Peterborough Linux User Group (Canada) Forum

Linux & Android => Raspberry Pi & Single-Board Computers => Topic started by: ssfc72 on October 24, 2020, 09:35:38 AM

Title: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 24, 2020, 09:35:38 AM
I am happy to report that I now have my old RPi 3 setup as an internet radio.  It works great! I had a small Creative twin speaker battery/dc line powered  unit that has an aux in jack, that I connected to the earphone jack of the RPi 3.

The RPi Volumio internet radio is controlled/music selected, from a Browser on any device logged into your home wifi service.

I watched this YouTube video for the install info:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FApVPjaxj8I

Basically it makes use of the Volunio.org  internet radio service. The basic service is free to use, for the time being.  This website also has a quick guide on setting up the service.
I didn't see any mention about what size of SD card to use in the RPi 3B.  I posted my question on the Volumio Forum and one person said an 8 GB micro SD card would be fine.

Maybe I can find out how to share my computer screen on Jitsi and I can run through a demo of an install, on the next PLUG Mug Jitsi video group meeting.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: buster on October 24, 2020, 10:09:57 AM
I'm guessing that your install works a little differently from mine, but I got this list from the volumio site and I can click any of them and get the music through my browser - very similar to the ShoutCast method.

Station - kbps - website

    1FMBluesRadio.pls - 128 - 1.FM BLUES RADIO - 1.fm/ 7
    833SmoothJazz.pls - 320 - 88.3 Smooth Jazz - europaradiojazz.org/ 8
    AddictedToRadio-BluesClassics(256kbps).pls - 256 - AddictedToRadio.com 1 - Blues Classics 256k - addictedtoradio.com/
    AudiophileBaroque.pls - 320 - Audiophile Baroque - audiophilebaroque.rad.io/ 3
    AudiophileClassical.pls - 320 - Audiophile Classical - audiophileclassical.rad.io/ 2
    AudiophileIcecast.pls - 320 - Audiophile Icecast - audiophileicecast.rad.io/ 1
    AudiophileJazz.pls - 320 - Audiophile Jazz - audiophilejazz.rad.io/ 6
    AudiophileLive.pls - 320 - Audiophile Live - audiophilelive.rad.io/ 2
    EuropaRadioJazz - 320 - Europa Radio Jazz - europaradiojazz.org/ 8
    FM106CanadaClassicRock.pls - 320 - FM 106 Canadaââ,¬â,,¢s Classic Rock - fm106.ca/
    FrankZappaStreamRadio.pls - 320 - Frank Zappa Stream - zappateers.oblivion-software.de 4
    GaudeamusJazz.pls - 320 - Gaudeamus Kauno technologijos universiteto radias Lietuva - gaudeamus.fm/
    HiOnLineClassicRadio.pls - 320 - Hi On Line Classic Radio - hionline.eu/ 2
    KWAXclassic.pls - 320 - KWAX-FM University of Oregon - kwaxradio.com/
    LinnClassical.pls - 320 - Linn Web Radio - radio.linnrecords.com/index2.html 6
    LinnJazz.pls - 320 - Linn Web Radio - radio.linnrecords.com/index2.html 6
    LinnRadio.pls - 320 - Linn Web Radio - radio.linnrecords.com/index2.html 6
    MegarockRadio-AllRequestRockRadio.pls - 320 - Megarock Radio - megarockradio.net/
    Morow(128aac+).pls - 128 - Morow Progressive Rock Radio - morow.com/ 1
    NaimRadio.pls - 320 - Naim Radio - naimaudio.com/news/article/n ââ,¬Â¦ io-now-air 5
    RadioCaroline259Gold.pls - 320 - Radio Caroline 259 Gold - radiocaroline259.nl/
    RadioParadise(128aac+).pls - 128 - Radio Paradise - radioparadise.com/ 2
    RockRadio1(192mp3).pls - 192 - Rock Radio 1 - rockradio1.com/
    RootsLegacyRadio-DubUKandRootsReggae.pls - 320 - Roots Legacy Radio - rootslegacy.fr/
    RSDRadio(160mp3) - 160 - RSD-radio - rsd-radio.com/
    SmoothJazz.pls - 256 - Smooth Jazz Global Radio - smoothjazz.com/ 5
    SomehowJazz.pls - 320 - Somehow Jazz - somehowjazz.com/
    SwedishClassicRadio(192mp3).pls - 192 - Swedish Public Radio - sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.as ââ,¬Â¦ kel=572753 3
    SwingRadio.pls - 320 - 스ìÅ"â,,¢Ã¬ÂÅ'ì•… - swingradio.saycast.com
    VeniceClassicRadioItalia(128mp3).pls - 128 - Venice Classic Radio - veniceclassicradio.eu/ 1
    VinylEars.pls - 320 - Vinyl Ears - vinylears.com/ 3

