Volumio 3 RC1 - Open Beta Testing

Evan · October 21, 2021, 12:19pm

Can someone verify that casting to Chromecast Audio actually works? And are bit rates higher than 48KHz are supported (max for “regular” chromecast)?

Also, does unplugging a USB DAC still make the DAC unusable? I had given the developers a fix (for v.2.x). I really dont want to rewrite all my hacks and additions to make them work on the new version. Paying for a product, telling the creators how to fix it, and not having it fixed, seems to be really insulting! At the moment, the system sees modified files so my fixes break the easy updates and I have to SSH in and force an update.

I would REALLY like to see more media keys supported by the UI, such as the search button, menu button (to get to track list), back button (even the Android app wont recognize this which is not acceptable!), Fast forward, rewind, some cursor/tab order support for D-pad remotes, etc. I have a remote that does all these and it would be nice to have to switch the remote into “mouse mode”

And I’m guessing that code to beta test the multiroom is only for the first 10 people that use it, or is that for 10 tracks on a lower tier? I have Chromecast devices everywhere but only 1 volumio. I would love to have multiroom before Halloween (some rooms are “outside”).

Michael_Ross · October 21, 2021, 2:25pm

If I understood correctly, chromecast support will have to wait for a plugin to be developed?

gkkpch · October 21, 2021, 2:44pm

I understand you are not very happy at the moment, let’s try to change that.
But first, feature requests should be places somewhere else, they go lost in a testing thread like this one.
Chromecast Audio support has not been announced yet and is not in focus for the first Volumio 3 release.
The DAC issue is another, could you please create a log, like all other testers do and explain exactly what goes wrong and when?
Howto create a log
Do you have link to the post with your suggested fixes?
Volumio 3 was forked from Volumio 2 quite a while ago.
Although most fixes were implemented in both versions, it is possible we missed something.

Evan · October 21, 2021, 3:35pm

Look. I’ve already been through this. I’ve sent logs! And when the support person I was talking to couldn’t find an answer, I solved it myself and sent him the solution to pass on. I then asked him for a bug tracker link where I could post a patch (its the addition of two lines) and he said to make a forum post.

I found an existing thread on the issue and people have been having the same problem for YEARS! Link: How I can turning DAC on/off without rebooting Volumio

The issue is that if a USB DAC is unplugged and then plugged back in, volumio cant talk to it. I keep my Pi running but the DAC and a tube preamp are on outlets that are wired to the trigger output on my AVR, so they only come on when that input is selected. Without the patch, you have to reboot volumio every time the DAC goes off, which is what I was trying to avoid (reboot time} by keeping it on.

The fix is just adding a vstop after the usbdetach and a vstart at the beginning of usbattach in the volumio script. The UI just spins until it sees the DAC again and its all ready in a few seconds.

As for Chromecast, the initial post mentioned support was added. I was VERY close to upgrading my subscription to get the Chromecast support! The moment that is available, I want it, and I’d be more than happy to alpha-test. I can get raw network dumps if needed and I have EVERY kind of Chromecast - a Vizio TV, Hisense Android TV, Chromecast Ultra, Chromecast with Google TV, a Lenovo Smart Display, a Lenovo Alarm Clock, and about 4 Chromecast Audio devices. So, you can see why integrating the Chromecast ecosystem with Volumio is important to me!

As for feature requests, people have been complaining about the poor interface for awhile. I was going to hack in the keys I needed via xbindkeys, but the browser already grabs them, so I have to dive into your UI code instead and just not had the time. I did add control of the UI via HDMI-CEC and that hack is one of the things to replicate once I switch to v3 - maybe I can make it a plugin!

gkkpch · October 21, 2021, 4:04pm

read this again, it does not announce Chromecast Audio, merely that with AAMPP it can now be done.
This is a Volumio 3 Beta thread, I agree that this Chromecast discussion is worthwhile but please post it somewhere more suitable.
I see no involvement of any dev in your linked discussion.
Please submit a log and your suggestion to fix it, devs read this thread will gladly comment your contribution.

gkkpch · October 21, 2021, 6:47pm

Experimental Chromecast Audio with Volumio 3

Disconnected USB DAC issue: devs are having a look.
Now have a little patience

Joni_Salminen · October 22, 2021, 4:03am

Just a had a little test run and I’m really impressed on the speed improvement, the V3 is coming with, great job on that.

