Raspberry Pi help for newbies- from YOU!

Moon_Man

Moon_Man

Dreps Crone Maze
Subscriber
OK, I've read the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ threads and, well, understood little. So I'm proposing a thread where you who are Pi people help us with ambitions and desires, but also with questions, questions, questions.

For instance, I want to use a Pi instead of a laptop on my audio setup. I am streaming various sources from my router (equipped with a external HD) and want to use a Pi instead. I'm a relatively smart guy who knows enough about computers, etc., to do some things for myself, like I'm sure others are. So my ask is for you who know to provide some basic info:
  • What peripheral are necessary? Storage? Wireless antenna? More?
  • What operating system and how does that work? Programs too?
  • I'm not even sure what else to ask.
So come on you Pi All Stars, step up to the plate! Thanks, Tom
 
My desktop broke a year ago. I'm too lazy to fix, I've used a Pi 3 for surfing (including AK) for the last year. If I'm running too hot, with multiple pages (videos) running, the Pi 3 case holds a cold beer can/bottle perfectly to cool down the internals (true fact). I also use the Pi 3 with a 1/8" to rca adapter for computer sound over vintage amplifier. Faster, best $35 dollar computer I've ever used. I love the small form factor, might never go back to a laptop or desktop.
 
I use a RPi3b every evening to play my music from a 2tb NAS drive. I went with a completely plug and play solution from JRiver where the software and operating system is loaded on a micro SD card. Just plug it into a rpi3b and configure your DAC (or use the built in DAC on the RPi3).

I'm also a Jriver user on my PC and I use the PC to control The RPI (or can use my phone too). This system works great and never messes up,skips a beat etc. And best of all it sounds better than music streamed from my PC.
https://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php/topic,106807.0.html
 
I've been using an RPi 3 for about a year now as a renderer with my LMS based system that once used Squeezebox Touches. Music and server software stored on desktop PC. It feeds a microRendu upstairs via ethernet and the PI via WiFi in the garage. I use piCorePlayer on the PI and can provide kernel optimization parameters if desired. Overall, I disable all non-music player functions and devote 600 MB of its memory as a large output buffer. Both LMS and pCP are free downloads and widely supported by users.

I use an Allo DigiOne S/PDIF board feeding a Music Hall DAC 25.3. You can, however, choose a DAC based HAT instead. I use the iPeng app for control using both iPhone/iPad.

rpi1217.jpg
 
Concerning your question for periphery for set up, most of the systems I have seen are 'headless', so the Pi does not connect directly to any screen. They are often controlled via an app or web interface using another device. If you are going to be hooked up by ethernet, that is fine, but if you want to use wifi (either the built in wifi of the RPi 3 B+ or an external USB wifi device), you will still need to connect via ethernet to set up the wifi connection. Once that is done, you can go wireless.

For mine, I use a HifiBerry Digi+ to provide a digital coax output which feeds my DAC. I also found it was helpful to use a USB battery charger as the power source. At times there was a ringing that would pop up in the audio when I was using the original wall wart, and the ringing has not come back since changing the power source.

I use the free version of Max2Play, using the LMS system it provides. I control that either through the web interface on my laptop or the Squeezer app for android.
 
Moon_Man said:
OK, I've read the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ threads and, well, understood little. So I'm proposing a thread where you who are Pi people help us with ambitions and desires, but also with questions, questions, questions.

For instance, I want to use a Pi instead of a laptop on my audio setup. I am streaming various sources from my router (equipped with a external HD) and want to use a Pi instead. I'm a relatively smart guy who knows enough about computers, etc., to do some things for myself, like I'm sure others are. So my ask is for you who know to provide some basic info:
  • What peripheral are necessary? Storage? Wireless antenna? More?
  • What operating system and how does that work? Programs too?
  • I'm not even sure what else to ask.
So come on you Pi All Stars, step up to the plate! Thanks, Tom
Click to expand...

The RPi now comes with WiFi built in so you don't need that. You need a microSD card to flash the OS to and that can provide some storage. You can connect a USB HHD for music files or you can use a NAS or a HHD plugged in to a router for storage. I would suggest using a USB DAC or one of the hats that connect to the Pi's board.

