Pi 3b+, USB music collection, Bluetooth speaker & control by iPhone

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  • Fussel premium
    27. November 2023 at 22:55 #52973

    Hello everyone,

    my plan is to operate a Raspberry Pi 3b+ with a USB stick (with FLAC music files) and a Bluetooth speaker. It will be controlled with a smartphone or tablet.

    I have already looked at the instructions „3 audio players with 1 Raspberry Pi“ on the Max2Play homepage, which comes closest to my intended use – even if the Pi3b+ is not intended to become a multiroom, but only an output via Bluetooth speaker. It says that a Jessie-based image should be used as the basis – but unfortunately I can’t find this among the image downloads. Hence my first question: (A) Which image is best suited for my purposes? In the Max2Play web interface I have to install the Bluetooth plugin, for which I need a license key from your homepage. Then I can connect a Bluetooth speaker – also via the web interface. (B) Does the Raspberry find the Bluetooth speaker by itself after pairing when either the Raspberry and/or the Bluetooth speaker is switched on again? Later I want to use the Apple app iPeng to play the music connected to the USB stick on the Raspberry Pi: (C) Do I need the SqueezeBox Server to integrate the music into Max2Play?

    I would be happy to receive answers to help me get started and implement my first project more quickly.

    Greetings, Fussel

    Fussel premium
    17. Dezember 2023 at 22:24 #52993

    Hello @ll,

    the first try was not succesfully. I installed the Max2Play Buster image, which started at once. I could connect the WLAN and also was able to connect the bluetooth speaker Teufel Bamster Pro. Also, installing the Squeezebox Server was no problem, and the USB-Stick was also mounted without any problems. The Audio Player was also able to use the bluetooth speaker. On the iPhone also the iPeng App could be downloaded and connected to the Pi 3b+ – but this worked only once and the bluetooth speaker lost the connection several times.

    I double checked the bluetooth speaker with my iPad: it worked properly without any problems – also reconnect after startup was working fine, so no problems with the speaker. I’m using a metal case, and I also disassembled the case to check if the metal case causes any problems: same situation. After startup the bluetooth speaker doesn’t connect automatically to the Pi3b+. When I started pairing process, the speaker was found, and I have to restart the Audioplayer and the SqueezeBox Server. So, no auto connect is working.

    I also have the screenshots of the Max2Play settings, but I’m not able to upload them here at the forum.

    Can anybody please help me?

    Greetings, Martin

    flysurfer Moderator
    24. Januar 2024 at 16:38 #53056

    Hi Martin,

    it seems like you successfully installed everything, but now the Pi is loosing the bluetooth connection or the bluetooth connection is not very stable.

    You are using some peripherals (connected) to your Pi that drain some power. USB-Stick, Wifi and Bluetooth used together might be the issue for the bluetooth drops.

    What you can try: use ethernet connection and no USB-Stick to confirm that bluetooth is working. If that is the case you might use a different power-supply or connect the USB-Storage to an active hub. If bluetooth is still a problem, you might also try a external bluetooth stick. To use this, you need to disable the build in bluetooth device on the „Raspberry Pi Stettings“ tab in the webinterface. When using Wifi and Bluetooth together the connection quality for bluetooth was not the best in our testing.

    Cheers,
    Stefan

    gbader premium
    28. Januar 2024 at 9:25 #53057

    You may also try increasing the current on your USB ports in the Max2Play Raspberry Settings page.

    Fussel premium
    3. Februar 2024 at 15:24 #53061

    Hello Stefan,

    > it seems like you successfully installed everything, but now the Pi is loosing the bluetooth connection or the bluetooth connection is not very stable.
    Thanks – you are right, but I’m not able to get the problem, WHY the bluetooth connection is not stable… I also tried the Pi without housing – didn’t change anything. THe bluetooth speker was also placed next to the Pi, so no long distance between Pi and speaker.

    > What you can try: use ethernet connection and no USB-Stick to confirm that bluetooth is working. If that is the case you might use a different power-supply
    The power supply can drive up to 3A – is that not enough?

    > If bluetooth is still a problem, you might also try a external bluetooth stick. To use this, you need to disable the build in bluetooth device on the „Raspberry Pi Stettings“ tab in the webinterface.
    But an external Bluetooth stick will draw additional power from the USB output… So, I think this won’t be a good solution…

    Greetings,
    Martin

    PS: due to your late reply from the support, the bluetooth licence is not available any more…

    Fussel premium
    3. Februar 2024 at 15:29 #53062

    Hello gbader,

    > You may also try increasing the current on your USB ports in the Max2Play Raspberry Settings page.
    Where can I increase the current? But only USB stick is connected via USB, which doesn’t make any problems.

    In the register tab „Raspberry settings“ I found this option „Maximum power of the USB ports“ -> „Increases the intensity of the voltage to the USB ports. When activated, the USB ports receive 1.2A instead of just 0.6A.“ Do you mean this one?

    Is there any possibility to deactivate some functions to save some power? For example to deactivate the graphical ouput: „Graphics“ -> „memory Standard for Kodi/XBMC should be 128 MB. If no graphics output is required, the lowest value is 16 MB“ Is it helpful to enter 16 MB or will this be set automatically, when no graphical output is connected?

    Greetings,
    Martin

    gbader2
    5. Februar 2024 at 11:46 #53064

    USB Current: yes, that’s the setting I meant.. but I guess I was wrong, as I wrongly understood you had issues with a USB harddrive, but a Stick shouldn’t be an issue at all.

    But honestly, as you might begin to realize, Max2Play isn’t supported/maintained anymore very well.
    If you only need Music rather than HDMI/AV Output and stuff like KODI from your Raspi, I strongly recommend you go for PiCorePlayer instead. They have a lively community and very good support, and a working update maitenance.
    https://www.picoreplayer.org/

    It also runs on a smaller OS version designed vor small hardware, so that will require less power as well. And switch off HDMI should also save some energy.

    Fussel premium
    29. März 2024 at 20:11 #53125

    Thanks for the hint with Pi Core Player – worked with the same setup very stable. The only problem I have is the auto connect after startup. But I also found an according community – German and English language – which is more active like this Max 2 Play is.

    Very sad, because I found the hardware and software worked very well together – but now I will switch to another working player. And the positive aspect: without any payments because Pi Core Player is for free.

    Greetings, Fussel

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