1ef335e6

PID: SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
In a recent thread ("Raspberry Pi HiFi") I asked for recommendations of
hardware and software to turn a Raspberry Pi into the basis of a decent
hi-fi music source.

I haven't looked into any audio hardware yet, though there seem to be
several similar reasonable quality DAC options.

However I did try various software packages, so here's a summary.

I'm running a Rasberry Pi with a 7" touch screen.


Volumio - 
===============================

Uses Mopidy server  and a frontend based on a
fork of the RaspyFi user interface.

Several projects use this basic combination. You can identify them
because the main user interface includes two circles, for controlling
track position and volume:
.

The user interface is web-based, and can be used with a web browser on
another device on the network, but a plugin enables it for the touch
screen too (it runs Chromium to display it).

It needs a few moments' configuration to get it all set up with the
touch screen, and once done, works very nicely.

Setting it up with Internet radio stations (my main use) was extremely
easy.

The user interface is the most suited to the touch screen, because the
controls are large and easy to hit. Annoyingly, the CSS in UI means that
a scrollbar is always present.


Rune Audio - 
=======================================

Very similar to Volumio, and even quicker and easier to set up. The UI
fits better on the screen (no scrollbars), but the buttons and controls
are much smaller than they should be for such a device.

Overall it feels a little clunkier and as far as I can tell the project
is no longer in active development.


Moode Audio - 
=====================================

Similar to Rune and Volumio (Mopidy plus frontend), but I couldn't even
get it installed. Software without even basic installation instructions
- I'll go somewhere else.


Max2Play - 
=====================================

Has an almost incomprehensible architecture, interface and
documentation. I got it installed readily enough, but I couldn't do
anything with it.

I'm a programmer and a software developer, but honestly, this had me
completely stumped. I assume people with more patience have managed to
get it working satisfactorily.


I'll probably stick with Volumio.

Daniele

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05