Fitlet2 as HQplayer NAA

[ericuco]

5 minutes ago, jabbr said:

Let me clarify how I did it with the fitlet2

 

1) Ordered with Linux Mint installed.

2) Upgraded when I got it and just after I first booted it.

3) Downloaded and installed the NAA package

4) Rebooted

 

 

 I ordered my fitlet2 without any OS. Installed Win10 Pro but could never get it to work.

 

Gave up on Win10 after a few days, downloaded Linux Mint, installed on USB stick usin etcher, booted fitlet2 from stick. After booting up, there was a desktop icon to install Linux Mint on internal SSD which I did. Rebooted using internal SSD, did updates, installed ssh and NAA. Done. Worked flawless ever since.

[ericuco]

5 minutes ago, jabbr said:

you can SSH into the fitlet2

I use PuTTY to SSH into fitlet2 from a Win10 laptop, just need IP address of fitlet2. Works great.

 

To update & upgrade:

 

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

[ericuco]

10 minutes ago, ted_b said:

I have Linux Mint 20.1 (I'm on the welcome screen).  Do I need to update before going to get NAA? 

Doing an update & upgrade are recommended

 

In Terminal window, type:

 

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

[ericuco]

37 minutes ago, ted_b said:

Only my older multimode (aqua) fiber was able to communicate.  The newest fiber I bought, single mode (yellow) doesn't cut it.  ?

 Perhaps a stupid question but you are using single mode modules with your new single mode cable? If so, what brand? Probably need to use Intel or Finisar modules.

 

 

[ericuco]

@Miskacan you provide a download link to the appropriate HQP OS for the fitlet2? Thx. 

[ericuco]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Ted, from where did you order your fitlet2?

 

I ordered mine directly from Compulab. 

https://fit-iot.com/web/product/fitlet2-build-to-order/

[ericuco]

So I gave the HQPlayer Embedded OS a go but couldn't get it to work. Got through most the steps but in the end my DAC (T+A DAC8 DSD) did not recognize the fitlet2. More precisely, the display panel on the DAC shows the locked rate and few other things (not really sure what they are) when connected to the fitlet2 (Linux Mint) but these items didn't show up using HQPlayer Embedded OS.

 

Here was my process:

 

1) Load the HQPlayer Embedded OS onto an USB Stick using etcher

2) Startup fitlet2 and change BIOS to boot from stick

3) fitlet2 boots successfully using HQPlayer Embedded OS

4) Log-in using "root" username, no password

5) Successfully disable and stop hqplayerd using systemctl commands

6) Shutdown and connect DAC using USB cable

7) Boot fitlet2

8) Power up DAC

9) Startup HQPlayer Desktop on my music sever (Ubuntu Studio)

10) Check HQP Settings - shows that fitlet2 and DAC are connected but DAC settings never change to confirm connection

11) Try to play music using HQP Desktop, but no music & HQP stops processing file

12) Reboot fitlet2 using Linux Mint and life is good again.

 

I was getting a series of messages while booted in HQPlayer Embedded OS, something about USB conflict if I recall. I only have one set of peripherals (monitor, keyboard & mouse) that I normally have connected to my server so it is a PITA to switch back and forth. I tried to remote login to the fitlet2 when booted to HQP OS but could not connect ... not sure if the ssh server apt was installed or not.

 

Currently, my system has never sounded better and has never been this problem free, so just going to stay with fitlet2 running Linux Mint.

 

Hope others have better success.

 

 

[ericuco]

Several weeks ago, I tried to use @Miska HQP OS on my fitlet2 but could not get my DAC (T+A DAC8 DSD) to connect so I reverted back to Linux Mint.

 

Today, I shutdown the GUI on Linux Mint using “sudo systemctl set-default multiuser”. After rebooting, I had the same issue with the DAC so once again reverted back to standard Linux Mint.

 

Any ideas what might cause this? With standard Linux Mint, everything is rock solid so probably should stay there and enjoy the music.

[ericuco]

4 minutes ago, Miska said:

 

What do you mean by not being able to get DAC to connect? Having GUI shouldn't affect USB devices.

 

Yes, it is baffling.
 

