Zynthian FAQ

Please, add your questions to this FAQ. And of course, if you can add/improve an answer, do it! ;-)

1 LINUX Audio terminology is confusing

Understanding LINUX Audio Helps understand the acronyms mentioned in this Wiki

2 Which RaspberryPi does Zynthian support?

The currently supported computing boards are:

• Raspberry Pi 4 Model B
• Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+
• Raspberry Pi 3 Model B

RBPi2 is not longer supported by official zynthian SD images. RBPi3 is supported but may be not powerfull enough if you plan to use many sound engines in the same time. RBPi4 is the best choice.

3 I want to run Zynthian OS on another Single Board Computer

It's doable for advanced users ! If you want to use a different computing board model, you have to build your own SD image using the setup scripts. You can start from here on top of minimal Debian Buster install. This script and the environment variables should be adapted to match your board.

4 Where can i buy a Zynthian Kit?

You can buy official kits in the Zynthian Shop.

5 How do I edit entries in the Wiki?

You need to be able to login into the Wiki. Registering in the wiki is currently disabled for security reasons, but you can ask on the forum to get access.

6 I have a license for Pianoteq 6, what would be the process to enter the license key ?

You have to access the webconf tool and follow carefully the instructions from the "Software->Pianoteq" section.

For accessing the Pianoteq GUI, please read this: Opening Native GUIs from your Computer

7 I see a red lightning on the display, I hear cracks when playing

You are suffering from underpower. You need a reliable Power Supply Unit and a strong USB cable. The official RaspberryPi PSU bundle is the one that works perfectly. And it's available in the Zynthian shop.

8 Loading engines or soundfonts is really slow

Be sure that you're using a high quality SD card. Also, don't expect too much if you're running ZynthianOs on a RBPi3.

9 Despite I have a good PSU, a good SD card and a RBPi4, my Zynthian hang

Maybe you have let the VNC server running while playing. Forwarding the sound engines native gui over the network is ressource consuming. You should consider disabling the VNC server.

10 Does the pre-built kit come with a Raspberry Pi ?

In the shop, you can choose to buy the kit without or with a Raspberry Pi 4.

11 I’m primarily a guitarist and thus, I’m interested in the MOD UI...

Currently, all official Zynthian Bundle-All Kits include "audio input". The new official sound card is the HifiBerry DAC+ ADC.

Zynthia UI allows to create up to 16 processing audio-FX-chains and you can also use the fantastic MOD-UI.

12 Do you think Zynthian is for me?

It depends a lot. Building a recent official zynthian kit doesn't require soldering, only basic tinkering (plugging wires, screw-driving, etc.). The official zynthian software runs out-the-box and you shouldn't need to use the command line. That being said, being comfortable with Linux command line helps in solving problems. If you love tinkering and have specific needs, Zynthian is an excellent basis to taylor a unique piece of hardware.

13 About Zynthian Security

FYI, everything in Zynthian is executed as root user. The Pi user in the new PiOS images have sudo rights, so i don’t see a big security difference between the Gorgona and the PiOS images. PiOS is about automation and evolution, but currently it doesn’t improve security AFAIK.

Anybody who wants to connect their Zynthians to a “not secure” network (any network not controlled by oneself should be considered “not secure”) ) SHOULD CHANGE the default zynthian password. You can do that from the webconf tool.

You also have to understand that:

• Although the Webconf Tool ask for the password, it doesn’t use HTTPS, so your password could be sniffed by bad actors connected to the local network. That is especially true if you are using an ethernet cable or the old WEP Wifi protocol. If you are using WPA2 Wifi protocol on your 2 devices (Zynthian and your “computer”), then you should be protected against sniffers.

• When a MOD-UI layer is created on zynthian, the MOD-UI server run completely open for everybody in the local network.

IMHO, these 2 are the main security holes in Zynthian. For solving it, we have to:

1. Use HTTPS for webconf tool.
2. Secure the MOD-UI server:
   1. Fast and Easy Way: Set a flag for “secure” networks, so MOD-UI will be “open” in that networks only
   2. Not so Easy Way: Use HTTPS and ask for the password. We should modify MOD-UI source code

14 I just wrote my 16/32/64 GB SD card with a Zynthian image, but from Zynthian's console i only see a part of the SD Cards total space. How can i make all the space on my SD Card availalbe?

UPDATE: From 2016-12-23, the Gorgona SD image solved this problem. Latest SD images will auto-expand the partition on the first boot, so you shouldn't have this problem never more, but if you have it ...

After writing the zynthian image into the SD card, you have to "expand" the partition to fill all the available space. Follow these steps:

+ login into your zynthian box using ssh
+ execute "df" command to see the size of your partition and the available space
+ run "raspi-config" and select the first option to expand your partition
+ reboot your zynthian box
+ login again and execute "df" command to see size of your partition and the available space. You should see the difference.

Important: If you don't expand your partition, you will have problems when updating zynthian software or library, as you will run out of space.