Oddly enough, if I email this list to myself all the links are clickable, whereas I'm not sure they are in the forum. Anyway, this thread in their forum has lots more:

https://community.volumio.org/t/internet-radio-stations-in-volumio/657/6
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: buster on October 24, 2020, 10:22:32 AM
If you go to this ShoutCast page and select on the left a category, and select a station, at least on my computer, it prompts to open Clementine and it plays on a wee app.

On my downstairs computer I use a different opening page and it opens directly.

http://directory.shoutcast.com/scradioinwinamp

However yours has a 'cool' factor way, way above my method!
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 24, 2020, 12:30:14 PM
Thanks for the info and Links, Buster.  Good info to know.

The RPi is nice because it is so small and portable, does not need a keyboard, mouse or monitor and I don't have to boot up a big computer or notebook computer, to listen to world radio stations/music. :-)
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: buster on October 24, 2020, 01:50:53 PM
"does not need a keyboard, mouse or monitor "

How do you change stations?
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: Jason on October 24, 2020, 03:46:12 PM
I notice there's a plug-in for Spotify, too. Then you can pick all the songs you like and you don't have to worry about changing stations.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 24, 2020, 04:40:01 PM
You can use the internet browser on your cell phone or tablet, if you want to select a different music stream. You just type the IP address of the RPi into the browser address bar and it brings up the RPi Volumio page.

Quote from: buster on October 24, 2020, 01:50:53 PM
"does not need a keyboard, mouse or monitor "

How do you change stations?
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: Jason on October 25, 2020, 06:43:42 PM
Geez. I didn't think of using a cellphone or tablet to do it either. It's like having a remote control.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 26, 2020, 01:44:28 AM
The finished RPi Volumio internet radio, photo.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: Jason on October 26, 2020, 12:14:20 PM
Looks good, Bill! How's it sound? Do you have an idea how long the speakers last on battery or do you usually have them plugged into an outlet?

And yes, a demo of the install would be cool as perhaps showing how it's used, say, in a virtual machine.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: buster on October 26, 2020, 06:05:22 PM
Bill,

#1. Do you turn it off when not in use or leave it running?
#2. Are the wires going out the windows for your ham radio?
#3. If you do a presentation for this, please make sure it's not election night
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 27, 2020, 05:26:19 AM
The little Creative speakers sound very good, considering their small size.  I have a larger Boom box, with an Aux input, that would sound even better, if I wanted to use a bulkier system.

The Creative speakers take four AA batteries, which should last for a few hours use. The speakers also have a 5 Volt DC input, if I wanted to power them with a wall wart.  I think I may build a small Lithium battery rechargeable power pack, to power the Creative speakers. I also have two 40 Volt rechargeable Lithium batteries for my electric lawnmower, that I could adapt to power the Creative speaker. One of these batteries would probably power the speakers for a year, on a single charge. :-)




Quote from: Jason Wallwork on October 26, 2020, 12:14:20 PM
Looks good, Bill! How's it sound? Do you have an idea how long the speakers last on battery or do you usually have them plugged into an outlet?

And yes, a demo of the install would be cool as perhaps showing how it's used, say, in a virtual machine.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 27, 2020, 05:40:49 AM
I turn it off when I am done listening to the music.  Using my cell phone, the Volumio page has a shutdown menu item. I then turn off the speakers and unplug the RPi.
There are no wires going out the window. I assume you mean internet radio and not ham radio? :-)
I may be listening to the tunes on the internet radio, on election night. Whatever night that is. :-)

Quote from: buster on October 26, 2020, 06:05:22 PM
Bill,

#1. Do you turn it off when not in use or leave it running?
#2. Are the wires going out the windows for your ham radio?
#3. If you do a presentation for this, please make sure it's not election night
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: buster on October 27, 2020, 08:08:52 AM
"There are no wires going out the window."

