Vortexbox Audio out - Bluetooth/wireless/ or wired PLEASE HELP !!!

[alex]

Hi

I'd like to find out if anybody knows if it's possible to have a system like this

1. Vortexbox, connected to a wireless router

The VB is controlled by ipeng installed on an iphone.

So far so good !

The music (FLAC) is then sent via the router to a wireless reciever (do they make them) that can output the audio into an amp. Does this have to be a squeezebox(if you are using Ipeng), can't it go directly into an amp or am I missing something?


The reason I am asking is that I have managed to get a audio out of the Vbox USB (which is what I really want) on one system I have but for the life of me I can't get the audio out of the VB server I am working on at the moment. I have also tried the same USB DAC that is on my other system and set this system the same as my other, but to no avail and I've spent many many long hours on it.

So it's 1-0 to VB, and sadly I now have given up trying this method.
So I'm now wanting another low cost "easy option" if there is one.

I did consider using a set of Loigitech Z515 wireless speakers, but I'm not sure if this would do what I wanted ?
And indeed I was going to modify them to outout to an amp, at the moment there is no audio socket for an audio output.

The other issues is I have very little understanding of software unfortunately, so I just hope someone might be able to help.
An idiots guide would be ideal, but even if you could point me in the right direction, give me a few ideas that would be very helpful too.

Thanks in advance.

[cml19367]

Hi Alex
I had similar questions in the vortexboxplayer thread, where this zopic may belong. Please check out all the tipps I received, they are a way to start.
Anyways a squeezebox or squeezeplayer app on another device can also do what you want. For high res music a wired network connection seems better than wlan, which would be fine for mp3 files.
If you want to go to an amp directly out of the vortexbox you could use the analog outputs of the box, if you want to digital youcan go usb or spdif on 3,5 mm jack.
I currently have the issue that my usb dac is not propoerly recognized on vb2.0 software. Which usb dac make and model are you using?
Christian

[divreg]

As Macross says, what does "aplay -L" show?

On my box, I get:
[vortexbox.localdomain ~]# aplay -L
null
Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
hdmi:CARD=HDMI,DEV=0
HDA ATI HDMI, HDMI 0
HDMI Audio Output
default:CARD=CMI8768
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI DAC/ADC
Default Audio Device
sysdefault:CARD=CMI8768
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI DAC/ADC
Default Audio Device
front:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI DAC/ADC
Front speakers
rear:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI 2nd DAC
Rear speakers
surround40:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI 2nd DAC
4.0 Surround output to Front and Rear speakers
surround41:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI 2nd DAC
4.1 Surround output to Front, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround50:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI 2nd DAC
5.0 Surround output to Front, Center and Rear speakers
surround51:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI 2nd DAC
5.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Rear and Subwoofer speakers
surround71:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI 2nd DAC
7.1 Surround output to Front, Center, Side, Rear and Woofer speakers
iec958:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0
C-Media CMI8768, C-Media PCI DAC/ADC
IEC958 (S/PDIF) Digital Audio Output
[vortexbox.localdomain ~]#
I use "hw:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0" on http://vortexbox/vortexbox-player.php for SPDI/F and it works flawlessly on my homebuild outputting to my home theatre setup, even with various updates and reboots.

[Macross]

Hey... Thats my line... You stole my line... :P

[alex]

Hi Christain, thanks for the reply.

The Dac was off ebay and I got the cheapest just really to experiment. Under £2 and the sound is'nt that bad considering. And it's one with no spec, so sorry I can't tell you anything about it.

Anyhow the link is here

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/USB-EXTERNAL-3D-5-1-CHANNEL-AUDIO-PC-SOUND-CARD-PC-/170592210683?pt=UK_Computing_ComputerComponents_So undCards&hash=item27b8168efb

And I was delighted it worked, there was only one issue, which took me ages to work out, my audio (alsamixer ??) needed turning up. That took me days to work out
And I did'nt install VB2, I stuck to 1.9 because I knew that it did what I wanted.

So good luck if you fancy buying one to play around with.

