FreeDV 1.9.8 on sBitx .

[sigm...@gmail.com]

Hey gang.

It's been a little while since I've been able to be active in the shack.

I am fiddling around with my sBitx V3 and was like.. Hmm, I need to get FreeDV on this thing too.. Unfortunately, the built-in supplied repo pulls in liek version 1.3 or something so I went into the Debian Unstable repos and pulled down 1.9.8 to the pi.

Of course, I needed to then plunk in cmake, llibtool, autoconf, and some other missing build stuff. (learning as I go..)

So the application built and installed although it's not really useable on the 7" touch screen.. but that is something I can figure out later.. right now though

I'm having trouble with the sound plumbing.

Has anyone got a good handle on how these loopbacks work?

Apparently the sBitx has ALSA and PulseAudio devices.. but for some reason the audio config section of the older version and the new version see different API's

The older release lists the API as ALSA and has devices like plughw:CARD=Loopback,DEV=0(1) or something like that and

the new release displays the API as PulseAudio

and the devices have names like:

alsa_output.platform-snd_aloop.0.analog-stereo.monitor

alsa_input.platform-snd_aloop.0.analog-stereo

The iterations change from 0 - 7 to display 8 devices total 4 in 4 out (loopbacks I presume)

I cannot get radio audio from any of these.

My question is, can I somehow tell 1.9.8 which api to use ?

Thanks for the help and I'm sorry if this is confusing to follow..

W2JON

-Jon

Thanks!

[Mooneer Salem]

Hi Jon,

On Linux, the use of PulseAudio vs. PortAudio is controlled through compiler flags. By default, the build system defaults to PulseAudio because it tends to work significantly better for most Linux users. However, it's still possible to use PortAudio instead if you prefer by running "./build_linux.sh portaudio".

Also, when using PortAudio, FreeDV will pick up configuration changes if you open the "pavucontrol" utility and make changes in the Playback or Recording tabs. For example, choosing a different sound device below will also change it in Tools->Audio Config:

Thanks,

-Mooneer K6AQ

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[sigm...@gmail.com]

Oh Hey Mooneer, Thanks for the reply. 

I did see that as an option although I didn't realize until you mentioned it that may be what I need. 

I appreciate the helpful hint. I'll recompile and give it a shot and report back my results. 

My next question will be to see what my options are to go about making the interface 7" Raspi touch screen friendly.  

Thanks again!

W2JON

-Jon

[Jon Bruno]

Hey, what do you know.. That worked!

 I can now see the ALSA devices and the waterfall is flowing. 

I am trying to get PTT working now, but it seems that the hamlib net 'Rig Model' isn't available in the new dropdown. 

Any easy fixes for that? I tried to enter 127.0.0.1:4532 into the Serial device (or hostname:port) field but it's not responding as expected.

Thanks

-jon

W2JON

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digitalvoice/378aaaaf-e62d-40d1-aad9-a21b6ba454dbn%40googlegroups.com.

[Jon Bruno]

Just built 1.9.9 and the hamlib NET rigctl is back.. thanks!

[Mooneer Salem]

Hi Jon,

Glad that Hamlib and audio are working now.

Anyway, the controls on the main window will rearrange themselves to some extent, although there's probably still a minimum window size that will actually look okay. A screenshot or photo might help determine the current issues, if you're able to get one.

Thanks,

-Mooneer K6AQ 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digitalvoice/CAB46LcPkhQfmDkyim5Nt5cv_HxKEDeWP7xo_tYqUd8o2GVhvEQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Jon Bruno]

Will do Mooneer, I'll get that all for you in a bit. I had to reimage my SD card due to another mishap. 

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the sBitx project or not. 

The problem I see most are running into is the sBitx is shipped with 32 bit Buster, So of course the first hurdle is to get it to Bullseye and then test all ofthe integrations..

I did follow the pack and go through with that, and now I guess the big push is to get 64bit Bookworm working.

 

Unfortunately, there are quite a few gotcha's that can arise with tampering with the underlying sound configurations. 

The sBitx uses a WM8731 codec for the digital side of things and getting stuff in and out of it takes some creative plumbing, Some of which seems broken when ported to Bookworm.

One interesting glitch is that the USB headphones/mic can't be plugged in when the machine is booted or else the sBitx software enumerates it and throws all of the device indices out of alignment and it doesn't run. 

The hardware addressing approach seems a bit flawed, but in its purest state, the system works as intended. It's not until chuckleheads like me want to load it to the gills with digi-modes that it begins to get upset. 

But who wouldn't want all of these common modes onboard?!

There are 3 loopbacks to pipe audio in and out of the codec to apps but then there's the CAT control hurdle, The software has a neutered implementation of hamlib NET rigctl and it's not always available as an option in some modes

I'm glad it is in FreeDV!

anyway, thanks for the support. I'll check back when I get the radio back to the state I was in when I first posted. I know of a few other guys anxious to run as well. 

enjoy and 73

W2JON

-Jon

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digitalvoice/CAAzDfxMWEtAcJKw1JseG7YcLNvmNNwtGHK5GnJmAEUzEogHb9Q%40mail.gmail.com.

