Public Alpha Test: Audio Without Compromise - Volumio on Bookworm Begins

Volumio Development Volumio Beta Testing
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21

Let’s see if our Wizkid @nerd sees something. Can’t find many things wrong in the log. The log was not taken after the failed installs, as I can’t find them.
The only thing I see is that sda1 has some issues:

Apr 23 21:56:00 sibermusic kernel: FAT-fs (sda1): Volume was not properly unmounted. Some data may be corrupt. Please run fsck.
Apr 23 21:56:00 sibermusic kernel: FAT-fs (sda1): Volume was not properly unmounted. Some data may be corrupt. Please run fsck.

As I can reproduce the error, with Touch display, straight after the first install. But performing:

and running sudo apt-get update, the installation went successfull.

22

I just installed the IR controller plugin without any errors. I did not have to run sudo apt-get update before. :thinking:

23

yeah just added with Touch Display, forgot that, IR-Controller went without issues.

24

After performing a factory reset to have a clean system, I now also installed the Touch Display plugin. Again, without executing sudo apt-get update the installation went through without any error.

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Important: Submitting Useful Logs

When reporting issues, please make sure to capture logs before rebooting.

Volumio clears its journal on every reboot - this means logs submitted after a reboot will not show what actually went wrong.

To submit a proper log:

  1. Reproduce the issue (e.g., plugin fails, playback glitch, etc.)
  2. Without rebooting, open:
    http://<your-volumio-ip>/dev
  3. Click “Submit a Log” and copy the generated link
  4. Paste that link in your report along with steps to reproduce the issue

Advanced (via SSH):

journalctl -b > /dev/shm/log.txt
volumio logsubmit /dev/shm/log.txt

This ensures developers see exactly what happened when the problem occurred - not just a clean boot after the fact.

Thank you for helping us debug effectively.

Kind Regards,

26

The offer to upgrade to 3.803 is quite obsessively. Maybe the plugin installation progress should be corrected? 0-70%(forever)-installed does not look so informative.

27

Thanks for the feedback @VictorDUA.

Just to clarify:

  • The offer to upgrade to 3.803 is from the official release channel - as mentioned earlier in the thread, this should be ignored during Alpha testing.
  • Regarding the plugin install progress: it’s unclear which plugin you’re referring to. Some plugins show progress like 0–70%–installed, but often the detailed output is collapsed by default.

If you can, please include:

  • The name of the plugin
  • Whether it was from Plugin Test Mode
  • A screenshot or the expanded install log if possible

That would really help us understand what’s going on.

Kind Regards,

28

3.799 do not offer update to 3.803.
From alpha its offers over and over.
0-70-done is clearly visible on Touch Screen, Now Playing, VU meter - all that I’ve tested. Plugin Test Mode is off. Screenshot a little later.

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Reminder: Understanding Alpha, Beta, RC, and Release Phases

We’re currently in the Alpha phase of the Bookworm-based Volumio release. Here’s what that means - and why your feedback matters most right now.

Alpha Phase (Now)

  • Focus is on core system functionality:
    • Hardware support (I2C, SPI, GPIO, USB, HDMI/DSI)
    • Audio pipeline (MPD, ALSA, Bluetooth)
    • Networking, multiroom, mounting, playback services
  • Expect plugin instability - many have not yet been updated or revalidated
  • UI or cosmetic glitches may be present - please report your findings
  • Logs and detailed reports are critical to catch regressions early

Beta Phase (Coming Soon)

  • Focus shifts to user experience:
    • Plugin compatibility and integration
    • Interface behavior
    • Display and control plugins
  • Broader testing encouraged - complete plugin functionality expected

RC (Release Candidate)

  • Mostly complete
  • Final checks for stability, polish, and packaging
  • Prepares for public/stable release

Stable Release

  • Pushed to the main update channel
  • No longer in test mode
  • Production-safe for most users

Please keep this in mind when testing and reporting.
Right now, system-level confirmations are the most valuable: booting, audio out, networking, playback, Bluetooth, CD/NAS, etc.

Thanks for being part of this testing phase - your feedback directly shapes the quality of the final release.

Kind Regards,

30

Success this time. Process:

  • Fresh install
  • Login to MyVolumio
  • Test Web Radio - OK
  • Enable plugin test mode
  • Install Spotify plugin - OK
  • Install IR-Remote plugin - works OK
  • Install Touch Display plugin - slow install, but works OK
  • Create log (no reboot this time!)

My guess is that because I didn’t have plugin test mode enabled the first time I tried installing Touch Display and IR-Remote, the half installed plugins prevented their reinstallation, requiring a fresh Volumio install.

Note, I didn’t do sudo get-apt update this time.

1 Like
31

All good so far.

GPIO. Tested with IR receiver ok

USB tested with DAC. Ok

DSI ok

Audio pipeline (MPD, ALSA, Bluetooth) all ok

Networking, multiroom playback services all ok. Wifi signal is stronger

Plugins tested: IR, Touch Display, Now Playing, Spotify, Bandcamp - all working perfectly

32

Pi4 8GB, booting off USB, using Hifiberry Digi hat and 8" HDMI touchscreen.