My next add-on is run the dac to a bluetooth dongle and make the connection to my amp that way. Yes I know the hard wire is cheaper and better, but it's a matter of siting the VB (space).
Indeed I do this in the car from my iphone and you know what, I am very impressed with the results.
I used to builid design audiometric amps and gizmos to test hearing, so when I heard the result, yes I was suprised with the cheap kit I was using.
Anyhow thanks for the .

Divreg, thanks for your reply too it really is appreciated.

But what I know about the VB software you could write on a postage stamp.
Do you think you could tell me how to run the script you have posted please.

Do I log in then at the prompt I just type in
aplay -L
Do I have to open a player somewhere and do it.

Sorry for sounding so stupid, but I have had no exposure as such to VB files and lynix..
But thanks for your reply, seems I've got my work cut out for tonight.
Alex

[divreg]

Divreg, thanks for your reply too it really is appreciated.

But what I know about the VB software you could write on a postage stamp.
Do you think you could tell me how to run the script you have posted please.

Do I log in then at the prompt I just type in
aplay -L
Do I have to open a player somewhere and do it.

1. Login to your VortexBox. See: http://info.vortexbox.org/tiki-index.php?page=Login

2. Type "aplay -L" in the terminal

3. From the output of the command, choose the correct output from your DAC. I chose "hw:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0" from the above to have digital out. You can configure VortexBox player to always use this output at http://vortexbox/vortexbox-player.php in your web browser, under "Audio Device".

Hope this helps.

[alex]

1. Login to your VortexBox. See: http://info.vortexbox.org/tiki-index.php?page=Login

2. Type "aplay -L" in the terminal

3. From the output of the command, choose the correct output from your DAC. I chose "hw:CARD=CMI8768,DEV=0" from the above to have digital out. You can configure VortexBox player to always use this output at http://vortexbox/vortexbox-player.php in your web browser, under "Audio Device".

Hope this helps.

Hey thanks for the reply
God am I struggling
I've gone to the web page 123.456.1.2/vortexbox-player.php
But I cant work out how/what to alter
I am looking in the wrong I am sure
So I have come out of this and logged into the vb server
At the prompt I put what you said and it's come up with
"LIST OF PLAYBACK HARDWAREDEVICES"
I can see the USB DAC then it lists several subdevices but nothing that makes no sense to me
Nor anything like what you have said and I am 100% sure it's my lack of understanding
So after logging in ( root then password) I put aplay l then I get the playback thing
Since trying to sort this out I now get nothing on ipeng nor my server
Really in a bit of a mess but the up side I've the weekend to sort it
I really thank you for your help but if there is a step by step for complete novices I really would appreciate to know where is
So £&@&££&@@£ frustrating
But thanks very much for your help
A

[divreg]

Post the full output of

aplay -L
so we can determine together the right choice.

[alex]

Post the full output of

aplay -L
so we can determine together the right choice.
Hi really sorry for the late reply had to take the wife to her mothers and I'm not at home at the moment
But I did burn the midnight oil thursday night and got something working
ie ipeng could control it and play tracks
Still no audio out which is what I would like to get
But I do have another question
I am working on the vb server by hooking a keyboard and monitor onto it
Which is the only way I know
So I'll have to look at the screen and type it to this post by hand
Is there a way to cut and past this info
Would save me loads of time if there is
Thanks again

[Macross]

If you are using winblows, you can use putty or cryptoterm to login to the vortexbox remotely. If you are on a mac just open up a terminal window and ssh into the vortexbox. Check the wiki on how to login to the vortexbox remotely.
http://info.vortexbox.org/tiki-index.php?page=Howto

[garym]

The music (FLAC) is then sent via the router to a wireless reciever (do they make them) that can output the audio into an amp. Does this have to be a squeezebox(if you are using Ipeng), can't it go directly into an amp or am I missing something?


certainly a squeezebox player of some sort (connected back to the router via WIFI) would do this. That is the SB connects to your amp. And you can control it all with the ipeng. Not sure how wireless speakers would work and at best would be a clunky workaround relative to, say, a SB TOUCH connected to your stereo.