Objectives:
Hardware:
5x USB sound-card with amp
1x 8 Port Patch-panel
*x Speakers Dynavox TG-1000B 50W
[intent]http://www.amazon.de/Dynavox-TG-1000...dp/B002KX8RWI/[/intent]
*x Patch-cords
Used software:
Linux as OS; here I used my already runnning "mythbuntu" (Ubuntu server with Mythtv packages, no UI)
ALSA-Config to get the USB-cards up and running, no soundserver like Pulseaudio!
A Squeezeslave instance for every room (own init-script)
Of course the squeezebox server
UDEV config:
Because there are multiple amps, they must be uniquely identified.
The modeles used here don't have any serial-numer at which they can be separeted.
So I used the USB-Attr "devpath" wich is reladed to the physical ports an the USB-Hub.
To set a name to every amp, use the "ATTR{id}" field.
If anything on the USB-installation changes, just this configuration must be modified.
/etc/udev/rules.d/90-persistent-usbauio.rules
ALSA config:
Use the names set by UDEV for the PCM-DMIX destination.
The docs of ALSA was a good help wor that; http://alsa.opensrc.org/Udev#Identif..._audio_devices
You can check them with "cat /proc/asound/cards"
/etc/asound.conf
Squeezeslave config:
/etc/default/squeezeslave
/etc/squeezeslave
/etc/init.d/queezeslave
Hardware installation:
All stuff is installed on a wooden-plate which lays in an IT-Cabinet (19"), the outputs of the amps are connected to a small patch-panel.
Always two lines of the installation-cabel (CAT5;used TIA-568A) is used for one line on the amp:
Pin--->Color---->Amp
----------------------------
1+2--->GrW+Gr--->left-Black
3+6--->RdW+Rd--->Left-Red
4+5--->Bl+BlW--->Right-Black
7+8--->BrW+Br--->Right-Red
In the top-left-corner is the USB-Hub, which is connected to the Linux-PC when the plate is in the rack.
Some of the amps are installed with stereo (top-left and top-middle on img), the others are splitted left and right to different panel-ports.
The spezial-one on the bottom right is to have a network-printer and the speaker on the same line.
Between Squeeze-Patch-Panel and House-Patch-Panel standard Patch-Cords are used.
![Name: Rack-Installation.jpg
Views: 207
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open issues:
So I would feel happy about some feedback, tips for improvement and help for the open issues...
Cheers
Benno
- low-cost multiroom system
- Some rooms with single, some with double speakers
- high sound quality is not a prioity
- no additional (powered) devices in the rooms (besides the speakers)
- no new cables to speakers, use of the given Cat5 cables
- Linux as OS; use one of my already running boxes
Hardware:
5x USB sound-card with amp
(lsusb: ID 19a8:2036 Biforst Technology Inc)
1x USB-Hub1x 8 Port Patch-panel
*x Speakers Dynavox TG-1000B 50W
[intent]http://www.amazon.de/Dynavox-TG-1000...dp/B002KX8RWI/[/intent]
*x Patch-cords
Used software:
Linux as OS; here I used my already runnning "mythbuntu" (Ubuntu server with Mythtv packages, no UI)
ALSA-Config to get the USB-cards up and running, no soundserver like Pulseaudio!
A Squeezeslave instance for every room (own init-script)
Of course the squeezebox server
UDEV config:
Because there are multiple amps, they must be uniquely identified.
The modeles used here don't have any serial-numer at which they can be separeted.
So I used the USB-Attr "devpath" wich is reladed to the physical ports an the USB-Hub.
To set a name to every amp, use the "ATTR{id}" field.
If anything on the USB-installation changes, just this configuration must be modified.
/etc/udev/rules.d/90-persistent-usbauio.rules
Code:
SUBSYSTEM!="sound", GOTO="usb_audio_end"
ACTION!="add", GOTO="usb_audio_end"
ATTRS{idVendor}=="19a8", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2036", ATTRS{devpath}=="1.1", ATTR{id}="usbaudioHW1"
ATTRS{idVendor}=="19a8", ATTRS{idProduct}=="2036", ATTRS{devpath}=="1.2", ATTR{id}="usbaudioHW2"
LABEL="usb_audio_end"Use the names set by UDEV for the PCM-DMIX destination.
