HQPlayer USB class 2 input (NAA, HQPe)

[mscili]

Good evening! I was surprised to find out that I've never taken part in any discussions on this forum, after reading so much... I hope this first thread will be a useful contribution.

 

Trying to plan a future setup with HQPlayer, I realized that some difficulties may arise in the interplay between a UPnP server (like Asset or Minimserver), a control point (BubbleUPnP on Android, for example) and the Rygel UPnP implementation in HQPlayer embedded. The main problematic point is gapless playback, which appears to work well with MiniDLNA, but not with the two more configurable servers mentioned above. See also:

https://audiophilestyle.com/ca/bits-and-bytes/streaming-local-content-through-hqplayer-a-nice-alternative-with-the-sonictransporter-r1048/

My setup was affected by other unexpected problems too (getting stuck when jumping to the middle of a track from the UPnP control point), but I didn't spend much effort to find out what the problem was in this case.

 

It seems like all difficulties with gapless playback could be solved if I could use a NAA with USB class 2 input to make a simple UPnP renderer talk to another computer running HQPlayer or HQPlayer embedded. As an added bonus, such a setup would also make it very easy to use all sort of streaming services. It's be a nice solution, with each software component taking care of what they do best (for HQPlayer that would be PCM upsampling, SDM conversion, convolution). @Miska described how to set up USB class 2 input on the "UP gateway" computer here:

https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/topic/30983-hqplayer-linux-desktop-and-hqplayer-embedded/?do=findComment&comment=1033765

 

There are a few difficulties, the biggest of them being that the UP gateway is on "backorder" since quite a while. I couldn't find much information about other compatible devices with an OTG-Enabled USB port, and I think it'd be useful to open a thread to collect ideas, experiences and suggestions about the USB class 2 input feature of HQPlayer (especially the NAA). A fist precise question from me: has anybody tried one of this boards?
https://up-shop.org/up-squared-series.html

 

Thanks a lot for your contribution!

 

Marco

[Miska]

There's also other hardware available with suitable inputs, but they have some other difficulties. Typically such as being SoM and only sold to companies building hardware.

 

Theoretically, RPi4 hardware should also work, but I lack time to work on such things.

 

Another approach, which is easier, is to use S/PDIF or AES/EBU input to HQPlayer Embedded through RME ADI-2 Pro. This also provides analog inputs suitable for such use cases as performing digital room correction for vinyl sources too.

 

[mscili]

Thanks Miska for your answer! Yes, the ADI-2 Pro works really well as an input device as you described. The USB class 2 input solution is still interesting, since it works with one "box" less in between... :)

 

I saw some forum messages from @Woland and he (from the nickname it's a he, I'd say!) was experimenting with the RaspberryPi 4. Maybe he managed to make it work and he can share his experience? I know the Raspberry much too little for trying to set it up myself for this use.

[Woland]

On 10/19/2021 at 11:35 PM, mscili said:

I saw some forum messages from @Woland and he (from the nickname it's a he, I'd say!) was experimenting with the RaspberryPi 4. Maybe he managed to make it work and he can share his experience? I know the Raspberry much too little for trying to set it up myself for this use.

 

Yes, after some fiddling I did manage to get it to work. That allows system output (Spotify, Netflix, Youtube, games etc) to be fed to the Pi4, and upsampled by HQPlayer. It sounds like Miska could provide a much better solution than the USB gadget UAC which is fiddly and fixed sample rate.

[Woland]

On the USB Gadget UAC, it's also worth flagging that there are fixes/upgrades inching their way through the Linux kernel. When these get to HQPlayer Embedded is up to Miska, of course.

 

https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-usb/msg214423.html

https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-usb/msg214424.html

https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-usb/msg214425.html

https://www.spinics.net/lists/linux-usb/msg214426.html

 

 

[mscili]

Thanks @Woland! Great to know that it works. Did you use the procedure you were describing in your posts from the beginning of August, until you found the right parameters to put in the hqplayerd.xml file in order to make Hqplayer recognize the UAC2 input?

 

I think @Miska was saying that the UAC2 input supported the automatic sample rate change on the UP Gateway... But maybe there is some reason why it doesn't work on the RaspberryPi 4...

[caesee]

On 10/21/2021 at 11:27 AM, Woland said:

 

Yes, after some fiddling I did manage to get it to work. That allows system output (Spotify, Netflix, Youtube, games etc) to be fed to the Pi4, and upsampled by HQPlayer. It sounds like Miska could provide a much better solution than the USB gadget UAC which is fiddly and fixed sample rate.

Vary fascinating progress! I don`t want to use roon for stream media any longer!

Is there any instruction to get rpi4b to work as naa input?

[MgP2804]

Any updates on this please for automatic sample rate switching using USB Class 2 input to HQP? Especially via the Pi 4?

[Miska]

10 hours ago, MgP2804 said:

Any updates on this please for automatic sample rate switching using USB Class 2 input to HQP? Especially via the Pi 4?

 

It works fine on the UP Gateway.

 

[MgP2804]

15 hours ago, Miska said:

 

It works fine on the UP Gateway.

 

If it could work with a Pi only, would prefer that please. And I guess a lot of other folks too....

[Miska]

2 hours ago, MgP2804 said:

If it could work with a Pi only, would prefer that please. And I guess a lot of other folks too....

 

If it doesn't work at the moment, someone would need to fix the USB driver device mode for that. IIRC, it's an older version of same IP block that is on UP Gateway.

 

This is what UP Gateway has: https://www.synopsys.com/dw/ipdir.php?ds=dwc_usb_3_0_drd

If you can find other hardware with the same it should also work.

 

IIRC, RasPi has this: https://www.synopsys.com/designware-ip/interface-ip/usb/usb-2-0-eusb2.html

 

[MgP2804]

Thank you so much again!

[MgP2804]

Well, thanks to a lot of nice folks and Jussi ofcourse, it seems that this solution here is working with a PI4 Model B now and automatic samplerate switching. However it is still experimental and I have to do a longer listening and maybe verfication by someone else. But kuhl 😁 Have a nice weekend and enjoy the music! https://community.roonlabs.com/t/using-any-audio-source-with-hqplayer-spotify-amazon-apple-music-youtube-music-deezer-soundcloud/155479/543?u=michael_pauliks

[MgP2804]

To be honest, using Pi4 USB-C, where it get is power supply too from....this just makes a bad feeling. anyway for little money and if you are accepting some stuff, seems to be a nice solution.  Up board is for sure much more comfortable. But looking into that Filets(?) too. @The Computer AudiophileJussi is looking for someone to do a test with those. Maybe you can find time? Are you on version 3 now?

 

@miska, you may have noticed how nuts, i am to this interfaces....really would love to do it all with a ethernet cable. opticial if required.

 

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

4 hours ago, MgP2804 said:

To be honest, using Pi4 USB-C, where it get is power supply too from....this just makes a bad feeling. anyway for little money and if you are accepting some stuff, seems to be a nice solution.  Up board is for sure much more comfortable. But looking into that Filets(?) too. @The Computer AudiophileJussi is looking for someone to do a test with those. Maybe you can find time? Are you on version 3 now?

 

@miska, you may have noticed how nuts, i am to this interfaces....really would love to do it all with a ethernet cable. opticial if required.

 

 

I don’t have a fitlet3, but I have a new LattePanda Delta coming soonish. 
 

 

[WenYee]

Here is an other option:

LMS

[WenYee]

[WenYee]