Dead silent dedicated Linux music server for USB DAC's.

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #360 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:02 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 11 Mar 2011, 06:39 pm

D-Link DIR-655 here. The web interface says static IP always on, but yet it uses a DHCP server. Anyway, it seems my desktop pc (Vista, with shared drive on it) always has the same IP address 192.168.0.197. Alix box has been assembled and CF card could be here today.

Tom, I shipped you your extra case (the one with the CF card cutout) USPS today, will arrive Monday.

Edit: Putty installed, thanks.

Your router does support IP reservation based on MAC address. Page 31 of your manual tells you how to do it:

"If you want a computer or device to always have the same IP address assigned, you can create a DHCP reservation.
The router will assign the IP address only to that computer or device..."

When you log into the Alix with Putty, as root you can find the MAC address of the board by issuing the ifconfig command at the bash prompt. You'll see something like this for the first ethernet device:

thinkpad:/home/nick# ifconfig
eth0 Link encap:Ethernet HWaddr 00:1f:16:1e:f4:6e
UP BROADCAST MULTICAST MTU:1500 Metric:1
RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:0 (0.0 B) TX bytes:0 (0.0 B)
Interrupt:20 Memory:f2600000-f2620000

Your MAC address will be that series of letters and numbers seperated by colons after the word HWaddr

Remember, we are using the one closest to the power jack, i.e., make sure you CAT cable is plugged into the ethernet jack closest to the power jack.

Nick

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #361 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:13 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 11 Mar 2011, 08:59 pm

That's it!

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/airportextreme_802.11n_userguide.pdf

I did find the setup guide; but it's just that. I could not find a more detailed manual on Apple's site.

I did find these links:

http://support.herefilefile.com/entries/158807-add-a-dhcp-reservation-to-your-airport-extreme

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2723383

So, yes, it can be done.

ted_b · « **Reply #362 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:15 pm »

Nick,
Thanks. I reserved the IP address for my "main" pc, and I think you are saying I should do the same once the Alix shows up in my router settings?

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #363 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:18 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 11 Mar 2011, 09:15 pm

Nick,
Thanks. I reserved the IP address for my "main" pc, and I think you are saying I should do the same once the Alix shows up in my router settings?

Yes. This way there's no guessing game between reboots and power downs. I don't leave my Alix running continuously.

ted_b · « **Reply #364 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:36 pm »

This one (was being used by "main", which sits 2 ft away, and moved it to make available)?

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #365 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:43 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 11 Mar 2011, 09:36 pm

This one (was being used by "main", which sits 2 ft away, and moved it to make available)?

No, on the Alix. If you're using the Alix 3d2 you only have one ethernet port, but if you're using the Alix 2d2 you have 2 ethernet port. Use the one closest to the power jack.

Doesn't matter on your router.

ted_b · « **Reply #366 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:45 pm »

Ahhhh.

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #367 on:** 11 Mar 2011, 09:49 pm »

Quote from: ted_b on 11 Mar 2011, 09:45 pm

Ahhhh. :oops: :lol:

No worries. Really. :)

jkelly · « **Reply #368 on:** 12 Mar 2011, 05:02 pm »

I am stuck in pause with a "problem opening audio device" error.

FIXED hw:1,0 instead of hw:0,0

Jeff

jmanalo · « **Reply #369 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 03:42 am »

Hi,

This looks like an interesting project but I'm totally no knowledge about this Linux thing. Before I get hook on this, can someone explain to me why this is better than just to buy like M2tech or EVO, which I think will give me similar functions.
Thanks,

Joe

ted_b · « **Reply #370 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 03:52 am »

Quote from: jmanalo on 13 Mar 2011, 03:42 am

Hi,

This looks like an interesting project but I'm totally no knowledge about this Linux thing. Before I get hook on this, can someone explain to me why this is better than just to buy like M2tech or EVO, which I think will give me similar functions.
Thanks,

Joe

Hi. First off, EVO is made by M2Tech, so there is no "or" there. M2tech makes HiFace and EVO (and a couple DACs, like the Young that I have). The Hiface and EVO are simply USB to S/PDIF converters. You need to get USB music from SOMEWHERE....well, I'll oversimplify and make too generalized statements

...but, your typical options are 3:
A) Multi-processing jack of all trades computers like
* Windows PC, with lots of other processing, confusing interfaces (ASIO, Kernel Streaming, etc) and usually quite a bit of noise produced by larger than needed computing power
* MAC Mini or Macbook products, with once again larger than needed complexity and compute power for just music, wrought with cost, noise and various player options
or..
B) a dedicated simplified Linux box that does nothing, nothing except music serving. The theory is less is more, less power, less noise, less processing complexity, dedicated cpu doing one thing well. That's what this thread is about.