The docs of ALSA was a good help wor that; http://alsa.opensrc.org/Udev#Identif..._audio_devices
You can check them with "cat /proc/asound/cards"
Code:
user@:~$ cat /proc/asound/cards
0 [usbaudioHW2 ]: USB-Audio - USB Audio Device
USB Audio Device at usb-0000:00:1d.7-1.2, full speed
1 [usbaudioHW1 ]: USB-Audio - USB Audio Device
USB Audio Device at usb-0000:00:1d.7-1.1, full speedCode:
!for stereo rooms:
pcm.usbaudio1 {
type plug
slave {
pcm "dmix:usbaudioHW1"
rate 46875
format S16_LE
}
}
!for mono-rooms (left and right could be different rooms/instances of squeezeslave!):
pcm.usbaudio2left {
type plug
slave {
pcm "dmix:usbaudioHW2"
rate 46875
format S16_LE
}
ttable.0.0 1
ttable.1.0 1
}
pcm.usbaudio2right {
type plug
slave {
pcm "dmix:usbaudioHW2"
rate 46875
format S16_LE
}
ttable.0.1 1
ttable.1.1 1
}/etc/default/squeezeslave
Code:
BIN="/opt/squeezeslave/squeezeslave"
PIDDIR=/var/run/
LOGDIR="/var/log/squeezeslave/"
SERVER="squeeze.box"Code:
INDEX=1
NAME[$INDEX]="Room1"
MAC[$INDEX]="19:21:16:83:01:71"
OUTPUT[$INDEX]="usbaudio1"
CUSTOM[$INDEX]="-R"
INDEX=2
NAME[$INDEX]="Room2"
MAC[$INDEX]="19:21:16:83:01:72"
OUTPUT[$INDEX]="usbaudio2left"
CUSTOM[$INDEX]="-R"
INDEX=3
NAME[$INDEX]="Room3"
MAC[$INDEX]="19:21:16:83:01:73"
OUTPUT[$INDEX]="usbaudio2right"
CUSTOM[$INDEX]="-R"
ACTIVESLAVES=(1 2 3)Code:
#! /bin/bash
### BEGIN INIT INFO
# Provides: squeezeslave
# Default-Start: 2 3 4 5
# Default-Stop: 1
# Short-Description: Squeezeslave daemon
# Description: Squeezeslave connects to a squeezebox-server and
# enables this client to act as an audioplayer
### END INIT INFO
set -e
# /etc/init.d/squeezeslave: start and stop the squeezeslave daemon
BIN=""
PIDDIR=""
LOGDIR=""
SERVER=""
SQUEEZESLAVE_DEFAULTS_FILE=/etc/default/squeezeslave
SQUEEZESLAVE_CONFIG_FILE=/etc/squeezeslave
test -x $bin || exit 0
if [ -s $SQUEEZESLAVE_DEFAULTS_FILE ]; then
. $SQUEEZESLAVE_DEFAULTS_FILE
else
exit 0
fi
if [ -s $SQUEEZESLAVE_CONFIG_FILE ]; then
. $SQUEEZESLAVE_CONFIG_FILE
else
exit 0
fi
. /lib/lsb/init-functions
squeezeslave_start() {
if [ -n "${OUTPUT[$INDEX]}" ]; then
AUDIO="$($BIN -L | grep -i "${OUTPUT[$INDEX]}" | awk -F ':' '{ print $1 }' | sed -e '1,$s/ //g' | sed -e '1,$s/*//g')"
if [ -n "$AUDIO" ]; then
AUDIO="-o$AUDIO"
fi
fi
PID="$PIDDIR/squeezeslave-${NAME[$INDEX]}.pid"
LOG="-M $LOGDIR/${NAME[$INDEX]}.log"
MAC="-m ${MAC[$INDEX]}"
CUSTOM="${CUSTOM[$INDEX]}"
OMIT=""
for RUNSLAVE in $(/bin/pidof $BIN) ; do
OMIT="$OMIT -o $RUNSLAVE"
done
/sbin/start-stop-daemon --start --chuid root --name squeezeslave --pidfile $PID --startas $BIN -- $LOG $MAC $CUSTOM $AUDIO $SERVER
log_end_msg $?
/bin/pidof $OMIT $BIN > $PID
sleep 1
} # squeezeslave_start
squeezeslave_stop() {
for PID in $(ls $PIDDIR/squeezeslave-*.pid) ; do
start-stop-daemon --stop --quiet --oknodo --name squeezeslave --pidfile $PID
log_end_msg $?
if [ -a $PID ]; then
rm $PID
fi
done
} # squeezeslave_stop
case "$1" in
start)
log_daemon_msg "Starting squeezeslave daemon" "squeezeslave"
for SLAVE in ${ACTIVESLAVES[*]} ; do
INDEX=$SLAVE
squeezeslave_start
done
;;
stop)
log_daemon_msg "Stopping squeezeslave daemon" "squeezeslave"
squeezeslave_stop
;;
reload|force-reload)
log_warning_msg "Reloading squeezeslave daemon: not needed, use restart."
;;
restart)
set +e
log_daemon_msg "Restarting squeezeslave daemon" "squeezeslave"
squeezeslave_stop
sleep 2
for SLAVE in ${ACTIVESLAVES[*]} ; do
INDEX=$SLAVE
squeezeslave_start
done
;;
status)
;;
*)
echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/squeezeslave {start|stop|reload|force-reload|restart|status}"
exit 1
esac
exit 0All stuff is installed on a wooden-plate which lays in an IT-Cabinet (19"), the outputs of the amps are connected to a small patch-panel.
Always two lines of the installation-cabel (CAT5;used TIA-568A) is used for one line on the amp:
Pin--->Color---->Amp
----------------------------
1+2--->GrW+Gr--->left-Black
3+6--->RdW+Rd--->Left-Red
4+5--->Bl+BlW--->Right-Black
7+8--->BrW+Br--->Right-Red
In the top-left-corner is the USB-Hub, which is connected to the Linux-PC when the plate is in the rack.
Some of the amps are installed with stereo (top-left and top-middle on img), the others are splitted left and right to different panel-ports.
The spezial-one on the bottom right is to have a network-printer and the speaker on the same line.
Between Squeeze-Patch-Panel and House-Patch-Panel standard Patch-Cords are used.
open issues:
- somtimes instable ASLA-names to USB-Hardware bindings --> should be fixed with the use of UDEV-Names as added above; time will see
- after some time the output of a mono-room hangs, direct play of sound (aplay) works, still investigation needed
- after some time the sync of a mono-room get lost, still investigation needed
- One time sync was lost completly and can't be resynced by stop and start different music, restart of squeezebox server was needed.
Never had it again since then.
So I would feel happy about some feedback, tips for improvement and help for the open issues...
Cheers
Benno