Roon Bridge for ARM: a beginner’s guide to Raspberry Pi and Cubox-i

Benjamin_Schramm · June 2, 2016, 7:27pm

Thanks RBM. Got a little too excited with my extra thread. Here is what i have got

pi@LivingRoom:~ $ sudo systemctl status roonbridge.service
● roonbridge.service - RoonBridge
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/roonbridge.service; enabled)
Active: active (running) since Thu 2016-06-02 14:00:04 UTC; 5h 20min ago
Main PID: 749 (start.sh)
CGroup: /system.slice/roonbridge.service
├─749 /bin/sh /opt/RoonBridge/start.sh
├─795 RoonBridge --debug --gc=sgen --server RoonBridge.exe
├─832 RoonBridgeHelper --debug --gc=sgen --server RoonBridgeHelper…
├─879 /opt/RoonBridge/Bridge/processreaper 832
└─883 RAATServer --debug --gc=sgen --server RAATServer.exe

Jun 02 14:00:04 LivingRoom systemd[1]: Started RoonBridge.
Jun 02 14:00:07 LivingRoom start.sh[749]: Initializing
Jun 02 14:00:07 LivingRoom start.sh[749]: 00:00:00.039 Info: Starting /opt/…r
Jun 02 14:00:07 LivingRoom start.sh[749]: 00:00:00.080 Info: ConnectOrStart…r
Jun 02 14:00:07 LivingRoom start.sh[749]: Not Running (.o)
Jun 02 14:00:09 LivingRoom start.sh[749]: Running
Hint: Some lines were ellipsized, use -l to show in full.
pi@LivingRoom:~ $ aplay -l
aplay: device_list:268: no soundcards found…

I powered cycled the dac and get the same thing. No soundcard found. If i connect dac straight to dac Roon sees it no problem.

Benjamin_Schramm · June 2, 2016, 7:45pm

After removing “#” from the above line the raspberry can now be seen. But no audio through the dac. Reran aplay -l and got the following:

List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: ALSA [bcm2835 ALSA], device 0: bcm2835 ALSA [bcm2835 ALSA]
Subdevices: 8/8
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
Subdevice #1: subdevice #1
Subdevice #2: subdevice #2
Subdevice #3: subdevice #3
Subdevice #4: subdevice #4
Subdevice #5: subdevice #5
Subdevice #6: subdevice #6
Subdevice #7: subdevice #7
card 0: ALSA [bcm2835 ALSA], device 1: bcm2835 ALSA [bcm2835 IEC958/HDMI]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: X20 [XMOS USB Audio 2.0], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
Subdevices: 1/1
Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Seems like it sees the usb dac… If i go to config and try to force the audio output, usb isn’t an option.

RBM · June 2, 2016, 8:08pm

The ‘dtparam=audio=on’ line does not apply to your DAC – it’s only for enabling/disabling the onboard audio (analog/HDMI).

Try disabling that line again and reboot your Pi with the DAC powered on and try running aplay again.

When your DAC is visible in Roon – can you post a screenshot of the Playback tab in Roon (Settings > Audio > Gearbox icon next to your DAC > Settings > Playback)?

Benjamin_Schramm · June 2, 2016, 11:49pm

Thanks Rene. Working now. That explains why I couldn’t see the Pi. Onboard audio off and Pi not seeing DAC. I guess the only unanswered question would be why the Pi wasn’t recognizing the dac. Is there a specific order I should connect and power up the dac?

Screen shot attached.

Sloop_John_B · June 3, 2016, 4:37pm

Hmmmmm, just put my raspberry pi plus hifiberry digi+ in a nice new case and now I’, not seeing it as an option in Roon.

I can access it in putty, I had the pi shut down for the past few days waiting for the case but I could log in no trouble and it remembered my previous log in last Sunday.

Is there anything diagnostically I can do to help me figure out where the issue may be?

Thanks

SJB

RBM · June 3, 2016, 5:08pm

Oh no… Just when things were going so smoothly… You just had to break it, didn’t you?

Important stuff first: is it a nice case?

