Using an Android tablet as a squeezebox?

[itm]

I was wondering whether there any obvious pitfalls to using an Android tablet as an alternative to a Squeezebox (to feed into a stereo amplifier)? Obviously the quality of the audio hardware would be important, but are there any other issues which would make an Android tablet a less-than-ideal squeezebox? For example, would the Squeeze Player (or equiavalent) app need to be restarted from time to time (i.e. would the Android O/S close unused apps periodically)? Anything else that would need to be considered?

[Apesbrain]

I was wondering whether there any obvious pitfalls to using an Android tablet as an alternative to a Squeezebox (to feed into a stereo amplifier)? Obviously the quality of the audio hardware would be important, but are there any other issues which would make an Android tablet a less-than-ideal squeezebox? For example, would the Squeeze Player (or equiavalent) app need to be restarted from time to time (i.e. would the Android O/S close unused apps periodically)? Anything else that would need to be considered?

I have an old Amazon Fire tablet running Orange Squeeze and Squeeze Player that I sometimes connect via headphone out to a portable speaker; it works fine. If this is a "permanent" arrangement, you'd probably have to put your control and player apps on your list of exceptions for power management. Each Android version has a different way of doing this. There may be a delay as the tablet wakes up and reconnects to wifi. You might want to extend your screen timeout though some control apps have a "keep screen on" option you can use instead. Depending on the tablet there is some possibility for screen "burn-in" if left displaying a static screen for extended periods of time. (Many of these issues can be avoided with an app: http://fieldguide.gizmodo.com/how-to...ing-1683127286) There are small DACs that can be used to substitute your tablet's analog out if you'd like. Here's an example:
https://hifimediy.com/DACs/ready-mad...droid-9018-DAC

Here's another player option:
https://www.allo.com/sparky/miniboss-player.html

If you order it with Max2Play OS, it should have built-in Squeezebox support:
https://www.max2play.com/en/audio-player/

[itm]

Yes the intention was that it would be a permanent arrangement. I was just looking at the price of used Squeezeboxes on eBay (£40-50), and I figured I'd get better value out of an old Android tablet with decent audio.

I imagine that I'd very rarely use the screen - it would be controlled from my phone, so I wouldn't be bothered about the display going blank. As long as the Squeeze Player app is always running and available that would be fine.

[Grumpy Bob]

You can coax a digital output from iOS devices with the old 30pin connectors (and I presume also the newer connector type) - iPads make very good Squeezebox devices when running Squeezepad or iPeng - what else could one use a 1st gen iPad for! I've not tried with either my Android phone or tablet but it may depend on who's made it.

Robert

[itm]

You can coax a digital output from iOS devices with the old 30pin connectors (and I presume also the newer connector type) - iPads make very good Squeezebox devices when running Squeezepad or iPeng - what else could one use a 1st gen iPad for! I've not tried with either my Android phone or tablet but it may depend on who's made it.

Robert

Haha I'm sure that the iPad would work well but it wouldn't meet my criteria for "value" ;0)
I am also unable to purchase fruit-based hardware for religious reasons

[Apesbrain]

I am also unable to purchase fruit-based hardware for religious reasons

No Raspberry Pi either then.

[itm]

No Raspberry Pi either then.

Actually I may have been tempted to stray from the straight and narrow for a Raspberry Pi, but it probably wouldn't offer much more than a preloved Squeezebox Classic and would almost certainly cost more.
I suppose it would be a more extensible platform, but not as easily extensible as the Android option.

[atrocity]

I was wondering whether there any obvious pitfalls to using an Android tablet as an alternative to a Squeezebox (to feed into a stereo amplifier)?

I've successfully used a cheap one as a player via HDMI out. My only complaint is that it isn't bit-perfect, so DTS is out of the question.

[itm]

I've successfully used a cheap one as a player via HDMI out. My only complaint is that it isn't bit-perfect, so DTS is out of the question.

That's interesting. As a matter of interest, which model of tablet did you use?
How did you spot that it wasn't bit-perfect - did you hear glitches in the playback, or was the audio quality generally a little worse than you'd hoped for?

[atrocity]

That's interesting. As a matter of interest, which model of tablet did you use?

Are you REALLY going to make me get off my behind to go downstairs and look? FINE!

It's an Acer A501 from several years back.

How did you spot that it wasn't bit-perfect - did you hear glitches in the playback, or was the audio quality generally a little worse than you'd hoped for?

During the little bit that I fooled around with it I never heard any problems with normal stereo or mono audio, but any attempt to play DTS or AC-3 produced only white noise.

As I type this, I'm using it to drive some reasonable headphones and it sounds just fine.