AudioLinux and NUC Troubleshooting and Tuning

[rickca]

1 hour ago, austinpop said:

BTW - I don't have Intel Speedstep in my NUC7i7DNBE BIOS at all. I am guessing it's only applicable to Pentium, not Core i7?

The i7-8650U has Speed Shift technology which is a more sophisticated implementation of SpeedStep.

[rickca]

1 hour ago, lmitche said:

Download a new image and reapply your settings. There is no persistence for the alconf settings although some will be correctly set by default. You may need to re-add any custom scripts as well. I built a checklist. No big deal if you know what you are doing. It gets easier with every release.

So you get to start from scratch again (although it gets easier with every release).  I guess we're going to get really good at this whether we want to or not.

[davide256]

Trying to run Roonserver headless on the NUC7PJYH, using USB attached SDXC storage.... mounting USB drives is driving me crazy. This is what I see using blkid for the drives

(480/128 gb storage)

Can anyone guide me on how to format the lines properly for mounting?

/dev/sdb1: UUID="6C96-68C4" TYPE="exfat" PTTYPE="dos" PARTUUID="7f653070-01"
/dev/sdc1: UUID="3233-6437" TYPE="exfat"

 

 

[davide256]

10 hours ago, lmitche said:

What's playing here:

 

 initrd=\intel-ucode.img initrd=\initramfs-linux-rt-bfq.img root=PARTUUID=166ad16d-098d-4453-ab07-7c5255b4d451 rw quiet intel_idle.max_cstate=0 processor.max_cstate=1 idle=poll intel_pstate=enable efi=runtime

 

SQ is outstanding across the spectrum. Bass is tight, in a punch in the gut way.

seeing at my end

initrd=\intel-ucode.img initrd=\initramfs-linux-rt-bfq.img root=PARTUUID=166ad16d-098d-4453-ab07-7c5255b4d451 rw quiet intel_pstate=enable efi=runtime

 

so there are  configuration differences. Looks like some kind of processor parameter?

 

[austinpop]

27 minutes ago, rickca said:

The i7-8650U has Speed Shift technology which is a more sophisticated implementation of SpeedStep.

 

But no control in the BIOS?

[mourip]

2 hours ago, austinpop said:

What is the proper way to update my system to 0.6 while preserving all customizations? I did this - downloaded the 3 files below:

-rwxr-xr-x 1 audiolinux users 70295236 Dec  6 17:32 linux-rt-bfq-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

-rwxr-xr-x 1 audiolinux users 16020220 Dec  6 17:33 linux-rt-bfq-docs-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

-rwxr-xr-x 1 audiolinux users 18297092 Dec  6 17:33 linux-rt-bfq-headers-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz

 

I then ran 

 

pacman -U linux-rt-bfq-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz linux-rt-bfq-headers-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz linux-rt-bfq-docs-4.19.1.3-2-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz 

 

I rebooted, but when I login, I still see 0.5 on the login screen. And, if I type alconf I still get the old menu. 

 

Finally, what is the command for the new monitor menu?

 

All of this is on headless.

 

Did you use your login information from your original email to get to the new version?

 

My login no longer works even for the old version...

[rickca]

5 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

But no control in the BIOS?

I'd have to look at the BIOS for your NUC.  I couldn't find much in this document.  Maybe the NUC BIOS is pretty basic.

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/mini-pcs/nuc-kits/NUC7i7DN_TechProdSpec.pdf

 

If you want to understand Speed Shift, here are two good sources

https://www.anandtech.com/show/9582/intel-skylake-mobile-desktop-launch-architecture-analysis/7

Scroll down the page to the section called Intel Speed Shift.

https://www.anandtech.com/show/9751/examining-intel-skylake-speed-shift-more-responsive-processors

[greenleo]

1 hour ago, look&listen said:

 

"control PC" = audio server?

"audio PC" = endpoint device?

Yeap

[greenleo]

51 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Trying to run Roonserver headless on the NUC7PJYH, using USB attached SDXC storage.... mounting USB drives is driving me crazy. This is what I see using blkid for the drives

(480/128 gb storage)

Can anyone guide me on how to format the lines properly for mounting?

/dev/sdb1: UUID="6C96-68C4" TYPE="exfat" PTTYPE="dos" PARTUUID="7f653070-01"
/dev/sdc1: UUID="3233-6437" TYPE="exfat"

 

 

USB should be automounted in lxqt.

[greenleo]

20 hours ago, simonklp said:

I notice that no matter it is AL lqxt or headless, there is always a problem of running HQPE with the "poly-sinc-lp" filter for playing Redbook to DSD512. The problem is that just when the music started to play after the initialization time of about a minute or so, there is always some error messages saying like "… no body care … irq #136 … disabled …", or similar. The HQPDcontrol also returns an error message of "failure to connect to HQPlayer".

 

However, I haven't encountered this kind of problem for HQP on Windows.

