HQ Player

[Miska]

18 minutes ago, dericchan1 said:

just to confirm for the new feature if I am running Hqplayer desktop windows version, it will not be able to detect the rpi4 running the hqplayer os.

 

Yes of course it will work. There is no binding between host OS of NAA and host OS of HQPlayer.

 

(same goes also for HQPlayer Client vs HQPlayer server, be it Desktop or Embedded)

 

18 minutes ago, dericchan1 said:

i need to be running the Ubuntu desktop version?

 

No...

 

[bogi]

39 minutes ago, dericchan1 said:

i need to be running the Ubuntu desktop version?

 

No, HQPlayer Desktop can run on Windows, only NAA has to be used from HQPlayer OS (currently, until NAA images will be updated).

Miska already answered that here:

 

[1laraz]

If running Windows based PC as a source with Tidal app, will the input NAA connected to that PC via USB automatically appear as a DAC in the Tidal app? No drivers required? 

The data transmission via USB from the source->input NAA -> HQPlayer Desktop will remain bit perfect for both USB connections, right?

[bogi]

26 minutes ago, 1laraz said:

will the input NAA connected to that PC via USB automatically appear as a DAC in the Tidal app?

NAA and HQPlayer PC are connected through LAN as usual.
USB connection appears between a phone/tablet running a streaming app and a NAA computer.
There are special NAA related requirements about input USB hardware in order such USB connection could work.

 

Did you read related posts from today, starting on previous page?

 

[1laraz]

Sure, I am referring to the previous post of dericchan1 where he described the same use case. 

OK, let's skip the NAA device because the PC running HQPlayer Embedded can now be directly connected via USB to the source PC running Tidal app. My question remains the same - will the HQPlayer PC appear as a DAC in the Tidal app? 

[Ozzie]

1 hour ago, 1laraz said:

Sure, I am referring to the previous post of dericchan1 where he described the same use case. 

OK, let's skip the NAA device because the PC running HQPlayer Embedded can now be directly connected via USB to the source PC running Tidal app. My question remains the same - will the HQPlayer PC appear as a DAC in the Tidal app? 

Tidal only works with locally registered audio outputs. So it can’t recognize HQPlayer as an audio output unless you create a loop back through something like Blackhole in Mac (I don’t have windows) and setup the loop back audio as an Input in HQPlayer. That’s of course assuming you are running Tidal app on the same PC where you have the HQPlayerDesktop. If you want do this over a network to another PC then you would set the HQPlayerDesktop Output to the NAA running on the other PC. 

[bogi]

2 hours ago, 1laraz said:

OK, let's skip the NAA device because the PC running HQPlayer Embedded can now be directly connected via USB to the source PC running Tidal app. My question remains the same - will the HQPlayer PC appear as a DAC in the Tidal app?

 

Device (slave) type of USB hardware should be present in HQPlayer OS computer running HQPlayer Embedded.
Then (if it is RPi4) you need to start source URI like “audio:default/0/2” in Embedded. After that HQPlayer OS PC should be visible on your source PC running Tidal as an audio device. It is described (although with NAA, not directly to Embedded as you wish) here:
https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/19715-hq-player/?do=findComment&comment=1264581

 

[Theobetley]

Am I the only one but I feel that this latest version 5.3.2 is sonically fantastic

[AudioDoctor]

Ok, I guess I was wrong,. I do have an issue with HQP Embedded. My License file isn't being recognized after the upgrade to 5.3.1 from 5.3.0.

[bogi]

10 hours ago, 1laraz said:

If running Windows based PC as a source with Tidal app, will the input NAA connected to that PC via USB automatically appear as a DAC in the Tidal app? No drivers required? 

The data transmission via USB from the source->input NAA -> HQPlayer Desktop will remain bit perfect for both USB connections, right?

Sorry, I didn't understand you yesterday after the 1st reading.
In my understanding UAC2 driver, which is present on all OS platforms, will be used o handle the HQPlayer OS special device. Miska did not mention any more special requirement.

