xLiveShout v1.2.1

[defrag]

Hi all,

Finally, the full release of xLiveShout. Grab it here

Instuctions included.

What is it.... well, it's a live shoutcast browser for winamp (maybe foobar) users. It allows you browse the shoutcast site real time by genre all from the comfort of your xlobby screen and of course play a stream!! This does not work with the built in player in the prerelease, but if you set your player to winamp, all is good. This was tested on the prerelease and the freeware version.

v1.2.1 updates:
- following the update to the Shoutcast website, the plugin now points to classic.shoutcast.com and works as before.

v1.2 updates:
- fixed auto update issue

v1.1 updates:
- reworked favourites
- fixed major bug in getting stations (how I missed that one I never know...)

v1.0 updates:
- fixed status updating
- added favorites
- added extended genres (well not really they were there already!!)
- added station list refreshing

v0.2 udpates:
- fixed station dataabse size
- fixed returning list less than database size issue
- added searching
- added category alongside variable output (fixes thin client zoning issues)

Favorites, pain in the butt!! I have allowed you to save to a favorites category. But these cannot be refreshed like the normal station list as there is no real way to search the shoutcast site for a single station!! So it's just a static list - no variables. You can delete from the category using the DeleteFavorite command, passing in the category parameter. I haven't built this into the test skin - no time!!!

Station Updates: Ok this is really cool. You can set a refresh time in the setup for the current stations to be rescanned. This will update the now playing for each station. To start this process there is a StartStationWatch command which you also supply (in minutes) the interval to refresh (defaults to 3 if you don't supply a time (or enter anything greater than 10)




The new skin has all of this working so feel free to rip it to bits.

The variables work the same way as xoapweather e.g plugin>xliveshout>0>Name: %name% returns the first station and formats the %name% variable with the surrounding text so you will end up with Name: My Station. Most of the variables are used in the supplied skin.

On first load the plugin will create the genre databases (from web site), the dummy database for the hidden category and the new category. There is a setup screen so you can tailor the amount of data returned , the bitrates covered and even the name of the hidden category and the new category!!. By default the plugin returns 10 stations at a time for all bitrates.



ENJOY!!!

defrag

[ironcross]

Excellent! I'll start playing with this immediately. Thanks for all the hard work.

[Marbles_00]

Well, if all works out well, there will most likely be an update to ZoneSkin4 by this weekend. Thanks Defrag for the great work.

*UPDATE*
So far I really like this. One thing I noticed, how often does the "plugin>xLiveShout>#>%current%" variable update? It always appears to be behind almost an entire song when compared to the "audioplayer>now>%artist%" variable. Other than that. This is real ! Again great work.

[defrag]

One thing I noticed, how often does the "plugin>xLiveShout>#>%current%" variable update? It always appears to be behind almost an entire song when compared to the "audioplayer>now>%artist%" variable.

Currently it only updates when you reset the genre or goto another page. I was in two minds as to whether to poll the live site every so often, mainly because of the mythical banning system. It's on my list of things to look at though!!!!

[Marbles_00]

Oh boy...something I just thought of, and should be very interesting...how to impliment all this on a PPC screen (hence control in my ZoneSkin4), as there is alot of info to display...though I have some ideas. This is so great.

[defrag]

PPC screens, I never thought... wow... creative juices are starting to flow..

[sharp_1]

Very very nice work defrag!!! WoW!!! How sweet is the now playing for each channel feature

Do you or Marbles think this could work with zoning?

[defrag]

Not that I "zone" at the moment, but it is only putting the pls into a hidden category and executing it - so no different than selecting a music track normally. I bet anything that Marbles is on the case!!!!!

Cheers for the compliment - much more to do yet!!!

[scottw]

This is sweet defrag!!!! Sure beats having to make your own .pls files...just go directly to shoutcast.

Do you or Marbles think this could work with zoning?

Sure it can work for zoning...it's just playing in Winamp as defrag said.


AWESOME work defrag!!!!!!!!

[sharp_1]

By zoning i mean is there a way to have separate instances of shoutcast playing thru separate instances of winamp with this plugin? I guess you would have to create an event the would focus on a particular zone (say winamp1) first then be able to select from xLiveShout and so on. The more I think about it this may be the same solution that scalt came up with here just expanded on by adding the xLiveShout.

[scottw]

That is actually the setup I am using as well. But yes can't you just use the "Zone Set" command and then click on a shoutcast stream then click "Zone Set" for a different zone and press play on a different stream.

I just tried it and it does work.

Is that what you were asking??? I get ahead of myself sometimes so forgive me if I am not understanding what you are asking

[defrag]

you lost me a bit there - is there anything you need me to add to make this easier for you to wire up?

[scottw]

not on my end.



I may not be the best person to explain....I know what I am trying to say but have trouble explaining it

[cmhardwick]

Looks great! and i've got a LONG weekend coming up ... PLAY TIME!!!

[Marbles_00]

is there anything you need me to add to make this easier for you to wire up

No, as you've said, all it is, is loading a different .pls file depending on what zone/source winamp has control. Once the .pls file is loaded into a particular instance of winamp, it will stay there until it is either cleared or replaced. Scott more or less verified this. It's just doing what the old shoutcast did, and the pls downloader as well, only in those, the pls was saved onto the local machine and a database created. If I understand defrag correctly, he more or less copies the pls over from the shoutcast server...this is more reliable and up-to-date.

If I'm incorrect, defrag, or anyone, please let me know.