[RELEASE] RasPlex 1.8.0

Dev Community Apps & Creations
1

Today we announce the release of RasPlex 1.8.0.

This release focuses on fixing transcoding compatibility with PMS 1.3.x or newer and adding Voice Control (Alexa) support.

Big thanks to @benjaminwolf, @“daniel.cull”, @dlanor, @MagnumDoomguy, @DeadEyeFlint and @bkury for working hard to ensure it’s polished and ready to roll!

New

  • Voice Control (Alexa) support
  • Support server terminated playback
  • Use music metadata from Streaming Brain
  • Only load first 200 items in a photo slideshow
  • Addon repository is refresed on start
  • Non-working Airplay setting is removed from preferences
  • Updates the HIDRemote class to the latest version (thanks @xzcvczx )
  • Update german language file (thanks @Eloo )
  • Option to display server name instead of user name in home listing (thanks @Fmstrat )
  • Updated to ffmpeg 2.8.11
  • Embedded: Upgraded to LibreELEC 8.0 base OS
  • Embedded: Dropped bundled hyperion (see https://hyperion-project.org/wiki/Installation-on-all-systems)

Fixes

  • Fixes transcoding issues when using PMS 1.3.x or newer
  • Re-downloads theme music if it failed first time
  • Fixes a crash in search
  • Fixes a crash due to missing openssl locking
  • Fixes a memory leak when using ssa subtitles
  • Fix pin pad alignment in default skin

Downloads
RasPlex for Raspberry Pi devices see RasPlex 1.8.0 GitHub page
OpenPHT for Windows, OS X, Embedded and Linux see OpenPHT 1.8.0 release post

Auto Update
RasPlex 1.8.0 is scheduled to be available on the pre-release update channel within the next 24-48 hours.

Bugs?
Please report bugs on GitHub, https://github.com/RasPlex/RasPlex/issues

2

Thanks for this update but “Dropped bundled hyperion”, why ? Seriously ? My lighberry HD is just useless now… I’m very disappointed about this and I don’t understand why.

3

@ElYoM29200 said:
Thanks for this update but “Dropped bundled hyperion”, why ? Seriously ? My lighberry HD is just useless now… I’m very disappointed about this and I don’t understand why.

hyperion was dropped because the “official” install_hyperion.sh from GitHub - hyperion-project/hyperion: Hyperion is an open source ambient light software. Feel free to join us and contribute new features! Webpage: https://hyperion-project.org/ will install a much newer version of hyperion and now have much better RasPlex/LibreELEC support

Let me know if you have problems installing the “official” hyperion version, I will then look into restoring it in a 1.8.1 release

4

Thank you for your answer, I will try to install myself. :wink:

5

@ElYoM29200 said:
Thank you for your answer, I will try to install myself. :wink:

https://hyperion-project.org/wiki/Installation-on-all-systems have a very nice guide on how it can be installed (untested)

6

5 minutes later, job done. My Lightberry work again. Thank you, it was easy to do with the latest Hypercon application. Now, I think it would be a better option to continue to include Hyperion support into Rasplex/OpenPHT but it’s just my personal opinion and maybe other people will think the opposite.

7

Having JUST found the lovely-ness of OpenPlex and Rasplex in the last two weeks - Just wanted to say THANK YOU so much for your amazing work. Really appreciate all you do!

8

Are there any special client settings that need to be changed in order to get Alexa to discover the RasPlex client (1.8)? I am still unable to get Alexa to connect.

9

Never mind, a reboot of the rasplex and things worked as expected.

10

Thanks for the update!

11

Is there anywhere I could check out a list of supported wifi sticks or chipsets for RP3 and ODROID-C2 with this new release?

12

@katohideaki01 said:
Is there anywhere I could check out a list of supported wifi sticks or chipsets for RP3 and ODROID-C2 with this new release?

I don’t know if anyone has compiled a recent list of supported USB equipment specifically for use with OpenPHT.

13

Hi and thanks for your work on rasplex.

I noticed that changing the subtitle position during “calibration” doesn’t have any effect.

Also there seems to be no /sys/module/bcm2709 on my raspberry pi 3, anymore. I’m not experienced with linux, so i don’t know what it affects. I only used this command to switch between OS, on noobs.
su -c 'echo 6 > /sys/module/bcm2709/parameters/reboot_part'

14

Is there also an image available to boot from USB, like described in the link below? Or any instructions on how to get it to work with RasPlex?

15

Just tried 1.8.0 on my RPI zero wifi and it certainly boots which the prior release didn’t but (and this may just be me !), I get to the point where I would like to enter settings and neither my mouse (tried 2) nor keyboard are being recognised so I can’t click on “next”. Clearly these are connected via a USB hub (tried a few). I am pretty much a newby but have had the RPI0W working with rasbian so wonder what I have done wrong…

16

@Rasnas said:
Hi and thanks for your work on rasplex.

I noticed that changing the subtitle position during “calibration” doesn’t have any effect.

Also there seems to be no /sys/module/bcm2709 on my raspberry pi 3, anymore. I’m not experienced with linux, so i don’t know what it affects. I only used this command to switch between OS, on noobs.
su -c 'echo 6 > /sys/module/bcm2709/parameters/reboot_part'

Did you overwrite you Noobs partition with OpenPHT?

17

@thommy86 said:
Is there also an image available to boot from USB, like described in the link below? Or any instructions on how to get it to work with RasPlex?

Raspberry Pi Documentation - Raspberry Pi hardware

untested, but try adding:

program_usb_boot_mode=1
to the end of
/boot/config.txt

Looks like everything else is on the USB drive itself, and unrelated to the SD card.

18

@poiuytre111 said:
Just tried 1.8.0 on my RPI zero wifi and it certainly boots which the prior release didn’t but (and this may just be me !), I get to the point where I would like to enter settings and neither my mouse (tried 2) nor keyboard are being recognised so I can’t click on “next”. Clearly these are connected via a USB hub (tried a few). I am pretty much a newby but have had the RPI0W working with rasbian so wonder what I have done wrong…

I haven’t tested it with a hub attached, but my rPi0W worked fine with my airmouse plugged in with a USB adapter. You are using powered hubs, yes? Also the rPi0W uses a 2.5amp powersupply. You may have issues if it’s under powered.

19

Yes to powered hubs and yes to beefy power supply.
I have ordered am air mouse as I can see I am going to need one anyway,
thanks for all your good work and indeed support.

20

@benjaminwolf said:

Did you overwrite you Noobs partition with OpenPHT?

I’m not sure about that, but today i tried a fresh install of rasplex without noobs, and the subtitle positioning bug was no more.

bcm2709 was still missing from /sys/module/ though.