HQPlayer kick start guide & feature requests

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Miska, I'm really liking the new ASDM7 option in the latest Beta, it definitely pushes further what can be achieved when up-sampling/converting Redbook to DSD.

Now I find ASDM7 to be the best option for this.

 

When up-sampling DSD to a higher sample rate I'm preferring the DSD7 modulator though.

 

Is there a command line argument that would allow HQP to be opened with the settings from a particular settings file?

 

This way I could automate using DSD7 modulator for DSD files and the ASDM7 modulator for PCM.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Geoff

[Miska]

Is there a command line argument that would allow HQP to be opened with the settings from a particular settings file?

 

Yes, you should be able to give the settings file name (with full path) as command line argument, as long as it has the .xml suffix.

 

So you can use File / Export settings to write settings to different files and then refer to those files at startup. This also allows running two HQPlayer instances simultaneously to different DACs.

[billfort]

Where can I download the latest 'beta' for Windows? I'd like to try ASDM7.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Yes, you should be able to give the settings file name (with full path) as command line argument, as long as it has the .xml suffix.

 

So you can use File / Export settings to write settings to different files and then refer to those files at startup. This also allows running two HQPlayer instances simultaneously to different DACs.

 

That it is very cool! Thank you so much Miska

[Miska]

Where can I download the latest 'beta' for Windows? I'd like to try ASDM7.

 

It is available here:

http://www3.signalyst.com/bins/HQPlayerDesktop3-setup-362b4.exe

[billfort]

Yes, ASDM7 is very nice playing redbook>DSD128 - thank you Miska!

 

I love what this software does.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Yes, you should be able to give the settings file name (with full path) as command line argument, as long as it has the .xml suffix.

 

So you can use File / Export settings to write settings to different files and then refer to those files at startup. This also allows running two HQPlayer instances simultaneously to different DACs.

 

I sent you a PM Miska, because I just need clarification on the exact syntax of the command line options, when you have the time.

 

I want to send a command to open a playlist with HQP and load a particular settings file at the same time.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Geoff

[Miska]

I sent you a PM Miska, because I just need clarification on the exact syntax of the command line options, when you have the time.

 

I want to send a command to open a playlist with HQP and load a particular settings file at the same time.

 

You can just give list of files in any order, file with .xml suffix is assumed to be a settings file.

 

Once the settings file name has been specified on command line, any configuration changes are also stored there.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

You can just give list of files in any order, file with .xml suffix is assumed to be a settings file.

 

Once the settings file name has been specified on command line, any configuration changes are also stored there.

 

Thanks Miska. I just want to make sure I've got the exact syntax right before I code it. From my python script in windows I do the following:

 

os.startfile(completeName, 'open')

 

"completeName" is a variable that holds the path to the .m3u8 file I want HQPlayer to open. So exactly what do I put when I want HQPlayer to open both this playlist and tell it to use a settings file? Let's say the path to the settings file is in another variable called "HQPSettings". Would the syntax be os.startfile(completeName, 'open', HQPSettings, 'open') or something else?

 

os.startfile is the call to use for opening a Windows file from a Python script.

 

Thanks again,

 

geoff

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

I think I've got a better idea of the problem now and can explain it better. It works when I open the playlist file because I set HQPlayer to be the default program to launch '.m3u8' files with. HQPlayer can't actually open .xml files in the same way. It can make use of the settings file and read the settings into it's settings config.

 

I don't see a way to say open this m3u8 file and import this settings file at the same time. If you can tell me exactly, character for character what you would write at a command line prompt to do this, I will figure out a way to issue the same command(s) from my scripts.

 

Thanks,

 

geoff

[Miska]

I don't see a way to say open this m3u8 file and import this settings file at the same time. If you can tell me exactly, character for character what you would write at a command line prompt to do this, I will figure out a way to issue the same command(s) from my scripts.

 

You need to ask OS to launch the executable directly, instead of going through file associations and asking OS to handle certain file. This way you can give any number of command line arguments to the executable.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

You need to ask OS to launch the executable directly, instead of going through file associations and asking OS to handle certain file. This way you can give any number of command line arguments to the executable.

 

OK thanks. I'll try to figure out a way to make it work. It's not a "must have" for me as opening playlist files through file associations is already working very well. It would be nice to be able to automatically apply different settings based on whether the source file is DSD or PCM though. …or even based on different genres of music.

 

geoff

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

You need to ask OS to launch the executable directly, instead of going through file associations and asking OS to handle certain file. This way you can give any number of command line arguments to the executable.

 

Yay! I got it working!

 

For the curious the call in Python on a Mac is:

 

subprocess.call([pathToHQP, completeName, theSettings])

 

…where the first variable holds the full path to HQPlayer Desktop and the following two are the path to the playlist file and the path to the settings file.

 

geoff

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

…correction, this works better:

 

subprocess.Popen([pathToHQP, completeName, theSettings])

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

One more question Miska. Could you please tell me the path to HQPlayer on Linux systems? …and is this consistent for different distros/installations?

 

Thanks again,

 

geoff

[Miska]

One more question Miska. Could you please tell me the path to HQPlayer on Linux systems? …and is this consistent for different distros/installations?

 

It is /usr/bin/hqplayer always. But you can also refer to just "hqplayer" because it is also always somewhere in the $PATH.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

It is /usr/bin/hqplayer always. But you can also refer to just "hqplayer" because it is also always somewhere in the $PATH.

 

Great! Thanks Miska.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

Hi again Miska,

 

I'm hoping you can now help me with a problem I keep running into. When I run HQP via your NAA, running on WS2012 to an exasound DAC, I can't get HQP to respect my choice of SDM. When I load a new playlist it always defaults to the PCM options.

 

How can I get SDM to stick?

 

I don't see that it's got anything to do with the DAC initialising.

 

Thanks,

 

geoff

[marantzfan]

I'm just getting started with HQPlayer and with the little I have used it, I like what I've heard. I downloaded the evaluation version last night and got through a few tracks today before it stopped working.

 

I saw a message at startup about the evaluation period being 30 days and also it being 30 minutes of usage. Does that mean 30 minutes total or 30 minutes per day? If I've already reached the end of the evaluation period, I'm far from being ready to make a decision about purchasing the software.

[Miska]

I saw a message at startup about the evaluation period being 30 days and also it being 30 minutes of usage. Does that mean 30 minutes total or 30 minutes per day? If I've already reached the end of the evaluation period, I'm far from being ready to make a decision about purchasing the software.

 

On OS X and Linux, it is 30 minutes per run. You'll need to restart the application after 30 minutes of use.

 

On Windows the trial will stop working after 30 days.

[marantzfan]

Ok. Must be something in the setting then, because even if I restart the player it won't play anything. The counter doesn't move to show the track is advancing and there is no audio. These settings were working for several songs that I was playing from redbook. As soon as I tried to play a DSF download from Acoustic Sounds the player shut down and hasn't played since.

[marantzfan]

Figured it out. Resetting the player isn't enough; you have to reset the entire Mac Mini. Back in business and playing with different settings.

[yates7592]

I was looking for this kickstart guide:

 

HQPlayer | soundgalleries

 

But the link seems to be dead. Could anybody please repost it or send me a new link?

Thanks!

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

I've been re-orging my site. Will re-post the link later today.

[Geoffrey Armstrong]

I've been re-orging my site. Will re-post the link later today.

 

It's back now: HQPlayer | soundgalleries