Simple guide to install raspotify to Pi v1 and zero v1.x

[bluesmaz]

Would there be any guide how to install raspotify 0.31.8.1 versio to headless PI v1 and zero v.1.x as they are not anymore officially supported? I really well understand why this is, and it is very much ok.

I would assume that there is also others that are interested of this kind of alternative guide. :)

[JasonLG1979]

Think about what you're asking for, a guide to something that's unsupported. Right now the process is very similar to installing the current release but that could very well change at anytime.

[JasonLG1979]

It's just like installing any other random .deb. download the .deb and run apt install ./random.deb.

[JasonLG1979]

Right now configuration is the same as far as I can remember.

[bluesmaz]

Excellent! This is helpfull.

[JasonLG1979]

Now that I'm home at my computer..

Specifically:

curl https://github.com/dtcooper/raspotify/releases/download/0.31.8.1/raspotify_0.31.8.1.librespot.v0.3.1-54-gf4be9bb_armhf.deb

sudo apt install ./raspotify_0.31.8.1.librespot.v0.3.1-54-gf4be9bb_armhf.deb

[JasonLG1979]

@bluesmaz I've added the instructions to the README.

[bluesmaz]

Excellent! Thank you a lot for this. pe 20. toukok. 2022 klo 1.41 Jason Gray ***@***.***) kirjoitti:

…

@bluesmaz <https://github.com/bluesmaz> I've added the instructions to the README. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#543 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AZCVZFI2MDDOFOPND733MPDVK27RTANCNFSM5VNZ7EYQ> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[Sshellcommando]

So I am stuck with a raspberry pi zero w until the prices come down. I used it as a wireless spotify connect point to play music from an older Home Theater receiver. I'd really like to get this working again somehow. I went to download the older version listed in this thread and couldn't get my raspberry pi to read a .deb file. I did some research and know the ARM6v is no longer supported by Debian (I think?) Would this old version of raspotify work if I flashed an older version of the Raspberry Pi operating system to the pi zero w? What can I do to get this working again?

[JasonLG1979]

I mean install the latest stable Raspberry Pi OS. It's best to keep things as up to date as you can otherwise you'll end up with situations like this one where software passes you by.

[JasonLG1979]

To be clear 2 versions are currently offered. "Legacy" which is Old Stable in Debian speak and Stable. You want Stable. You're a version behind so you're running "Legacy" currently.

[vcenteary]

@Sshellcommando Im in Raspbian GNU/Linux 11 (bullseye), and had the same error as you when trying to install it with the prompts of Jason. The solution is using:

wget https://github.com/dtcooper/raspotify/releases/download/0.31.8.1/raspotify_0.31.8.1.librespot.v0.3.1-54-gf4be9bb_armhf.deb

and then

sudo apt install ./raspotify_0.31.8.1.librespot.v0.3.1-54-gf4be9bb_armhf.deb

Hope it works for you!

[Sshellcommando]

so does that allow the install of raspotify that works for the legacy 32 bit OS?

[vcenteary]

Very much so, I'm currently using raspotify in a Raspi 1 model b+, fully working and sounding great!

[victorclaessen]

For anyone stumbling onto this topic. The librespot version in the deb file mentioned above no longer works on my Pi 1/bookworm due to a missing library. I recompiled using cargo. This took forever, so in case anyone needs a working librespot binary, you can find it here. https://github.com/victorclaessen/librespot-pi1 . Hope that helps someone eventually. It's great that we can still use this old hardware in a useful way!

[PJBrs]

Hi, that sounds great! I assume this version will also work on the first raspberry pi zero? And what version of raspberry os? I think I'm still on bullseye...

