HQPlayer Linux Desktop and HQplayer embedded

[volpone]

Hi,

I've downloaded HQPe bootable image from SIGNALYST web site:

• hqplayer-embedded-4.9.0-x64.img
• hqplayer-embedded-4.9.0-x64.img.bmap

Then copy to USB Stick using bmaptool:

sudo bmaptool copy ./hqplayer-embedded-4.9.0-x64.img /dev/sdg1

When i boot from USB Stick i get: "Missing operating system ..."

Any workaround ?  BIOS issue (quite old Dell PC) ?

Thank's

 

[Miska]

48 minutes ago, volpone said:

 

sudo bmaptool copy ./hqplayer-embedded-4.9.0-x64.img /dev/sdg1

When i boot from USB Stick i get: "Missing operating system ..."

Any workaround ?  BIOS issue (quite old Dell PC) ?

 

Method of writing the image to disk is correct. If you can find BIOS setting to enable EFI boot, it should start up fine. It sounds like it is trying to boot using old BIOS method through a loader placed in boot sector.

 

[volpone]

30 minutes ago, Miska said:

If you can find BIOS setting to enable EFI boot, it should start up fine.

 

Unfortunately my DELL BIOS is old: 2008, no EFI boot option. Any workaround ?

[Miska]

7 hours ago, volpone said:

Unfortunately my DELL BIOS is old: 2008, no EFI boot option. Any workaround ?

 

Depending on what you'd want, you could install Debian 9 (Stretch) or Ubuntu Server 18.04 (Bionic) plus my custom kernel on it, and then hqplayerd package. Or Fedora 29 Minimal (from Server installer).

 

[volpone]

4 minutes ago, Miska said:

Depending on what you'd want, you could install Debian 9 (Stretch) or Ubuntu Server 18.04 (Bionic) plus my custom kernel on it, and then hqplayerd package. Or Fedora 29 Minimal (from Server installer).

 

OK thank's. I will try from Ubuntu server 18.04.

I want HQPe + ROON server (+ Webmin if possible). No CUDA offload needed. 

 

So according to your web site last available versions:

1) 18.04 Bionic server minimal (ssh only)

2) libgmpris_2.2.1-6_amd64.deb

3) linux-image-4.14.99-jl+_6_amd64.deb

4) hqplayerd_4.9.0-25_amd64.deb

and then Roon server (from install script)

 

Correct ?

 

[Miska]

25 minutes ago, volpone said:

OK thank's. I will try from Ubuntu server 18.04.

I want HQPe + ROON server (+ Webmin if possible). No CUDA offload needed. 

 

So according to your web site last available versions:

1) 18.04 Bionic server minimal (ssh only)

2) libgmpris_2.2.1-6_amd64.deb

3) linux-image-4.14.99-jl+_6_amd64.deb

4) hqplayerd_4.9.0-25_amd64.deb

and then Roon server (from install script)

 

Correct ?

 

Yes, that's right... Note that since the kernel is 4.14 and latest Ubuntu installs 4.18, you need to modify GRUB_DEFAULT in /etc/default/grub if you want to get my kernel booted by default instead of Ubuntu default. Remember to run "update-grub" after changing the file to get the changes in use.

 

At the moment I have:

GRUB_DEFAULT="2>4"

there which means option 2 from first level grub menu and option 4 from the submenu.

 

If you don't want to bother modifying the default, you need to select the kernel manually from bootloader under advanced-menu.

 

[asdf1000]

Hi @Miska

 

I see another good review for HQPlayer by Archimago. Congrats!

 

Having a look at his measurements for his Oppo 205, it looks like the PCM768 measurements are a bit better than both DSD256 and DSD512?

 

Is this one of the rare cases where you see ESS chip based DAC performing better when fed with PCM768, compared with DSD256/DSD512 (SDM)?

 

 

 

 

 

[Miska]

57 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

Hi @Miska

 

I see another good review for HQPlayer by Archimago. Congrats!

 

Having a look at his measurements for his Oppo 205, it looks like the PCM768 measurements are a bit better than both DSD256 and DSD512?

 

Is this one of the rare cases where you see ESS chip based DAC performing better when fed with PCM768, compared with DSD256/DSD512 (SDM)?

