PeppyMeter and moOde

[chossette]

Hi chossette,
I have built a system similar to yours (IQaudIO Pi-DAC+ instead of IQ Audio DAC Amp+) FROM SCRATCH and I did several tests:
1. Using "pi" as default user and following the instruction on GITHUB: everythings OK
2. Using "cho7" as default user and following the instruction on GITHUB: everythings OK
3. Modifing the /etc/alsa/conf.d/_sndaloop.conf with slave.pcm "hw:Loopback,0,0" instead of  slave.pcm "hw:Loopback,0": everythings OK
4. Coping your /etc/alsa/conf.d/_sndaloop.conf with slave.pcm in my configuration: everythings OK.

I have a question: after the installation of alsa, modification of /etc/alsa/conf.d/_sndaloop.conf and reboot, when you try the "peppyalsa-client" and play the music: YOU LISTEN THE MUSIC?
Best regards,
Francesco

Hey Francesco,

A big thank for the time you take !

Yes indeed, sound is working fine in all cases. I have try with spotifiy sound, bluetooth sound and webradio, and even aplay with wav with the same failure
I am going to dump all configuration, wipe and start from scratch again. If it works I will seek for the differences...

On the GitHub documentation, I have done step 1_PeppyAlsa.md, 2_4_moOde720.md then 2_moOde.md. 

I keep you informed !

[fdealexa]

try with another MicroSD so: you don't have to save and wipe. Just in case, later...

[chossette]

try with another MicroSD so: you don't have to save and wipe. Just in case, later...

Backup image, wiped again the sd card, burn the image to the sdcard (I just have this one from now), applying the process... 

and the sample code works... PeppyMeter display black screen on HDMI, but this is another story

Maybe some corruption on the sdcard ? Not clear.. got now to investigate.

Thanks again !

[chossette]

try with another MicroSD so: you don't have to save and wipe. Just in case, later...

Backup image, wiped again the sd card, burn the image to the sdcard (I just have this one from now), applying the process... 

and the sample code works... PeppyMeter display black screen on HDMI, but this is another story

Maybe some corruption on the sdcard ? Not clear.. got now to investigate.

Thanks again !

It may help, I am actually testing with a full HD screen. If you have a black output, this may be linked to the meter.size definition and the screen size.
By setting (in PeppyMeter/config.tx) the screen.width to 1920 and screen.height to 1080, things starts to work.
You can then play with the meter.size to wide, and then set the meter.type to one of those being available in the wide subfolder.

[fdealexa]

Hi chossette,
I am very glad to know that you have solved your issue.
About the hdmi display: do not hesitate to ask if any help is needed.
Best regards,
Francesco

[raspiter]

Hi everybody,
first of all thanks to all people here - expecially to Francesco (fdealexa) - for the efforts and the time spent in developing PeppyMeter, a really awesome vu meter software  for Moode.

I'd like to report my experience and some weird error I've found while using peppymeter.

My system: Raspberry Pi 3+, external DAC Topping E30 II with P50 power supply, touchscreen monitor 7,9 in. 1280x400, Moode ver. 8.6.

I've installed PeppyMeter on a "fresh" Moode 8.6 sdcard. Everything works fine (files, radios ecc) BUT the MPD doesn't play aac/m4a itunes files anymore. The system gives this error: "openMpdSock() failed".

Of course - without peppy - moode is able to play that kind of files. I've tried to study a bit the problem and I've found that the issue only occurs with purchased itunes files and not with any m4a itunes files that i've imported from my cd roms into itunes. And if I convert m4a/aac itunes files into m4a files moode is able to play them with no errors. I've found a sort of solution but it is a bit messy... 

Any ideas or help?


Thanks again
rp

[Nutul]

(...) And if I convert m4a/aac itunes files into m4a files moode is able to play them with no errors. I've found a sort of solution but it is a bit messy...

Until Francesco tells us what to do in the proper way to have those files play transparently, this is what I'd do:

(my solution is most probably very similar to the one you have come up with, it's just not messy...)

ffmpeg -i <your aac/ m4a iTunes broken track> fixed.aac / fixed.m4a

alternatively, for m4a files (which usually contain ALAC encoded files, therefore lossless) I convert them into flac:

ffmpeg -i filename.m4a filename.flac

(of course I do not do this for the .aac, as it is not fair to have lossy music inside a typical lossless container such as FLAC is.

You can do this from the command line, and also process a bunch of files at once, let me know if you need.

[raspiter]

(...) And if I convert m4a/aac itunes files into m4a files moode is able to play them with no errors. I've found a sort of solution but it is a bit messy...

Until Francesco tells us what to do in the proper way to have those files play transparently, this is what I'd do:

(my solution is most probably very similar to the one you have come up with, it's just not messy...)

ffmpeg -i <your aac/ m4a iTunes broken track> fixed.aac / fixed.m4a

alternatively, for m4a files (which usually contain ALAC encoded files, therefore lossless) I convert them into flac:

ffmpeg -i filename.m4a filename.flac

(of course I do not do this for the .aac, as it is not fair to have lossy music inside a typical lossless container such as FLAC is.

You can do this from the command line, and also process a bunch of files at once, let me know if you need.

Hi Nutul, thanks for your reply and kind assistance. 
Yes, your is a more efficient solution, but I'd prefer not to convert/duplicate files. 
Above all, I'm curious to understand what's happened to MPD and if there's a "software-side way" to fix the issue.

Thanks again!!!

[raspiter]

(...) And if I convert m4a/aac itunes files into m4a files moode is able to play them with no errors. I've found a sort of solution but it is a bit messy...

Until Francesco tells us what to do in the proper way to have those files play transparently, this is what I'd do:

(my solution is most probably very similar to the one you have come up with, it's just not messy...)

ffmpeg -i <your aac/ m4a iTunes broken track> fixed.aac / fixed.m4a

alternatively, for m4a files (which usually contain ALAC encoded files, therefore lossless) I convert them into flac:

ffmpeg -i filename.m4a filename.flac

(of course I do not do this for the .aac, as it is not fair to have lossy music inside a typical lossless container such as FLAC is.

You can do this from the command line, and also process a bunch of files at once, let me know if you need.

Hi Nutul, thanks for your reply and kind assistance. 
Yes, your is a more efficient solution, but I'd prefer not to convert/duplicate files. 
Above all, I'm curious to understand what's happened to MPD and if there's a "software-side way" to fix the issue.

Thanks again!!!

[Nutul]

Yes, your is a more efficient solution, but I'd prefer not to convert/duplicate files.

This is not actually converting; it's more fixing-to-standard. It's not even duplicating, if you remove the original files after conversion (I guess you refer to m4a => flac, which I actually do). No loss in conversion, although m4a files are generally slightly smaller than the equivalent flac.

Above all, I'm curious to understand what's happened to MPD and if there's a "software-side way" to fix the issue.

This IS a software way... nevertheless, if MPD complains only when PeppyMeters are involved, we may understand from @fdealexa how the stream is read, manipulated (as it clearly appears to be something MPD is complaining...) and output back to MPD.
I think that it may be either of:

1. something peppymeters don't do properly (hence corrupting the stream)
2. something weird in the stream itself, and peppymeters discarding some (for it) unnecessary information without fixing data elsewhere (if required) and rendering the stream valid, but not in its entirety (and MPD being very picky at formats...)

See what Francesco has to say, as I may be completely on the wrong path with my assumptions.