[omarsayan]

Were you able to successfully run in on the zero? I can’t get it to work on the rpi zero w. I just put the librespot binary file from victorclaessen to /usr/bin. After which raspotify seemed to run and I got the device visible as a Spotify connect device in the iOS app. But when I try connect and play no sound comes out. Bluetooth speakers are connected to rpi

[victorclaessen]

At first glance that sounds maybe like a problem between librespot and your bluetooth speakers, so your ALSA configuration? Can you play anything else on your bluetooth speakers from the command line?

[omarsayan]

Thanks for replying! Yes I can play a simple wav file with “aplay -D file.wav”

[victorclaessen]

I, myself, have since moved on to the Home Assistant Snapcast-server Add-on, and now run only the snapclient on the raspberry Pi, so I'm having a hard time duplicating your setup.

I would suggest running the librespot binary just from the command line (you may need to look up the exact command line options but it may look something like this librespot --backend alsa --device my_bluetooth.

You should then get the output of librespot in your terminal and may be able to use that to determine what's wrong when you play something. You can also add --verbose to get even more info.
Hope that helps.

If not, then look into snapserver/snapclient. I like it. Also gives you multiroom audio.

[victorclaessen]

I would imagine so. I ran it on (a fresh install of) the latest raspbian raspberry os bookworm.

[TheBobC]

Another “if you stumble across this” entry for a Pi Zero 2 w with 64 bit Bookworm lite. I simply wanted it to play default to a Bluetooth speaker. I worked for 2 months to get this working (sooo many different approaches out there). In the end, the working solution was maddeningly simple.

1. Install Bookworm 64 bit lite (make sure ssh is enabled and wireless network info is entered)
2. sudo apt update
3. sudo apt upgrade
4. sudo reboot
5. sudo apt install bluez-alsa-utils
6. sudo nano /etc/asound.conf
7. Copy paste this code:
   pcm.!default {
   type plug
   slave.pcm “bluealsa”
   }
   ctl.!default {
   type hw
   card “bluealsa”
   }
8. control x (to close nano)
9. Y (to confirm save)
10. Enter
11. Now put the Bluetooth device (speaker) in discoverable mode, then on Pi
12. bluetoothctl
13. scan on
14. wait to see your device
15. note the MAC address (XX:XX:XX:XX:XX)
16. scan off
17. pair XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
18. trust XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
19. connect XX:XX:XX:XX:XX
20. quit (to exit bluetoothctl)
21. sudo apt-get -y install curl && curl -sL https://dtcooper.github.io/raspotify/install.sh | sh
22. sudo reboot
23. turn off bluetooth device
24. once Pi is restarted, turn on bluetooth device
25. raspotify(pi name) should show up in Spotify as long as on same network

This should be all you need. If Bluetooth does not pair initially, be certain the precursor before the MAC address is NEW when scanning.

As you can see, there is no need for Pipewire nor Pulseaudio. (I spent hours upon hours going down those rabbit holes). Just updated/upgraded bookworm, bluez-alsa-utils and raspotify. Raspotify itself works fine without modification, although you can certainly do sudo nano /etc/raspotify/conf to change name, default stream quality etc. You should not enter username, backend, etc.

Hope this helps someone. Good luck!

[TheBobC]

Indentations on the code above did not stick. I indented the first line 5 spaces and the other ones 7 spaces. Please see attached screenshot

[TheBobC]

This will also work on Raspberry Pi 5. Same process with a slight change to the asound.conf:

pcm.btreceiver {
type plug
slave.pcm {
type bluealsa
device "8B:13:69:8F:42:75"
profile "a2dp"
}
hint {
show on
description "Bluetooth Receiver"
}
}

pcm.!default {
type plug
slave.pcm "btreceiver"
}

[kimtore]

@TheBobC for indentation, please wrap the code in triple backticks (```)

pcm.btreceiver {
    type plug
    slave.pcm {
        type bluealsa
        device "8B:13:69:8F:42:75"
        profile "a2dp"
    }
    hint {
        show on
        description "Bluetooth Receiver"
    }
}

pcm.!default {
    type plug
    slave.pcm "btreceiver"
}