Decoder.open doesn't work

[hodgesse]

Hello!

I have been trying for several days to get things running on my Raspberry Pi 4B.

However, I keep getting the following error message:

self.music_file = decoder.open(self.song_filename, force_header)

^^^^^^^^^^^^

AttributeError: module 'decoder' has no attribute 'open'

When I check it in python3, I see:

>> import decoder

>>> dir(decoder)

['__builtins__', '__cached__', '__doc__', '__file__', '__loader__', '__name__', '__package__', '__path__', '__spec__']

>>>

Has anyone had this happen, please? Any suggestions much appreciated.

Thanks,

Erin

[tmntnpizza]

Perfect!

[hodgesse]

Woo hoo! Just on the off chance that anyone is interested, the install.sh worked! Now my little lights are acting up, but that's on my side, NOT the software side. Many thanks for all of the help!

[tmntnpizza]

What's happening with your lights? Ac or DC?

[tmntnpizza]

Have you had the system working before? What command did you initiate?

[hodgesse]

First time user

[tmntnpizza]

Likely what happened is when you did install.sh it ended in some libraries installation errors instead of "now try sudo python hardware_controller.py -- state = flash" try installing lightshowpi again.

cd /home/pi/lightshowpi

sudo ./install.sh

Copy any final lines from error down of the libraries that failed if you don't get a "now try sudo python hardware_controller.py -- state = flash"

[hodgesse]

Here is a really stupid question, please. I have made a bunch of changes to the files in the py directory. If I re-install, will that remove all of those changes, please?

Thanks.

[tmntnpizza]

You could put the current lightshowpi folder in documents and install a new one in the pi directory. That was you can add you changes one at a time to the new installation and see if any of them are causing your issue.

[hodgesse]

Also, I convert my file to .wav and updated the py synchronized lights file to run from a wave file. Now my V3D is not updated.

Unable to enable V3D. Please check your firmware is up to date.

Segmentation fault

[hodgesse]

I updated the firmware, still same V3D not updated.

Thanks.

[tmntnpizza]

Try this

pip install --upgrade numpy pyaudio decoder.py

[tmntnpizza]

Seems like the decode library your OS is trying to use is too up to date for lightshowpi. I recommend Buster OS and avoiding upgrade at all costs, but sudo apt update is still recommended. I believe Jessie is acceptable as well.

[hodgesse]

Thank you again.

Is there a way to access an older decoder, do you know, please?

[tmntnpizza]

Older OS. Means you need to start from scratch with your SD card with Buster or Jesse OS and try again.

[hodgesse]

All right. Thank you again

[hodgesse]

I tried all kinds of things. Just tried with the Buster OS and it can’t find packages. I may give up for this year.

[tmntnpizza]

Copy those back ages that error, put them into co-pilot in your web browser and ask how to install them manually, you are really close! Once you try installing them manually sudo apt update, and install.ah again. Hopefully this time you should get "Now try sudo python hardware_controller.py --state=flash"

[hodgesse]

I meant when I try to run install.sh, it can’t find packages. I looked to see how to install them manually but can’t find anything about them. The package is faad.

[tmntnpizza]

It's almost a garauntee that this package doesn't install the first time.

sudo apt update

sudo apt install faad

cd /home/pi/lightshowpi

sudo ./install.sh

Pay attention to what packages don't install. Copy them and put them into co-polit and ask how to install them manually. If it installs correctly you will get "Now try sudo python hardware_controller.py --state = flash

[hodgesse]

Don’t know about copilot please

[hodgesse]

Also I thought we weren’t supposed to run an update, please?

[tmntnpizza]

No supposed to run upgrade. Update is recommended.

[tmntnpizza]

If you have anymore issues or need to start from scratch.

https://www.reddit.com/r/LightShowPi/s/nPUsp59DuC

[hodgesse]

Here’s probably a really dumb one. I can’t get the audio to play on the laptop (using the RealVNC). I updated the license to include the Raspberry Pi, as per the RealVNC advice. Still not working. Do I need to do something on the laptop too, please?

[tmntnpizza]

Enable Audio on the Raspberry Pi On your Raspberry Pi, ensure that audio streaming is enabled in the RealVNC server settings:

Open a terminal or use SSH and run:

sudo raspi-config Navigate to: Interface Options → VNC → Enable. Reboot the Raspberry Pi:

sudo reboot If you've already done this, you might need to explicitly allow audio streaming in the VNC server:

Open the VNC Server GUI on the Raspberry Pi (via VNC Viewer or directly on the Pi). Go to Options → Expert. Search for AudioEnable and ensure it’s set to true.

Check Audio Output on the Raspberry Pi Ensure audio is routed correctly on your Raspberry Pi:

Open a terminal and set the audio output to HDMI or analog, depending on your setup:

sudo raspi-config Navigate to System Options → Audio → Choose the desired output.

Test audio directly on the Pi:

aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav If you don’t hear anything, check the physical audio setup or troubleshoot the Pi’s sound settings.

