Using any audio source with HQPlayer - Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music, YouTube Music, Deezer, Soundcloud [2021-2022]

FooFighter · July 12, 2022, 8:46pm

I refreshed my USB stick for UPGateway with the suggested NAA image and it’s booting up to the login prompt.
Nevertheless HQPlayer 4 daemon is now stuck with turning circle even if UPGateway is the only NAA device running (and no device being attached to either USB3 or 2) and Ifi Zen Stream connected to the DAC is still offline.
Before with old image I could wait for a timeout where HQPlayer couldn’t find the NAA, now it’s stuck endlessly as it seems.
I am using HQPlayer4Desktop-arm64-4192.dmg for my Mac mini M1
Any hints where I can analyse what HQPlayer is doing?

Edit: I can get into the HQPlayer config if all NAAs are not yet booted, including UPGateway and can then eventually select he UAC input after UPGateway is booted up

Edit2:
back to square one.
I can enable the UPGateway UAC and select the “Playback Inactive”-device in IOS but after booting up Ifi Zen Stream and trying to reenter the HqPlayer settings I get a turning circle in an endless loop.
Eventually I could enter the HQPlayer settings menue while Ifi Zen Stream wasn’t booted up and could select it there in the settings but then getting into the same loop after confirming the settings.
An established connection in IOS is discarded at the very moment where the HQPlayer daemon is hanging with turning circle.

dabassgoesboomboom · July 12, 2022, 10:25pm

CLose HQP Desktop.

Unplug power from your UP Gateway (take out power and USB cable)

Boot UP Gateway and wait for it to fully boot (takes longer with ramfs version obviously). Maybe over 1minute.

Then open HQPlayer Desktop

FooFighter · July 12, 2022, 10:42pm

Thx but as you could read I succeed setting up UpGateway but then fail with enabling the output NAA (in my case Ifi Zen Stream) in the second step.
hqplayer is hanging then

dabassgoesboomboom · July 12, 2022, 11:43pm

Both are done in the same step in HQP? Input and output. Try de-power Zen Stream too. Wait for both NAAs to power up , then open HQP

Without UP, can you play to Zen Stream for Roon?

FooFighter · July 13, 2022, 1:16am

When both are powered up HQPLAYER is in a loop and I cannot enter settings menue.
Yes, with Roon only or all other modes Zen Stream is working fine.

Chunhao_Lee · July 13, 2022, 2:08am

If you use two NAAs on HQPlayer Desktop please select IPv4 for both endpoints.

Chunhao_Lee · July 13, 2022, 2:47am

And BTW if you have HQP Desktop startup trouble, next time you can:

force quit Desktop
open Terminal app
use CLI to delete the settings.xml. In your home directory just type:

cd .hqplayer
rm -f settings.xml

restart your HQP Desktop. Set everything.
if your new settings run very well, back up your settings by File: Export settings… command. Next time you have trouble with HQP Desktop, just repeat step 3 and use File: Import settings… command to restore it. Simple.

FooFighter · July 13, 2022, 7:02am

Thx!
I was looking for the path to the settings.xml before
So running IPv4 in the settings for both NAA didn’t stop the loop behaviour.
I could delete the settings.xml
Question only is, what is wrong with the current settings I don’t know how to set them in a different way in this scenario to make it work.
I have now

an UPGateway which is supposed to be connected to my iPad via USB3
an Ifi Zen Stream connected via USB to one of my DACs (now it’s the T&A HA200)

Is there any way to log and track what HQPlayer is trying to do in that loop?

That is an extract of the settings.xml:
argh cannot copy xml into the post as it seems

here’s a screenshot of the settings which I am only the able to enter once starting settings menus with my Ifi Zen Stream as output device being turned off, then go to the settings, wait for Ifi Zen Stream to be online and then select it as output device.
Clicking OK will then go back to the loop behaviour

dabassgoesboomboom · July 13, 2022, 7:09am

Can you directly connect USB DAC to your HQPlayer PC/Mac?

At least test UP NAA input works first? Use Core Audio output

At least then you know it’s just an NAA output issue.

FooFighter · July 13, 2022, 7:12am

Thx mate.
NAA is working through Roon if not using that new alternative input scenario,
My HQPlayer Mac mini M1 is in a different location, so it will make a fuss to transport and connect my DAC there but I don’t think there’s an issue as it’s working fine with Roon as a source as mentioned

dabassgoesboomboom · July 13, 2022, 7:13am

This happens to me whenever I change HQP settings, using NAA input and NAA output

But the solution that always works for me:

Now that you have HQP settings setups “quit” HQP Desktop

HQPlayer will remember your input and out.

Power off Zen Stream and UP properly (including that USB3 cable).

Boot them and wait 2 minutes.

Open HQPlayer Desktop. Don’t go into settings here !

Play your UAC2 input (44.1kHz stream for example)

HQPlayer Embedded behaves much better in this respect. But it’s not too big a deal when you know the trick and sequence.

FooFighter · July 13, 2022, 7:28am

still loop behaviour
I also tried connecting my other DAC: Holo Audio Spring 3 KTE, same bahvior
Might it be that this alternative input is only supported using the embedded version?

What I recognised also is when trying to select IPV4 in order to rescan and select my DAC-NAA in the settings as output device HQPlayer is throwing an error message that the same NAA isn’t allowed for input and output which I need to confirm 2 times and can then select my IFI:DAC-combination as output

dabassgoesboomboom · July 13, 2022, 7:46am

My above method is how I get it to work with HQP Desktop.

I have both Desktop and Embedded.

FooFighter · July 13, 2022, 7:47am

In order to exclude the IFI Zen Stream as root cause, I have just switched back to the normal configuration without input device and IFI Zen Stream with connected Holo Audio DAC is playing flawlessly

dabassgoesboomboom · July 13, 2022, 7:47am

That’s normal and fine.

After that error message, you simply select what you want.

FooFighter · July 13, 2022, 7:48am

so my last resort is to analyse eventual logs which are written in that loop behaviour.
Anyone knowing how to set some debug mode and check the logs?

dabassgoesboomboom · July 13, 2022, 7:49am

Have you tried what I wrote above ?

As a temporary test.

Satisfy yourself that NAA input can work in the first place…

FooFighter · July 13, 2022, 7:54am

you re right that this is a meaningful first test …and… it’s working with Core Audio.
Music is coming out of Mac mini M1 loudspeaker

dabassgoesboomboom · July 13, 2022, 7:57am

And when you change album to different sample rate, does HQPlayer show the correct ‘input’ sample rate?

It matches the album sample rate?

dabassgoesboomboom · July 13, 2022, 8:01am

And the next thing is HQPlayer NAA troubleshooting 101 - do you have a spare RPi4 or Intel based laptop/NUC?

That you can load NAA image on, to use as output (replacing Zen Stream - as a test!)

Laptop better because you’ll need to rename that NAA and it’s easy with laptop (since it has built in screen to type commands to change NAA name to something different to your UP NAA).

At least this way, your setup will be much closer to mine . Eliminating variables

NAA OS for HQP input and NAA OS for HQP output.