Allo Sparky USBridge

[Kelly]

2 hours ago, H-Man said:

I have powered the USBridge (J28 config) and UltraRendu with my Uptone UltraCap LPS-1. 

 

 

Thanks for the report. That is indeed a very promising finding. Can you clarify what you mean by "J28 config"? Do you mean the jumper is pulled out and the daughter board is powered separately by the lps1? If so what was the sparky board powered with?

 

[franz159]

3 hours ago, H-Man said:

I have now had my USBridge for three weeks, running with DietPi. I have also had an UltraRendu for two weeks and I have had the ability to compare them in my two setups

.......

Let me begin by saying that both units are good and both made my 2012 tweaked MacMini look bad. The difference I can hear between the units is very small, which is obviously a huge deal considering the price difference between the units. Having said this I do think the UltraRendu is slightly better.  The difference is more notable in my MBL system but one can hear it in the KEF system as well.

.........

When I ordered my USBridge I made a mistake and ordered with Volumio, which does not work with Roon on the Sparky platform (yet), so I had to change to DietPi. 
 

Thank you, I do agree that this is a fantastici achievement for USBridge.

Just a clarification: what player/software were you using on USBridge?

Dii you use it only as a Roon endpoint, or did you tested also other ways, eg Logitech Media Server or DLNA/mpd?

 

Thanks

[H-Man]

6 minutes ago, Kelly said:

 

Thanks for the report. That is indeed a very promising finding. Can you clarify what you mean by "J28 config"? Do you mean the jumper is pulled out and the daughter board is powered separately by the lps1? If so what was the sparky board powered with?

 

Yes the J28 jumper is pulled, the USBridge is powered with the lps-1 and Sparky I powered with a USB battery charger. 

[H-Man]

2 minutes ago, franz159 said:

Thank you, I do agree that this is a fantastici achievement for USBridge.

Just a clarification: what player/software were you using on USBridge?

Dii you use it only as a Roon endpoint, or did you tested also other ways, eg Logitech Media Server or DLNA/mpd?

 

Thanks

I tested Roon endpoint and DLNA. 

[allo.com]

9 hours ago, jtwrace said:

Great!  Looking forward to trying this.  Thanks for the quick response to making this happen!  

This is also great news as I've had this issue very intermittently and was on my action item list.  Glad to hear I can cross it off.  

 

Will the update auto update?

 

  No autoupdate , sorry , since the OS has changed

[mikey8811]

1 hour ago, allo.com said:

 

  No autoupdate , sorry , since the OS has changed

This is my last attempt at trying to get information to determine if the USBridge will work in my setup. I've posted here and on other fora and haven't managed to get a precise answer. I've also sent allo.com a PM on this board and some emails and have not received an answer. It would be scary if they didn't know.

 

I am wondering if Diet Pi (or Volumio) will work installed on an Allo USBridge in my current system. I understand Diet Pi is preferred to Volumio from other posts although Volumio looks like it's easier to install.

My music library is stored on files on USB drives attached to a 32 bit MacBook running Mac OS X 10.6.8 and on a 32 bit Windows VIsta PC. These are all on my LAN. I have an older version of LMS installed on the Mac because I used to have a Squeezebox Touch. I cannot install or run the latest versions of LMS or Minim Server because they will not work on either of my Mac or PC OSes (I know, I need to upgrade my computers).

I am using an Auralic Aries which runs on Lightning Server which doesn't need installation on the above computers to work. It accesses my music as SMB and Windows equivalent shared network folders.

So if I purchase an Allo USBridge with Diet Pi preinstalled on it, will it work in a similar way?

If not, what else do I need? Do I need a server and/or player software? If so, what are the system requirements? Will the software work on 32 bit computers?

 

Thanks

[allo.com]

mickey8811

 

 Usbridge will work with any LANs. LMS is installed on USBridge not your MAC.

 

 So yes usbridge will work on your setup.