There seems to be same issue what was there with V2 also thought, you cannot select hifiberry Digi+ Pro from i2c dropdown or you get no sound. Have to select snd_hifiberry_digi(?) From the drop down menu instead after deactivating i2c dac.

I’ll provide the logs later since the test was done while driving to work.

Oh and really nice to see the EQ baked in.

bjornhjelle · October 22, 2021, 6:56am

An issue I have is when I play albums from my NAS disk, I am perfectly able to start playing an album by clicking the album title.
But I am not able to play a song by selecting the song in the list of songs in the album.

Version: Volumiobuster-3.111-2021-10-08-x86_amd64

Thanks,
Bjørn

janauk · October 22, 2021, 1:16pm

Volumio is scanning my NAS (from the Fritzbox) But Artists, Albums and so on stay on zero.
Under Music Library I see the NAS and the folders, but no music files.
No Artists, no Albums and no Genres.

Vennesch · October 22, 2021, 1:45pm

May I ask how you got the Hifiberry Digi Pro+ working?

What happens here:
Hifiberry Digi Pro+ = alsa error
Hifiberry DAC with i2s off = sound but with crackling noise
Generic i2s = same as above

Joni_Salminen · October 22, 2021, 2:03pm

Select the hifiberry from I2C list.
disable I2C DAC with the switch.
select headphones or HDMI and save.
wait a moment.
select snd_hifiberry instead of the headphones/HDMI and save.

It should work then, at least on PI4 this prodesure is needed to get it working.

For the crackling make sure you are not feeding too high resolution audio to the hifiberry or it will do that, i think the ic in it tops at 24/96 or so.

Vennesch · October 22, 2021, 2:12pm

Thanks, great workaround. Finally! The crackling noise was there whether I was playing something or not but now it’s gone.

flowolf · October 22, 2021, 2:21pm

I don’t remember what i did, but it had to be something like this… just klicking around without a plan…

M1ck · October 22, 2021, 2:27pm

In settings>playback options>general playback option>playback mode set this to single (default is continuous) otherwise itll add all the tracks from the album to the queue regardless of whether you select an indiviual track or not

Josh2000 · October 22, 2021, 2:28pm

Multiroom is working well.
And yes - i like it very much.

Should be mentioned that the PI, where you configure the group is becoming the “sender”.

What you should not do currently is:

If you try to start a internet radio on the “receiver” device the GUI dies and removing the device from the group does not work. Restart required.

With activated DSP plugin it crashes the “receiver” PI’s UI. This can be “healed” by ungrouping the devices. No restart required.

balbuze · October 22, 2021, 3:07pm

Hello. Can you elaborate. What do you mean crashes PI’s UI?
Yes, if you activate the plugin, you need to ingroup and group again to update the config.

Josh2000 · October 22, 2021, 3:13pm

i cannot reach the UI anymore - only spinning wheel.
The plugins had been activated before grouping (at this test).

balbuze · October 22, 2021, 3:15pm

So the problem is not specific to FusionDsp, right?

Josh2000 · October 22, 2021, 3:25pm

i did more tests

seems not to be specific to FusionDSP - sorry.
After starting another internet radio station and switching back to the one before it is working.
seems to have more to do with the behavior that i described before, that internet radio stations sometimes have to be clicked twice before sound is played (nothing to do with FusionDSP and Multiroom) - and with the fact that doing too much on the receivers UI it hangs up. (only setting the Volume never caused an issue).

I think some functions on the receiver should be “greyed out” while it is in “receiver mode” or do an automatic ungroup as soon as another source is selected on the “receiver”.

Jose_Ivey · October 22, 2021, 3:48pm

Is there a DSP that work with the raspberry pi zero? Install error says armv6 not supported.