Once you have USB music then you have two choices:
* USB DAC that can handle the USB directly (Linux uses Class 2 USB)
* more common SPDIF DAC that then requires a USB-to-S/PDIF converter (like the Hiface or EVO).

rklein · « **Reply #371 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 03:50 pm »

Just a couple of questions after reading through most of this thread and the website that contains the detailed instruction on the same topic...

Does the desktop computer which will have the Debian and Voyage Linux downloaded on it need to also have the music library on it as well? Here is the quote from the website with the instructions on how to do all of this...

Quote

We need a PC with Linux running on it which will act as terminal for configuring the Alix board and which will also host the music library which will be served by the Alix board to the Amp via the USB DAC

I am assuming that I can point this PC just like I am currently doing, which is to an external hard drive housed in another room which is where my music library is housed.

Thanks,

Randy

TomS · « **Reply #372 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 04:39 pm »

Quote from: rklein on 13 Mar 2011, 03:50 pm

Just a couple of questions after reading through most of this thread and the website that contains the detailed instruction on the same topic...

Does the desktop computer which will have the Debian and Voyage Linux downloaded on it need to also have the music library on it as well? Here is the quote from the website with the instructions on how to do all of this...

I am assuming that I can point this PC just like I am currently doing, which is to an external hard drive housed in another room which is where my music library is housed.

Thanks,

Randy

Randy,

The Debian box is only needed to build the first Voyage Linux image on the CF card that will be plugged into the Alix. The Alix can then point to the network share of choice for music - Linux, Windows, OSX, NAS/Linux etc.

Tom

rklein · « **Reply #373 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 04:55 pm »

Thanks Tom.

Would it be more economical to pay someone to burn a CF as I do not have a card reader. Or just go out and buy a cheap CF reader. (forgive my ignorance in the area...

)

Thanks,

Randy

JDUBS · « **Reply #374 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 07:24 pm »

I would probably just buy a CF card reader. They're pretty cheap on Newegg or similar.

Also, just to be clear to folks, you don't need a Linux "box" per se to do the install. I don't have a dedicated Linux workstation but was successful doing the Voyage install on a CF card via a Debian install on my Windows 7 machine with VirtutalBox on it:

http://www.virtualbox.org/

One trick...make sure to disable the CF card reader in Windows so that it will work in Debian. I didn't realize this at the outset and thought my reader wasn't working correctly or not compatible with Debian.

-Jim

rklein · « **Reply #375 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 07:30 pm »

Thanks Jim. I called my 23 year old son and he has a card reader.

The Virtualbox website looks very interesting. Thanks for the info

Regards,

Randy

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #376 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 08:44 pm »

Quote from: rklein on 13 Mar 2011, 07:30 pm

Thanks Jim. I called my 23 year old son and he has a card reader.

The Virtualbox website looks very interesting. Thanks for the info

You could also do the install using the Voyage MPD live CD. A bit trickier as there is no GUI, but not too difficult.

Burn the ISO; boot into the Live CD on any x86 PC; follow the install script; might have to change virtual terminals once to do a dmesg and see where the CF card is, e.g., /dev/src; switch terminals and finish install script.

nyc_paramedic · « **Reply #377 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 09:52 pm »

Quote from: jkelly on 12 Mar 2011, 05:02 pm

I am stuck in pause with a "problem opening audio device" error.

FIXED hw:1,0 instead of hw:0,0

I just saw your earlier post and was about to respond, but you fixed your problem.

I should also mention this: If you experiment with different MPD clients you should make sure the audio output device is selected. Example, this first time someone loads up GMPC you have to mark the check box under the Server drop down menu and pick the device specified in mpd.conf. Mine is labeled Ayre QB-9. Or you might get the same error message. You only have to di this once.

jkelly · « **Reply #378 on:** 13 Mar 2011, 10:40 pm »

I am up and running and don't feel like I am missing anything from my 2010 Mac Mini.
The Tranquility DAC is awesome on this setup as well.
I have an old pc around and I will give FreeNAS a try before I purchase a NAS.

Thanks - fun project - it helped that I had some experience with linux.

Jeff

jkelly · « **Reply #379 on:** 14 Mar 2011, 01:28 am »

One thing I noticed is on my setup - if I keep everything on,
when I come back after a few hours, I am not able to talk to
the ALIX from the IPAD. I don't know if it the IPAD, ALIX or
file server is down. However, if I reboot the ALIX it all comes back.

Do you experience that?
Are there any power settings or sleep I can adjust on the ALIX?