Allo Sparky USBridge

[jtwrace]

3 minutes ago, volpone said:

 

Thank's.

Is this, cheaper, OK too ?: https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-microSDHC-Reader-TS-RDF5K-Black/dp/B009D79VH4/ref=pd_cp_147_4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VFV04VSEGWQKHBEKXC37

Yes!

[jtwrace]

I wrote the image file to the card but the USBridge isn't found within Roon.  Any ideas of what I likely did wrong?  

[jtwrace]

@H-Man got any ideas?  I tried my Mac and same thing. Nothing.

[jtwrace]

Does this correct @H-Man?  This is the directory of the card plugged into my computer.

 

 

[pgbcincy]

@jtwrace, you might want to check out these pdfs if you have not.   https://www.allo.com/sparky/usbridge.html#downloads  Follow the instructions on USBridge-DietPi-Installation-Config-Guide.pdf;  Once you flash, I believe you need to install the Roon software again via the guide.  

[jtwrace]

9 minutes ago, pgbcincy said:

@jtwrace, you might want to check out these pdfs if you have not.   https://www.allo.com/sparky/usbridge.html#downloads  Follow the instructions on USBridge-DietPi-Installation-Config-Guide.pdf;  Once you flash, I believe you need to install the Roon software again via the guide.  

That doesn't make sense considering what I've been told.  I've already spent nearly 5 hrs to no avail.  This is exactly why it needs to be auto.  I've tried plugging an HDMI in and there isn't anything to see which leads me to believe that it should just boot like it did and be done.  I must be doing something wrong but I've read the simple instructions many times and get the same result.  

 

@allo.com and @H-Man must be sleeping.  

[juliocat]

The sound on the updated sparky is extraordinaire!!!!!!

I'm going to wait for the aluminium case and buy another one for my office system, yes the process is not simple and some knowledge needed but, is not that hard it took me about 30 minutes. I hope the next release will be better

[pgbcincy]

5 hours LOL!  Nice day huh?  When I flashed the eMMC  and inserted, I had to reinstall but it I did it as a part of inital bootup.  Sounds like you have some previous direction you need to follow, that 'makes sense'... good luck!  Roon up and running at DSD256, now working on HQPlayer.

[juliocat]

 

Now testing on Gustard X20 Xmos Usb, Native mode working

[TubeLover]

I thought Allo Sparky was an old British sitcom?

 

JC

[ronnie.sengupta]

I just installed the latest build of dietpi (stretch). Everything works fine with roon bridge and NAA, but I can only do 128 DSD over DOP. Looks like I will have to wait for my t+a Dac 8 dsd to be supported.

 

 

[H-Man]

23 hours ago, jtwrace said:

I wrote the image file to the card but the USBridge isn't found within Roon.  Any ideas of what I likely did wrong?  

Sorry been out all day  

 

You need to flash the eMMC with a disc image writer like Etcher https://etcher.io/. 

 

/Henrik

[Kelly]

 

Got mine today, it's been up for about 4 hours and hasn't lost network connection yet. I am using as a simple Roon endpoint with no DSP. I haven't really gotten a chance to evaluate sound quality yet, but it is working straight out of the box. Literally I plugged everything in and it just appeared in Roon. Promising so far. 

[ronnie.sengupta]

@H-Man I read this thread top to bottom and followed all the instructions. I pulled out the eMMC and used the adapter to connect it to my PC and flashed the image to the eMMC using Etcher. And then installed Roon bridge and NAA from the DietPi Gui. Confirmed both are working, up to 384 Khz PCM and 128 Dop DSD as it was before I installed the new OS. I don't see the DSD related upsampling options on Roon or  NAA as I typically do, when I connect the T+A straight to my PC over USB.

 

This is the image I installed: http://dietpi.com/downloads/images/DietPi_SparkySBC-armv7-(Stretch).7z

 

 

 

 

[Mike Pinkerton]

I'm concerned about the network drop issue. I had to put a RPi in front of my (streaming) Marantz NA8005 DAC because it would drop off the network. I had to return a Auralic Altair because it would drop off the network. I don't want to invest in this device and have similar issues.

