In a recent thread ("Raspberry Pi HiFi") I asked for recommendations of hardware and software to turn a Raspberry Pi into the basis of a decent hi-fi music source.
I haven't looked into any audio hardware yet, though there seem to be several similar reasonable quality DAC options.
However I did try various software packages, so here's a summary.
I'm running a Rasberry Pi with a 7" touch screen.
Volumio - ===============================
Uses Mopidy server and a frontend based on a fork of the RaspyFi user interface.
Several projects use this basic combination. You can identify them because the main user interface includes two circles, for controlling track position and volume: .
The user interface is web-based, and can be used with a web browser on another device on the network, but a plugin enables it for the touch screen too (it runs Chromium to display it).
It needs a few moments' configuration to get it all set up with the touch screen, and once done, works very nicely.
Setting it up with Internet radio stations (my main use) was extremely easy.
The user interface is the most suited to the touch screen, because the controls are large and easy to hit. Annoyingly, the CSS in UI means that a scrollbar is always present.
Rune Audio - =======================================
Very similar to Volumio, and even quicker and easier to set up. The UI fits better on the screen (no scrollbars), but the buttons and controls are much smaller than they should be for such a device.
Overall it feels a little clunkier and as far as I can tell the project is no longer in active development.
Moode Audio - =====================================
Similar to Rune and Volumio (Mopidy plus frontend), but I couldn't even get it installed. Software without even basic installation instructions
- I'll go somewhere else.
Max2Play - =====================================
Has an almost incomprehensible architecture, interface and documentation. I got it installed readily enough, but I couldn't do anything with it.
I'm a programmer and a software developer, but honestly, this had me completely stumped. I assume people with more patience have managed to get it working satisfactorily.
I'll probably stick with Volumio.
Daniele