[mikey8811]

7 minutes ago, allo.com said:

mickey8811

 

 Usbridge will work with any LANs. LMS is installed on USBridge not your MAC.

 

 So yes usbridge will work on your setup.

Just to clarify, with a Squeezebox Touch I used to have, LMS was on BOTH the Squeezebox Touch AND the Mac to which the music library path was attached.

 

So you are saying with the USBridge, LMS need only be on the USBridge - does it come pre-installed with the Diet Pi?

 

I do not need to install any other server software?

 

Also, what control/ player software do I use? I used to use iPeng on my iPhone and iPad and with the Auralic Aries, I use their Lightning DS app in the same way.

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

4 hours ago, mikey8811 said:

Just to clarify, with a Squeezebox Touch I used to have, LMS was on BOTH the Squeezebox Touch AND the Mac to which the music library path was attached.

 

So you are saying with the USBridge, LMS need only be on the USBridge - does it come pre-installed with the Diet Pi?

 

I do not need to install any other server software?

 

Also, what control/ player software do I use? I used to use iPeng on my iPhone and iPad and with the Auralic Aries, I use their Lightning DS app in the same way.

 

LMS on your Mac - no change

Squeezelite on the USBridge (package provided in dietpi) - USBridge is then a player in LMS

Any LMS control app on your iPhone or iPad will work

[mikey8811]

25 minutes ago, hopkins said:

 

LMS on your Mac - no change

Squeezelite on the USBridge (package provided in dietpi) - USBridge is then a player in LMS

Any LMS control app on your iPhone or iPad will work

I was hoping maybe I didn't need LMS on my Mac as per the Allo comment as the latest version of LMS won't install on my Mac.

 

Other than LMS, are there other options that will install and run on a 32 bit computer? I do not use Roon so that won't matter.

[Qhwoeprktiyns]

4 minutes ago, mikey8811 said:

I was hoping maybe I didn't need LMS on my Mac as per the Allo comment as the latest version of LMS won't install on my Mac.

 

Other than LMS, are there other options that will install and run on a 32 bit computer? I do not use Roon so that won't matter.

 

Well you can try running lms and squeezelite on the USBridge then. I was under the impression that it was better to keep the two separate but I may be wrong. Don't know of other 32 bit server software. 

[jventer]

34 minutes ago, mikey8811 said:

I was hoping maybe I didn't need LMS on my Mac as per the Allo comment as the latest version of LMS won't install on my Mac.

 

Other than LMS, are there other options that will install and run on a 32 bit computer? I do not use Roon so that won't matter.

I dont know, but I have read that some Pi users prefer Moodle. Have you checked them out?

[H-Man]

37 minutes ago, mikey8811 said:

I was hoping maybe I didn't need LMS on my Mac as per the Allo comment as the latest version of LMS won't install on my Mac.

 

Other than LMS, are there other options that will install and run on a 32 bit computer? I do not use Roon so that won't matter.

You need to consider some type of upgrade. Have you looked at Roon ROCK? Easy single box solution on fairly inexpensive hardware. 

[franz159]

10 hours ago, mikey8811 said:

This is my last attempt at trying to get information to determine if the USBridge will work in my setup. I've posted here and on other fora and haven't managed to get a precise answer. I've also sent allo.com a PM on this board and some emails and have not received an answer. It would be scary if they didn't know.

 

I am wondering if Diet Pi (or Volumio) will work installed on an Allo USBridge in my current system. I understand Diet Pi is preferred to Volumio from other posts although Volumio looks like it's easier to install.

My music library is stored on files on USB drives attached to a 32 bit MacBook running Mac OS X 10.6.8 and on a 32 bit Windows VIsta PC. These are all on my LAN. I have an older version of LMS installed on the Mac because I used to have a Squeezebox Touch. I cannot install or run the latest versions of LMS or Minim Server because they will not work on either of my Mac or PC OSes (I know, I need to upgrade my computers).