 

About the bitperfect topic ... I guess it is the same like when you play from Tidal app to a directly connected DAC. At least on Windows it depends on the app if it supports bitperfect playback, in such a case the app allows to choose an output audio device of WASAPI or ASIO type.

 

Rest of path from HQPlayer to your DAC is always bitperfect, at least on Windows HQPlayer supports only WASAPI and ASIO audio devices. I guess it is similar on Linux and Mac.

[1laraz]

25 minutes ago, bogi said:

In my understanding UAC2 driver, which is present on all OS platforms, will be used o handle the HQPlayer OS special device. Miska did not mention any more special requirement.

Here is Miska's quote from another forum: 

"It makes HQPlayer (directly or through NAA) look like a USB connected DAC. This requires that the device running the HQPlayer Embedded or NAA instance has needed hardware capabilities to become a USB device (instead of host; normal desktop/laptop computers lack this)."

 

So the bottleneck appears to be these special hardware requirements. I am curious if an Intel NUC has such capabilities and can become a USB device. As of today, only UP Gateway and RPi4 are confirmed.

[Miska]

11 hours ago, 1laraz said:

If running Windows based PC as a source with Tidal app, will the input NAA connected to that PC via USB automatically appear as a DAC in the Tidal app? No drivers required? 

 

Yes...

 

 

 

 

11 hours ago, 1laraz said:

The data transmission via USB from the source->input NAA -> HQPlayer Desktop will remain bit perfect for both USB connections, right?

 

Yes...

 

[dericchan1]

That is so cool that effectively now Hqplayer becomes the speaker device in windows!!! 

I suppose alternatively, you can use a Bluesound Node as the source device and connect USB out to a RPI4 or UP Gateway to a HQplayer PC. That way you can even use the BlueOS streaming app??

[Miska]

3 minutes ago, dericchan1 said:

I suppose alternatively, you can use a Bluesound Node as the source device and connect USB out to a RPI4 or UP Gateway to a HQplayer PC. That way you can even use the BlueOS streaming app??

 

Yes...

 

Although that has worked a long time already through S/PDIF route. But this is cheaper way.

 

[dericchan1]

12 hours ago, Theobetley said:

Am I the only one but I feel that this latest version 5.3.2 is sonically fantastic

I always feel that any versions since version 4 (when I first bought hqplayer) has been sonically fantastic!!!

 

cheers

 

Deric

[dericchan1]

4 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Yes...

 

Although that has worked a long time already through S/PDIF route. But this is cheaper way.

 

Agreed I felt that this might be a great inexpensive route for people who enjoy using the Blueos for streaming and not necessarily need to be spending $1k on a rme interface as before with the spdif 

[dericchan1]

On 12/20/2023 at 2:16 AM, Miska said:

 

It focuses on the updated USB Audio Class 2 input support. Both directly into HQPlayer Embedded and also when doing the same through suitable NAA either to Desktop or Embedded. IOW, it makes HQPlayer appear as a USB DAC and thus allows one to use various sources for HQPlayer, with automatic rate switching. Earlier this has been case through S/PDIF and AES/EBU inputs, also with automatic rate switching when using one of supported input devices.

 

This feature is particularly useful for some streaming services such as Apple Music, Amazon Music or Spotify. Or if you prefer to use the official Tidal or Qobuz apps. Although already earlier Spotify has been easy through S/PDIF or loopback drivers since it always uses 44.1k rate.

 

Desktop 5.3.1 release had some focus on making automatic rate switching work on macOS when using combination of LosslessSwitcher application and BlackHole loopback driver. Now there's additional more universal hardware path.

 

I just copy here what I just wrote on Roon forum thread about the topic:

 

For example if one boots up latest HQPlayer OS on UP Gateway with the USB OTG set to Device mode, in HQPlayer Desktop select “hqplayer:USB Audio (DWC3)” as input device. Connect your source device with USB → microB cable to the UP Gateway USB 3 OTG port.

