HQPlayer Linux Desktop and HQplayer embedded

[maya]

On 8/21/2019 at 6:21 AM, Miska said:

There is now experimental HQPlayer OS image version 4.11.2 that contains quite a bunch of optimizations and changes in HQPlayer. Not yet all the optimizations, but some. Feedback how it performs compared to 4.11.1 is welcome!

 

Tried HQPe 4.11.2-33 on one of my PC which is running i5 7500 Debian 9.9  ,  DSD 128  stuttering with 7EC + ext2 and seems only two cores were working 

It  performed well on 4.11.1 version witout any stuttering. 

 

[maya]

2 hours ago, Miska said:

 

You should be using build -34 that fixed quad core CPU allocation issue...

Sure, wìll do 

[maya]

5 hours ago, Miska said:

 

You should be using build -34 that fixed quad core CPU allocation issue...

Tried build 34, same . 4.11.1-31 no stuttering 

[maya]

On 9/2/2019 at 12:05 AM, Miska said:

 

At least the load distribution looks correct, working as intended...

 

Same machine with HQPe 4.11.1 and CPU percentage of usage 

[maya]

On 9/10/2019 at 7:32 AM, Miska said:

HQPlayer Embedded build is now available for Debian 10 "buster". Plan is to eventually phase out support for Debian 9 "stretch".

 

It should be fairly straightforward to upgrade to buster now.

 

Note that the libgmpris package has been also rebuilt for Buster. So if you upgrade, remember to upgrade that too!

 

P.S. What I've quickly tested, the earlier stretch package also works on buster.

 

On 9/10/2019 at 7:32 AM, Miska said:

HQPlayer Embedded build is now available for Debian 10 "buster". Plan is to eventually phase out support for Debian 9 "stretch".

 

It should be fairly straightforward to upgrade to buster now.

 

Note that the libgmpris package has been also rebuilt for Buster. So if you upgrade, remember to upgrade that too!

 

P.S. What I've quickly tested, the earlier stretch package also works on buster.

Hi Miska,

After upgrading to Buster and found no more  auto login and also not at the root directory after booting.

Please tell where to download the Buster version of HQPe

Many thanks!

[maya]

17 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Same place where all the other HQPlayer Embedded downloads are, under "buster" directory, if you follow links from my web page. I try to not post direct links on the forum for various reasons. If you don't find it, just drop me private message or email and I'll send a direct link.

 

Found thanks

Also solved auto login and root directory issues my HQPe can use NTFS HDD 

[maya]

19 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Same place where all the other HQPlayer Embedded downloads are, under "buster" directory, if you follow links from my web page. I try to not post direct links on the forum for various reasons. If you don't find it, just drop me private message or email and I'll send a direct link.

 

Tried  Buster 4.11.2-36 HQPe  cannot find NAA device if Alsa no NAA then can find the device 

 

[maya]

12 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Sounds like some network configuration issue. Are you using DHCP or static IP?

 

Are you using graphical desktop on bare text console minimal/server? This makes a big difference because HQPlayer Embedded is started as a system service at boot time, while with graphical desktops network is configured only once you login through graphical desktop (because the configuration is stored per user). This means that HQPlayer Embedded is started way before the network is configured if you have a graphical desktop. HQPlayer Embedded is designed for minimal systems where there is absolutely nothing else than kernel and minimal init system (systemd) running, no graphical desktops or other such stuff. Graphical desktops usually use NetworkManager to deal with network configuration after login. While minimal server installations (headless) usually use something else to deal with network configuration during boot time.

 

If you are on DHCP, please try again after "sudo systemctl restart hqplayerd" once the machine is completely booted up.

 

 

Thanks for your explanation

 My  Debian Buster HQPe runing 4.11.1-31 has no graphic desktop , but having several kernels including the 5.2.10 rt  for testing.

Problem solved after click on ipv6 😊

[maya]

15 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Sounds like some network configuration issue. Are you using DHCP or static IP?