I am using an Auralic Aries which runs on Lightning Server which doesn't need installation on the above computers to work. It accesses my music as SMB and Windows equivalent shared network folders.

So if I purchase an Allo USBridge with Diet Pi preinstalled on it, will it work in a similar way?

If not, what else do I need? Do I need a server and/or player software? If so, what are the system requirements? Will the software work on 32 bit computers?

 

Thanks

 

Mike,

      as somebody else has briefly mentioned already, you have at least a couple of options:

 

1) use Logitech Media Server

2) use DLNA

 

Both of them can be installed in DietPi.

In fact if you look at http://dietpi.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5#p5

You will find under the section "Media Systems"

- SqueezeBox - Also known as Logitech Media Server.

- ReadyMedia - (MiniDLNA) Media streaming server (DLNA, UPnP)

 

To my understanding, both LMS and DLNA allow for the configuration of multiple "media folders", which would be the folders on the various USB disks on your LAN where you keep your music.

 

I'm not sure of what is the size of your music library, but I would also consider the option of "consolidating" the libary in a single USB disk to be attached directly to the Allo.com Sparky.  

Please note that this is not necessary (so you can use multiple folders scattered in your LAN) , but putting all together would simplify the system and its maintenance IMHO.

 

In conclusion, since you are already familiar with LMS (and already have and know controller apps such as  iPeng) I would suggest to start using option 1 above, that is LMS running on SparKy, controlled with iPeng.

 

My 0.02

 

Franz

 

PS: When I will buy the Sparky (and I know I will at some point), this is how I will start.

I used to have a Squeezebox Touch, and while I do not miss the device per se, I sometime miss iPeng....

[mikey8811]

4 hours ago, franz159 said:

 

Mike,

      as somebody else has briefly mentioned already, you have at least a couple of options:

 

1) use Logitech Media Server

2) use DLNA

 

Both of them can be installed in DietPi.

In fact if you look at http://dietpi.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=5#p5

You will find under the section "Media Systems"

- SqueezeBox - Also known as Logitech Media Server.

- ReadyMedia - (MiniDLNA) Media streaming server (DLNA, UPnP)

 

To my understanding, both LMS and DLNA allow for the configuration of multiple "media folders", which would be the folders on the various USB disks on your LAN where you keep your music.

 

I'm not sure of what is the size of your music library, but I would also consider the option of "consolidating" the libary in a single USB disk to be attached directly to the Allo.com Sparky.  

Please note that this is not necessary (so you can use multiple folders scattered in your LAN) , but putting all together would simplify the system and its maintenance IMHO.

 

In conclusion, since you are already familiar with LMS (and already have and know controller apps such as  iPeng) I would suggest to start using option 1 above, that is LMS running on SparKy, controlled with iPeng.

 

My 0.02

 

Franz

 

PS: When I will buy the Sparky (and I know I will at some point), this is how I will start.

I used to have a Squeezebox Touch, and while I do not miss the device per se, I sometime miss iPeng....

Franz

 

Thanks for the breakdown.

 

The $10 question for me is if I can run both LMS and Squeezelite with Diet Pi on the USBridge without it needing to be on my computers which don't support the latest LMS.

 

If anyone knows for sure, please chime in.

[SolarFlight]

Just for info. For having a more recent version of LMS I run Daphile as a Virtual Machine on my Mac.

[allo.com]

2 hours ago, mikey8811 said:

Franz

 

Thanks for the breakdown.

 

The $10 question for me is if I can run both LMS and Squeezelite with Diet Pi on the USBridge without it needing to be on my computers which don't support the latest LMS.

 

If anyone knows for sure, please chime in.

Yes you can run both LMS and Squeezelite in USBridge .

[allo.com]

New image for Usbridge

 

http://dietpi.com/downloads/images/DietPi_SparkySBC-armv7-(Stretch).7z

 

tested at native 256 DSD.

 

OS has been upgraded to Stretch. DSD native patch was applied (most DACs are supported )

GPU is off . Unused modules removed. Some small bugs have been corrected.

