Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Suggestions/requests/ideas for RuneAudio core features and functions

Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby nico » 22 Aug 2014, 16:28

Hi guys,
I've installed Runeaudio and am starting to test it.
Since the RPi (and BBB I think?) has GPIO pins, could we have a feature to turn ON/OFF a pin when we start /stop playback?

The idea is to have the amplifier connected to a relay, which would be controlled by a pin on the computer. When we start playing music, the amplifier turns on, and when we stop it turns off. This would allow us to hide the amplifier in a cupboard or such, and control everything remotely - while being relatively energy efficient.

If there were plans to implement this, it would be greatly appreciated

Cheers and thanks for the good work!

nico

edit: of course the amp should only turn off after the player being idle for some time (hopefully configurable from the Settings page)
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby ACX » 23 Aug 2014, 18:55

Hi nico,
this feature is currently not on our roadmap, as it is very equipment-specific. Buf if someone comes out with a nice solution for that, we could consider to integrate it as an option in the Settings page.
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby krischan » 25 Aug 2014, 09:09

Hi Guys,

my first post here (and a big Thank You for developing Rune Audio), but the feature is quite interesting for me too.

Maybe you can offer an option to automatically start a script when music playback is started and another when it's stopped. The scripts can be filled by oneself. So one can put in what ever one want. The users can post some examples in the forum for the ones with less knowledge.

E.g., modern (AV-)Receivers are controllable via TCP and in respect via shell script too. As a consequence another volume control method could be provided by calling a script, which is setting the level directly in the receiver. (I also use rune audio on a pi with a recent av-receiver, because I don't like the DLNA etc. things and have a sane folder structure for audio)

Also one or more buttons in the playback view can be provided to start scripts and it would be nice to make the script accessible via smb folder.

OK, many wishes... Maybe you can pick the first regarding to nico's original request.
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby gswg » 26 Aug 2014, 14:26

The IQaudIO Pi-DAC uses GPIO22 as mute signal to a suitably configured amp and the same is true for the Pi-DAC+ when headphones are inserted, the same pin is used to allow a suitably equipped amp to mute. Obviously this would need software support to enable / disable the amp too but we're working towards similar goals at least.... :-)


Gordon@IQaudIO.com
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby skrodahl » 26 Aug 2014, 15:04

This may be a very simple way of looking at it, but it would be useful and simple to implement:

In the settings, have a number of GPIO pins that can be set or unset. Then choose some simple triggers, like "IF music is playing THEN set GPIO# high ELSE set GPIO# low".

That would be sufficient for the original poster, who could then add a relay to that GPIO pin (it would even turn off the amp when the RPi is shut down), and it could be expanded to suit different ideas.
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby Midnight » 28 Aug 2014, 09:46

I'd rather put the player and the amp together in a case and turn both on/off with a single power switch ;)
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby skrodahl » 29 Aug 2014, 21:37

Midnight wrote:I'd rather put the player and the amp together in a case and turn both on/off with a single power switch ;)


I wouldn't recommend that to anyone though. Just powering off the RPi with a power button could corrupt the Linux installation. Granted, it would have to be during a write operation (or before a disk flush), but you can never be sure. Besides, the RPi takes a while to boot and the amp is virtually instant on. There would be a wait before the system is in a usable state.

Another, and a much simpler idea, is to have a GPIO pin go HIGH/LOW from Menu -> Turn Off. Call it "AUX Power", "AUX Signal" or something similar, and make the pin user configurable. That's something that could be implemented and tested in a very short time, and I have a hard time imagining that it could introduce any bugs or put unwanted load on the system.

That idea is hardly the automatic feature that nico requested, it still is a simplified version and it doesn't require much imagination to make it a useful feature.
-skrodahl

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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby Midnight » 30 Aug 2014, 12:27

skrodahl wrote:
Midnight wrote:I'd rather put the player and the amp together in a case and turn both on/off with a single power switch ;)


I wouldn't recommend that to anyone though. Just powering off the RPi with a power button could corrupt the Linux installation.


Of course that's a problem, but still I just power off my Runeaudios. For the unlikely case that the file system gets corrupted I still can just flash the SD card with the recent version ;) It's not a device that is sold to customers and has to be 100 % rock solid.
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby Midnight » 04 Sep 2014, 14:14

Maybe someone is interested in this board: http://www.msldigital.com/
The RemotePi Board is an intelligent infrared remote controlled power switch add-on board for the Raspberry Pi. It is mainly intended to remote control and power off/on a mediacenter system (i.e OpenELEC, Raspbmc, XBian, RasPlex, Raspbian), making your mediacenter easier, more convenient and more intuitive to use for all members of your family.
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Re: Turn amplifier ON/OFF via relay

Postby cmh714 » 04 Sep 2014, 15:25

Heres another one I was looking at....wont deal with the amp, but works on Pi

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BB0ETW8/ref ... QDC1&psc=1
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