[PROBLEM] No Output from Sound Card

[thomaschan]

I have successfully installed Moode in Pi4. I have a I2S connecting hat for optical and coaxial output to external DAC.  I have selected HiFiBerry Digi as recommended by the hat vendor. When it starts playback FLAC file on USB, there is an MPD error message saying "Failed to open "ALSA Default" (alsa); Failed to open ALSA device "_audioout". No such file or directory."

Afterwards, I have tried both HiFiBerry DAC and RPI-DAC. Playback FLAC file on USB works fine. However there is no audio output to external DAC.

This is the sound card I am using.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HIFI-PIFI-Sound...909?_ul=IN

Newcomer to Pi and Moode. Any help is highly appreciated!

[DRONE7]

The link you provided lists the card as a PiFi + (Plus) and as it is derived/copied from the genuine HiFiBerry Digi+ (Plus) I would expect that the driver/overlay required is the HiFiBerry Digi Plus + and not the lower version HiFiBerry Digi.
Look again at the Moode settings and try the Digi Plus.

Note too the vendor lists this as compatible with Pi 3 and 2. No mention of Pi 4.

[thomaschan]

The link you provided lists the card as a PiFi + (Plus) and as it is derived/copied from the genuine HiFiBerry Digi+ (Plus) I would expect that the driver/overlay required is the HiFiBerry Digi Plus + and not the lower version HiFiBerry Digi.
Look again at the Moode settings and try the Digi Plus.

Note too the vendor lists this as compatible with Pi 3 and 2. No mention of Pi 4.

I have checked with my supplier and they say this card supports Pi4, or maybe they don't know. Still trying to figure out why there is no sound.

[Nutul]

The link you provided lists the card as a PiFi + (Plus) and as it is derived/copied from the genuine HiFiBerry Digi+ (Plus) I would expect that the driver/overlay required is the HiFiBerry Digi Plus + and not the lower version HiFiBerry Digi.
Look again at the Moode settings and try the Digi Plus.

Note too the vendor lists this as compatible with Pi 3 and 2. No mention of Pi 4.

I have checked with my supplier and they say this card supports Pi4, or maybe they don't know. Still trying to figure out why there is no sound.

Of course till you're not sure 100% trying is good, but...
a) no mention by the manufacturer about Pi4 compat.
b) vendor possibly "doesn't know"
c) discrepancy in the driver's name Digi vs Digi+
d) still no sound from the card

[Tim Curtis]

Reboot and then post the contents of the startup log.

The log can be viewed via the SSH command moodeutl -l or downloaded via the Logs section in System Config, or via Menu, System info from the any of the Config screens. The startup log will be at the end of System info output.

[Magic66]

I used this same Pifi Digi + previous on a PI3 with Moode and i had selected "Hifi digi +" This works perfect.

Kind regards
Erik

[thomaschan]

I took out the hat and use the local USB as output, connect it to external DAC (AK4499EX) and it worked. Sound quality is actually pretty good. Now I plan to work out the connection via I2S to external DAC which theoretically should give me better sound quality.

Question: Will hat with SPDIF output be better than no hat just local I2S?

[Tim Curtis]

What do you mean by "no hat just local I2S"?

[thomaschan]

What do you mean by "no hat just local I2S"?

I mean just the basic Pi 4 board, no add on cards. Connect the corresponding pins on the GPIO to external DAC.

[Tim Curtis]

You might want to post a picture that shows your Pi to DAC connection.

Btw, I2S is designed for very short on-PCB connections not wires from one board to another.