mpdPup - Simplified MPD Music Server/Jukebox - v0.9.3

For talk and support relating specifically to Puppy derivatives
Message
Author
boulogne75
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon 17 Dec 2012, 13:34

#461 Post by boulogne75 »

ldolse wrote:Was having issues posting responses yesterday, a couple more:

Regarding the questions on the kernel - the specific kernel is 2.6.39-4, and it has the BFS scheduler patches. I'm not sure whether this scheduler contributes to any sound quality perception discussions, but theoretically it sounds like a better deal for audio than the stock scheduler.

@boulogne75 - NFS support still isn't in the wizards, but the system has always supported NFS to the best of my knowledge. I've recently picked up a Synology NAS which supports NFS, so I may dig back into it.

Thanks for the extra info on ulimits.
I think the performance gain is really marginal on a dedicated music server. This scheduler aims for better task interactivity. More load implies more gain in perfs. I've read some tests and under heavy loads it showed up to be 10% better than the stock scheduler.
Anyway, it shouldn't hurt and I have the same sensation than you.

Tell me if I can help with NFS :lol:

Can you PM me the .config you use to compile the kernel. I would like to take a look.

boulogne75
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon 17 Dec 2012, 13:34

#462 Post by boulogne75 »

Dynobot wrote:
wlowes wrote:
Dynobot wrote:
@Walter

Thank you for the information and test results.


At this point its a fine balancing act.
My pleasure :D
How do my perceived results compare with your own? I am sure is is system specific to some extent.
My perception is when in apply both ulimit -s and -l as unlimited the sound becomes a bit more coherent without any sense of edginess that you mentioned. Before there was just a very slight bit.


FWIW, I also removed some processes that were started in the init.d folder that I do not need in my setup.
15.avahi
37.client175
slmodem
start_cpu_freq
25.lcd
40.mpdscribble

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am going through all the processes one by one and removing everything that is not needed to 1) run puppy linux and 2) run mpd.

Notice process 27 for swap....although this OS does not swap. If the OS does not swap then the process must go. Guessing that the udevd daemon is associated with the hard drive polling. Thats 6 daemons that should be stopped....somehow.

# ps -e
PID TTY TIME CMD
1 ? 00:00:01 busybox
2 ? 00:00:00 kthreadd
3 ? 00:00:00 ksoftirqd/0
6 ? 00:00:00 migration/0
7 ? 00:00:00 migration/1
9 ? 00:00:00 ksoftirqd/1
10 ? 00:00:00 kworker/0:1
11 ? 00:00:00 migration/2
12 ? 00:00:00 kworker/2:0
13 ? 00:00:00 ksoftirqd/2
14 ? 00:00:00 migration/3
15 ? 00:00:00 kworker/3:0
16 ? 00:00:00 ksoftirqd/3
17 ? 00:00:00 cpuset
18 ? 00:00:00 khelper
19 ? 00:00:00 sync_supers <-------
20 ? 00:00:00 bdi-default
21 ? 00:00:00 kblockd
22 ? 00:00:00 ata_sff <------IDE hard drive support
23 ? 00:00:00 khubd
24 ? 00:00:00 kworker/1:1
25 ? 00:00:00 kworker/2:1
27 ? 00:00:00 kswapd0
28 ? 00:00:00 ksmd
29 ? 00:00:00 khugepaged
30 ? 00:00:00 fsnotify_mark
31 ? 00:00:00 xfs_mru_cache
32 ? 00:00:00 xfslogd
33 ? 00:00:00 xfsdatad
34 ? 00:00:00 xfsconvertd
35 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_0 <------Polling for disk drives
36 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_1 <---------polling for disk drives
37 ? 00:00:00 kworker/u:1
38 ? 00:00:00 kworker/u:2
42 ? 00:00:00 kpsmoused
228 ? 00:00:00 scsi_eh_4 <--------polling for disk drives
229 ? 00:00:00 usb-storage
514 ? 00:00:00 loop1
613 ? 00:00:00 loop0
844 ? 00:00:00 udevd
900 ? 00:00:00 kworker/3:2
2994 ? 00:00:00 kworker/1:4
3160 ? 00:00:00 hd-audio0 <--------for internal mb sound card
3463 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon
3464 ? 00:00:00 avahi-daemon

3474 ? 00:00:00 sshd
3501 tty1 00:00:00 sh
3502 tty2 00:00:00 getty
3503 ttyS0 00:00:00 getty
3605 ? 00:00:00 udevd
3750 ? 00:00:00 dhcpcd
3766 ? 00:00:04 cifsd
3777 ? 00:34:25 mpd
3788 ? 00:00:00 lighttpd
3805 ? 00:00:00 udevd
3855 ? 00:00:00 kworker/0:0
3863 ? 00:00:00 flush-8:0
3970 ? 00:00:00 sshd
3975 pts/0 00:00:00 sh
4056 pts/0 00:00:00 ps-FULL
Dynobot,

Did you make any progress? Can you tell me what hardware, configuration and filesystems you use? May be I can help.