There are various operating systems that the RPi can run including some that are made for especially for audio like PiCorePlayer. If all you want is music I would suggest PiCorePlayer. The OS that was "invented" for the Pi is Raspbian which is based on Debian a linux OS. A simple program to setup various OSs for the Pi is called NOOBS and you basically flash this to a microSD card. You will need either a monitor or TV and a keyboard to connect to the Pi for this setup. Once the OS is installed you will be brought to the desktop and then you can setup your wireless (or wired) connection. Most people use the RPi in headless mode (no monitor) so to connect to the Pi after the initial setup you will need to ssh into the Pi's command line interface or use VNC to bring up the Pi's desktop from another computer.

I use my RPi as a player only and have set it up with Raspbian and squeezelite a squeezebox emulator. I use Logitech Media Server (which is required) on another computer with a USB HHD connected to it to serve up my ripped CD's. LMS and squeezelite are free and is what makes up PiCorePlayer. This also gives you access to streaming services like Spotify and Tidal, internet radio, the BBC, Radio Paradise, etc. I can control the Pi from any computer, phone (free or paid for apps) or tablet on the same network as the Pi.
 
PiCorePlayer is nice option (and I've experimented with them all) but at this point I've settled on DietPi. It's a slimmer version of PiCorePlayer, easy to set up and has been rock solid for me for quite some time. The glitchy issue with PiCorePlayer that sent me packing was a bug in their distribution that will not let you connect to a wireless setup with special characters. I prefer to password protect things a tad more complex than most (I'm in IT) and it drove me to DietPi. Moode is a really, really great ecosystem as well, super support and community but a little harder to get online than some of the others.

I'm doing whole-house music from a LMS server that I've got out in my shop. Simple, free and works perfectly. I highly recommend going that route vs. paying big bucks for something that you can do quite cheaply just as well.

I have a mix-mode environment, some of my RPi's have hat's (Allo, HifiBerry) and 1 other connects to my DAC via optical using a HifiBerry Digi+. I even have a PiZero on my back porch with a small hat that plays music on my outdoor speakers.

I also use iPeng to control my system, I find the interface better than my wife's Sonos setup.
 
I just recently jumped on the Pi train and have set up one Pi system in my living room that replaced a Google Chrome Audio puck. I decided that I wanted a direct user interface on the device (a la the Squeezebox touch paradigm) with an external DAC and a USB attached 500 GB SSD storing the music files. At least for now. I do have a music NAS and may eventually switch to WiFi or Ethernet - I have Etherrnet over Powerline throughout the house - to feed the Pi in the living room.

The device is a Pi 3B because the B+ is not yet supported by the software that I am running. I chose RuneAudio because I like the user interface and the option of it being local. I chose to go with the official Pi 7" touch screen monitor and case and it fits quite nicely on the pullout shelf next to the Emotiva amp. I'm using a Fiio K1 DAC which gives me up to 24/96 playback with no drivers required. The SSD is connected to an AnkerUSB 3.0 Data hub that features one port that also supplies up to 1.5 amps instead of the normal 900 mA to power the drive. The hub is connected to the Pi via a standard USB cable.

I am putting together another Pi for use on my patio. It is a 3 B+ which, at least for the moment, precludes the use of Rune, but Volumio does support the new board and since I had not planned on having a direct touch screen interface on the patio Pi the Volumio web interface accessible from a phone will work fine for my purposes. I expect that the Fiio K1 will move to the patio and I will use my ifi Nano DSD or SMSL M8 in the living room system to add support for some of the greater than 24/96 files and for DSD playback.

I have both LMS and JRiver running on the network so I will have to sort out which one works best with the Pi.

Pardon the crap quality of the picture and pay no attention to the cobwebs on the back wall...apparently my cleaning lady hasn't been either.

Pi_LVRm.jpg
 
strabo said:
It's a slimmer version of PiCorePlayer, easy to set up and has been rock solid for me for quite some time. The glitchy issue with PiCorePlayer that sent me packing was a bug in their distribution that will not let you connect to a wireless setup with special characters.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Not an issue in my environment. That could likely be easily fixed if you post that on the Logitech forum where Ralphy and the other developers often post. I use an external WiFi adapter and disasble the on board unit since it is not particularly sensitive. I initially had difficulty streaming 192/24 content before investing $13 for the external USB adapter.

