Support for SliMP3 and Squeezebox players (Exstreamer too) ?

by **CouchPotatoe** on Mon Feb 07, 2005 2:45 am

I just wondered if there is an interest in using hardware mp3 players (instead of WinAMP) from XLobby?

I have a setup here that uses the SliMP3/Squeezebox players from SlimDevices and is working now with XLobby. This allows you to have audio zones on the end of an Ethernet cable. It is a bit of a 'kludge' currently but works for me . It does handle multiple mixed zones with WinAMP although synching only works between the same types of player. It should also work for the Barix Exstreamer.

Let me know, if there's enough interest I'll see if I can make it tidier as a solution.

Kevin

by **rwh** on Mon Feb 07, 2005 6:21 pm

I am interested to see what you've got. Thx!

by **sp00head** on Mon Feb 07, 2005 8:10 pm

I'd be interested in this as well. I really want to use the netstream ethernet amps as a music zone, but the slim players could also be an option if the intergration is nice.
Are you using somedort of plugin for winamp to do this, or is it another program?

by **DeanB** on Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:04 pm

Yes - definately interested, my current Slimp3 intergration with XLobby is to have the slimp web page set as the Xlobby browser homepage

Dean.

by **CouchPotatoe** on Tue Feb 08, 2005 1:16 am

At the moment I am using a 'dummy' version of WinAMP and effectively replicating what it is doing on the SliMP3. It is not ideal but it works. The WinAMP player is monitored using xAP and I issue xAP-audio schema messages to any xAP capable player of which the Slim players and Exstreamer are two. I am not familiar with the Netstream players - I will look into those. The transport control buttons can operate directly on the players if needed using the xAP plugin for XLobby. The SlimServer doesn't actually need a library loaded at all so can run very fast. Thus the Slim players just mirror whatever the WinAMP player instance does. WinAMP is effectively a relay to another hardare player.

Depending on how smooth I can make this work for 'everyone' it might suffice. I am waiting on a slightly updated WinAMP plugin that better handles multiple instances of WinAMP.

A better implementation would be to make a lookalike 'WinAMP' application that talks to Xlobby and also directly to the external hardware players. I will explore that route shortly. The ideal solution would be to issue 'events' from Xlobby to allow connection of external players ie ''play this" and also provide a feedback 'status' mechansim but that would require some help from Steven with support in the code.

Kevin

by **ronkmd** on Sun Feb 13, 2005 2:47 pm

How about support for the Hauppauge MediaMVP?

by **CouchPotatoe** on Mon Feb 14, 2005 4:16 am

That would require a whole new approach but I agree the MVP would be nice as you could potentially support pictures and video too.
There is a roundabout route that might make this possible for audio along the lines I am going and maybe video , if there's any prospects I'll let you know..

K

by **SteveK** on Sat Feb 26, 2005 11:35 pm

I have a Squeezebox and would like to control it using Xlobby. I just started installing Xlobby today and won't be ready to tackle the squeezebox integration for a few days, but I'd like to see what you have done.

Steve

by **rhinoman** on Sun Feb 27, 2005 12:43 pm

I dont know if this winamp plugin might help http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=134210

by **SteveK** on Wed Mar 02, 2005 4:08 pm

rhinoman wrote:I dont know if this winamp plugin might help http://www.winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=134210

That looks like the slimserver program. Winamp supports audio streams from slimserver. Slimserver can be used by anyone (you don't need to own a Squeezebox). I use it all the time to stream my mp3 music collection from my home PC to Winamp running on my office PC. Works great!

by **GFORCE** on Sat May 21, 2005 8:19 am

I would love this

by **CouchPotatoe** on Sun May 22, 2005 10:43 pm

Unfortunately - The CLI interface in SlimServer rel 6 has (temporarily) delayed this as it no longer works dependably with the xAP connector - but I havent't forgotten

A new v6 compatible xAp Slim Server conenctor is 'in the works'

Kevin

by **SteveK** on Mon May 23, 2005 6:52 pm

I'm waiting with baited breath! I've tried using Slimserver's xPL interface with limited success, due mostly to my minimal software expertise.

Steve K

by **SteveK** on Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:26 pm

Anything new with regards to Slimserver, CouchPotatoe?

Steve

by **CouchPotatoe** on Mon Jul 11, 2005 3:54 pm

Well, yes and no...

First the issues within the SlimServer itself (6.1 beta) with regard to the CLI seem to be mostly fixed but we haven't yet seen a new xAP conduit from Stuart - I know it's on his (long) to do list. However the current version works mostly now so that may not be a problem.
I am also waiting on ShaneH who wrote the ActiveX interface to WinAMP to add multi instance support but that seem a long time in coming :-(

Actually I chased this on sourceforge a couple of days back. If we don't get this then only 1 Slim/WinAMP per machine can be used as they can't be differentiated.
Also just at the moment I have some outstanding bugs filed with Slim that were desitined to be fixed in almost every major version since 5.6 and now they have again moved this to version 6.2 as an estimated date. Big :-(

- this is causing me some rethoughts on my Slim players future...
I will take another look and see what can be done given the various components I would be using - is the restriction of 1 slim player (per WinAMP instance) an issue or would that be acceptable ? - as that's the real problem as I am reliant on someone else for this.

Kevin

PS A far more elegant solution would be to get the now playing/ transport control / music file paths from XLobby directly but that needs Stephen to provide a means of doing this ....