HiFiBerryOS Next Generation

The next-generation HiFiBerryOS is a complete rewrite, now based on a standard Debian distribution. It uses Debian packages to install tools, audio players, and the user interface, making it more flexible and modular.

Documentation

• Add your own player

Architecture

The system is composed of several core components:

PipeWire

We use PipeWire as a system daemon to manage concurrent access to the sound card by multiple players.

AudioControl

AudioControl is our central control service. It manages audio routing and integrates with player backends and the web user interface.

WebUI

The WebUI is served directly by AudioControl, which includes a built-in web server.

Players

Audio players are provided as standalone packages. You only need to install the ones you intend to use. Available players include:

• MPD – plays local music files (MP3, WAV, FLAC, etc.)
• Librespot – provides Spotify Connect support
• Raat – Roon audio playback (via the Roon Bridge)
• Shairplay – AirPlay 2 implementation
• Squeezelite – Logitech Media Server client

More players may be added in the future. You can also package and install your own player. To make it visible and controllable through AudioControl/WebUI, see Add your own player.

Hardware Recommendations

Minimum Requirements

HiFiBerryOS runs on any 64-bit Raspberry Pi (Pi 3, Pi 4, or Pi 5) with a compatible HiFiBerry HAT. The system requires:

• RAM: 1GB minimum (2GB+ recommended for better performance)
• Storage: 8GB microSD card minimum (16GB+ recommended)
• Network: Ethernet or Wi-Fi connectivity

Performance Considerations

For streaming applications only:

• Any Pi 3, Pi 4, or Pi 5 will provide excellent performance
• Standard microSD card storage is sufficient
• Wi-Fi connectivity works well for most use cases

For large local music libraries (1000+ albums):

• Pi 5 with SSD highly recommended for optimal performance
• SSD storage significantly improves library scanning and indexing
• Ethernet connection preferred for network-attached storage (NAS) access
• Consider Pi 4 with 4GB+ RAM as a cost-effective alternative

Storage Options

• microSD Card: Suitable for streaming and small local libraries
• USB 3.0 SSD: Best performance for large libraries and frequent database operations
• Network Storage: NAS or network shares work well with sufficient network bandwidth

HiFiBerry HAT Compatibility

HiFiBerryOS supports all current HiFiBerry audio HATs. No sound cards from other manufacturers are supported.

Installation

To install HiFiBerryOS, start with Raspberry Pi OS Lite and add the required packages.

Add repository

Start adding the HiFiBerry debian repository:

curl -Ls https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hifiberry/hifiberry-os/refs/heads/main/addrepo | bash

Package installation

The install-all script will install the minimal base packages:

curl -Ls https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hifiberry/hifiberry-os/refs/heads/main/install-all | bash

Install all players

Install a full or minimal set of packages. The full set includes all players, while the minimal comes only with mpd. We recommend the full installation for most users:

sudo apt install -y hbos-full

If you prefer a minimal installation and want to install only the players you really need:

sudo apt install -y hbos-minimal

Base configuration

sudo config-configtxt --default-config --enable-i2c
reboot

How to use

Open the WebUI at http://:80/ to start the initial setup wizard. It will guide you through sound card selection, system naming, and service configuration.