Logitech Media Server

[Sangram]

Hi

 

I was struggling to find the right package for my Tinkerboard. I needed a reasonably powerful 24x7 appliance that could provide torrent downloading, wifi hotspot, a shared network drive and a LMS box. After trying out the Asus effort and DietPi  - both with severe issues) I landed on Armbian and it seems to have everything going for it but the LMS install just does not work.

 

I am a Linux newbie, I know my way around Windows and a GUI, and used the instructions here and a few other places to successfully set up the hotspot and the sharing and automounting of large USB drives. It took me the better part of 6 hours just to figure all of that out (jus so you know how useless I am at this). I am struggling with Transmission as well, but I got it to work in fits and starts so all hope is not lost.

 

Unfortunately with LMS I am stuck. The package installs fine but will not start. I am assuming the installation is unsupported on Armbian, is there any way I can make it work?

 

This is what I did:

 

1. Download and install armbian (mainline kernel)

 

2. Point my browser at the 7.9 beta builds of LMS nightly

 

3. Install the package using apt-get and pointing it at the downloaded file

 

4. Tried to connect using the web page.

 

The _safe service seems to be running (checked using HTOP) but the main service does not. It may have something to do with Perl incompatibility, or it may not. I'm a bit out of my depth here so was hoping for some pointers. When querying the service it says:

Spoiler

● logitechmediaserver.service - LSB: Startup script for the Logitech Media Server
   Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/logitechmediaserver; bad; vendor preset: enabled)
   Active: active (running) since Wed 2018-01-10 14:22:55 UTC; 34min ago
     Docs: man:systemd-sysv-generator(8)
  Process: 615 ExecStart=/etc/init.d/logitechmediaserver start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
   CGroup: /system.slice/logitechmediaserver.service
           ├─ 718 /bin/bash /usr/sbin/squeezeboxserver_safe /usr/sbin/squeezeboxserver --prefsdir /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/prefs --logdir /var/log/squeezeboxserver/ --cachedir /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/cache --charset=utf8
           └─4555 sleep 5

Jan 10 14:22:54 tinkerboard systemd[1]: Starting LSB: Startup script for the Logitech Media Server...
Jan 10 14:22:55 tinkerboard logitechmediaserver[615]: Making sure that Logitech Media Server is not running first: No process in pidfile '/var/run/logitechmediaserver.pid' found running; none killed.
Jan 10 14:22:55 tinkerboard logitechmediaserver[615]: Starting Logitech Media Server.
Jan 10 14:22:55 tinkerboard systemd[1]: Started LSB: Startup script for the Logitech Media Server.

 

 

 

This presume this means that the service should show up in HTOP, but it doesn't. Not sure what to do next, and I would really appreciate any help that is offered.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited January 10, 2018 by Tido
added spoiler with code box

[Igor]

Armbian Ubuntu or Debian Stretch? (or type armbianmonitor -u)

[Sangram]

Hi

 

http://sprunge.us/jEVN

 

I am not sure which it is, but it's the link that pointed me to mainline build.

 

 

[Igor]

I download it from here:

http://downloads.slimdevices.com/nightly/?ver=7.9

The exact command list:

wget http://downloads.slimdevices.com/nightly/7.9/sc/70b0c7c/logitechmediaserver_7.9.1~1515516449_arm.deb
dpkg -i logitechmediaserver_7.9.1~1515516449_arm.deb

Spoiler

Selecting previously unselected package logitechmediaserver.
(Reading database ... 32935 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack logitechmediaserver_7.9.1~1515516449_arm.deb ...
Unpacking logitechmediaserver (7.9.1~1515516449) ...
Setting up logitechmediaserver (7.9.1~1515516449) ...
Adding system user `squeezeboxserver' (UID 109) ...
Adding new user `squeezeboxserver' (UID 109) with group `nogroup' ...
Not creating home directory `/usr/share/squeezeboxserver'.
Processing triggers for systemd (232-25+deb9u1) ...

 

After installation is done, WEB control is accessible on http://your_tinkerboard_ip:9000

 

Worked for me. Debian Stretch. Type lsb_release -a (since sprunge.us is currently down and I actually can't see anything)

No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Debian
Description:    Debian GNU/Linux 9.3 (stretch)
Release:        9.3
Codename:       stretch

 

[Sangram]

Hi

 

My lsb_release outputs Ubuntu Xenial.