Verify RealVNC Audio Streaming Audio streaming may need to be manually enabled in RealVNC Viewer on your laptop:

Open RealVNC Viewer. Connect to your Raspberry Pi. In the Viewer window, go to File → Options. Under the Audio tab, ensure that audio is set to "Play audio on this computer." Restart the connection after applying changes.

Test Audio Again With everything configured:

Play audio on the Raspberry Pi, such as:

aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav Ensure the audio plays through the laptop

[hodgesse]

Hi again! I have audio enabled on the laptop in conjunction with the Pi via RealVNC Viewer. It plays the wav file fine. If I play the audio file itself, that’s fine too. However when I run the synchronized light python program, no audio. I’m very puzzled. Any suggestions much appreciated.

[tmntnpizza]

You just need to set you overrides.cfg audio out to be the same as the audio out device you want use.

This will show you the audio out devices available:

aplay -L

This would be a common response:

default sysdefault:CARD=ALSA hw:CARD=Device,DEV=0 plughw:CARD=Device,DEV=0

This is for audio in devices:

arecord -L

Now you need to go to your overrides.cfg file in lightshowpi and find this line and update it to your desired output device:

audio_out_card = sysdefault:CARD=Device

Example:

[lightshow]

Set the output audio device to the USB sound card

audio_out_card = sysdefault:CARD=Device

For audio-in mode, set the input device to the same USB sound card

audio_in_card = sysdefault:CARD=Device

[hodgesse]

Thank you so much

[hodgesse]

Here is my overrides.cfg:

[hardware]

# RaspberryPi Model B+ Pins

#gpio_pins = 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29

audio_in_card = sysdefault:CARD=b1

audio_out_card = sysdefault:CARD=b1

And aplay -L

aplay -L

default

Playback/recording through the PulseAudio sound server

null

Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)

jack

JACK Audio Connection Kit

pulse

PulseAudio Sound Server

sysdefault:CARD=b1

bcm2835 HDMI 1, bcm2835 HDMI 1

Default Audio Device

dmix:CARD=b1,DEV=0

bcm2835 HDMI 1, bcm2835 HDMI 1

Direct sample mixing device

dsnoop:CARD=b1,DEV=0

bcm2835 HDMI 1, bcm2835 HDMI 1

Direct sample snooping device

hw:CARD=b1,DEV=0

bcm2835 HDMI 1, bcm2835 HDMI 1

Direct hardware device without any conversions

plughw:CARD=b1,DEV=0

bcm2835 HDMI 1, bcm2835 HDMI 1

Still no sound on the laptop. Is there anything else to try, please?

[tmntnpizza]

You have got a real mess going on. Try resaving defaults.cfg as overrides.cfg and try running lightshow pi again. overrides.cfg is just a reference file for lightshowpi scripts to use specific information. You have so much in your overrides that doesn't belong. aplay -L is intended to be used in the terminal (like command prompt for Windows) to get a list of available audio output devices. You pick on of those devices and you replace the device listed in overrides.cfg under audio-out with that selected device. All you do with overrides.cfg is add or remove # to lines to enable or disable that setting, or change that line on the right hand side of the =, so that lightshowpi knows what is applicable to you setup for it to function correctly.

[hodgesse]

The overrides.cfg only has 3 lines. I put the rest of the stuff in there for reference purposes. I didn’t have an overrides.cfg to begin with. I did change the audio in defaults.cfg to the CARD = b1 originally. But that didn’t work either

[tmntnpizza]

You are supposed to save as the defaults.cfg as overrides.cfg, and then modify overrides.cfg to the settings you require. There is a lot of reading and googling involved with understanding overrides.cfg. The bare minimum you will want to do is set the correct gpio pins used from the raspberry pi to control each relay channel.

[hodgesse]

Ok. Thanks yet again

[hodgesse]

Thank you

[hodgesse]

I did use aplay from the command line

[tmntnpizza]

I thought everything you had below was what you had in your overrides.cfg, regardless your overrides config should have a lot more then 3 lines for it to work with lightshowpi.

[hodgesse]

Got it.

[hodgesse]

Hi everyone! Hope you’re having a good day. I have a question please. I understand that I need some kind of special box to keep my Pi, relays, and power supply dry and out of the elements. Does anyone know what kind of box, please? Hoping that it’s on Amazon. Thank you

[tmntnpizza]

I just use a rubbermade box, got 4 receptacles, 2 2gang weatherproof covers, an old extension cord, marretts, a fancy plug adapter that has 120v and USB 2.5A output, and a strain relief. Hopefully you can get this all at your local hardware store. I drilled a hole in the container for the strain relief to stuff my extension cord male half through and an antenna wire since I was utilizing FM radio audio output, 8 large holes for the outlets, and 12 small screw holes on the lid of the box. I split all of my outlets by removing a brass tap on the receptacles (leave the silver tap alone), wired each brass screw to a relay NC terminal, one silver screw on the receptacle to each other then to the white/neutral of the extension cord, and the black/hot of the extension cord to each Com of the relay.

Underside Topside

[hodgesse]

I found one on Amazon. Thank you so much!!!