As for slimmer, what do you do with the extra resources? pCp including the Linux micro core takes about 55 MB in the 1 GB memory space. I use a 600 MB buffer for near memory playback. Similarly, even a 2 GB micro SD card is largely wasted space.

strabo said:
I also use iPeng to control my system, I find the interface better than my wife's Sonos setup.
Click to expand...
It can also enable your iOS device to be a player. I use an iPad as the bedroom system source.
 
Folks - thank you for your robust replies, I'm sorry I've been so busy lately I haven't had time to digest. I will endeavor to do so soon.
 
OK, I'm jumping on this bandwagon. I suspect I'll need some help so consider this post as my subscription to the thread. The Pi 3B+, memory card, power supply and USB hard drive arrived this week. Still waiting for the Pi2Design digital/DAC card and then I'll begin loading it up and seeing what happens. I'll likely have some questions. Planning to install Volumio but would be happy to hear form any and all about other or maybe better solutions. I have an iPad to control it. I presently have a PC/Win10 music server and it works fine but I'm moving next spring and am trying to look ahead at how I might want to distribute music to different locations in the house. I would probably want to stream from the PC to the Pi at that point but for now I'll a local HDD on the USB.
Thanks,
John
 
Recently got into the Pi game as well. Coming from a Chromecast audio I was looking for something a little more capable. Started looking around for a network streamer only to find anything good costs way too much. It occurred to me a streamer is just a computer so I ordered a kit from Hifiberry. Pi 3b+ with a Digi+ Pro HAT!

Installed MoOde Player, configured it to use the Digi+ Pro, and then connected it to my Cayin IDAC-6 via SPDIF. Pointed the Pi at a network share on my Linux Mint box, and was off to the races! Sounds wonderful to my beginner ears. I can stream anything I want to it as it has a renderer function, and Tidal sounds great using Mconnect on my tablet

Tried Volumio for giggles once and found the layout super irritating.I did enjoy the tighter Tidal integration though.
 
Hello. I'm ready t buy a raspberry Pi3, but I'd like to know the minimum hardware needed.

I have my music in an external USB disk, and i play through an external DAC, Maverick D1. I usually manage the MPD player from my phone.

So, could I get just a raspberry + case + Power Supply, and use this setup: Raspberry> my USB disk (can I boot from a Linux in this disk?)> my USB DAC ??

Do you suggest any other hardware to buy? I'm buying overseas, so I'd like to get everything I need at once. Do I need any adapter to connect a screen, at least for setup, or can it be done remotely?

BTW, I want to go fan-less, the actual noise from my laptop bothers me a lot.

Thanks !
 
elnaldo said:
Hello. I'm ready t buy a raspberry Pi3, but I'd like to know the minimum hardware needed.

I have my music in an external USB disk, and i play through an external DAC, Maverick D1. I usually manage the MPD player from my phone.

So, could I get just a raspberry + case + Power Supply, and use this setup: Raspberry> my USB disk (can I boot from a Linux in this disk?)> my USB DAC ??

Do you suggest any other hardware to buy? I'm buying overseas, so I'd like to get everything I need at once. Do I need any adapter to connect a screen, at least for setup, or can it be done remotely?

BTW, I want to go fan-less, the actual noise from my laptop bothers me a lot.

Thanks !
Click to expand...

I have a Pi3, in a case, 2A wall wart, a USB drive and powered USB hub. You need a powered hub for a USB drive. The Pi is not made to power such a hard drive. My music is stored on a 1TB drive.

I have a IQaudIO DAC.

You can boot from a USB drive, after you do an initial install on the memory card. Then you canmove The system over to the USB drive and edit the proper config files. This will only work on a Pi3 and later.
 
elnaldo said:
So, could I get just a raspberry + case + Power Supply, and use this setup: Raspberry> my USB disk (can I boot from a Linux in this disk?)> my USB DAC ??
Click to expand...
You'll need a digital card. Good comes for about $30 for a HiFiBerry while a better Allo Digione runs about $100.

Agree that you'll need an external power supply for the spinning rust. If your music will fit in a 400 GB space, you could use a microSD card instead.

elnaldo said:
Do I need any adapter to connect a screen, at least for setup, or can it be done remotely?
Click to expand...
Most are network connected where you run a web based application to configure. I use piCorePlayer.
 
My Dac has USB input, I think I shouldn't need any other audio device between the Pi and the DAC if the Raspberry has a free USB port.

Good point about powering the hard drive, I'll check that.
 
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