PeppySpectrum with MoOde

[franktw956]

Hi,

I'd like to share my learning, and looking for help.

0. System
  MoOde 8.2.2
  Rpi 4
  IQAudio DAC PRO
  1920*550 LCD panel

1. MoOde Configuration Settings
  Audio --> ALSA Options --> Output mode --> Default (plughw)
  Audio --> ALSA Options --> Loopback --> ON

2. Edit _sndaloop.conf
   sudo nano /etc/alsa/conf.d/_sndaloop.conf

pcm.!_audioout {
type plug
slave.pcm {
type multi
slaves {
a { channels 2 pcm "plughw:0,0" }
b { channels 2 pcm "alsa_peppy" }
}
bindings {
0 { slave a channel 0 }
1 { slave a channel 1 }
2 { slave b channel 0 }
3 { slave b channel 1 }
}
}
ttable [
[ 1 0 1 0 ]   # left  -> a.left,  b.left
[ 0 1 0 1 ]   # right -> a.right, b.right
]
}

pcm.alsa_peppy {
        type meter
        slave.pcm "hw:Loopback,1,0"
        scopes.0 peppyalsa
}

pcm_scope.peppyalsa {
        type peppyalsa
        decay_ms 400
        meter "/var/tmp/myfifo"
        meter_max 100
        meter_show 0
        spectrum "/var/tmp/myfifosa"
        spectrum_max 100
        spectrum_size 30
}

pcm_scope_type.peppyalsa {
        lib /usr/local/lib/libpeppyalsa.so
}

3. Install peppyalsa
  https://github.com/project-owner/peppyal...stallation

4. Please reboot system

5. Get PeppySpectrum
  git clone https://github.com/project-owner/PeppySpectrum.git

6. Configure PeppySpectrum
  sudo nano /home/pi/PeppySpectrum/config.txt

[current]
spectrum =
screen.size = large
screen.width = 800
screen.height = 480
update.period = 10
max.value = 100
pipe.name = /var/tmp/myfifosa
size = 30
update.ui.interval = 0.033
frame.rate = 30
depth = 32
exit.on.touch = True
stop.display.on.touch = False

use.logging = False
use.test.data =

[sdl.env]
framebuffer.device = /dev/fb1
mouse.device = /dev/input/touchscreen
mouse.driver = TSLIB
mouse.enabled = True
video.driver = dummy
video.display = :0
double.buffer = True
no.frame = True

7. Run PeppySpectrum
  cd /home/pi/PeppySpectrum && export DISPLAY=:0 && python3 spectrum.py

8. Demo video clip
 https://youtu.be/2xXw7OspsEw

9. help needed
  i. currently I'm using the mpc status to start/stop PeppySpectrum, this is ok for Radio / File / UPNP, but not working for BlueTooth / Spotify / Airplay, may I know how to detect BlueTooth / Spotify / Airplay is activating ?

  ii. I've tried to use a transparent picture (png format) for the PeppySpectrum's background, but it is still black overlay the original MoOde display items, so now I set Pure Black as the Preferences without Cover backdrop, then the screen looks a bit clean, but I love Cover backdrop and hope the PeppySpectrum's background picture can be really transparency, so that screen will be wonderful, may I know is it possible ? and how ?

Thank you.

[Tim Curtis]

Open System config and turn on the Metadata file then use the commands below to see whats active and whether it's playing. The Metadata file gets updated within 3 seconds of any changes in playback state.

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ grep "file"  /var/local/www/currentsong.txt | cut -d "=" -f 2
Airplay Active

pi@moode:~ $ grep "outrate"  /var/local/www/currentsong.txt | cut -d "=" -f 2
16 bit, 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 1.411 Mbps

What viewport size does that screen report?

Use the command below to display the viewport size in a popup notification when Menu, Refresh.

Code:

# Display viewport size in popup notification
moodeutl -q "update cfg_system set value='viewport' where param='pkgid_suffix'"

# Turn off the viewport popup
moodeutl -q "update cfg_system set value='' where param='pkgid_suffix'"

[franktw956]

Open System config and turn on the Metadata file then use the commands below to see whats active and whether it's playing. The Metadata file gets updated within 3 seconds of any changes in playback state.