Udev is the device manager for the Linux kernel. It create and delete device nodes in /dev when detecting/plugging/unplugging device in the computer amongst other things. It's necessary.

I think scsi_eh_X may be related to a sata controller.

For the kswapd it's the swap kernel daemon and it should be disables at the kernel level (kernel compiled without swap support).

For the others, I need more info. But most of them should go off blacklisting kernel modules if you don't need them.

Dynobot
Posts: 44
Joined: Wed 05 Dec 2012, 12:04

#463 Post by Dynobot »

@boulogne75

Thanks for the offer....

Right now I am just playing around with the software listening for changes. I listen for the most neutral presentation.

My system consists of:

MiniITX boards [Atom D510, D525], I have on hand to compare MacMini w/PureMusic, Windows with various music software [Foobar et.al], Squeezebox Touch and another Linux machine running SqueezeLite

A variety of USB interfaces - I used HiFace, XMOS/Wadia Dac, Musical Fidelity V-Link, Tenor, and VIA-USB32 which is pretty much exclusively used with Audiogd.

Dacs are Wadia121-recently sold, Audiogd Ref7, Audiogd Ref5, Audiogd NFB-1.32, Maverick D2, Valab

CD Transport is Teac CD-1000

Preamp/Headamp are Audiogd Roc, Audiogd NFB-6

Integrated amp is Rogue Cronus Magnum with KT120 tubes

Speakers are Dynaudio BM6kII powered monitors and Dynaudio Audience 80 floorstanding

Balanced power, variety of wire.

wlowes
Posts: 49
Joined: Fri 08 Jun 2012, 02:30
Location: Toronto, Canada

#464 Post by wlowes »

ldolse wrote:Regarding the discussion on ulimit - this is starting to sound like a major research project, I'll see what I can find out though - wouldn't be surprised if the defaults are set at compile time for the kernel. I'm pretty sure I don't want to install PAM or any extra background processes to make limits.conf work.
It is a noble effort. My lack of linux experience shows.. I cannot understand why I can have a startup script that does everything else. But when I put ulimit commands in 20.mpd, rc.local or my own startup script which is involked in init.d these commands do not take effect.

So my music listening start process is now to power up everything, then ssh into mpdpup and cut and paste into the command line

ulimit -l unlimited
ulimit -i unlimited
ulimit -u unlimited
ulimit -s 16384

otherwise the sound is just wrong.

I don't mean that in disrespect. Simply, there must be some way for us to figure out how to enter these commands when mpd starts other than command line. I will keep digging..

boulogne75
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon 17 Dec 2012, 13:34

#465 Post by boulogne75 »

Hi,

I don't have too much time right now, I will be brief.

Dynobot,

Woaa, nice gear you have :P
I was just asking for the hardware running when you executed the ps command.
ata_sff -> I suspect your sata controller is running in ide/pata mode not ahci. You can check the bios to confirm.
scsi_ehX -> It is the SCSI midlayer error handling infrastructure (one by sata channel activated on the controller). If, in the bios, you can disable the unneeded sata ports you should be able to get only one scsi_ehX process.
hd-audio0 -> Depending on the internal soundcard you have try to add "blacklist snd-hda-intel" to /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf (create the file if it doesn't exist).

Dynobot, wlowes,

I still don't understand what you are trying to achieve with the ulimit command. Changing limits for root user? mpd user? mpd process?
The only thing you do executing these commands in a ssh session as root is changing the limits (both hard and soft) for the root user in the shell launched for this session. All the changes are lost as soon as you close the ssh session.

I don't mean that in disrespect. Simply, there must be some way for us to figure out how to enter these commands when mpd starts other than command line. I will keep digging..
If you want to change for the running mpd process:
Open ssh session
prlimit --pid $(pidof mpd) -> check default values
prlimit --rtprio=unlimited --pid $(pidof mpd) --> change rtprio for example
Close ssh session and reopen a new ssh session
prlimit --pid $(pidof mpd) -> recheck changed values

wlowes
Posts: 49
Joined: Fri 08 Jun 2012, 02:30
Location: Toronto, Canada

prlimit

#466 Post by wlowes »

boulogne75

My basic ignorance of linux is showing :) Thanks for this insight. It helps.