Typically, when I power up DAC, the display starts with USB then switches to 44.1 PCM plus four symbols, one being that the signal is “locked”. HQP Desktop, recognizes fitlet2 as NAA. All is good.

 

With HQP OS and Linux Mint with GUI off, it just stays on USB. Also, HQP Desktop does not recognize DAC as being attached.

[ericuco]

Need some help with getting HQP Embedded to work on fitlet2. Actually, I want to just use HQP NAA piece so I know I need to shutdown HQP Embedded. However, when I try to boot using hqplayer-embedded-4.29.1-x64amd image (loaded on USB stick), I get a recurring message (see below). I can't even log-in because by the time I start typing in the credentials, this message pops up every few seconds and prevents log-in.

 

Any thoughts on this? Something in my BIOS settings? Thanks in advance.

 

[ericuco]

4 hours ago, Miska said:

 

That is HQPlayer Embedded crashing because the CPU doesn't support AVX2. But it doesn't prevent you from logging in. Just keep on typing, regardless of the console printouts, and disable hqplayerd service. Then it stops.

 

You can also try another VT (by pressing Alt-F2), if the kernel would be silent there.

 

Thanks for everyone’s assistance. Very much appreciated.

 

In the end, I was able to successfully get both versions of Embedded OS working. As @Miska mentioned, you just have to type while messages are flashing up. I have trouble typing my own name w/o distractions but was able to persevere. Once hqplayerd was shutdown and disabled, the messages stopped.

 

I wasn’t able to get the NAA OS working. My ports must be different than those reported by @camott. Perhaps another day, right now I have the amd version of Embedded working so time to just enjoy some music.

[ericuco]

28 minutes ago, fmzip said:

@ericuco

 

Thanks so much for your help in the other thread. If I decide to try setting up a Fitlet2 as a simple NAA Endpoint  for HQPlayer instead of an Optical Rendu, could you provide a list of what needs to be ordered when configuring a Fitlet to order? I'd rather not wait the 6 weeks. Is it simply better to order it barebones and install the other parts? I can do that rather easily. It's the software setup which I am a novice with SSH etc....

 

From what I read from Jussi's post, Mint is not the best option? A little lost on the software side of things

I believe Jussi’s comments are related to Linux Mint having a GUI (graphical interface) which is not needed for NAA so it is just unnecessary overhead. How much it affects things is unknown. You can either use Linux Mint or the HQP Embedded OS image (no graphical interface) instead.

 

Given you use the fitlet2 as a headless device, you can install SSH server and log-in remotely (e.g. Win11 laptop) using PuTTY utility, just need to know IP address of fitlet2. The reason is to perform routine OS maintenance (updates) for Linux Mint. If you use the HQP Embedded, you have to reflash image to USB stick and redo settings if a new revision is available. That said, you can just do initial setup and leave it alone for months (years).

 

I got my unit in about 3 weeks and I have heard people receiving their unit in less time so the 6 weeks isn’t always correct.

 

My unit has the Atom x7-E3950 chip, 4 Gb RAM and 32 or 64 Gb SSD. Also need the fiber optic FACET module.

[ericuco]

1 hour ago, fmzip said:

Thanks for the input. What would be a proper sized LPS to use with this? What is everyone else using with their Fitlet2?

 

How would one measure the wattage consumption?

I use a 50w, 7v LPS, same as what I used for oR. 7v is the lowest per spec for Fitlet2, but in talking to their tech support you can go a bit lower.

 

To measure wattage, get a Kill A Watt meter. It will measure the AC side, not DC side, but still should give what wattage is.

[ericuco]

@Miska I use my fitlet2 for NAA using your Embedded OS (x64amd). With your new naming convention (avx2 & sse42) which one is appropriate?

 

Obviously, disable hqplayerd and hqpwv so only NAA is running

[ericuco]

8 hours ago, Miska said:

 

x64sse42 is the correct one. fitlet2 has Atom-class CPU that doesn't support AVX2.

 

 

I dropped hqpwv out on 4.32 release.

 

Thanks! x64sse42 version installed and working as NAA with the latest Jammy Desktop version on my Ubuntu server.