Langstone V3 test version for Raspberry Pi 5

[g4eml]

After several requests I have created a new Langstone-V3 version which runs on the Raspberry Pi 5.
This is still at the experimental stage but appears to be working OK.

Full details and installation instructions are at https://github.com/g4eml/Langstone-V3

There are no new features.

This is just an update to use the latest Raspberry Pi OS Lite (64 Bit) Operating system and the resulting updated libraries.

I have only included support for the Adalm Pluto and the Official 7" LCD Display.

The DFRobot 5" touchscreen doesn't seem to work correctly on the Pi 5. I may revisit this at a later date.

The LimeSDR Mini 2 is now so expensive that I wouldn't recommend it for a new build and I do not plan to support it.

So far the performance seems to be the same as Langstone V2 so there is no real benefit in upgrading an existing system.

Colin G4EML

[G4ZCN]

Colin,
many thanks for your forward thinking adding the Pi5 to options going forward.
Also many thanks for your time and commitment to making Langstone what it is today, it is much appreciated.
Cheers & 73's
Barry G4ZCN

[g4eml]

It looks like the problem with the DFRobot 5" display Is due to the operating system driver. It doesn't work on the normal raspberry pi desktop either and no-one seems to have a fix for it yet.
So, at least for now, the only DSI display that is known to work with the Pi 5 is the official 7" one.

Colin G4EML

[Pa3fbx]

Thanks Colin for your update.
Running on a pi4 its just works..
would like to think what upgrades a pi5 could bring.
I have noticed a lot of noise and reducing the audio bandwidth will crash it right a way.
I wonder if extra filtering is an option.
I have compaired over the last 2 weeks the langstone with a sdrconsole setup using all the same hardware.
It seems i have 3 s points signal on the langstone and 34db snr on a sdrconsole.
Te last one also have very nice audio filtering witch would make a big difference..

Anyhow, Nice to have met you and looking forward in the goodies you might come up with.

Benno

[g4eml]

SDR console is known for giving strange S/N readings. The way they calculate it has been discussed elsewhere, I don't remember the details.

I agree that there is no real benefit to using the Pi 5 at the moment.

I suspect the new code will also run on the Pi 4 but I haven't tried that yet.

Nice to meet you at CAT24.

My next experiment is to see if the Picotuner will work with the new Pico 2. Again I doubt there will be any reason to upgrade but it will be interesting to try.

Colin.

[CU2ED]

Hi Colin,

just a few comments:

>> I agree that there is no real benefit to using the Pi 5 at the moment.
As it run gnuradio 3.10 for me it can be usufull as I can play more with this using new gr blocks, for example DSD ... on 3.7 I was able to install (DMR RX only, there is no encoder block yet) and it works very well but for 3.10 there is new gr‑dsdcc ... and maybe I can even install M17 block ?
also it can be good the extra speed for processing digital modes ? ...

because you wrote:
>>I suspect the new code will also run on the Pi 4 but I haven't tried that yet.
I decide to install on RPI4, no RPI5 at the momento but will order one, and after install all package and reboot I have error:
cp: error writing '/dev/fb0': No space left on device

so it may even run on RPI4 but need some adjustment but is out of my knowledge ...

anyway, langstone-v2 pluto is working fine here (USB conection) in FM and SSB, sometime in this last mode I use on QO-100


Thanks again for this great project, I have spent good hours whit this and learned a lot ...

73

Jacinto
CU2ED

[CU2ED]

Well,

>>I suspect the new code will also run on the Pi 4 but I haven't tried that yet.
I decide to install on RPI4, no RPI5 at the momento but will order one, and after install all package and reboot I have error:
cp: error writing '/dev/fb0': No space left on device

it seems if I disable dtoverlay=vc4-fkms-v3d (on config.txt) it works but a few seconds later the screen freeze

Correction:

only the comunication with pluto ends (the touch still works and also the mouse control) due to:

Using Libiio v0.x -> v1.x compatibility layer
fmcomms2_sink Unable to push buffer: Device or resource busy (16)
ERROR: READ INTEGER: -110
ERROR: READ INTEGER: -22
fmcomms2_source Unable to refill buffer: Connection timed out (110)

this was with the same pluto that works ok with V2, so with that I give up, maybe it will tell you something ?


73

Jacinto
cu2ed

[g4eml]

I have seen that buffer error on the Pi5. However it didn't happen the next time I tried it. So it might be intermittent.

Yes, updating to the newer GNURadio was one of the benefits for the future.

The overlay used to be disabled in the V2 Install script but it is not necessary on the Pi5.

Colin.

[CU2ED]

Hi,

>> I have seen that buffer error on the Pi5. However it didn't happen the next time I tried it. So it might be intermittent.
inded it seems intermintent, but when I launch Langstone with ./run on terminal, until now it never repeated but if I do reboot I get the error ...


>> The overlay used to be disabled in the V2 Install script but it is not necessary on the Pi5.
Ok

Jacinto
Cu2ed

[g4eml]

You may be correct, I also don't recall seeing it when starting manually, only when rebooting. It may be that the operating system is not fully loaded when the GNURadio code tries to start immediately after booting.

The error message seems to say it can't communicate with the Pluto. Maybe the CPU is still busy from the boot sequence.

Possibly it just needs a delay before trying to start.

Colin.