  1. After fresh install and tweaking System. Network and Playback settings, along with adding 2 cifs/smb shares, I then proceeded to install Touch Display. It didn’t error out but the install screen closed itself. From previous experience, I had to uninstall it and try again but no good. Reading this thread, I did do a factory reset and it then installed fine.
  2. NAS shares added and updated at fresh install and after Factory Reset. However, they no longer show up now. Updating and Rescanning does nothing. So I deleted the 2 libraries I have added to try and add them again, and then I get this error:
    image
  3. After restart, it takes awhile for the system to recognize the Hifiberry Digi. It also sometimes doesn’t initiate. I do not want to pin this on the alpha, as my hat has been wonky. I’ve tried disabling FusionDSP and PeppyMeter Basic, and it does not appear to make a difference.
  4. Minor issue…was hoping these new versions would fix USB key boot on Pi4, using SanDisk usb key.
  5. When changing playback options, say from I2S hat to USB, sometimes it causes Volume Option in Playback to go “hardware” or/then “undefined” despite having set it to “None”.
    I believe these are the issues I have ran into so far.

Thank you.

33

Thank you for the detailed write-up, @RedEyeNinja - really appreciate the time you’ve taken to document your setup and observations.

There are several useful points here (Touch Display behavior, NAS remount issues, HAT detection quirks, volume config edge cases), but unfortunately, we can’t dig into any of them properly without logs.

Just a quick reminder:
When something breaks or behaves unexpectedly, please grab a log before rebooting. You can do this from http://<your-volumio-ip>/dev using the “Submit a Log” button, or via SSH with volumio logsubmit.

We love logs - even if 99.99% is noise, it’s the 0.01% that tells us what really happened.

If you can still reproduce any of those issues, a log would be super helpful to pinpoint where things are going sideways.

Thanks again for testing.

Kind Regards,

34

Here you go. Thank you for looking out!

https://logs.volumio.org/volumio/GSe45Aw.html

I also want to point out one of the better things with the new build and updated plugins, is that it seems PeppyMeter Basic no longer “drops the needle” so to speak, but I have only been able to stream off of Spotify and not thru my local higher-bitrate library on the alpha.

I have also ported over my backup settings from FusionDSP [peq] and NowPlaying.

35

v0.059

  • Updated SMB stack to protocol version 3.11
  • Integrated MPD 0.24 with Volumio patches
  • Implemented OTA-safe fix
  • Ensures alpha update redirection and test sentinels persist
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v0.060

  • Setup wizard logic helper to apply consistent host name formatting
  • Ensures proper hostname entry in /etc/hosts without breaking DNS or localhost resolution
  • Prepares system for clean OTA and plugin compatibility across devices
37

Hey @RedEyeNinja,

Thanks for the log and the observations - very helpful. A few key findings worth highlighting for others on alpha:

1. DHCP Rebind During Playback

This is the most serious red flag:

dhcpcd[797]: eth0: failed to renew DHCP, rebinding
dhcpcd[797]: eth0: leased 10.10.20.49 for 7200 seconds

Mid-playback DHCP rebinds can silently interrupt active Spotify TCP sessions (to accesspoint/dealer servers). Even if the IP doesn’t change, the routing table and ARP flushes are enough to cause a brief dropout or audible “click” during recovery. The issue might not be noticed on typical setups, but with FusionDSP and PeppyMeter in the chain, there’s zero tolerance for stream delays.

Workaround: assign a static IP for wired alpha devices, or increase the DHCP lease duration on your router (e.g., 12–24 hours instead of 2).

2. MPD Exceptions - “No such directory”

You’ll see lines like:

exception: No such directory
CoreCommandRouter::executeOnPlugin: mpd , getMyCollectionStats

This happens because no valid local music path is linked, and the MPD database hasn’t been built (which is expected if you’re only streaming from Spotify). The repeated plugin polling (getMyCollectionStats) causes a loop of failures that can slightly increase CPU activity during idle.

3. FusionDSP + PeppyMeter Chain Fragility

The audio path looks like:

Spotify → CamillaDSP (Fusion) → FIFO → PeppyMeter → hw:Output

This chain is modular and sensitive to underruns. Spotify often switches formats between tracks (e.g., sample rate or bit depth). When that happens:

  • CamillaDSP might flush/reinit its filters
  • PeppyMeter might briefly stall on ALSA input
  • Combined effect = short underrun or a “click” at transition

This aligns with your observation that PeppyMeter no longer drops the needle - that’s a sign of improved buffer handling - but if you’re still hearing track transition clicks, it’s likely due to this format-switch sensitivity.

4. USB Audio + CPU/GPU Load

You’ve got Chromium, FusionDSP, and PeppyMeter all active - plus high-power USB storage. On Pi4, this can stress bandwidth and audio timing. If possible, test with:

  • PeppyMeter disabled
  • Or FusionDSP set to a static sample rate (e.g., 44100)
  • Or temporarily reduce Chromium usage (NowPlaying)

Suggested Next Steps:

  • Set static IP on alpha or increase DHCP lease to avoid stream disruption.
  • Disable PeppyMeter temporarily and retest Spotify to isolate the click cause.
  • Use top or htop to watch CPU load during track transitions.
  • No need to worry about MPD logs if not using local files.

Kind Regards,

1 Like
38

Here’s a log of a fresh v0.060 install; adjusted Network settings with static ip and had to correct Volume Mixer to none, as it was set to hardware after install. No other issue other than UPNP taking awhile to turn off as usual. Install process is less confusing now without 3.799 update being suggested. Thank you.

http://logs.volumio.org/volumio/ptFZ0aH.html

Edit: adding Virtual Keyboard now throws an error on the screen, asking to remove the extension as it’s no longer supported by Chromium.

Edit 2: Rebooted, and music library seems intact.

Edit 3. After reboot, some songs seem missing in the library and the songs Volumio sees, it doesn’t appear to actually start playing. Also, Hifiberry Digi did not start after reboot.

http://logs.volumio.org/volumio/2U4un3n.html

39

Hey @RedEyeNinja,

Can you test again with “Generic I2S DAC” selected? There is long love - hate relation between HifBerry DACs and newer kernels.

Kind Regards,

1 Like