v1.7.42 Beta

[rerdavies]

NEW: Support for Ubuntu 24.x (arm64 and amd64).

Please refer to the Installing Pipedal section of the documentation for important information on how to install and complete the initial configuration of PiPedal.

Use the arm64 package for Raspberry Pi OS and Ubuntu 24.xx (arm64).

Use the amd64 package for Ubuntu 24.xx (amd64/x64).

Changes:

• Remove unsupported alsa-base package dependency on Raspberry Pi OS.
• Revise package dependencies for Ubuntu Server 24.x
• Disable auto-hotspot when running on Netplan network stacks (Ubuntu Server)
• Documentation changes to describe how to enable the auto-hotspot feature on Ubuntu Server.
• Ubuntu 24.x compatibility (arm64 and amd64)
• Ubuntu CPU Freq/governor/thermal status display.
• Support for WiFi on on Ubuntu
• TooB Plugin compatibility issues on x64/amd64 (handling of NaNs)
• Restart audio automatically after ALSA stalls.
• Improvements to File Upload UI for plugins that have complex file types (e.g. Ratatouille)
• Support for LV2 Trigger controls, and MIDI bindings to LV2 trigger controls (common in looper and recording/playback plugsin).
• MIDI bindings for LV2 trigger controls.
• Port Web app from CRA to Vite framework to avoid deprecated dependencies.
• ToobAmp 1.1.57: Correctly set file path of the default file property for Toob Convolution Reverb.

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The .asc files are gpg digital signature for the .deb files. You can verify the signature using the following command:

gpg --verify pipedal_1.4.72_arm64.deb.asc pipedal_pipedal_1.4.72_arm64.deb

gpg --verify pipedal_1.4.72_amd64.deb.asc pipedal_pipedal_1.4.72_amd64.deb  

Files are signed with the following key:

    PiPedal Project <rerdavies@gmail.com> - 2D1F 39DB B1F8 1941 2B67 8F88 E9D7 081E 08E3 D85C

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This discussion was created from the release v1.7.42 Beta.

[38github]

So far this version has worked great. I have noticed that it shuts down a lot quicker and I very rarely get any xruns at very low latencies. I actually, the last couple of days, haven't had a single xrun.

[38github]

Now seceral days later I have used Pipedal a couple of times more times and not a single xrun. Before it usually happened when using the web server interface but not now.

[rerdavies]

Huh. Pi 4 or Pi 5? Which OS? Fresh install or upgrade? I don't think I've made any changes in this area, unless maybe I changed default buffer settings.

[38github]

RPi4 / Raspberry Pi OS (server) / Upgrade.

[jtcornett]

I've been using this with my RPi 4 for three or four months. I think this project is brilliant. I bought a RPI 5 for more CPU power. Most things work quite well. Other than some very minor UI issues and occasional glitch this application is solid. I often try to push the software / hardware to their limits and I'm amazed how well it all works. I was using the HiFi Berry hat at first thinking that was the way to ultra low latency, but recently discovered a good usb interface works just as well.

I have Surface Go 2 that is a bit under powered, but good enough for a tablet to display music charts (when I was gigging). When I saw you release an alpha version of PiPedal for Ubuntu I immediately had to give it go. I said goodbye to MS Win11 and installed Ubuntu Desktop. I'm happy to report it works quite well and performance is as good as the RPI 5... although the install was a little squirrelly, but nothing I couldn't handle.

Installation via apt-get install pipedal_1.4.74_amd64.deb didn't work first try. It didn't pull down the package dependencies for some reason. For kicks, I tried to install again using dpkg -i pipedal_1.4.74_amd64.deb. It failed again, but recommended I try apt --fix-packages. That pulled down the libraries needed for pipedal.
Lastly, I did apt-get install --reinstall pipedal_1.4.74_amd64.deb so installation scripts would run again. Success.
The service started. I connected an IK Multimedia Axe IO usb audio interface and to my surprise I was getting the same low latency and CPU usage on this small Intel based tablet as I'm getting on my new RPi 5. So now I have an effect processor inside my unused tablet... very nice.

Last test. I use Parallels Desktop on my Macbook Pro M3 Max... a hotrod of a computer from another evil empire, mostly because I frequently use Linux and have to use Windows 11 for certain development tasks (I'm an Enterprise architect/engineer/developer (Java ecosystem mostly), longing to learn C/C++ again so as to explore music plugin development for my own enjoyment). Anyway, I installed an Ubuntu arm64 VM. I install PiPedal alpha for arm64. I connected the AXE IO One to the Mac and had the new Parallels Ubuntu instance take direct control of the AXE IO audio interface. To my surprise sound... although it was raspy and ugly was coming out. I changed the buffer from 128k x 4 to 256k x 4 and the audio cleaned up immediately. I managed to play my guitar through this crazy setup. Latency was significantly worse than playing through hardware, but not so bad that it was unplayable.... about 20-30ms. Audio got a little warbly and glitchy but hey... I didn't expect it would work at all, much less be playable. I mean it is much much better than low latency audio in Windows (if attempting to use anything other than ASIO drivers).

So thank you for this Mr. Davies. I will continue to try to find some way to support your project. I'm 61, a long time electronics, guitar, and computer nerd. Although I don't have the stamina to dive deep into all the projects I would like to, I do what I can. Cheers.

[38github]

Nice to hear that it works great for you too. I recommend it to people as often as I can.

[rerdavies]

Re the mac latency: perhaps a problem running in a VM? I'm not sure whether you're going to get adequate scheduling granularity for the realtime audio threads in a VM. Also, make sure that you have run pipedal_kconfig on the Mac. Not doing that would also produce really poor latency.

Problems with installing dependencies: are you sure you weren't running sudo apt install instead of sudo apt-get install? sudo apt install will not install dependencies.

[rerdavies]

ps: you can use a non-VM version of Ubuntu on Mac using by booting from a USB stick/drive.

[jtcornett]

Yeah... the Ubuntu arm64 in Parallels thing was just for fun. I do weird experiments just for fun. Like I said, it was actually playable with high enough buffering. It's gone now.

This Mac is M3 aarch64 based. Ubuntu will not boot natively (but will on x86 Macs). There is distro project out there Asahi Linux that developers have been reverse engineering the Apple Silicon device drivers... maybe someday.

I'm 99% sure I was using apt-get. I figured out how to make 'apt-get install pipedal_1.4.74_amd64.deb' work the first time. If I sudo su to become root, then run 'apt-get install pipedal..deb', it installs all dependencies, pipedal and configures everything. I was running 'sudo apt-get install pipedal...deb' which did not want to install the dependencies. I know, that doesn't make sense. It should behave the same. Maybe someone else can verify if there is a difference.

I've told my guitar friends about it. Most of them are not technical and don't get it. Only recently are some of them trying amp in a pedal and pedals with IRs. I understand. Thanks for the response!

[jtcornett]

I'm going to have to take back what I said about sudo apt-get install... I install xubuntu on my Surface Go and the install went perfectly. I don't know why I had trouble before, unless Robin, you were right about me typing apt install instead of apt-get install. Thanks.