At the top of the picture of the radio, there is what looks like a window frame. Top left has a black wire; top right has a white wire. I'm curious to know what those wires are.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 27, 2020, 10:05:50 AM
The white wire is the wall wart wire that is powering the RPi.
The black wire, is from a string of solar led lights, that is sitting on the window ledge. :-)
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: buster on October 27, 2020, 12:07:23 PM
"wall wart wire "

Translate please.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: Jason on October 27, 2020, 12:57:46 PM
Off-topic but "40 Volt rechargeable Lithium batteries for my electric lawnmower"

I didn't know you could run a lawnmower on 40 V batteries. Impressive! I wish our landlord would convert to an electric mower. The gas one he uses is hella' stinky - we have to close all our windows. Maybe I'll tell him about this one. Can you message me privately and let me know where to get it since I don't want to hijack the topic.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 28, 2020, 04:19:04 AM
The ubiquitous power adapters that plug into the household electrical wall outlets, to provide low voltage power to various devices, in your home. :-)  ie:  the 5 volt usb power adapters.

Quote from: buster on October 27, 2020, 12:07:23 PM
"wall wart wire "

Translate please.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: Jason on October 28, 2020, 11:27:04 AM
Quote from: buster on October 27, 2020, 12:07:23 PM
"wall wart wire "

Translate please.

He actually just spelt my name wrong. ;)

But seriously, I didn't know what a wall wart (http://www.dxing.info/equipment/wall_warts_bryant.dx) was neither. You learn something new every day or at least try to.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: buster on October 28, 2020, 06:26:29 PM
"The ubiquitous power adapters "

Are we allowed to use words like ubiquitous on this site?
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 28, 2020, 07:26:35 PM
Readers of the PLUG Forums are gaining an increase in their language skills  (wall wart, ubiquitous, etc). :-)
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: Jason on October 28, 2020, 11:46:17 PM
Quote from: buster on October 28, 2020, 06:26:29 PM
"The ubiquitous power adapters "

Are we allowed to use words like ubiquitous on this site?

That word is reserved for Bill but you may user others.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 29, 2020, 12:13:00 PM
So, with the Volumio internet radio program, i went into the Settings and Plugins and i turned on the Spotify internet radio streaming service.
I qutie like the Movie Ticket Radio Classic, channel. It streams, as the name implies, music from the movies.
The announcer gives a short introduction to each tune.

I also like to listen to some of the Hawian stations and their music. :-)
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: Jason on October 29, 2020, 01:46:47 PM
Quote from: ssfc72 on October 29, 2020, 12:13:00 PM
So, with the Volumio internet radio program, i went into the Settings and Plugins and i turned on the Spotify internet radio streaming service.

Strickling speaking, Spotify isn't internet radio; it's a music streaming service. There aren't any radio stations on it that I know of. Is this the first time you've tried Spotify?

My wife likes listening to some of the podcasts. I just it for music mostly. I have about 1500 songs on my list so when I'm out walking, waiting for or on the bus, I'll listen to random songs on the Spotify phone app. I have the premium service so you can download all your songs and podcasts and so it's ad-free.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on October 29, 2020, 06:22:49 PM
Lots of radio stations. Just type in an FM freq. In the search bar.
I typed in 91.9 and lots of stations were listed.
You can also get to the Web Radio menu item. In that menu is a menu item called, Local. Go into that and it lists all the radio stations for our area.
Title: Re: RPi internet radio - Volumio service
Post by: ssfc72 on November 06, 2020, 08:19:55 AM
So, I have been using my old MotoG 3rd generation phone ( Android 6 ) and the Opera browser  to access the Volumio web page on the RPi 3, to operate the internet radio and select music channels/stations.
I found it was better/easier to navigate the Volumio webpage if I changed the Opera browser setting on the cell phone, to use Desktop mode, instead of Mobile mode.
It still took a great deal of trial and error to figure out how to get into the various pages of the Volumio web page, to operate the internet radio.  I had to realise that I needed to scroll up and down the web page to see all the menu items, available.

I also am sometimes getting error messages, at first, after trying to start a music selection, for the first time.  An error message pops up, after the music has played for half a minute, and reports a decoding error and also a CURL error and the music will stop playing.
I click on the play button and the music starts to play again but then stops with the same error message.  I restart a number of times and eventually the problem goes away. Almost like there is maybe wifi interference?

I will try my Samsung  Tab A tablet and see if I have the same problem, using it.