 

 

 

 

 

 

To me it looks like DSD256 definitely performs the best here...

[asdf1000]

1 hour ago, Miska said:

 

To me it looks like DSD256 definitely performs the best here...

 

Thanks @Miska

 

But for the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC (ESS Sabre chips), it's the other way around? HQP DSD512 performs better than DSD256?

[Miska]

4 hours ago, Em2016 said:

But for the Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC (ESS Sabre chips), it's the other way around? HQP DSD512 performs better than DSD256?

 

Yes, that's the case... Differences are likely up to the analog stages following the DAC chip.

 

In those Archimago's results some properties and limitations are due to the gear used for measurements.

 

But for example with the Pro-Ject S2D for example harmonic series of THD is much shorter with DSD512 than with 44.1k PCM.

 

44.1k PCM:

vs DSD512:

 

It still doesn't go away with 768k PCM:

 

 

Similar thing with J-test24... One set of side bands disappear with DSD512, and that also happens with 768k PCM. That is likely due to the on-chip digital filter DSP that goes off with DSD and 768k PCM.

 

44.1k PCM:

 

DSD512:

 

[volpone]

12 hours ago, Miska said:

Depending on what you'd want, you could install Debian 9 (Stretch) or Ubuntu Server 18.04 (Bionic) plus my custom kernel on it, and then hqplayerd package.

 

So i've Installed Ubuntu server 18.04 minimal plus your custom kernel 4.14.99, system rebooted.

Then according to your site (no CUDA support needed):

sudo dpkg -i libgmpris_2.2.1-6_amd64.deb  => OK

sudo dpkg -i hqplayerd_4.9.0-25_amd64.deb => KO dependency problems

sudo apt-get -y install libasound2  libflac8 libgupnp-av-1.0-2 librygel-core-2.6-2 librygel-renderer-2.6-2 libsoup2.4-1 libgomp1 libgee-0.8-2 => KO unmet dependencies

sudo apt --fix-broken install  ==> seems OK

Setting up libgupnp-av-1.0-2 (0.12.10-1) ...
Setting up libasound2:amd64 (1.1.3-5ubuntu0.2) ...
Setting up libogg0:amd64 (1.3.2-1) ...
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.27-3ubuntu1) ...
Setting up libdconf1:amd64 (0.26.0-2ubuntu3) ...
Processing triggers for man-db (2.8.3-2ubuntu0.1) ...
Setting up dconf-service (0.26.0-2ubuntu3) ...
Setting up libflac8:amd64 (1.3.2-1) ...
Setting up dconf-gsettings-backend:amd64 (0.26.0-2ubuntu3) ...
Setting up gsettings-desktop-schemas (3.28.0-1ubuntu1) ...
Setting up glib-networking:amd64 (2.56.0-1) ...
Setting up libsoup2.4-1:amd64 (2.62.1-1ubuntu0.1) ...
Setting up libgssdp-1.0-3:amd64 (1.0.2-2) ...
Setting up libgupnp-1.0-4:amd64 (1.0.2-2) ...
Setting up librygel-core-2.6-2 (0.36.1-1) ...
Setting up librygel-renderer-2.6-2 (0.36.1-1) ...
Setting up hqplayerd (4.9.0-25) ...
Adding system user `hqplayer' (UID 111) ...
Adding new user `hqplayer' (UID 111) with group `audio' ...
Creating home directory `/var/hqplayer/home' ...
usermod: no changes
Processing triggers for libc-bin (2.27-3ubuntu1) ...

sudo systemctl start hqplayerd.service ==> OK
sudo systemctl status hqplayerd.service ==> KO

● hqplayerd.service - HQPlayer Embedded daemon
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/hqplayerd.service; disabled; vendor prese
   Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: core-dump) since Wed 2019-03-13 19
  Process: 2384 ExecStart=/usr/bin/hqplayerd (code=dumped, signal=ILL)
 Main PID: 2384 (code=dumped, signal=ILL)

Core-dump, unreachable web UI.

Any workaround or other config steps to perform ?