 

Have any of you also encountered this problem on AL?

Why use HQPE in lxqt?  Why not HQP desktop in Linux like what you did in Windows?

[lmitche]

1 hour ago, look&listen said:

 

"control PC" = audio server?

"audio PC" = endpoint device?

There are typically three functions in audio playback software:

 

Controller = the process running the GUI typically laptop, tablet, or phone and displaying the view of music index and metadata pushed from the server with playback controls

Renderer = Streamer or Endpoint with connection to DAC

Server = the process indexing the music and pushing the music to Renderer as requested from the controller

 

Most audio software implementations use this model.

 

This is based on the MVC (Model, View, Controller) paradigm typically used in most GUI based development environments.

 

These processes can live on one machine or be spread across multiple machines.

 

In my experience the best SQ comes from separating these functions into three machines. One could use four with a Nas acting as a virtual disk to a server.

[greenleo]

9 hours ago, rettib2001 said:

I have up until now been using an nuc7i7bnh as a combined server and endpoint.

 

Today I tried it as an endpoint using my macbook pro as a server (knowing that it isn't highly regarded as an AL server but hey, in lieu of anything better suited to the task I tried it any way). 

 

Well... The sound quality was much better than the nuci7bnh on its own. Crazy. 

 

Conclusion I need a second nuc. 

 

I'm edging towards a nuc7pjyh with a fanless case powered by a Paul Hynes SR4 (which I should receive before the end of the year) but I'd just like to know whether or not my i7 nuc, which has a tdp rating of 28, could be powered by the SR4 (2a/20a transient) 

 

In 'endpoint' mode the cpu usage is only about 3/4% and aside from one stick of 8gb ram there nothing else connected to it. 

 

If it can it opens up the option of a much more powerful server. 

For the SR4 that outputs 19V and 2A ， there are headrooms for 28W tdp.  I trust that SR4 has >80% efficiency.  I may be wrong.

[rickca]

9 hours ago, rettib2001 said:

I'd just like to know whether or not my i7 nuc, which has a tdp rating of 28, could be powered by the SR4 (2a/20a transient) 

Paul has said the SR4 can actually sustain 2.5A at 12V.  That's still just 30W.  Remember the 28W TDP is with no turbo boost.

If your server is going to run flat out for sustained periods, I don't think 30W will be enough ... but I don't use Roon so I don't know how much stress Roon Server puts on the CPU.

 

To give you some idea, have a look at this review.  Scroll down to the section on Power Consumption. 

https://nucblog.net/2017/04/kaby-lake-i7-nuc-conclusions/

 

 

[greenleo]

17 minutes ago, lmitche said:

There are typically three functions in audio playback software:

 

Controller = the process running the GUI typically laptop, tablet, or phone and displaying the view of music index and metadata pushed from the server with playback controls

Renderer = Streamer or Endpoint with connection to DAC

Server = the process indexing the music and pushing the music to Renderer as requested from the controller

 

Most audio software implementations use this model.

 

This is based on the MVC (Model, View, Controller) paradigm typically used in most GUI based development environments.

 

These processes can live on one machine or be spread across multiple machines.

 

In my experience the best SQ comes from separating these functions into three machines. One could use four with a Nas acting as a virtual disk to a server.

Great post, Larry.    This is also the model for ROON, correct?

[lmitche]

4 minutes ago, greenleo said:

Great post, Larry.    This is also the model for ROON, correct?

Yep, the MVC abstraction is used in your browser as well.

[look&listen]

9 minutes ago, lmitche said:

Controller = the process running the GUI typically laptop, tablet, or phone and displaying the view of music index and metadata pushed from the server with playback controls

Renderer = Streamer or Endpoint with connection to DAC

Server = the process indexing the music and pushing the music to Renderer as requested from the controller

Good to use consistent vocabulary so all in thread understand posts better (at all?)

Above words familiar to me (& many readers) from you & other veteran posters, so hope @greenleo use them too 

[greenleo]

Just now, lmitche said:

Yep, your browser as well.

So for the best SQ, the renderer should be in headless (audio PC, the end point), the server should be in headless (server PC that holds the files) as well and the control PV (a tablet, say) that's in the same subnet as the server.  The perfect ROON model.

 

For HQP users, NAA in headless(audio PC), HQPE in headless (server PC that holds the files) and the control PC using browswer connected to the HQPE.

 

Are these descriptions correct?

 

 

[greenleo]

7 minutes ago, look&listen said:

Good to use consistent vocabulary so all in thread understand posts better (at all?)

Above words familiar to me (& many readers) from you & other veteran posters, so hope @greenleo use them too 

Not everybody use this model.  The audio PC and control  PC has been used for a long time in JPLAY for a dual box setup.   These two terms are commonly used in the past.  Not everyone is willing to, wanting to use a 3 box solution.

 

Hence ROON can be configured in different ways.  It took a pretty long time to understand the concepts behind because lots of us are familiar with something like foobar2K that handles everything in the same package.