 

Should it be any different?

 

Edit: I downloaded Stretch but there is no desktop, only console/ssh. This is going to be a long day... it does not mount the USB drives at all, I can't set up the hot spot without a GUI and I have no idea how to set up sharing without seeing the drives. I had maanged to even get CUPS working yesterday but here I'm totally lost.

 

I do get the Logitech web interface now, but I can't select music because the drive isn't mounted. And the console is a black box to me - so it looks like I'm heading down to a dead end again. 

[Igor]

1 hour ago, Sangram said:

I downloaded Stretch but there is no desktop, only console/ssh.

You could install a desktop on top of this ... but rather start with this: https://dl.armbian.com/tinkerboard/Debian_stretch_next_desktop.7z

[Sangram]

Thanks Igor, but the problem is a bit bigger than that - the Debian repository is not responding to the requests for simple stuff like Samba and Transmission. I can *probably* kludge my way around the console to get things done (seeing as there are more help resources for console than desktop). I will try your link though.

 

I'm going to try again and see if I can download the packages offline on a Windows machine and install them without the automated DL. But I would also want to see the LMS problem get fixed on Ubuntu because that install is 90% there, only printer, scanner and LMS are left.

[Sangram]

The apt-get update command does not work either, something about missing resources. Would it help to put a fresh image on the card and try again?

[Sangram]

Thanks to Igor for pointing out Debian. I made a stable Ubuntu version first and then copied the config files over to Debian. LMS runs fine and I can connect to the server and add music. All other features were quite easy because of existing config files. Waited a while and I could download Transmission and Samba now, though server speed is extremely poor - topping out at 40kb/s like in the days of modems. Debian is definitely not baked properly.

 

I hope at some point there will be some kind of audio output possible (heads up, TinkerOs and Android for this board both have working audio over HDMI - no idea about the 4-pin jack on the board itself as I don't have a compatible splitter). Armbian is more powerful as server though, so I don't mind the lack of audio output.

 

Hope one day to have working 2.4GHz hotspot which is now the only missing link but not a massive issue.

 

 

[Igor]

1 hour ago, Sangram said:

topping out at 40kb/s like in the days of modems. Debian is definitely not baked properly.

Or there is something wrong with your network? Are you try to use the wireless network for this?? Please check/provide:

 

1. Is your server already downloading something

2. Did you notice this right after install? We are downloading package base updates in the background in the first run

3. Results of network testings.

 

1 hour ago, Sangram said:

heads up, TinkerOs and Android for this board both have working audio over HDMI - no idea about the 4-pin jack on the board itself as I don't have a compatible splitter

Remember that you are using a mainline (NEXT) kernel which does not have all functions yet. If you want them, you need to use a default/stock kernel, found in Android or TinkerOS, which is anyway not recommended for this case. And for many others as well. You can switch kernels back and forth in armbian-config menu.

 

 

[Igor]

And few network tests with Tinkerboard Ubuntu Xenial desktop 4.14.14, logs: http://ix.io/EHC

Connected with onboard wireless:

Spoiler

[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth       Retr  Cwnd
[  4]   0.00-1.00   sec  2.83 MBytes  23.7 Mbits/sec    0    163 KBytes       
[  4]   1.00-2.00   sec  2.43 MBytes  20.4 Mbits/sec    0    280 KBytes       
[  4]   2.00-3.00   sec  2.94 MBytes  24.7 Mbits/sec    0    410 KBytes       
[  4]   3.00-4.00   sec  2.91 MBytes  24.4 Mbits/sec    0    544 KBytes       
[  4]   4.00-5.00   sec  2.97 MBytes  24.9 Mbits/sec    0    659 KBytes       
[  4]   5.00-6.00   sec  2.23 MBytes  18.7 Mbits/sec    0    710 KBytes       
[  4]   6.00-7.00   sec  3.04 MBytes  25.5 Mbits/sec    0    836 KBytes       
[  4]   7.00-8.00   sec  2.99 MBytes  25.0 Mbits/sec    0    960 KBytes       
[  4]   8.00-9.00   sec  2.66 MBytes  22.3 Mbits/sec    0   1.03 MBytes       
[  4]   9.00-10.00  sec  2.96 MBytes  24.8 Mbits/sec    0   1.11 MBytes       