Thank's 

[Miska]

2 minutes ago, volpone said:

 

● hqplayerd.service - HQPlayer Embedded daemon
   Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/hqplayerd.service; disabled; vendor prese
   Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: core-dump) since Wed 2019-03-13 19
  Process: 2384 ExecStart=/usr/bin/hqplayerd (code=dumped, signal=ILL)
 Main PID: 2384 (code=dumped, signal=ILL)

Core-dump, unreachable web UI.

Any workaround or other config steps to perform ?

 

Signal is illegal instruction. If you do "grep sse4.2 /proc/cpuinfo" does it return the flags-line or just empty? "popcnt" is also needed, but it was added at the same time with sse4.2 so should always go together.

 

[volpone]

30 minutes ago, Miska said:

Signal is illegal instruction. If you do "grep sse4.2 /proc/cpuinfo" does it return the flags-line or just empty? "popcnt" is also needed, but it was added at the same time with sse4.2 so should always go together.

 

grep sse4.2 /proc/cpuinfo return empty ! 

So Duo E6850 too old, sad ... This is a only a test platform to compare HQP / HQPe before to buy , I presume RYZEN 2700 is OK ?

[michaelvv]

Hi Miska.

 

I wonder If there are some ways through your hqp-control program to get the values out for the SDM setting.

I have done it with PCM and I could not find the according functions in hqp-control for SDM.

 

PS! Today I did the poly-sinc-xtr-lp DSD256 on my XEON E-2146G 3.5 Ghz 6/12 cores, after 15 min the

load was about 5.5 , and the power consumption was about 105-110 watt going up from about 50-55 watt.

So I think It can manage it but no way DSD512 without anything nasty graphics card inside...

 

Thanks Michael.

[Miska]

1 hour ago, volpone said:

grep sse4.2 /proc/cpuinfo return empty ! 

So Duo E6850 too old, sad ... This is a only a test platform to compare HQP / HQPe before to buy , I presume RYZEN 2700 is OK ?

 

Yes, Ryzen 2700 is OK.

 

[Miska]

48 minutes ago, michaelvv said:

I wonder If there are some ways through your hqp-control program to get the values out for the SDM setting.

I have done it with PCM and I could not find the according functions in hqp-control for SDM.

 

It returns active settings, so the lists and indexes to the lists depend on active mode...

 

1 hour ago, michaelvv said:

PS! Today I did the poly-sinc-xtr-lp DSD256 on my XEON E-2146G 3.5 Ghz 6/12 cores, after 15 min the

load was about 5.5 , and the power consumption was about 105-110 watt going up from about 50-55 watt.

So I think It can manage it but no way DSD512 without anything nasty graphics card inside...

 

With something like poly-sinc-ext2 or poly-sinc-xtr-lp-2s it shouldn't be breaking much sweat doing DSD512 though.

 

[michaelvv]

10 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

It returns active settings, so the lists and indexes to the lists depend on active mode...

 

 

With something like poly-sinc-ext2 or poly-sinc-xtr-lp-2s it shouldn't be breaking much sweat doing DSD512 though.

 

 

<sdm bitrate="0" modulator="6" oversampling="13" oversampling1x="21"/>

I can see that by altering the SDM Settings 1x Oversampling your store these values in the hqplayerd.xml fil.

 

21 - closed-form-16M

11 - poly-sinc-ext

 

Can these have different values in the future, or are they the same. This is just an example of 2 I have tried.

Hope you understand what I mean 🙂

 

Yes poly-sinc-ext2 and poly-sinc-xtr-lp-2s are a lot less CPU/GPU intence.

 

 

 

[Miska]

36 minutes ago, michaelvv said:

 

<sdm bitrate="0" modulator="6" oversampling="13" oversampling1x="21"/>

I can see that by altering the SDM Settings 1x Oversampling your store these values in the hqplayerd.xml fil.

 

21 - closed-form-16M

11 - poly-sinc-ext

 

Can these have different values in the future, or are they the same. This is just an example of 2 I have tried.

Hope you understand what I mean 🙂

 

 

Those values are documented in the readme.txt and I of course try to keep them same to avoid incorrectly interpreting everyone's configuration file.

 

But the API used by hqp-control is not depending on these numbers, although it (IIRC) passes those over too. Because when I add more it would need all the API users to catch up. Instead you get a list of currently available things with index values and you refer to those by the list index.