To help diagnose things: can you issue the commands I mentioned a few posts above:

sudo systemctl status roonbridge.service

To check that Roon Bridge is running OK; and

aplay -l

to check that your Hifiberry still is seen by your Pi.

If you can post the output of the above commands, I’m sure we’ll work it out. In the mean time: enjoy your new case.

Sloop_John_B · June 3, 2016, 6:31pm

it’s a stupendously terrific case, even if the Pi never again works my life shall be enhanced by its mere presence in my house.

can’t understand the first and don’t like the look of the second!

SJB

RBM · June 3, 2016, 6:36pm

Well… Roon Bridge appears to be OK… But your Digi+ is not seen by Alsa. You could try

sudo aplay -l

to be sure, but this does not look good.

Are you certain the assembly of the Digi+ on the GPIO headers is OK? Can you try to take it apart again and reassemble? Perhaps even try Pi & Digi+ outside of your brand spanking new life-enhancing case? And to be absolutely certain, check if

dtoverlay=hifiberry-digi

is still present at the end of /boot/config.txt?

Sloop_John_B · June 3, 2016, 6:47pm

still no soundcard.

dtoverlay - present

If Roon bridge is working should it not be showing up anyway ans an ASLA output irrespective of the hifiberry?

I’ll try the physical stuff now.

thanks

SJB

RBM · June 3, 2016, 6:51pm

No – Roon Bridge only appears as a zone when it can see a soundcard / USB DAC.

This may change in the future, but this is what is for now.

Sloop_John_B · June 3, 2016, 6:54pm

While checking the config file I decided to un - # the dtparam =audio on and after reboot

and now I have

more positive, but I don’t remember having 2 choices, I’ll plug in the optical cable and see if I have sound.

thanks for the help, back soon!

SJB

RBM · June 3, 2016, 6:56pm

I’m afraid this will not help: you have now loaded the onboard sound modules (analog minijack and HDMI), but still no sign of the Hifiberry. As the onboard sound is not in use, it’s better left commented-out.

Time to crack open that case…

Sloop_John_B · June 3, 2016, 7:36pm

Well it seems to have all been physical connection issues.

Thanks for all your help and humour Rene as usual.

Regards

John.

RBM · June 3, 2016, 7:38pm

There you go, sir!

Happy listening – and yes, they do make quite the couple.

andybob · June 3, 2016, 8:18pm

Benjamin_Schramm · June 3, 2016, 11:43pm

Has anyone had any random pausing with a Pi? Anyway I can check and see why it paused?

RBM · June 4, 2016, 7:33am

Pausing as in stopping the music or as in hiccups? Only with highres or with regular Redbook as well? Wired or Wifi?

I’ve got a Pi3 on Wifi running 100% reliably, but it’s within line of sight of my AEX 6 meters away. At other places, I’ve found it is having a hard time sustaining the connection, which can lead to dropouts or temporary connection losses.

Lanny_Hoff · June 5, 2016, 9:19pm

I don’t know if it has been addressed here, forgive me if so, but how would powerline Ethernet work for a Raspberry Pi Roonbridge set up? Wifi, as stated above, is not ideal.

Just thinking on ways to skin this cat without busting drywall or enduring dropouts.

Sloop_John_B · June 5, 2016, 10:07pm

Ethernet over power works fine for me, I use optical out which I’m presuming with my little knowledge gets rid of any junk that may be added by the power adapters.

I use TP link and they seem pretty robust.

SJB

Benjamin_Schramm · June 7, 2016, 6:39pm

Pausing as in someone hit pause. It’s only done it a handful of times. I push/click play and it plays again without a problem. It won’t continue to play until I manual do it.

The Pi 3 is hardwired to cable modem. Mac Mini is on wifi running Roon right next to the modem/router. Music is stored on an external at usb 2.0 speeds. Think the external could cause a pause? When I decide on a new computer the mini will only run Roon with everything on SSD.

Side note - the above confi has run perfectly for 4 days straight after the last pause. Might be time to upgrade and give the Pi a case.