after connecting a wired network

Spoiler

[  4]   0.00-1.00   sec   113 MBytes   946 Mbits/sec    0    372 KBytes       
[  4]   1.00-2.00   sec   112 MBytes   940 Mbits/sec    0    410 KBytes       
[  4]   2.00-3.00   sec   112 MBytes   940 Mbits/sec    0    410 KBytes       
[  4]   3.00-4.00   sec   113 MBytes   944 Mbits/sec    0    428 KBytes       
[  4]   4.00-5.00   sec   112 MBytes   942 Mbits/sec    0    428 KBytes       
[  4]   5.00-6.00   sec   112 MBytes   939 Mbits/sec    0    428 KBytes       
[  4]   6.00-7.00   sec   112 MBytes   943 Mbits/sec    0    428 KBytes   

 

 

[Sangram]

Hello Igor, It is only with Debian site. I am able to download using wget (for example) for LMS-package at 3-4MB/s. But all downloads from Debian site are very slow.  Network performance is not an issue far as I can see.

 

Yes, it was with first boot and try to run apt-get update/upgrade that I noticed the issue. But later when I get Samba and Transmission packages, it is slower than (for example) what I saw earlier with Ubuntu. Wifi is disabled - I think permanently because its only job was to get me a 2.4GHz hotspot which I am not able to get stable - but I don't think that's Armbian exclusive issue.

 

I did notice TonyMac's post and the whole thread so I have kind of stayed clear of trying to play audio. I will wait till the audio is sorted, I don't mind working USB audio or line out for basic web/clock radio application, if and when that becomes available but like I said it's not a big issue. Tinker OS is very poor in so many ways it's not even funny, I couldn't set up Samba at all so I wiped it. I am probably sticking with this install now that I've got 99% of my wishlist fulfilled.

 

Really appreciate all the help from you. Very kind of you

[Igor]

7 minutes ago, Sangram said:

Debian site are very slow.  Network performance is not an issue far as I can see.

That is certainly not our problem. We don't host Debian packages. only those which come from apt.armbian.com (I hope that works for you well). It is most likely random temporally issue.
 

7 minutes ago, Sangram said:

it is slower than (for example) what I saw earlier with Ubuntu

There aren't any differences between Ubuntu or Debian at this level. I mean, it should not be.

 

7 minutes ago, Sangram said:

I think permanently because its only job was to get me a 2.4GHz hotspot which I am not able to get stable - but I don't think that's Armbian exclusive issue.

This wifi chip is very basic and also not very quality one. Get Realtek 8812AU which performs very well, also in 5G AC mode, with speed up to 200Mbit/s.

 

7 minutes ago, Sangram said:

Really appreciate all the help from you. Very kind of you

You are welcome 

[Sangram]

Thanks - I'm aware that the slow speeds from Debian is not your issue, I was also blaming Debian. It was probably temporary.

 

I'm not interested in 5G wifi as I have a good router for that. It does have a 2.4G band, but my apartment goes to 37C in summer and I wouldn't want it to overheat (I've had failures in previous hardware). Actually I have another cheap router to provide a 2.4G signal but the Tinker took the LAN port it was using so I don't have any more left. Which is why I was keen for it to do this. My Rasberry Pis need the 2.4G band, as you can tell.

 

I do have another issue. I have a couple of USB drives connected to the system and configured to mount at boot using lines in fstab, and then the mounted directories are shared using samba. There is also spin-down using hdparm, so the drive UUIDs are referenced by a few system services. This forms the backbone of my home cloud. Yesterday I removed one drive and the system stopped responding and wouldn't boot. I couldn't figure out what it was, but it seems that the system goes crazy if one or both drives are missing - or even have some small timing issue or loose USB cable at reboot. The disk access light (amber) flashes but the green read light does not, and the system shows a blinking cursor on screen. I read that by pressing "shift" at startup I would get the loader, but nothing happens - the cursor keeps blinking along with the amber light.

 

Is there any simple way for the system to ignore the drive connection (for all services), or is this something I will have to put up with? I tried setting "errors=ignore" at fstab, but it doesn't really do anything at all. For time being I simply reconnected all drives and used one alternative SD card which seems to work sometimes. I have no way of knowing if the system will behave when rebooted.

 

Thanks for any input. I am not yet fully comfortable with the way Linux works - in Windows (or even my routers which run some form of Linux), drives can be plugged or unplugged at will and they mount and unmount automatically, and cause no issues while booting.