So I tested and confirmed what you said. I open ssh, run ulimit. The limit set lasts until the ssh session is closed, then on reopening, back to default. The sound is changed by issuing the ulimit command. I run a whoami and it returns root as expected. mpd is also running as root as I never set up a new user such as audio as many suggest.

prlimit does not exist in mpdpup. I suppose we should install it to set the limits for the mpd process. Another root would be to know where these default limits are set for root / ash / Bash or whatever and change it there??

I will keep reading, so again sorry for being so ill informed.

boulogne75
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon 17 Dec 2012, 13:34

#467 Post by boulogne75 »

The prlimit command is part of the util-linux package.
I think most of the values set by ulimit are hardcoded in the kernel source files (I am not sure).


Ok. Let's try something:

Create (if it exists modify) a file "/root/.bashrc" and paste your ulimit commands.
Reboot your computer and open a ssh session. ulimit -a to check that the root shells are now created with the new ulimit values.

johnz
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun 14 Jul 2013, 05:08

MPDpup can not set in box GMPC

#468 Post by johnz »

Hi,ldolse,

I tried the MPDpup before and it is very good as a music play daemon system, now I want to add a LCD display to display music information directly in my music box, I checked the documentation of install process, found here has two kind of LCD display.
1, Use special LCD
2, Use computer display screen,

For option 1 I think it is complex and only could display some simple information.
for option 2, it could display all GMPC information directly from computer of MPDpup system, Now I can purchase these kind of small display screen in market and cost is not too high, the screen resolution is almost 800*480, and use D sub connector.

So I tried the option of in box control, one is Non X, one is GMPC, One is X system, I tried GMPC, but when I finished the configuration, there is could show the X desktop, but there can not show the GMPC automatic, please help to tell me how to configure it or need install some, thanks!

boulogne75
Posts: 15
Joined: Mon 17 Dec 2012, 13:34

Re: MPDpup can not set in box GMPC

#469 Post by boulogne75 »

johnz wrote: So I tried the option of in box control, one is Non X, one is GMPC, One is X system, I tried GMPC, but when I finished the configuration, there is could show the X desktop, but there can not show the GMPC automatic, please help to tell me how to configure it or need install some, thanks!
Try to create a "/root/.xinitrc" file and add:


#!/bin/sh
/usr/bin/gmpc


After that restart X.

Maybe Idolse can suggest a better solution.

flatout
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri 09 Aug 2013, 09:01

mpdpup and usb pant pant

#470 Post by flatout »

Struggle is its own reward... and I have now a working bit-perfect player.
many thanks to Idolse for the inspiration and perspiration in bringing this pup to fruition..

Due to hardware constraints (= no network clients= no network=no network hardware...therefore no external control/storage options) I am running mpd from the local machine via x-server.
boot is from cd (no usb boot support and plop is not a workable option) save file is from local hard-disk and music-folder is from a usb flash-drive (which I wish to share with my WDTVlive-plus.)

All is good when running via local sound-card, not bit-perfect but fine for a (noisey)work-shop server.

When using indoors to usb DAC the set-up is totally flakey..
MPDpup lists the DAC but will not allow access or configuration....
Finally discovered it is the USB bug where multiple usb devices mean the first used will occlude subsequent devices.

If I power up with both the flash drive and the DAC attached then MPDpup cannot find the dac to configure it.
If I power up with the flash drive attached and configure mpd THEN attach the dac all seems to work ok.

On subsequent reboots if the dac is attached then no amount of reconfiguring via mpdwizard will allow it.

Without network access and given the usb bug the remaining options dwindle and the vision of reusing older hardware is constrained.

Any suggestions as to workarounds would be most appreciated.

Cheers,
Bob.

lazzarone
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri 09 Aug 2013, 17:40

#471 Post by lazzarone »

Hello to all,
I would like to know what is the command you from the terminal to restart MPD?
and wanting to use jack which procedure you have to follow is that possible?

sorry for my english

lazzarone
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri 09 Aug 2013, 17:40

#472 Post by lazzarone »

Hello,
but this release will go ahead?
is not thought to also insert jack and pulse?
I would like to know what is the command you from the terminal to restart MPD?