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ grep "file"  /var/local/www/currentsong.txt | cut -d "=" -f 2
Airplay Active

pi@moode:~ $ grep "outrate"  /var/local/www/currentsong.txt | cut -d "=" -f 2
16 bit, 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 1.411 Mbps

What viewport size does that screen report?

Use the command below to display the viewport size in a popup notification when Menu, Refresh.

Code:

# Display viewport size in popup notification
moodeutl -q "update cfg_system set value='viewport' where param='pkgid_suffix'"

# Turn off the viewport popup
moodeutl -q "update cfg_system set value='' where param='pkgid_suffix'"

Thank you, Tim,

I will try out the grep later.

The viewport size is 1919x549, so I made some changes in moode.css

/* Ultrawide 1920 x 550 panel (viewport 1919x549) */
@media (min-height:549px) and (width:1919px) {
   img.coverart {width:78vh;}
  .playqueue .pll1 {font-size:2rem;}
  .playqueue .pll2 {font-size:1.5rem;margin-left:calc(3em + 1vmin)!important}
  #volcontrol, #countdown {height:8vw;width:8vw;padding-bottom:1px;}
}

[Tim Curtis]

Ok, the CSS mods explain why the UI isn't so heavily clipped but it's still not ideal. There are prolly a few things that can be done to address that.

There is one more release planned for the end of the year and its mainly focussed on fixing any bugs that are reported and can be reproduced, and a refactoring the CSS and Config screen HTML.

As long as I'm going to be into the CSS I can include your media query for that screen. If you have other changes let me know because it appears that these Ultrawide's are pretty popular.

[Nutul]

(...)  .playqueue .pll2 {font-size:1.5rem;margin-left:calc(3em + 1vmin)!important}

<rant>
Maybe I am old-school, but if there that one thing I do hate, it's the "!important" CSS thing.
</rant>

Cheers, Al.

[Tim Curtis]

(...)  .playqueue .pll2 {font-size:1.5rem;margin-left:calc(3em + 1vmin)!important}

<rant>
Maybe I am old-school, but if there that one thing I do hate, it's the "!important" CSS thing.
</rant>

Cheers, Al.

It's a necessary evil in the current CSS. I'm refactoring it so it will be easier to maintain but I'm not making any attempt to rewrite it.

[Tim Curtis]

Playback view on these Ultrawide's could look something like below to avoid clipping and out of proportion controls. The popup volume control is used instead of the knob. Long song titles as are common in Classical would prolly need to be ellipsis limited instead of wrapping otherwise the metadata under the cover clips at the bottom.

Playback view
   

CoverView + Playbar
   

[franktw956]

Playback view on these Ultrawide's could look something like below to avoid clipping and out of proportion controls. The popup volume control is used instead of the knob. Long song titles as are common in Classical would prolly need to be ellipsis limited instead of wrapping otherwise the metadata under the cover clips at the bottom.

Playback view


CoverView + Playbar

Your new layout is better, I just follow it, but I don't know how/where to modify the bottom manu to add popup volume control.
Looking forward for your new layout release, thanks !

[franktw956]

Tim CurtisOpen System config and turn on the Metadata file then use the commands below to see whats active and whether it's playing. The Metadata file gets updated within 3 seconds of any changes in playback state.

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ grep "file"  /var/local/www/currentsong.txt | cut -d "=" -f 2
Airplay Active

pi@moode:~ $ grep "outrate"  /var/local/www/currentsong.txt | cut -d "=" -f 2
16 bit, 44.1 kHz, Stereo, 1.411 Mbps

Thank you, Tim, the grep command helps.

I got it working, different triggers ~
~ Radio / File / UPNP --> PeppySpectrum
~ Spotify / Airplay --> PeppyMeter

https://youtu.be/eM6GONoWZFc

Not working (but fine with me) ~
~ Bluetooth

Hopefully the albumart can be shown with PeppyMeter in the future.


Thanks again !

[Tim Curtis]

For a Bluetooth connection the currentsong file won't be updated until bluez-alsa starts playing something. I suppose I should look at also updating the file initially when Bluetooth connects.

Another way to tell if one of the renderers is active is to query the active flags.

rbactive
aplactive
btactive
slactive
spotactive
inpactive
rxactive

# Dump the session var
sudo moodeutl -d | grep btactive | cut -d "|" -f 2

# Query the table
moodeutl -q "select value from cfg_system where param='btactive'"