Hmm WTF is going on

[suzywong]

Pi3B+, official 7" touch screen, IQAudio Pi-DAC Pro
Moode 9.1.3

So having failed to get 9.1.4 to work with this setup, I reverted to 9.1.3.

Happily playing this evening, until:

FAiled to open "ALSA Default" (alsa);
Failed to open ALSA Device
"_audioout": Invalid argument

restarted. played a track. Moode shows it playing but no sound.

/Configure/Audio    shows Output device - IQAudio Pi-DAC Pro etc. 

Did a power cycle & reboot. same result.

So is this issue related to hardware or software? 

Thoughts? Where should I be looking?

EDIT: second power cycle & reboot. All fine now. “Curiouser and curiouser”, said Alice.

EDIT2: selected new track……no sound.

What is going on? 


PS….it’s difficult to type on an iPad balanced on your lap when a cat is crawling up your shoulder, wanting a cuddle. Just saying.

[Tim Curtis]

The symptom "it works then after a while it doesn't" suggests something external to the software for example a power supply issue, bad connections, etc.

1. If you have electrical contact cleaner unplug the pieces, spray on the connectors and then reattach everything.
2. Swap in a different power supply if you have one

lol, when my one cat was a kitten he liked to try climbing up my Collie's front leg :-0

[suzywong]

The symptom "it works then after a while it doesn't" suggests something external to the software for example a power supply issue, bad connections, etc.

1. If you have electrical contact cleaner unplug the pieces, spray on the connectors and then reattach everything.
2. Swap in a different power supply if you have one

lol, when my one cat was a kitten he liked to try climbing up my Collie's front leg :-0

Yeah, I was thinking more hardware than software, as well. Curious though, that the “fault” only happens when I “clear and add” a new track. Higher processor load perhaps? Which might then point the finger at the PSU.

Let the “parts swapping” commence…….

[suzywong]

So I’ve taken the Pi apart and reseated the HAT. Also, changed the PSU.

Playing nicely now.

We’ll see what happens…….

Oh dear, fourth “clear/play” and the ALSA error is back……..

Think I’ll go back to 9.0.4, which from my own notes, and another thread on here ** may give some insight….

** and for which I am responsible….sorry!

Interestingly, a “clear/play” failed this evening, but without touching the hardware or a reboot, I found that a sequence of “remove all”, “add” and “play” worked fine. I wonder whether I have a corrupted install.

OTOH, the latest “clear/play” is fine. Happy daze!

Well the Christmas decorations are up, so I have to find something to keep me amused in my retirement….

[Tim Curtis]

The symptom "it works then after a while it doesn't" suggests something external to the software for example a power supply issue, bad connections, etc.

1. If you have electrical contact cleaner unplug the pieces, spray on the connectors and then reattach everything.
2. Swap in a different power supply if you have one

lol, when my one cat was a kitten he liked to try climbing up my Collie's front leg :-0

Yeah, I was thinking more hardware than software, as well. Curious though, that the “fault” only happens when I “clear and add” a new track. Higher processor load perhaps? Which might then point the finger at the PSU.

Let the “parts swapping” commence…….

You mean "Clear queue" then "Add" a track?
There is no Clear/Add option anymore. It was removed long ago.

In any case someone will need to repro your issue in order to troubleshoot it otherwise its just a "wild goose chase".

[suzywong]

Ah, sorry. I meant “clear/play”, as corrected in the subsequent post.

[suzywong]

Further fiddling around.

Different 3B+
Different IQAudio DAC Pro
Different PSU (actually two now, with the second powering the screen)
Screen remains the official 7” touch screen, which IIUI is now referred to as “Pi Touch 1”.
In place update up to 9.1.5. Seems all good and no artifacts on the screen.

But I’m still getting the ALSA issue as reported in the first post. This time is was after having paused the player, and then attempting to continue from where I left off.

Any thoughts on where to look next?

Edit: I've just compared the config settings on my three streamers, and made them as identical as I can (obviously some things will be unique - network address, colour scheme, and one of them has a screen attached!).

It's running OK at the moment, so I'll see how that goes, otherwise i'll try a fresh install of 9.1.5 - but that's tomorrows job!

[suzywong]

So all of a sudden everything started working……and survived an update to 9.2.1.
No ideas why. No changes to the hardware.

So it’s either some sort of AI, or Aliens!

My money is on the aliens.

May the force…etc.

[Tim Curtis]

Use the Force Luke.