Thanks a lot,

Italian translated by google;-)

tgmosher
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun 01 Sep 2013, 07:52

mpdPup - Connection Refused

#473 Post by tgmosher »

Getting totally frustrated with this one.

Trying to run mpdpup on an Intel Atom board with a Juli@ card.
- software on an 8 gb usb stick
- music on an external 2tb usb drive

Went through the troubles where the software didn't like having a USB keyboard, stick and usb drive all connected - keyboard wouldn't work three quarters of the time.

Now I get a 'connection refused' error when I try to access MPD. Does that through gnome, ario, and mpdroid. Through the direct connect, get the same error after mpd starts.

Edit:

Did a reboot from the command line. Now it dies during start with a "puppy_mpdpup_0.9.3.sfs not found. Dropping out to initial-ramdisk console".

Should it be this hard to get it to work or should I just shell out the money and get an Auraliti PK that works out of the box?

PET-240
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue 22 May 2012, 17:38

#474 Post by PET-240 »

Earlier in this thread there was info about booting from usb and music on usb. Have a look through this and the previous mpdpup thread which was .92 from memory. If the atom board has an sd card slot try to install pup there, as it runs direct from ram after boot. There are some command line changes to make from memory. I have to go through this as I am looking to add an ssd to my alix board and add files from windows via filezilla.
Have a look about. Am sure Idolse or one of the others with much more knowledge will be about to assist before long.

PET-240
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue 22 May 2012, 17:38

#475 Post by PET-240 »

And I wouldn't go the Auraliti, not because its bad, have never heard or played with one, but because with mpdpup you can adjust settings and "tune" the sound that works in your system.
I use an Alix 2d2 headless and I boot from cf card, use an amanero or wave io usb card. Looking to use an IDE to SATA converter for an attached hdd as mentioned above. Works a treat, wlowes has modded his alix regards powersupply and caps and so on as well, the fun just keeps on and on!

tgmosher
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun 01 Sep 2013, 07:52

Giving Up on a DIY Music Server

#476 Post by tgmosher »

I've given up on trying to figure out what's going wrong with the installs - just bought a used Auraliti PK-100 for a good price off ebay.

Here's the history of what I was trying to do:

V1 - Raspberry Pi with Raspyfi into a Schiit Modi USB DAC - works beautifully with no problems (keeping that - backup system)
V2 - Alix3D2 board using Voyage MPD - sort of works - doesn't see all of the music on my WD Book external drive (sold that puppy off)
V3 - Intel D945GSEJT board with a Juli@ sound card (it's got a DAC) - never could get it to work right with Voyage MPD, MpdPup, or VortexBox (on vortexbox the mb won't automatically book off an Intel 40GB SSD - have to manually select it).

After wasting many hours of my time - I bought the Auraliti PK100 - I already know what they sound like and it's plug-and-play (brother has a PK90 with the SOTM USB board in it).

I'd rather be listening to my music collection than messing with linux for hours on end.

Anyone interested in the following for decent prices?

Intel D945GSEJT board (less than a month old) with 1GB SODIMM and external 12V/5A power supply
ESI Juli@ PCI board
Intel D2700DC board (never really used) with 2GB DDR3 SODIMM
Intel 40 GB SSD

Miscellaneous cases including two Casetronic C137 (bought them with blown DC converter boards).
Mini-Box M350 case (unused)

kocozze
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed 07 Nov 2012, 19:49

spotify support

#477 Post by kocozze »

Hi idolse,
I don't know if this question is already discussion in other topics...
what mean "spotify support"? Can I use spotify with mpd? How?
Thanks for reply :D

ldolse
Posts: 367
Joined: Fri 23 Oct 2009, 16:33

#478 Post by ldolse »

Hi Kocozze - MPD's spotify support only works with Spotify premium, and at the moment support is rather unintuitive. Basically you can pass spotify playlist URLs to MPD using MPC or any other client which supports the custom URL format. Read more here:

http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.audi ... devel/1928

lazzarone
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri 09 Aug 2013, 17:40

#479 Post by lazzarone »

Hi,

I have a question:
sox but only works with File 44100/24
with file 96000/24 ​​and sox to 192000 no sound

thx

kocozze
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed 07 Nov 2012, 19:49

Equalizer

#480 Post by kocozze »

Hi idolse,
Can you explain something about the equalizer option in mpdpup? I tried in foobar and xp a vst plugin for a parametric equalization and it works very fine. How can i activate the equalizer option in mpdpup? Is this parametric? Thanks

Post Reply