 

Are you using graphical desktop on bare text console minimal/server? This makes a big difference because HQPlayer Embedded is started as a system service at boot time, while with graphical desktops network is configured only once you login through graphical desktop (because the configuration is stored per user). This means that HQPlayer Embedded is started way before the network is configured if you have a graphical desktop. HQPlayer Embedded is designed for minimal systems where there is absolutely nothing else than kernel and minimal init system (systemd) running, no graphical desktops or other such stuff. Graphical desktops usually use NetworkManager to deal with network configuration after login. While minimal server installations (headless) usually use something else to deal with network configuration during boot time.

 

If you are on DHCP, please try again after "sudo systemctl restart hqplayerd" once the machine is completely booted up.

 

 

We use Android Tablet to open HQPe web interface to configure HQPe then save the config or library file onto the Download folder of the Tablet. When restore I can find them in the same folder too.

But I found the content of this folder under HQPe web interface cannot be deleted which will cause redundancy inevitably .

So is there any way to delete these xml files when necessary ?

Android tablet seems to be a must to operate HQPe,  together with HQPDControl it woul  be perfect !

 

Thanks

[maya]

Just now, Miska said:

 

You can just login and delete those files if necessary, just like any other file.

 

Web interface is only intended to have things that are useful for end-user buying a "streamer device". Manufacturers usually don't want end-users to touch other parts because it makes warranty and technical support so much harder.

 

I found after using some installed Apps to deleted the relevant files but it still appear in the Document folder of the web interface  

[maya]

13 hours ago, Miska said:

 

This is not related to HQPlayer!? Looks like web browser stuff...

 

Will explore further, it is important also 

[maya]

On 9/15/2019 at 8:08 PM, Miska said:

 

This is not related to HQPlayer!? Looks like web browser stuff...

 

Cannot solve it.

Also found Debian 9 or 10 HQPe 4.11.1-31 after booting up

then systemctl status hqplayerd,

there is an  error message near the end lines， like " rygel-media-device.vala:138:failed to create device content failed to parse /usr/share/rygel/mo/MediaRenderer2.xml"

Is this a real error, how to deal with it?

Tried to install rygel , still the same.

Thanks !

[maya]

12 hours ago, Spindrift1414 said:

Really enjoying the HQPlayer embedded setup on an Intel NUC - working great!.

 

Quick question re monitoring - wanted to see cpu utilization - but as total novice with Linux - not sure how to do that.  I’ve searched this very helpful thread and found the top command which shows me activity which is great - but I’ve tried htop command but doesn’t seem to work . . Any suggestions would be great.  

 

Cheers

In top just press 1 then you will see all the cpu % usage , no need for atop 

 

[maya]

12 hours ago, Spindrift1414 said:

Really enjoying the HQPlayer embedded setup on an Intel NUC - working great!.

 

Quick question re monitoring - wanted to see cpu utilization - but as total novice with Linux - not sure how to do that.  I’ve searched this very helpful thread and found the top command which shows me activity which is great - but I’ve tried htop command but doesn’t seem to work . . Any suggestions would be great.  

 

Cheers

While running top press 1 ypu will see all cpu utilization percentage 

Cheers 

[maya]

7 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Yes, there's a backup/restore option in the HQPlayer web interface. So this should be pretty straightforward procedure. "Scope" is "System" when HQPlayer is running as an OS service. ("user" is only when it is started under user session in graphical desktop or such)

 

Backing up library data is probably not so useful, as rescanning it is relatively quick. And HQPlayer Embedded doesn't have editing facilities for the stored data (unlike Desktop), at least yet.

 

Hi Miska ,

Hope can edit the stored data in HQPe web interface 

Thanks 

 

[maya]

On 9/15/2019 at 3:39 AM, Miska said:

 

Sounds like some network configuration issue. Are you using DHCP or static IP?

