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Link Mac Mini direct to Devialet Expert via Ethernet
#21
I am using iTunes! Since I use Apple Music to try out new music, and since I also sync my ipad and iphone with a subset of my music I thought his made sense - the more automated things can be without me having to remember all the workarounds the better.

I've opened the dp_cfg.txt file and searched for DHCP: it's listed twice, once under "WIFI_CONFIG" where it is stated as "DHCP" : "ON", and once under "ETHERNET CONFIG", where it is stated as "DHCP" : "OFF". The wifi config should be irrelevant, since it is not enabled. But, despite this being in the dp_cfg.txt file, the screen definitely shows DHCP ON when I get to the Ethernet settings on the Dev screen.

I've tried booting with two different SD cards and the same thing happens.

Devialet firmware I'm using is 10.1.0.

I have the Devialet app on my iPhone - it only works when the Dev is either on Wifi mode (but this DOESN'T work unless I have the Dev right next to the Extreme), or I have the Dev plugged into the router via ethernet cable. Otherwise the app just searches endlessly for a Devialet and never finds one. The app does not find a Dev when the Dev is connected to the Mac with an ethernet cable, and wifi is on. I figure there's no point in testing if it works when the Dev plays successfully off the ethernet cable between it and my MBP because to achieve this I have to turn wifi off, so the Dev won't be visible to the iPhone.

MacOS version is 10.12.6 on both the MBP and mini.

Something that is interesting but may be of no use is that when the Dev is connected to the MBP by ethernet cable and the AIR app on the MBP is disabled, in which case music playing on iTunes will play out the Mac's speakers, if I switch the Dev source to Ethernet the AIR app immediately enables Devialet-ETH, the music stops playing out the Mac's speakers - so there's clearly comms here - but no music ever comes out the Dev (and it shows input levels as zero, so the MBP is clearly not directing the music stream to the ethernet cable output).

I've redone the Dev configuration online and recreated the dp_cfg.txt file and loaded it onto two separate SD cards and tried booting the Dev with each one - the Dev always shows DHCP ON when I scroll to the Ethernet screen!

Maybe I need to talk to Devialet tech help?

Thank you to everyone who has been so willing to help - hugely appreciated. If you have any further suggestions I will be very grateful, but I do think maybe there might be a hardware issue with my Dev!
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#22
OK, so thanks to errors of pure chance, I seem to have found a solution ... this is what happened:

For reasons best known to itself my Devialet decided it didn't like one of the SD cards I was using and so it reverted - on bootup - to FACTORY CONFIGURATION. Now it just so happened that I still had the MBP connected via ethernet cable to the Dev and I had left iTunes playing music. And - HALLELUJAH - once the Dev booted, now in factory config, it started playing over the ethernet source!!

I checked the Ethernet config on the little window and it was using 192.168.2.2, DHCP off. I rushed back into configurator and used the same settings, changing absolutely nothing else, and when I rebooted the Dev with this new config ... wait for it ... it worked!

I now have iTunes playing over a direct ethernet cable from my MBP to the Dev, while the MBP is also connected to the internet over my wifi (and which I am using now to write this)!!

I've had a few minutes only to test it, and I have an impression there's quite a lag on the wifi internet connection before it starts looking for the relevant web page - maybe some artificial latency due to looking in the wrong place first ... I don't know enough about this stuff.

But how's that? Just using an IP address with .2.x instead of .0.x got it working!!!

Once again thank you to everyone who took the time to help me out. I'm humbled by your willingness to give your time to help others.

If anyone has a view as to why this worked I'd love to hear it!

All the best, Edmund.
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#23
Wow, I am glad it is working. It is odd if your router is set to broadcast between 192.168.0.X that it works but so be it if you have success! Congrats.

BTW there is a program called BitPerfect that is used by folks who use iTunes and have music at different sample rates (ie, 16/44, 24/96, 24/192)

You can download and purchase from the Mac application store.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bitperfe...5700?mt=12


It's $9.99 I believe. Just an FYI. It will automatically set the correct output rate without manual intervention.

You can find more information on it here.

Glad your perseverance paid off Edmund.
Roon ROCK on Intel NUC6i5SYH/Ethernet | VPI Avenger | Devialet 440 Pro CI | Vivid Audio Giya G3 | Auralic Aires Mini | Synology 1812+ NAS
SXSW, US
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#24
Thank you. I actually bought BitPerfect when I first got my Devialet about 2 years ago. I can't remember now why I stopped using it.

But I thought that the Devialet AIR app would cut iTunes out and automatically select the output rate to match that of the source file if you were connecting via Ethernet? That was the whole motivation for moving away from my current USB cable to the ethernet cable. Have I got that wrong?

I remember the version of AIR when I bought my Dev had an option something like "Bitperfect play from iTunes". But it seems to have gone!
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#25
Yes they got rid of it. It seems they're unable to keep everything working at once. Like DSD on the Mac (which thankfully isn't an issue now thanks to Roon stepping in).

Glad you got it working. Personally I prefer the simplicity of just connecting my D to my network in the traditional way. Keeps everything simple.

>>> 1st Place Award: Devialet, last decades most disappointing technology purchase.  <<<

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#26
Here is a screenshot taken off the internet of the option I remember in the old version of the AIR software ... Has it been removed for some reason, or is it now just an inherent part of the AIR software that is no longer optional - does anyone know?

   
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#27
Thank you Hifi_swlon - so it's gone! After some searching on the internet it seems Devialet don't have a great rep for software or responsiveness to customer queries. Very disappointing.

I wanted the direct ethernet cable connection between Mac and Dev because they are right next to each other, but both many rooms away from my router.

Anyway, I'm afraid it also seems that after my jubilation last night there is a minor hitch ... at random intervals when playing music over the ethernet cable I get a brief buzz ("bzzzt") over the speakers, less than a second long. It happens at varying intervals of from about a minute to several minutes. And it happens whether I use the MBP or the Mini as source. So, once again there's something not right with the way I've set it up.

Man, this is driving me crazy!
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#28
So, I've decided what the hell, why bother fiddling trying to get the direct-ethernet to work when it won't give me the feature I was looking for (switching the output rate to match source so there's no up- or down-sampling going on mucking around with the original source data)? So, I'll go back to USB and I've put BitPerfect back in play so it does the matching!

Thanks again to everyone for your help!

Edmund.
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#29
FWIW I made a direct ethernet connection between a windows laptop and D400 yesterday and it seems to be sounding better (more resolving) than a USB connection - it was pretty hard to get it to work - I had an IT expert at my place for a party and it took him a little while to get it right - I would have had no chance on my own.
WTL TT / HP laptop (JRiver) / Devialet 400 / Marten Django / Crystal Cable

Sydney Australia
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#30
Thanks, Philb. I may one day return to trying to get it right over ethernet.

Having spent the better part of a weekend on it and failing - and experiencing the usual result of fiddling with IT that is currently working in some form, ie everything completely falling apart (I didn't mention this in earlier posts but I lost connection with the headless Mini music server, I had to take it to my home theatre and plug it into the screen there, then it wouldn't boot, then it wouldn't see the mouse and I couldn't find how to select buttons on the dialogue boxes with the keyboard only, then ... you get the picture!). Now that I have something working I'm just grateful to have a way of listening to music again and will just leave it for a bit ...

[Image: rolleyes.gif]
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