[lug] (Raspberry Pi) media center control?

[Davide Del Vento]

On Sat, Jun 12, 2021 at 2:58 PM Michael J. Hammel <
mjhammel at graphics-muse.org> wrote:

> > The question was more about the software side, such as is a
> > Raspberry Pi 3 adequate to run VLC, youtube, Vimeo and the likes?
> > Perhaps in a single tab browser?
>
> Browsers are memory hogs and a Pi doesn't have a lot of memory.


I know, that's why I suggested a single tab browser.


> A Pi
> would be better providing web services (aka serving video files) to a
> remote client running a browser.
>

Ok, but that does not help me (see below). So it sounds like the Pi is a no
starter, that's excellent information to have and avoid wasting my time
with it.

On Sat, 2021-06-12 at 13:10 -0600, Davide Del Vento wrote:
> > Is bluetooth DAC the same as sending bluetooth audio to a receiver,
> > or is it different? Google does not clarify.
> > Wikipedia mentions A2DP as bluetooth audio, and nothing as bluetooth
> > in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital-to-analog_converter
> >
> > That would work, has anybody tried it? Suggestions for hardware or
> > software?
>
> I bought a bluetooth transmitter that I hacked into our original TV
> trailer TV (see https://www.rpawd.com/mods/wireless-speakers/).  Works
> fine to transmit audio from the TV to bluetooth speakers.  However,
> there is noticable lag when watching a video and listening to the
> speakers.  In the end, this lag was not acceptable.
>

Yes, I know about that problem (digital pianos have it too). However for me
just listening to the track while I play on the acoustic, that's a non
issue. From the projector to the stereo, it's good to have your
confirmation that trying the bluetooth is a waste. A little more work, but
cable from projector to stereo is not a big problem.


> > Does anything similar exist for the phone screen, so I can be spared
> > of the HDMI cable too? Or is that too much bandwidth?
>
> It's likely much easier to transmit video files over wifi than try to
> transmit HDMI without cables.


As I mentioned above, video file transfer does not solve my problem.
Probably I did not explain correctly what my problem is.
Assuming I buy a projector, I don't want to and have no room to put a
regular computer (not even a laptop) next to it. A Pi, yes, but that's a no
starter per the discussion above. So how do I get the projector to project
anything?  Transferring files from one device to another does not make them
show up in the projector, unless the projector is a computer too.. is there
such a thing? If so, does it work reliably? Sounds like using an old phone
or tablet is the way to go.

I was trying to see if I could also avoid the cable, but it sounds like I
can't. I just have to decide if I want to place an old phone permanently
located next to the projector -- and how to control it from my pocket
phone, or either if I want to use my regular phone, but have to have this
dangling cable in a convenient to access location, but not be too messy.


> > I see. That still seems overkill to me as the other suggestions.
> > Perhaps I can instead use the Pi just to store the files and access
> > them from the phone over the home network, without doing the
> > streaming part.
>
> Bingo.  If you're on the local network (inside your house) and the
> video files are 720p or less then you can just stream them from a plex
> server.
>

Well, that's just to save storage space on my phone. Something I can do,
but secondary to the goal I am discussing here, not really "bingo". As I
said, I have only a dozen of so files, not a library of stuff like most
people (I still use CDs for that)

> My stereo does not have HDMI, but I connect the Pi with a regular
> > mini-TRS-to-RCA and that problem is solved anyway.
>
> Basically what I do for the headphones.  I have PiBox automatically
> route audio to the RCA port and disable HDMI for the Media System
> because that's it's use case (consumer device orientation, again).
>

I'm lost with this, but perhaps it's not relevant with what I want to do
anyway?

So in conclusion it sounds like:

1) I should use a phone for the projector, undecided as above if
- an old one permanently attached and hidden, perhaps tricky to control
- the current one with an HDMI cable dangling from somewhere (not neat
setup)
- in either case, regular audio cable goes from the projector to the stereo
system

2) I should use a phone to play piano-related files too, with a bluetooth
DAC (which sounds like it is the same as bluetooth audio receiver, if I
understand Jed's email which just showed up) hooked into the stereo system
(audio lag not being an issue here)

Anybody having anything else to add/suggest?

Thanks again!
Davide
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