SqueezeSlave - Questions and General Information

[rocketlynx]

First off, I have read the wiki topic: Squeezeslave on the core, http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/Squeezeslave_on_the_core and I have searched the forum for these definitive answers.  But I would like to completely understand the correct answers before implementing this on my working Core.  In other words, I have no problem manually installing and getting it to work using the information from the Wiki and the Forum but I would like to know with my Core's present version: LinuxMCE Alpha2.25 if it has been done or shouldn't be done because it is an Alpha version and not 710, which is stable.

Here are the questions:

• Is Squeezeslave a totally standalone software implementation of Squeezebox, not needing anything else but an additional sound card for each instance?
• Has this ever been tried or successfully acheived on LinuxMCE 810 Alpha2 or just recommended for LinuxMCE 710, stable?
• Using an extra LinuxMCE compatible PCI sound card, is there anything that should be done before or after installation and rebooting the Core to keep the new, second, PCI sound card from interfearing with the first (primary) sound card?
• This may have been answered by the first question.  For clarification, the Wiki link for downloading Squeezeslave: http://sourceforge.net/projects/softsqueeze/files/ takes you to a page under Softsqueeze.  Is Squeezeslave part of, comes with, or needing Softsqueeze to operate on the Core?

Again, I would not have asked these questions if I would have found the answers in the Wiki or Forum.

Thanks to all for the previous and continued support.
Charles

P.S. Chalk this one up to "LinuxMCE For Dummies"

[sambuca]

Hi,

I've followed this wiki several times and have one squeezeslave running at all times on my core. Although; this is a 710 core.
The procedure will work on a 810/alpha core also, I did one such install, but as it was a hybrid core it conflicted with Xine's use of the audio card.
For a stand-alone core my guess is that it will work without problems. On a hybrid (or MD for that matter) it can be made to work if you want to split the 6-channel output and use them as 3 stereo outputs, but that's another story 

• Yes, it is a totally standalone implementation. I suppose the sqeezeslave wiki http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezeSlave can give you more information.
• As mentioned above, it works if you have a standalone core. The alpha install is by default to install a hybrid, not sure if there is an installation option to choose core only at this point. Maybe someone else knows?
• Don't really know. I suppose it should work, but I know other devices often can be loaded as different devices /dev/X depending on which one is loaded first at boot. The solution to this problem is to write a udev rule.
   If you plan on using this on a hybrid or MD I assume you want Xine to use the first sound card, and squeezeslave to use the second. I haven't heard of such a setup, but I am sure its possible. You might need to read up on ALSA though...
• You don't need softsqueeze, the squeezeslave should downloadable in a separate package. That will include all you need.

These are interesting questions, please let us know how it goes ;-)

best regards,
sambuca

[bulek]

Hi,

I'm also using Squeezeslave on separate sound card and it mostly works ok. I just hear occasional hiccups (it's connected with Core being busy, but don't know how to deal with this).

I've also noticed that some files crash Squeezeslave (in my case I ended sending speech announcements to squeezeslave, cause as mono wav files they cause squeezeslave to die). I've asked on squeezeslave forums on how to setup on-the-fly transcoding of mono to stereo (have found command line that does that), but just couldn't get it to work...

If anyone knows more about transcoding on slimserver, we could solve that problem out also for other files...

HTH;

regards,

Bulek.

[rocketlynx]

Thanks to Sambuca and Bulek for weighing in on this.  I'll try and install and test Squeezeslave on my Core this weekend.  After reviewing the wiki information, it seems that it's pretty much reversible if I get into trouble, that is, I can remove it without reinstallation of the Core again.

Regards,
Charles