 

Are you using graphical desktop on bare text console minimal/server? This makes a big difference because HQPlayer Embedded is started as a system service at boot time, while with graphical desktops network is configured only once you login through graphical desktop (because the configuration is stored per user). This means that HQPlayer Embedded is started way before the network is configured if you have a graphical desktop. HQPlayer Embedded is designed for minimal systems where there is absolutely nothing else than kernel and minimal init system (systemd) running, no graphical desktops or other such stuff. Graphical desktops usually use NetworkManager to deal with network configuration after login. While minimal server installations (headless) usually use something else to deal with network configuration during boot time.

 

If you are on DHCP, please try again after "sudo systemctl restart hqplayerd" once the machine is completely booted up.

 

 

Hi Jussi,

Report back tried Debian Buster 4.11.2-36 by installing it over 4.11.1-31.

It works great also no more error message on systemctl status hqplayerd 

No more stuttering too 👍👍👍

Thanks ! 

[maya]

On 5/28/2019 at 1:52 PM, Miska said:

 

That may happen if you have unrelated drives connected to the computer. So other than the boot drive and media.

 

 

Looks like you've booted from SD-card. Those are standard ALSA test files. Either library or removable media has been pointed at some point plain /run /media folder which contains all mount points.

 

 

I will later add tools for mounting SMB shares.

 

You can already do that if install HQPlayer Embedded for example on Ubuntu Server 18.04, or minimal Fedora 29 (no GUI). But either way you'll need to get familiar working with Linux command line for such...

 

If you just want to use HQPlayer Embedded as a UPnP Renderer or from Roon, then it is much simpler.

 

 

You could just take the drive to another computer to do that. Or if you install HQPlayer Embedded on Ubuntu Server or Fedora Minimal (or minimal Debian 9), you can also share the drive through SMB.

 

 

You can

1. Load CD discs, assuming you have a CD drive
2. Load thumb drives with media
3. Play from analog and digital inputs, such as another computer or Google Chromecast Audio dongle

 

Just like library, inputs are also available for selection from HQPlayer Client.

 

Hi Jussi, 

Can HQPe play Audio CD ? 

We have DVD ROM attached, if can it is so great !

 

[maya]

8 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Yes it can, you may need to check the configured CD drive device node, but the default should work.

 

You need to select CD from the /input page first to read the contents, and then you can control playback from the front page. You can of course control this remote from the HQPlayer Client too.

 

 

Tried failed to read the content of audio disk after choosing CD at input then go back to main ...

How to check the CD drive device name?  Tried wodim to show with failure....

My Debian fstab is as below

/dev/sr0  /media/cdrom0 udf, iso9660 user,noauto 0  0

Is audio disk an iso9660 disk?

As some "senior" audiophiles may have thousands or ten thousands audio cds it would be of great importance to use HQPe to enjoy their favorite audio cds ! 

Actually some of audiophile friends of mine are using HQPD to listen to CDs all along as the SQ is better than their expensive CD transport !

Hope can have a guide how to do this in future.

Many thanks !

 

 

[maya]

1 hour ago, maya said:

Tried failed to read the content of audio disk after choosing CD at input then go back to main ...

How to check the CD drive device name?  Tried wodim to show with failure....

My Debian fstab is as below

/dev/sr0  /media/cdrom0 udf, iso9660 user,noauto 0  0

Is audio disk an iso9660 disk?

As some "senior" audiophiles may have thousands or ten thousands audio cds it would be of great importance to use HQPe to enjoy their favorite audio cds ! 

Actually some of audiophile friends of mine are using HQPD to listen to CDs all along as the SQ is better than their expensive CD transport !

Hope can have a guide how to do this in future.

Many thanks !

 

 

Tried to modify /dev/cdrom to /dev/sr0 or /dev/cdrom0 in xml all in vain  😔

[maya]

10 hours ago, Miska said:

 

By default the CD device node is /dev/cdrom which has been correct for example on Ubuntu (automatically generated symlink to /dev/sr0). Also remember to restart hqplayerd service after modifying the config file, otherwise it doesn't take effect.