[sigm...@gmail.com]

Hey gang, I'm back. I had forgotten that I was a member of this group until Mooneer mentioned it in a message between us. 

So yeah, well the gist of the story was that I picked up an sBitx from HFSignals.com and fell in love with its open-source nature. 

If you aren't familiar the sBitx is one of Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE  creations.. Big brother to the uBitx, BITX20, BITX40, Antuino, and zBitx.

The sBitx is a hybrid SDR that runs on a Raspberry Pi4 its a hoot to work and play on.

Now, you can buy just the board and experiment but I went all in and picked up the completely assembled unit which comes in an aluminum case with the Raspi 7" capacitive touch screen.

The sBitx software has fldigi in the backend handling some heavy digital lifting and the wsjtx libs are baked into the control surface so the rig can even decode and log FT8 QSOs all in one small box with no additional hardware.

Well, with all that being said, the one thing I wanted to run on it, it couldn't run.. why? the screen is too darn small for the FreeDV GUI.. even with the GUI heavily crunched down it just wasn't useable. 

I sat down and thought I wasn't willing to give up the idea of running FreeDV on the sBitx so I set out to write a control companion for the FreeDV codecs. 

I'm not a developer by any stretch of the word I'm an infrastructure engineer, but I know enough to be a problem but somehow I got it pretty much working and fairly capable.  

I call my abomination FreeDV_PTT and If you have an sBitx please feel free to give it a whirl. 

But one gotcha. This will only run on the 64bit upgraded OS. (no 32bit)

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. 

73 de W2JON

https://github.com/SigmazGFX/freedv_ptt

[wal...@k5wh.net]

Really great stuff Jon.

 

Always nice to see many more implementations of FreeDV is other platforms.

 

We’ll catch you on the air.

 

Walter/K5WH

 

Thanks,

 

-Mooneer K6AQ

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digitalvoice/4b826f82-b5fd-49ed-a7f1-a6f1ab8a3f08n%40googlegroups.com.

[Jon Bruno]

Eh, it’s alright I guess. Very niche..

Thanks Walt.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/digitalvoice/006301dabd9e%24939970c0%24bacc5240%24%40k5wh.net.

[Steve Stroh]

Jonathan:

I mentioned your incorporation of FreeDV into the sBitx in today’s issue of Zero Retries (https://www.zeroretries.org/p/zero-retries-0156, will be live at 15:30 Pacific).

Kudos that you were able to make this work on an sBitx, and the same cannot be said for a FlexRadio 6000 series.

Thanks,

Steve N8GNJ

On Jun 12, 2024 at 21:05:54, sigm...@gmail.com <sigm...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey gang, I'm back. I had forgotten that I was a member of this group until Mooneer mentioned it in a message between us. 

So yeah, well the gist of the story was that I picked up an sBitx from HFSignals.com and fell in love with its open-source nature. 

If you aren't familiar the sBitx is one of Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE  creations.. Big brother to the uBitx, BITX20, BITX40, Antuino, and zBitx.

The sBitx is a hybrid SDR that runs on a Raspberry Pi4 its a hoot to work and play on.

Now, you can buy just the board and experiment but I went all in and picked up the completely assembled unit which comes in an aluminum case with the Raspi 7" capacitive touch screen.

The sBitx software has fldigi in the backend handling some heavy digital lifting and the wsjtx libs are baked into the control surface so the rig can even decode and log FT8 QSOs all in one small box with no additional hardware.

Well, with all that being said, the one thing I wanted to run on it, it couldn't run.. why? the screen is too darn small for the FreeDV GUI.. even with the GUI heavily crunched down it just wasn't useable. 

I sat down and thought I wasn't willing to give up the idea of running FreeDV on the sBitx so I set out to write a control companion for the FreeDV codecs. 

I'm not a developer by any stretch of the word I'm an infrastructure engineer, but I know enough to be a problem but somehow I got it pretty much working and fairly capable.  

I call my abomination FreeDV_PTT and If you have an sBitx please feel free to give it a whirl. 

But one gotcha. This will only run on the 64bit upgraded OS. (no 32bit)

Anyway, that's what I've been up to. 

73 de W2JON

https://github.com/SigmazGFX/freedv_ptt

--

Steve Stroh N8GNJ (he / him / his)

Editor

Zero Retries Newsletter - https://www.zeroretries.org

Radios are Computers - With Antennas!

[Jon Bruno]

Oh Hey! Thanks for the mention Steve. 

That’s really cool. 

But the only thing I really did was make a control surface that caters to the limitations of the rig. 

But hey, I’ll take the compliment. Hihi

73 De W2JON

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