[split] moOde 8.3.0 and CamillaDSP Volume

[jonners]

Since this problem occurs in both of my systems I'm wondering if I have a wrong setting somewhere. Do I have to do anything apart from enable Camilla Loudness in the audio settings?

[ycdtosa]

Hi Tim,
I just tested the Camilla loudness, and there is indeed an issue with the volume when you Pause/Play or change from one station to another. More than a different curve.

With the pipeline editor opened, I noticed that the volume always goes to 0dB after a pause/play; you see the slider moving to the 100% (0dB) right after you click Play.
The information in the camilladsp_volume_state file was not 0dB.
I did notice that the value in the camilladsp_volume_state file is not always up to date (for example you start at volume 2 (-34), then go to volume 4 (-28), then pause, the value in the file is still -34).

Interesting that both @jonners and I use the Allo USBridge Sig.

Thanks!

[jonners]

I use the Allo USBridge Sig. in one system only. I have the same issue in my other system, which uses a RPi3b and Topping E30 USB DAC.

[Tim Curtis]

Hi Tim,
I just tested the Camilla loudness, and there is indeed an issue with the volume when you Pause/Play or change from one station to another. More than a different curve.

With the pipeline editor opened, I noticed that the volume always goes to 0dB after a pause/play; you see the slider moving to the 100% (0dB) right after you click Play.
The information in the camilladsp_volume_state file was not 0dB.
I did notice that the value in the camilladsp_volume_state file is not always up to date (for example you start at volume 2 (-34), then go to volume 4 (-28), then pause, the value in the file is still -34).

Interesting that both @jonners and I use the Allo USBridge Sig.

Thanks!

I'm not able to repro on my Allo SIG with Revolution USB DAC and Camilla set to Loudness. All other CamillaDSP settings are default.

1. What I see when resuming play is that the Camilla slider starts at 0 (-99dB) and then is set to the dB level in the volume state file. 
2. The volume state file is only updated when play is stopped since it's only needed for restoring the volume after play is resumed.

Here's a command to watch the volume state file as it's updated.

Code:

watch "cat /var/lib/cdsp/camilladsp_volume_state"

The file should have the following ownership and permissions.

Code:

pi@sig:~ $ ls -l /var/lib/cdsp/camilladsp_volume_state
-rw-r--r-- 1 mpd root 7 Mar 18 07:33 /var/lib/cdsp/camilladsp_volume_state

The volume proxy daemon status can be viewed with the following command. It should be active when Camilla is set to a config that has a volume filter for example Loudness, Volume Control or Polarity Inversion with VC.

Code:

systemctl status mpd2cdspvolume

Let's see if we can isolate the issue to one of the steps below.

1. Set CamillaDSP to Loudness config
2. Reboot

3. Open the CamillaDSP Pipeline editor in a separate window
4. Check status of the volume proxy using the systemctl status command and verify it's active (running) and there are no errors. Crtl-c to exit
5. Monitor the volume state file with the watch command.

6. Set MPD volume to 0. The volume state file should show -51dB.
7. Play something
8. Set MPD volume to 1. The volume state file should still show -51dB.
9. Stop playback
0. The volume state file should show -40dB.
A. Set MPD volume to 2 and then back to 1. The volume state file should show -34dB and then back to -40dB.
B. With playback stopped verify that the volume proxy is still active (running) and there are no errors reported.

C. Resume playback and monitor the Camilla volume slider and dB value.
C1. Initially the slider should be at 0 position and dB should show -99dB
C2. The slider should then be > 0 position and dB should be -40dB corresponding to whats in the volume state file.
-Tim

[ycdtosa]

Thanks for the instructions, here we go:

Code:

Last login: Sat Mar 18 14:37:05 2023 from 192.168.2.189
pi@moode:~ $ ls -l  /var/lib/cdsp/camilladsp_volume_state
-rw-r--r-- 1 mpd root 21 Mar 18 14:50 /var/lib/cdsp/camilladsp_volume_state

steps 1 through 6: all OK.
step 7: ok, but the pipeline is at 100% and 0dB, music audible.
8: ok
9: ok
0: state file shows -51 in stead of -40.
A: ok
B: ok
C1: ok
C2: slider goes to 100%, 0dB. Volume state file is -40.

It looks like the saved Volume state is not applied for some reason.

Apart from this I noticed that when I switch CamillaDSP off via the menu dropdown, the system's Audio Output setting goes to "Hardware", it would be nice if it would remember the old value (which was "Software").

[Tim Curtis]

Thanks for the instructions, here we go:

Code:

Last login: Sat Mar 18 14:37:05 2023 from 192.168.2.189
pi@moode:~ $ ls -l  /var/lib/cdsp/camilladsp_volume_state
-rw-r--r-- 1 mpd root 21 Mar 18 14:50 /var/lib/cdsp/camilladsp_volume_state

steps 1 through 6: all OK.
step 7: ok, but the pipeline is at 100% and 0dB, music audible.
8: ok
9: ok
0: state file shows -51 in stead of -40.
A: ok
B: ok
C1: ok
C2: slider goes to 100%, 0dB. Volume state file is -40.

It looks like the saved Volume state is not applied for some reason.

Apart from this I noticed that when I switch CamillaDSP off via the menu dropdown, the system's Audio Output setting goes to "Hardware", it would be nice if it would remember the old value (which was "Software").

Very odd.

When the discrepancies occur what does the status of the volume proxy show?

Code:

systemctl status mpd2cdspvolume

[ycdtosa]

The status was the same at steps 4 and B (except for the time values):

Code:

pi@moode:~ $ systemctl status mpd2cdspvolume
● mpd2cdspvolume.service - Synchronize MPD volume to CamillaDSP
     Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/mpd2cdspvolume.service; disabled; vendor preset:>
     Active: active (running) since Sat 2023-03-18 14:50:30 CET; 16min ago
   Main PID: 1104 (python)
      Tasks: 1 (limit: 1010)
        CPU: 13min 22.761s
     CGroup: /system.slice/mpd2cdspvolume.service
             └─1104 python /usr/local/bin/mpd2cdspvolume --pid_file /var/run/mpd2cdspvol/>

Mar 18 14:50:30 moode systemd[1]: Started Synchronize MPD volume to CamillaDSP.

pi@moode:~ $ 

[jonners]

Progress. I created a fresh 8.3 image with the RPi Imager and now the Camilla volume works as it should. Previously I was using an updated system.

[Tim Curtis]

Progress. I created a fresh 8.3 image with the RPi Imager and now the Camilla volume works as it should. Previously I was using an updated system.

Thats good info. 

Did you update from an 825 release or were there multiple accumulated updates?

[jonners]

Yes, from an 825 release.