 

LMS is not available , we will work and should have it ready next week.

 

[H-Man]

20 hours ago, allo.com said:

 

  No autoupdate , sorry , since the OS has changed

 

I am in the process of updating. But this is when you notice that this solution is DIY. Not that it is difficult for anybody experienced with flashing systems and DIY. But since the USBridge bundle ships with eMMC (which is preferable over SD card) you need to dismantle the plastic box (which was the second time for me and I obviously broke off a small piece of ugly plastic in the process...) and remove the USBridge to get clean access to the eMMC on the Sparky, remove the eMMC and flash it in a card reader and then put everything back together again. I know that it is a new OS that is very stripped down for the SBC but this is fugly... it is 2017 and not 1997 and updating even the OS is possible without re-flashing today... This is also the reason I have a hard time recommending the solution to people who are not experienced with DIY. 

 

C'mon Allo get that new shiny CNC Alu box up now :-) 

 

/Henrik

[allo.com]

H-man , we are aware that we need to improve the unit further ...and we will do so.

 

  Dan (from DietPI) has looked at how to auto update and found no option. Now , we hope that this new OS upgrade will further improve the SQ since we tweaked it quite a bit.

 

Regarding the ALU box, I heard that everything passed the test and we should have them sometime Sep/Oct. We will have a special price from whoever bought Usbridge with old case (acrylic case)

 

Meanwhile we are working on the new GUI . So we are busy..

 

[H-Man]

4 minutes ago, allo.com said:

H-man , we are aware that we need to improve the unit further ...and we will do so.

 

  Dan (from DietPI) has looked at how to auto update and found no option. Now , we hope that this new OS upgrade will further improve the SQ since we tweaked it quite a bit.

 

Regarding the ALU box, I heard that everything passed the test and we should have them sometime Sep/Oct. We will have a special price from whoever bought Usbridge with old case (acrylic case)

 

Meanwhile we are working on the new GUI . So we are busy..

 

Great to hear. Keep working on it. I am just giving you some critique to help improve. 

 

/Henrik

[allo.com]

Thx you.

 

  You are the first to use the new image..tell us what do you think ..

 

 

[volpone]

Hi Johan, 

• I perfectly understand new OS is not auto-updating from the original DietPi but i hope that, from now, with the new kernel, it will autoupdate. Confirmation ?
   
• OK if new kernel is patched for DSD DACs and good if you successfully tried with native DSD 256, but i hope you will manage to get compatible DAC to also test DSD 512 !
  
  From the software side (DietPi, ALSA ... ) i’ve no doubt it is, or will be, DSD512 compatible but i would like to confirm Sparky / USBridge HW is OK too. 
   
• Patiently waiting for the alu case to order ...
   

Thank’s for your work.

[H-Man]

51 minutes ago, allo.com said:

Thx you.

 

  You are the first to use the new image..tell us what do you think ..

 

 

Sure, here is some very quick feedback:

 

I could not really say anything about SQ as there are a few stability issues. It booted up fine and doing the dietpi-config worked without any issues and the USB output recognized the KEF DAC. Installation of Roon endpoint and Shairport worked. Then we get to the problems: I use DSP changes in Roon between some of my evaluation tracks. Playback started fine but when I changed DSP settings on the Roon server there was a complete hang  on the dietpi and the only way to get back was a power cycle, as reboot from ssh console did not work. 

 

I still have the playback gap a second into playing new selected tracks (i.e. not qued tracks) when using roon. Shairport I only had time for a qucick test and it seemed to work. I might get some more time tonight for further tests. 

 

/Henrik

[H-Man]

1 hour ago, allo.com said:

 

 

  Dan (from DietPI) has looked at how to auto update and found no option. Now , we hope that this new OS upgrade will further improve the SQ since we tweaked it quite a bit.

 

Have you looked at a dual storage approach? I have seen that approach a lot on other platforms but I will admit I have not looked closely at the SBC architectures and limitations.