 

If you use RPi4 with HQPlayer OS, before booting up with new image, edit the config.txt first and on the last lines swap the ‘#’ prefix so that the dwc2 host mode line has ‘#’ (commented out) and the dwc2 peripheral mode line has ‘#’ removed. In HQPlayer instead select “hqplayer:USB Audio (RPi4)” as input device. Connect your source device with USB → type-C cable to the RPi4 Type-C port. Since the RPi4 can draw quite a bit of power, you may have best results if you can use type-C → type-C cable for connecting. You will need to use at least USB3 → type-C cable on USB3 port to supply enough current.

 

In HQPlayer Desktop, for source URI line (above playback queue display) enter “audio:default/0/2” and hit enter. Now it should appear on the playback queue. Then just start playback. Now the NAA should appear as a USB DAC on the source device. When you start playing something, HQPlayer time should start proceeding and you should hear what ever you play on the source device. I’ve tested mostly with my old iPad Pro through the Apple’s Lightning to USB3 adapter dongle which also allows simultaneous charging of iPad.

 

I felt like this is the only one thread on any audio forums that I always have to take a screen shot to track the conversations because it’s always so informative!! 😂 

 

cheers

 

Deric

[1laraz]

On 12/20/2023 at 10:16 AM, Miska said:

It focuses on the updated USB Audio Class 2 input support.

Dear Miska, please confirm that Intel NUCs do comply with hardware requirements and can become a USB DAC based on the following disclosure from Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000093437/intel-nuc.html

 

[dknk]

I've got a pi4 setup with HQPOS, config.txt done. When I plug it in to my Win 11 laptop (USB c to c), I can then see it as a speaker in device manager

Starting up HQP Desktop on Win 11, then setting input as NAA Rpi4, output set to another naa at my stereo, audio:default 0/2, press enter then play.

Start up Qobuz Win application, select waspi output to Hqplayer. Play music, it works. But I don't get rate switching, it plays whatever rate is set in Windows audio Hqplayer speaker config.

What am I missing?

 

[bogi]

7 minutes ago, dknk said:

Start up Qobuz Win application, select waspi output to Hqplayer.

Check HQPlayer device properties (in Windows Control Panel > Sound) if the 2 checkboxes are ticked.

[Miska]

27 minutes ago, dknk said:

Start up Qobuz Win application, select waspi output to Hqplayer. Play music, it works. But I don't get rate switching, it plays whatever rate is set in Windows audio Hqplayer speaker config.

 

At least Tidal by default uses WASAPI Shared mode and you need to specifically select it to use Exclusive mode. Maybe something similar with Qobuz application, I cannot remember right now, been so long time since I last used it.

 

[Miska]

2 hours ago, 1laraz said:

Dear Miska, please confirm that Intel NUCs do comply with hardware requirements and can become a USB DAC based on the following disclosure from Intel: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000093437/intel-nuc.html

 

I have not tested those myself, so I don't know if it's going to work or not.

 

[AudioDoctor]

@Miska If you see my previous post, you should know that today I tried uploading the license key file and it worked...

 

I have no idea what's going on.

[dknk]

Using the Pi4 HQplayer OS image. Is there a way to start up UAC2Gadget to show up in aplay -l without having to select USB Audio (Rpi4) as input on Hqplayer?

i.e, disable hqplayerd, reboot, only starting NAA which sees "card 0: UAC2Gadget [UAC2_Gadget], device 0: UAC2 PCM [UAC2 PCM]"

I guess this would be just a NAA image at this point.

[Miska]

43 minutes ago, dknk said:

Using the Pi4 HQplayer OS image. Is there a way to start up UAC2Gadget to show up in aplay -l without having to select USB Audio (Rpi4) as input on Hqplayer?

i.e, disable hqplayerd, reboot, only starting NAA which sees "card 0: UAC2Gadget [UAC2_Gadget], device 0: UAC2 PCM [UAC2 PCM]"

I guess this would be just a NAA image at this point.

 

Every time HQPlayer accesses the UAC2 input over NAA connection it gets reconfigured. You can disable hqplayerd on the image, it is not needed for anything.

 

HQPlayer Embedded can just do the same things locally, without having to use NAA.