Wow thanks for the offer
@mbhangui!
1 - This was just for fun, but the more teh challenges, the more I am enjoying it.
2 - I am looking to make a basic streamer with -
- Coax Spdif Out (have got the HifiBerry Digi2 Pro for that)
- Spotify connect (for now) & ability to connect maybe Tidal or Qobuz in the future - but not a necessity.
- A screen
A screen better than the CXN V2 - basically larger
I have the 7.9 Waveshare DSI - but happy to buy an HDMI if possible.
Thanks!
1. Spotify - easy
2. MPD - configuration is a bit tough but not difficult. mpd provides the lowest latency
amongst all players (compared to airplay, spotify, logitech media server). The plus of mpd is
a) You can play tidal and qobuz
b) DSD playback (even if your dac doesn't support)
c) Play all media formats
d) Can be controlled from IOS, macbook, Linux, windows, command line and even using something
like telnet (unix guys will know about telnet).
e) web ui like OMPD, which will give you album art, album covers during playback
f) scrobble tracks to last.fm, libre.fm e.g.
https://www.last.fm/user/mbhangui
3. LMS (logitech media server) and squeezebox. This has one thing that mpd doesn't have.
It provides a bridge to android tv, Chromecast and chromecast audio. So you can play your
music collection to your tv, chromecast with the album art
4. Airplay through shairport-sync. Easy to setup, but this is the one that has the least audio quality though.
5. Kodi (but this is a heavy application) and it also serves as an airplay device
What would be required
1) RPI3 or RPI4
2) External USB DAC or addon card which use I2S like hifiberry, cards from allo
3) SD card reader to burn image
4) Offiicial RPI image from Rasperry Pi foundations
5) During first time setup a monitor, one keyboard and mouse (wireless will also do)
6) A laptop, desktop during the initial setup. A linux or macbook is preferable but windows with putty installed will also do
EXTRA
1) Remote Control to stop, pause, play, shutdown, etc
2) Tiny displays with touchscreen on which the RPI can be mounted or connected. Displays with HDMI input prefereable to eliminate driver issues. But the device can pretty much run headless and that's how I use it.
3) If we can decide on the display, then we have forum members who can make excellent casing. If I remember right
@surfatwork built something. If we do mass ordering/group buy, it wouldn't turn out costly.
4) If we do a metal casing, then wifi performance will be bad and we would require an external wifi dongle.
5) LPS to power the RPI for better quality of audio
What will not work
1) Apple Music natively (airplay will work but not with the quality of mpd, spotify or LMS)
2) spotify free account
. 
