a setuop without any issues. No wakeup of the Surface pro necessary if you use rooExtend.

Best DrCWO

[Art_Set]

Thanks for your quick reply.
I checked out the guide and my conclusions are:

1. Only WPA-PSK supported as per the guide
   Assume WPA-PSK = WPA2-PSK, as I simply don’t have WPA1 in my router and this should be quite an old standard.

2. I will need two dials if I want to temporarily go back to using the dial with a PC.

3. Pi4 is the safest option based on the table to run everything

4. I didn’t see the seek position option in the Dial videos, but assume that Nuimo and Dial have the same programmable options.

5. Thanks for confirming!

Br,
Art

[Wayney_Roon]

@DrCWO I have tried to get Roodial to run in my system with the Surface Dial, but unfortunately have not succeeded yet.

My situation::

• Roon server is Nucleus +
• Roon Endpoint is Dutch and Dutch 8c
• Roodial is running on the RooExtend Box, paid for license key and this was accepted. Roodial version 1.5.7. RooExtend Version 3.3.1.
• Surface Dial is shown as connected to Roodial in the Extensions tab of Roon.

My Roodial problems:

• If I twist the Surface Dial to left or right, the Roodial section in the Extensions tab shows (L) and (R), but this has no effect on the volume level in Roon (for completeness sake: volume level within Roon is not set at fixed)
• If I press on the Surface Dial (P), Roon loses connection to first the Roodial extension and a couple of seconds later also to the RooExtend extension. Once I restart Roon, both these items are shown as connected again in the Extensions tab.

Could you please inform me which steps I should take to get the Surface Dial working? Many thanks for your help.

[Henry_Svendblad]

Wayne,

Can you post a picture of your Dutch and Dutch 8C volume settings. For reference here is mine for my LS50s controlled by rooDial. I don’t have D&D 8Cs - I WISH!

Also note, for some reason you sometimes have to hit Load defaults to get this to start working. I would also make sure you have the latest firmware on the D&ds.

[Wayney_Roon]

Sure, please see below (I hope uploading picture works):

Firmware of D&D 8c is up to date. Load Defaults didn’t solve the problem unfortunately.

[Chris_Deutscher]

Is there anyway to do this with JUST the surface dial and a PC or do I need the Raspberry Pi?

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

Going the DIY way you need a Reaspberry Pi. But you can also use the the rooExtend-Box.

Best DrCWO

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

@Art_Set

• Only WPA-PSK supported as per the guide
  Assume WPA-PSK = WPA2-PSK, as I simply don’t have WPA1 in my router and this should be quite an old standard.
• I will need two dials if I want to temporarily go back to using the dial with a PC.
• Pi4 is the safest option based on the table to run everything
• I didn’t see the seek position option in the Dial videos, but assume that Nuimo and Dial have the same programmable options.

1. WPA2-PAK is supported.
2. Not necessarily but this my strong recommendation.
3. Yes I vote for Pi4 and also an Ethernet connection if you like to transport audio either with Roon Bridge or with rooPlay.
4. Hmmm, should be. As far as I remember seek can be used. I travel at the moment so can’t look it up but think so.

Best DrCWO

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

@Wayney_Roon

If I twist the Surface Dial to left or right, the Roodial section in the Extensions tab shows (L) and (R), but this has no effect on the volume level in Roon (for completeness sake: volume level within Roon is not set at fixed)

If you see (R) and (L) while twisting the dial you have probably forgotten to open the rooDial settings and select the zone you like to control.

EDIT:
Sme devices claim to have Device Volume but this doesn’t work. Please also try to select DSP volume and try with it. In general: if volume can be changed by the slider it also can be changed by the Dial.

Best DrCWO

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

@Wayney_Roon

If I press on the Surface Dial (P), Roon loses connection to first the Roodial extension and a couple of seconds later also to the RooExtend extension. Once I restart Roon, both these items are shown as connected again in the Extensions tab.

Maybe this is caused by selecting no zone in the rooDial settings. Anyway to see the system log if this happens would be interesting for me.

Best DrCWO

[Wayney_Roon]

Thanks a lot, this did the trick!

[Michael_Globe]

DrCWO is the best.

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

Thank you and merry Christmas

[Poli (Paul)]

having troubles pairing my surface dial to my pi 4 (actually tried two pi’s). It keeps on pairing forever, but does not ‘connect’. The Roon Extensions are visible in my roon settings. I have tried several times on wifi, ethernet, all does not make a difference (btw the dial pairs with other devices).
Please advise

[PixelPopper]

Try removing the batteries from the surface dial, reboot pi 4, reinsert batteries & pair the dial.
It may work and is worth a try.

[Poli (Paul)]

Thank you. Tried it, but no luck so far.

[PixelPopper]

As a last resort, pending further help from Carl, reflash your ssd card and try again, good luck

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

@Poli

having troubles pairing my surface dial to my pi 4 (actually tried two pi’s).

Hi @Poli,
if you use a freshly burnt SD-card v3.3.0

• you should first get the update to v3.3.1.
• After that reboot the Pi.
• Enable rooDial in Roon Settings/Extensions. After enabling or a reboot pairing mode is up for a limited time only
• Remove Batteries
• Re-Insert Batteries
• Press the pairing Button. It should flash 5 to 20 times and then stop flashing. A short time later you should see a the word “paired” in the status line of rooDial in Roon Settings/Extensins.

Please let me know at what stop you get in trouble.

Best DrCWO

[Poli (Paul)]

Dear Carl,
thanks for your reply!

In reply to your suggestions:

• you should first get the update to v3.3.1. → √
• After that reboot the Pi. → √
• Enable rooDial in Roon Settings/Extensions. After enabling or a reboot pairing mode is up for a limited time only → √
• Remove Batteries ->√
• Re-Insert Batteries ->√
• Press the pairing Button. It should flash 5 to 20 times and then stop flashing. A short time later you should see a the word “paired” in the status line of rooDial in Roon Settings/Extensins. → not working. The led on the dial keeps on flashing

I have heard there is a batch of Pi model 4 with bluetooth issues. I am wondering if that is the problem…

Below you see the system info as on rooextend.local

[DrCWO (C.W. Oehlrich)]

@Poli

I have heard there is a batch of Pi model 4 with bluetooth issues. I am wondering if that is the problem…

Never heared of that
Edit: My Pi4 is Rev 1.5

You can try to update the boot loader that also initializes the hardware of the PI. It is available as a SD-Card image.

You also can try with the external BT antenna from ZEXMTE. I always recommend that as it increases the distance between Dial and Pi.

EDIT:
Did you use a metal case that shields Bluetooth?

Also I need the System log. Please send to info@definiteaudio.de

Best DrCWO