Zynthian Box with Audio-input (Audioinjector soundcard)

Building Zynthian
41

I haven’t seen the magic cookie before. If I would be in your situation I would build it up from scratch. Only soundcard with external hdmi. Etc.
And of course using a fresh image.

42

Hi @Hampelschwein!

I don’t understand why did you change the “zynthian.sh” …it’s not needed at all, and it will be overwriten by the next update.

You can configure the audioinjector from the webconf tool very easily. And after that, you only need to adjust the alsamixer levels from the command line:

# alsamixer

And that’s all :wink:

But be warned that audioinjector soundcards are quite problematic. IMHO, the 40 pin header is not very reliable …

Regards,

43

because it was mentioned here

Enable output and input with alsamixer, as explained by @rod_amaral here Zynthian Box with Audio-input (Audioinjector soundcard)

hm okay I will try to do this when I’m back at home, travelling right now.

could the audioinjector also be the reason why my zynthian still crashed from time to time?

44

sorry, how exactly do you do this with the command line and the alsamixer?

45

Easy:

  1. Login into your Zynthian Box
  2. Run alsamixer:
    # alsamixer
  3. Adjust the levels, enable the right input channel, etc
  4. Quit and reboot. It should maintain your adjustments after booting.

Regards

46

uh shit, I think now I really messed something up. After I put a new image on the sd card I could boot again, then I dropped my backed up “zynthian-my-data” back into the sd card. Then the sound was extremely quiet and distorted and suddenly I couldnt access the zynthian via my computer anymore, then I put a new image on the sd again and now I cant even boot anymore, it gets stuck on the white Zynthian error screen, no access with the terminal possible (“operation timed out”). also the leds at the network cable plug are not blinking anymore. Is my raspberry somehow broken? The soundcard? I’m stuck… I dont want to randomly buy something new

47

I have bad experiences with AudioInjector soundcards, so i would try to run your zynthian without it. It will show you the Error Screen, but you should be capable of login in.
If it works, try to reconnect the soundcard, and cross your fingers … it’s all i can say :wink:

BTW, I suspect that the 40-pin header included in the AudioInjector is not very reliable and it gives random errors and conflicts. Anyway, a deeper research should be done to being sure of what the problem it is.

Regards

48

ok thank you so far! I suppose the hifiberry is the soundcard you would recommend most?

49

It works quite well, although there are others that also works fine. I’ve only tested 2 or 3, being the AudioInjector the more problematic, although is the only one having audio input. In fact, currently i have a Zynthian with AudioInjector that works perfectly.

Regards,

50

ok, booting again and sound coming out (sometimes), but a lot of weird crashes all the time, I’ll have a look in this…

Meanwhile, the alsamixer. sorry I dont get it what you explained above. Where am writing “# alsamixer”? In the terminal or somewhere in the webconf? Because in the terminal nothing happens

51

alsamixer is a Linux command. You just type:

alsamixer

followed by the Enter key in the terminal (the # is not to be typed by you, it is just the command-line prompt).

Here’s a tutorial on how to work with sound on a Raspberry Pi (including aslamixer):

1 Like
52

ok thanks!
Zynthian is now running halfways stable again! :slight_smile:

the only thing is now, I cant turn the mic off completely, I can make it louder with the mic boost, but at the lowest setting its still on. Is there a setting I’m missing?

53

It should be possible from the alsamixer. Try to play with the different switches and levels …

Regards,

54

hm, I played around with it again. the only level/switch that had an effect on the mic was the mic boost, which as I said could only make it louder and not quiet it. I also turned down every level and still it was on (master, sidetone, mix boost and capture. The other ones: line, mic, master Playback zc, playback deemphasis, adc high pass filter, Output Mixer hifi, Output Mixer Line Bypass, Output Mixer Mic Sidetone and Store DC Offset are all disabled

55

Could someone tell me dimensions of Audioinjector soundcard? I need them so that I can make sure that electronics fit inside body I have designed as I dont have one yet and it will take some time before I get one. For some reason there seems to be no dimensions of it in internet.

Thank you in advance.

56

Hi @Aleksi!

Dimensions are the almost the same of HifiBerry. It’s a RBPi hat. Of course you can use the PiZero version, that it’s much smaller, with the same features.

Regarding the connector’s positioning, you would have to order one and measure by yourself. I haven’t found a publicly available specification.

Regards,

57

@jofemodo

Thanks for reply.

It is good to hear that PiZero verison works as I was wondering that but forgot to ask. I will get one of those instead of stereo soundcard.

58

I’ll measure mine and tell you sizes tonight. I’m at work at the moment…

59

Pls dont use your energy unless it is PiZero card.

Edit. It seems that PiZero soundcard is same size as PiZero so there is realy no need for measurements.

60

Hi ! A little question about the audio to midi function, anybody tried to use it with this audio card ?