 

The values you have in the configuration file, are default values, but they are not necessarily the active ones...

[michaelvv]

6 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

Those values are documented in the readme.txt and I of course try to keep them same to avoid incorrectly interpreting everyone's configuration file.

 

But the API used by hqp-control is not depending on these numbers, although it (IIRC) passes those over too. Because when I add more it would need all the API users to catch up. Instead you get a list of currently available things with index values and you refer to those by the list index.

 

The values you have in the configuration file, are default values, but they are not necessarily the active ones...

 

I think I follow, but I could not find the function for the SDM settings through hqp-control like I could for PCM

 for instance by using --get-filters

 

I actually from a program sends my values and rewrite hqplayerd.xml and restarts it. I'm fully aware where I get

the default filter settings from your API, It works fine.

 

I'll take a look at the readme.txt , Everything seems to be documented in it.

 

 

[Miska]

8 hours ago, michaelvv said:

I think I follow, but I could not find the function for the SDM settings through hqp-control like I could for PCM

 for instance by using --get-filters

 

List you get there depends if you are in PCM or SDM mode. If you are in PCM output mode, you get PCM list, if you are in SDM output mode you get SDM list. Then from the list you can look up name of the currently active filter, or present a menu to set the currently active filter.

 

[asdf1000]

On 3/3/2019 at 4:16 AM, Miska said:

I'm working on it. But I want to make sure things work before releasing something out... I'm just a bit short of hands here.

 

 

Hi @Miska

 

If I assume worst case and the Merging Ravenna Linux ALSA driver bugs are never fixed and never come in a stable form to HQP Embedded... (worst case)...

 

Right now, if I install the Ravenna MacOS driver on my Macbook and run NAA on my Macbook, can HQP Embedded on my NUC (Debian Stretch) play to my Macbook NAA and to Merging DAC (Hapi/Horus) via Ravenna MacOS driver?

 

As in, that is a working solution right now? Or that's also 'experimental'?

[Miska]

30 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

Right now, if I install the Ravenna MacOS driver on my Macbook and run NAA on my Macbook, can HQP Embedded on my NUC (Debian Stretch) play to my Macbook NAA and to Merging DAC (Hapi/Horus) via Ravenna MacOS driver?

 

As in, that is a working solution right now? Or that's also 'experimental'?

 

I'm still working to get some sound out of some OS with it. Not very easy, I spent a week or something like that on it. But been now busy on other things. I'll try again later when I find time...

 

[asdf1000]

Just now, Miska said:

 

I'm still working to get some sound out of some OS with it. Not very easy, I spent a week or something like that on it. But been now busy on other things.

 

 

You mean the ALSA driver?

 

My question was a genuine one though, not trying to be funny or say 'hurry up' at all...

 

Let's say the Merging Linux ALSA driver stays buggy forever (worst case), if I install the Ravenna MacOS driver on my Macbook and run NAA on my Macbook, can HQP Embedded on my NUC (Debian Stretch) play to my Macbook NAA and to Merging DAC (Hapi/Horus) via Ravenna MacOS driver?

 

Is that a working solution for 'right now'? 

[Miska]

Just now, Em2016 said:

You mean the ALSA driver?

 

I mean ALSA/CoreAudio/ASIO...

 

1 minute ago, Em2016 said:

can HQP Embedded on my NUC (Debian Stretch) play to my Macbook NAA and to Merging DAC (Hapi/Horus) via Ravenna MacOS driver?

 

If you get HQPlayer working to Ravenna on macOS, then NAA will very likely work the same.

 

2 minutes ago, Em2016 said:

Is that a working solution for 'right now'? 

 

I wish I knew...

 

[asdf1000]

3 minutes ago, Miska said:

I mean ALSA/CoreAudio/ASIO...

 

Oh, all of it.

 

I had (wrongly) assumed CoreAudio and ASIO have been working fine with HQPe for a long time (with MacOS NAA and Windows NAA) and only the recent ASLA needed lots of work at your end (and Merging's end fixing bugs with ALSA driver) to play direct to the Merging DACs.

 

That's my fault for misunderstanding.