 

I have no objections to use these terms and in fact quite them a lot.  But others may think otherwise.  To me it's much easier to use a two box soultion and distinct the functions of renderer (streamer), file server and control.  

[look&listen]

1 hour ago, greenleo said:

Not everybody use this model.  The audio PC and control  PC has been used for a long time in JPLAY for a dual box setup.

 

2 hours ago, look&listen said:

Good to use consistent vocabulary so all in thread understand posts better (at all?)

Above words familiar to me (& many readers) from you & other veteran posters, so hope @greenleo use them too 

Consider audience. This is CA forum, branch thread from big 2-year old "novel. massive, SQ.." thread.

'server', 'naa', 'endpoint', 'renderer' words are words known & used here. Talk of 'models' interesting but of no value for best vocabulary for posts here. Go back 1 year, 2 years, more in posts, see same words.

Consistant, common, usage words better for communication. Better for multi language readers too.

Too many geeks spin off too many different words for same thing only sow confusion & misunderstanding.

< /rant >

[greenleo]

3 minutes ago, look&listen said:

 

Consider audience. This is CA forum, branch thread from big "novel. massive, SQ..".

'server', 'naa', 'endpoint', 'renderer' words are words known & used here. Talk of 'models' interesting but of no value for best vocabulary for posts here. Go back 1 year, 2 years, more in posts, see same words.

Consistant, common, usage words better for communication. Better for multi language readers too.

Too many geeks spin off too many different words for same thing only sow confusion & misunderstanding.

< /rant >

I respect your input but simply disagree.  Terms are being invented often in audio.  For someone who use only a single PC (say a HQP desktop) that serves everything and insist talking about the 3 components is not that meaningful. 

 

Anything not clear may be clarified through post or pm.  Otherwise the term streamer may not be used in your POV?

 

Anyway, this is off topic and please pm if your want to further discuss.  I see little point to pursuit here because it may not be the public interest -- nothing related to tweaking, AL and NUC.

[BigAlMc]

6 hours ago, austinpop said:

 

Did you get an answer? I know how to muddle my way through it using gparted on the command line. I'm guessing there is an easier way to do it with the LXQT version that someone can elaborate.

 

Nope. No answer. Was worried I'd asked a real dumbass question ?

 

Will bump now.

 

[BigAlMc]

17 hours ago, BigAlMc said:

Apologies if I've missed this either here or on the mothership as Rajiv put it ?

 

I have the parts arriving today and tomz to attempt building an AL NUC server over the weekend. Occurred to me when walking into work this morning that there are a couple items I don't have a clue about. [Ok there are many, many items I don't have a clue about ?, but these are specific items].

 

I know how to install and format an SSD in a windows environment where it would detect the new drive and prompt you to take actions from there.

 

Q1. What is the story on AL? Will it recognise the drive and prompt me? Or (gulp!) do I need to use Linux commands to install and format it? And if the latter can anyone point to simple instructions for this?

 

Q2. If I have my music files available on either a Windows laptop or an external USB harddrive, how do I copy them onto the SSD in the AL NUC server. I'm assuming this is definitely Linux commands. Again any guide for this sort of thing would be great.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Alan

 

 

Bump. 

[afrancois]

6 hours ago, mourip said:

 

Did you use your login information from your original email to get to the new version?

 

My login no longer works even for the old version...

Exactly, I tried to download the latest AL headless version but my credentials no longer seem valid.

[LTG2010]

24 minutes ago, afrancois said:

Exactly, I tried to download the latest AL headless version but my credentials no longer seem valid.

Looks like Piero changed server or links, just email him for the new links/ passwords.

[MrUnderhill]

On 12/6/2018 at 12:48 AM, greenleo said:

@Middy,

"connectors protrudes" are the HDMI ports, LAN ports, ..., correct?

 

How do you do the pushing?  Do you hold the USB ports on the front side or insert something between the metal and the mono as a lever?

 

This is the front side, the side that has a power button?

 

Only 3 sets of connectors, wide black, small 4-pin white and two point form connector for the WiFi attenna?  Correct?

 

Only two screws needed to be unscrewed from the mother board, correct?

 

There are lots of soft paddings sticked on the ports, should I keep them or take them apart?

Sorry, cannot understand the meaning of the sentence above.

 

Thank you for your help.

 

Hi GL,

 

Did you get the motherboard out OK?

Any thoughts or comments?

 

I will be doing this as soon as my isopropanol arrives - next week. I have also bought the Master Gel recommended on the vid posted by Rajiv.

 

Last week I watched another vid which dealt with the same box as I have bought, the chap had trouble getting the mobo out and so the cut the film and returned with it extracted ....without showing them doing it - so I am guessing it took a reasonable amount of carefully applied force.

 

Thx,

 

M

 

P.S. Middy, thanks for your observations to GL.