 

My RPi (running DietPi) has been rock solid and has not had a single problem, but I would like something that separates USB/Ethernet and provides the other benefits as the USBridge. Unless it doesn't work...

[franz159]

@Allo.com
A question on BubbleUPnPServer.
I was wondering if the installation approach using "Optware-ng" as described here, making usage of the ipkg package installer (see here), could work on Sparky, being the A9 processor a member of the ARMv7 architecture family.

This is not a deal breaker for me , but by allowing the creation of an OpenHome renderer, it is a relatively easy way to stream Tidal (I've been doing so on a Raspberry for a couple of years now ).

[jtwrace]

On 9/2/2017 at 3:39 PM, H-Man said:

Sorry been out all day  

 

You need to flash the eMMC with a disc image writer like Etcher https://etcher.io/. 

 

/Henrik

Thanks.  Downloaded Etcher and get the same result.  Nada. I've done it the Allo way using their recommended software and now this.  Nothing.  I don't get it.  

[guiltyboxswapper]

15 hours ago, ronnie.sengupta said:

@H-Man I read this thread top to bottom and followed all the instructions. I pulled out the eMMC and used the adapter to connect it to my PC and flashed the image to the eMMC using Etcher. And then installed Roon bridge and NAA from the DietPi Gui. Confirmed both are working, up to 384 Khz PCM and 128 Dop DSD as it was before I installed the new OS. I don't see the DSD related upsampling options on Roon or  NAA as I typically do, when I connect the T+A straight to my PC over USB.

 

This is the image I installed: http://dietpi.com/downloads/images/DietPi_SparkySBC-armv7-(Stretch).7z

 

 

 

 

 

T+A need to release an updated Amanero firmware that contains Native DSD 256 + 512 support.  This might involve returning the T+A back to them to do so, but its in the pipeline once the Amanero firmware is 'stable'.

 

On top of this, DietPI may require the VID/PID of the T+A Amanero to be included as part of the build, for it to be recognised.

[H-Man]

16 hours ago, ronnie.sengupta said:

@H-Man I read this thread top to bottom and followed all the instructions. I pulled out the eMMC and used the adapter to connect it to my PC and flashed the image to the eMMC using Etcher. And then installed Roon bridge and NAA from the DietPi Gui. Confirmed both are working, up to 384 Khz PCM and 128 Dop DSD as it was before I installed the new OS. I don't see the DSD related upsampling options on Roon or  NAA as I typically do, when I connect the T+A straight to my PC over USB.

 

This is the image I installed: http://dietpi.com/downloads/images/DietPi_SparkySBC-armv7-(Stretch).7z

 

 

 

 

I never got as far as testing DSD with the new image so sorry I can't help. 

[H-Man]

17 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

Thanks.  Downloaded Etcher and get the same result.  Nada. I've done it the Allo way using their recommended software and now this.  Nothing.  I don't get it.  

Strange. Do you have access to a Linux PC? If so see I f you can read the eMMC card in the reader from the Linux machine. Does Etcher give a success message after the image burn? 

[jtwrace]

8 minutes ago, H-Man said:

Strange. Do you have access to a Linux PC? If so see I f you can read the eMMC card in the reader from the Linux machine. Does Etcher give a success message after the image burn? 

I don't have access to one.  Yes, Etcher does give me a success message.  

[H-Man]

3 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

I don't have access to one.  Yes, Etcher does give me a success message.  

Can you attach a screen or tv to sparky when it boots and see if there are any messages? 

[jtwrace]

5 minutes ago, H-Man said:

Can you attach a screen or tv to sparky when it boots and see if there are any messages? 

See attached.  

[ronnie.sengupta]

Thanks @H-Man and @guiltyboxswapper

 

Looks like it's going to be a long wait.

[H-Man]

8 hours ago, jtwrace said:

See attached.  

Well it is at least booting something so something got flashed on the eMMC. Does it accept keyboard input?