Raspberry PI running MinimServer - YES!

[jvilly]

(23-02-2013 15:16)simoncn Wrote:  

(23-02-2013 13:57)jvilly Wrote:  Thanks! I will check the option of RPI with NAS/external USB.

I don't think this will work well if you have your music library on a separate NAS. There is a big performance overhead for remote file access. I'd recommend having your music library on a USB-attached drive.

Ok clear, then I just need a RPI. Thanks!

[gmeddens]

A little update.
I started using the squeezeplug.de distribution which contains all the extra tools to be able to configure the little RaspberryPi NAS much easier. Webmin is installed without problem, smb is quickly installed, netatalk using webmin as well, logitech media server and players are available with a click. ssh server is activated by default, so no more running up and down to the television set.
Using webmin, a startup script was easily made. Nothing else for me to whish for, Minimserver runs fine sending 24 bits 176KHz files as wav to my player (I don't have 192KHz files).

[krikkit]

your instructions are nice, but you should try it with the java 8 preview for arm from oracle which supports hardfloat, and so is a HUGE increase in java performance...

just follow this blog post to install the new, faster java on your raspberry pi: http://javafx.steveonjava.com/javafx-on-...asy-steps/

or direct download: http://jdk8.java.net/fxarmpreview/

[gmeddens]

I don't think minimserver runs with java 8, correct me if I am wrong , so I will stick with 7 for now. The performance of the Pi isn't really an issue in my setup. (~1200 albums).

[simoncn]

(29-03-2013 11:56)krikkit Wrote:  your instructions are nice, but you should try it with the java 8 preview for arm from oracle which supports hardfloat, and so is a HUGE increase in java performance...

just follow this blog post to install the new, faster java on your raspberry pi: http://javafx.steveonjava.com/javafx-on-...asy-steps/

or direct download: http://jdk8.java.net/fxarmpreview/

Thanks for the pointer!

MinimServer currently doesn't support ARM hard float. It should be compatible with Java 8, but I haven't tried this. I'll do some more investigations when I get a chance (after the next MinimServer release).

[jvilly]

(29-03-2013 14:16)simoncn Wrote:  

(29-03-2013 11:56)krikkit Wrote:  your instructions are nice, but you should try it with the java 8 preview for arm from oracle which supports hardfloat, and so is a HUGE increase in java performance...

just follow this blog post to install the new, faster java on your raspberry pi: http://javafx.steveonjava.com/javafx-on-...asy-steps/

or direct download: http://jdk8.java.net/fxarmpreview/

Thanks for the pointer!

MinimServer currently doesn't support ARM hard float. It should be compatible with Java 8, but I haven't tried this. I'll do some more investigations when I get a chance (after the next MinimServer release).

Simon,
Will there be multicore support with Minimserver in future or does it already makes use of that if it is available? I am thinking getting a mini linux pc: quad core

Samsung Exynos4412 Prime Cortex-A9 Quad Core 1.7Ghz with 1MB L2 cache with 2 Gig RAM.

Or would it not matter that much with my single core 800Mhz QNAP TS-410 regaring Minimserver performance?

[simoncn]

(30-03-2013 14:12)jvilly Wrote:  Simon,
Will there be multicore support with Minimserver in future or does it already makes use of that if it is available? I am thinking getting a mini linux pc: quad core

Samsung Exynos4412 Prime Cortex-A9 Quad Core 1.7Ghz with 1MB L2 cache with 2 Gig RAM.

Or would it not matter that much with my single core 800Mhz QNAP TS-410 regaring Minimserver performance?

Which part of MinimServer performance are you hoping to speed up?

The startup is single-threaded, so a multicore system won't help with that. This is unlikely to change in future releases.

A multicore system might help with browsing, but only if the control point is sending concurrent multithreaded requests. Some control points do this, and some don't. Which control point(s) do you use?

Of course, 1.7GHz is better than 800MHz even if you're not fully exploiting the multicore aspects.

[jvilly]

(30-03-2013 18:03)simoncn Wrote:  

(30-03-2013 14:12)jvilly Wrote:  Simon,
Will there be multicore support with Minimserver in future or does it already makes use of that if it is available? I am thinking getting a mini linux pc: quad core

Samsung Exynos4412 Prime Cortex-A9 Quad Core 1.7Ghz with 1MB L2 cache with 2 Gig RAM.

Or would it not matter that much with my single core 800Mhz QNAP TS-410 regaring Minimserver performance?

Which part of MinimServer performance are you hoping to speed up?

The startup is single-threaded, so a multicore system won't help with that. This is unlikely to change in future releases.

A multicore system might help with browsing, but only if the control point is sending concurrent multithreaded requests. Some control points do this, and some don't. Which control point(s) do you use?

Of course, 1.7GHz is better than 800MHz even if you're not fully exploiting the multicore aspects.

I use Kinsky and Elyric. There is not too much to speed up as MinimServer is fast, but it might be useful if there are new features in the future (on the fly conversion of samplerate, or other things, gapless PS Audio Bridge?). But I also read that people running their servers with faster and multicore cpus and lots of RAM, have a better sound. The overhead of power seems to have influence on sound quality (perception? Or plain purchase justification?).

[simoncn]

(31-03-2013 22:26)jvilly Wrote:  I use Kinsky and Elyric.

I belive both of these are capable of sending multithreaded requests to the server.

Quote:There is not too much to speed up as MinimServer is fast, but it might be useful if there are new features in the future (on the fly conversion of samplerate, or other things, gapless PS Audio Bridge?). But I also read that people running their servers with faster and multicore cpus and lots of RAM, have a better sound. The overhead of power seems to have influence on sound quality (perception? Or plain purchase justification?).

I suspect it's the latter. The only evidence I have for this is that I run MinimServer on many different platforms with a wide range of CPU power and RAM and a mix of SSD and HDD, and the sound quality seems identical in all cases.

[gmeddens]

Hi Simon,
Minimserver 0.70 is working on RaspberryPI, the update went smoothly.
Again thanks, keep up the good work.
Guy