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Build a simple LMS server

pCP Team 18 July 2021 pCP 8.0.0 Projects
This project is to create a simple LMS server with the music library on an attached USB HDD. This is the LMS server I use every day for personal use and for testing piCorePlayer.

What was used

Hardware

Software

  • piCorePlayer 8.0.0 (piCorePlayer8.0.0.img)
    • LMS

Network Diagram

graph TD Switch[8-port Network Switch] Switch --> |Ethernet cable| RPi[RPi4B - pCP LMS] RPi --- |USB cable| HDD[(USB HDD)]

Steps

Step 1 - Download pCP
Step 2 - Create SD card
Step 3 - Boot pCP
  • Insert the SD card into the Raspberry Pi.
  • Connect the Ethernet cable.
  • Connect the power cables.
  • Connect the (NTFS formatted) USB hard drive.
  • Turn the power on.
Step 4 - Determine the IP address
Step 5 - Set static IP (optional)
  • Set static IP on the DHCP sever (ie. http://192.168.1.51). The DHCP server is often on the router—see Your router manual.
Step 6 - Set player name
  • Access pCP using IP in a browser (ie. http://192.168.1.51)
  • Select [Squeezelite Settings] > “Change Squeezelite settings” > “Name of your player”.
  • Type player name.
  • Click [Save].
Step 7 - Set hostname
  • Select [Tweaks] > “pCP System Tweaks” > “Host name”.
  • Type host name.
  • Click [Save].
  • Click [OK] when requested to “Reboot piCorePlayer”.
Step 8 - Resize filesystem
  • Select [Main Page] > [Beta]. (Bottom left)
  • Click [OK] when requested to “Accept risk”
  • Click “Advanced mode operations” > [Resize FS].
  • Select “Whole SD Card”
  • Click [Resize].
Info

piCorePlayer will now reboot a couple of times, but after a couple of minutes piCorePlayer should refresh to the [Main Page].

Step 9 - Set mode to Player/Server
  • Click on the “Player/Server” tab found on the bottom left corner.
Step 10 - Mount the USB hard drive
  • Select [LMS].
  • Check what FS Type is displaying in “Pick from the following detected USB disks to mount”.
  • If you are using a non-default disk format, like NTFS, you will be prompted to Please install extra file systems in the UUID field.
    • Click “Install and Enable additional File Systems” > [Install].
  • Type a mount point name (ie. /mnt/USB).
  • Tick “Enabled” checkbox.
  • Click [Set USB Mount].
Step 11 - Install LMS
  • Select [LMS].
  • Click [Install].
Step 12 - Start LMS
  • Click [Start LMS].
Step 13 - Configure LMS
  • Click [Configure LMS].
  • Set “Media Folders”. (ie. /mnt/USB/CD)
  • Click [Apply].
    • A scan of the library should now commence.
Info

An LMS scan for music will start. This can take some time. For example, 1300 albums will take about 10 minutes.

Danger

I have noticed sometimes a second scan is initiated that gets stuck at the Pre-caching Artwork stage. I haven’t tracked down the cause, so if you see Pre-caching Artwork message taking a long time – reboot. A clear library and rescan everything may then be necessary.

More information

pCP + Waveshare + jivelite
Standalone pCP
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Raspberry Pi is a trademark of the Raspberry Pi Foundation.