 

I don't remember right now which OS you are using. But check what owner/group and permissions the /dev/sr0 device node has. By default HQPlayer Embedded runs as user "hqplayer". So there may be need to add that user to a correct supplementary group.

 

Log file probably has an error at the point where you attempt to select CD as input, that may indicate what is the problem.

 

ISO9660 is a data CD. Music discs are CCDA an such are not mounted at all, but instead accessed directly.

 

Many thanks for your explanation I will try !

I am using Bionic 4.11.2-36 installed on Debian 10 

[maya]

14 hours ago, Miska said:

...another way to play CD's is to use traditional CD spinner and digital connection (S/PDIF or AES/EBU) from it to the HQPlayer computer and use the HQPlayer's realtime input feature. It is also simpler, because it doesn't need automatic sample rate switching, since CD is always 44.1k...

 

Both ways work with HQPlayer 4 Desktop too, except that macOS version doesn't support reading CD's, but it does support realtime inputs.

 

Thanks again !

[maya]

On 10/2/2019 at 11:27 PM, Miska said:

 

By default the CD device node is /dev/cdrom which has been correct for example on Ubuntu (automatically generated symlink to /dev/sr0). Also remember to restart hqplayerd service after modifying the config file, otherwise it doesn't take effect.

 

I don't remember right now which OS you are using. But check what owner/group and permissions the /dev/sr0 device node has. By default HQPlayer Embedded runs as user "hqplayer". So there may be need to add that user to a correct supplementary group.

 

Log file probably has an error at the point where you attempt to select CD as input, that may indicate what is the problem.

 

ISO9660 is a data CD. Music discs are CCDA an such are not mounted at all, but instead accessed directly.

 

Great ! 

Debian HQPe now can also play audio CD at DSD256 7EC ext2 !!  😁👍👍👍

Many thanks to Miska 

PS Cannot choose track by touching on web interface main  , but can do this in HQPDControl.  😊

 

[maya]

8 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Or with HQPlayer Client, as well as select input, etc.

 

The web interface playback controls are still quite rudimentary.

 

Great !

Wonder if the web interface can delete these useless enteries besides the config  xml files in Document directory. 

Now a bit chaotic in my case , packed with many irrelevant files not related to HQPe .

I tried to delete them by apps such as Total command in Tab with failure, these files are still there, so where is the Document directory  holding these HQPe config files ? How can I delete them within the web interface?

Should the tablet be rooted then can do these ?

Many thanks !

 

[maya]

10 hours ago, Miska said:

 

Or with HQPlayer Client, as well as select input, etc.

 

The web interface playback controls are still quite rudimentary.

"Now a bit chaotic in my case , packed with many irrelevant files not related to HQPe .

I tried to delete them by apps such as Total command in Tab with failure, these files are still there, so where is the Document directory  holding these HQPe config files ? How can I delete them within the web interface...."

It seems the web interface while loading the Document>Download file for restore etc it still keeps the file names which has been deleted by Tablet app Total Command manually , because if you click on these  phantom files will not have any response as they actually not exist.

So seems the  Web Interfaces just doing merge and not update it ?

This is the practical one we hope can be solved for this fantastic HQPe audio player !

 

BTW Besides the other more powerful CPUs  we are using,  one of my build Debian 10 Bionic  with kernel I compiled ,

it can do DSD256 7EC ext2 on  i5 7600 CPU although at 90 % usage, running smoothly without stuttering  ... 👍👍

 

[maya]

52 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

This is a bit offtopic, but of course web pages cannot see or remove files you have on your tablet. It would be huge security issue if web pages could do that.

 

If you are on Android, File Commander can be used to deal with files on the filesystem. Or alternatively plugging the device to a PC with USB cable and managing the files form a PC.

 

Yes, I am on Android Tablet and already use file command app to manually remove the irrelevant files in Download/Document folders, these file are no longer  existing there.

But when using Web Interface they are still shown their file names in there  but they are actually empty just the file name, you cannot open it , so is it possible NOT to show these file names? 

Many thanks