[200] [Wish] Squeezebox Client compatibility for Popcorn Hour - Remote Control via Android

[BTHOEM]

Hi,

I have 4 Popcorn Hour machines (3xC200, 1xA200), a Windows Home Server + a Logitech Sqeezebox Touch. Plus a number of Android devices, including a Galaxy Tab Tablet.

I would very much like to use one of my C200's as a music player. The built in DAC is at least as good as the one in the SB Touch and the PCH can output 24 bit 192 KHz in digital passthrough to external DAC, something the SB Touch can not.

However - the user friendliness and the Squeezebox Server library module, pluss the graphical remote control via Android/ iOS, makes it hard to choose the PCH over a new Touch.

But... the Squeezebox server is a highly extendable system with plug ins and multiplatform support. And studying other brands, I see that e.g. Linn has made a plugin for SB Server that extends support to Linn, so the Linn units can stream audio from SB Server.

So I thought....there are some pretty competent programmers here in the PCH community.... Could some of you maybe join forces? Make a plugin to SB Server to enable SB streaming to PCH/ NMT?

If I have not misunderstood fully, existing remote control apps for Android and iOS like SqueezePlay, would then be able to control the streaming to anyone of my PCH-machines....

Anyone?

PS: I have tried different Upnp servers/ applications, but they do not work very well. For audio gapless playback is a minimum.

Bjørn Tore

[hetfield]

lol, i'm looking for almost the same thing for months, but never found a clear answer.
I want to stream the other way around, from nmt to android phone, so i can use it as music player whereever i am.
(i.e. in my car, or at a party, just plugin the audio output in a stereo and play).

Tried installing squeezebox server with ipkg on c200, but can't get it to work yet.
http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...?tid=50167
Edit: got it working now

Airplay is not what we are looking for and only works with iphone.

Then there is also Music Player Deamon, which works perfect.
That's simply a way to output music to an amplifier/receiver, without the need to have the c200 active.
With Droid MPD Client, you can control multiple nmt devices, which have the MPD server running, for playback.
The NMT can be connected to a TV, stereo, dolby system, or any other amplifier device.

Streaming towards or controlling a pch is very simple with android.
Simply install apps like i.e. Plonk, Droided Media Tank, File expert, etc. and you can enter your android device with the network browser on your pch.

[BTHOEM]

Not much engagement on this topic, regrettably.

Would it be possible to port the SqueezePlay or SlimPlay application to NMT?
http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezePlay
http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezeSlave

Bjørn Tore

[dc11ab]

I thought the mpd could pickup a stream from a Squeezebox Server (SBS)?

The default SBS should offers a stream at http://SBS_server_IP:9000/stream.mp3
I assume this should be possible to add to the mpd (or perhaps even the default NMT player).

As suggested in this article, certain commands can be added to decrease buffer time:
http://bruchez.blogspot.com/2010/11/stre...erver.html

However the SBS stream must still be managed, via for instance your tablet. Not sure if an interrupted stream is automatically picked up by the mpd or if it would have to be re-initiated.

[BTHOEM]

That is interesting, as I for music would like to operate the PCH via tablet/ mobile phone (Android), as I do with the Squeezebox device today.

However, MP3-quality is not what I am aiming for....

I am not a programmer, but the SqueezeSlave software (http://wiki.slimdevices.com/index.php/SqueezeSlave) is a commandline (win/linux) tool.
Maybe a programmer could compile the linux code to NMT?

What I am aiming at, is to be able to use the C-200/ A-200 as a fully Squeebox Server compatible device, using the Squeezebox Server Library for sending music to the NMT for playback.

Why not buy another Squeezebox? The Squeezebox can only play 24 bit 96 KHz, and it can not passthrough higher resolutions without downsampling. The C-200/ A-200 can passthrough up to 24/192 to external DAC.

I strongly believe that enabling the NMT for Squeezebox Server compatibility would strongly increase it's attractiveness in the marketplace as well.

And for those exsisting users that do not own a Logitech Squeezebox, the Squeezebox Server is free - so anyone can download and use it. The Squeezebox library is very good, and makes it much easier to navigate a large music collection.

So I am hoping a developer here would like to try porting:-)

Bjørn Tore

---

Just to be even more spesific - what I would like to see, is something like what LINN has made for their systems - a plug in/ add in to Squeezebox Server:
http://oss.linn.co.uk/trac/wiki/SkweezyDs

BjørN Tore

[MCTankman]

Hi,

I would also be interested in a squeezebox client for the c-200 (I read that a client was developed for a-100: http://www.networkedmediatank.com/showth...id=45691).

It was mentioned that the necessary alsa driver would be the reason why c-200 might not get squeezeslave as a client. But I do not know if this is still the case.

Right now I have squeezeboxserver installed on my c-200 and I can stream music to my computer and a laptop (both running squeezeplay as client). Due to the fact that I like the user interface of the squeezebox client and the possibilty to synchronize the music between the clients it could be a benefit to have another client also running on the c-200.

What would be necessary to get squeezeslave on the c-200?

Best Regards

[MCTankman]

Hi again,

I tried to use mpd on my c-200 as the player for the squeezebox server stream http://MyC-200IP:9000/stream.mp3.

I could hear the music for a couple of seconds and then it was gone. The combination of mpd and squeezebox server does not really work. I guess it was not meant to be combined. So I still hope we can find a way how to implement a squeezebox client in the c-200

Best Regards

[BTHOEM]

Hope so:-) Would be a killer feature for Popcorn I think - reaching out to growing marketplace for semi-audiophiles, in between the Logitech Squeezeboxes and high end equipment from Linn.
A good story that I belive would sell some machines:-) As a bonus, they will get a bunch of features in Popcorn that neither Logitech nor Linn can offer (video/photo)...

I see the source code for Linn's "SkweezyDs" is available as OSS - maybe a programmer here can look at it?:-)
http://oss.linn.co.uk/trac/browser

Bjørn Tore

[BTHOEM]

I insist on keeping this thread alive, hoping some of you clever developers would like to take on this task.

The Popcorn Hour machines would definately become a serious alternative to other dedicated music streaming devices in the marketplace with this addition - it is hard to find anything at this pricelevel that does 24 192 passthrough.

So I decided to cross-post over at Squeezebox forums:
http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread...post632370

Bjørn Tore

[MCTankman]

Hey BTHOEM,

are you still looking for a sb client for your popcornhour or did you find a better solution for yourself? I am just curious because maybe at the end I am the only one here who looks for a sb client solution for a c-200.

Best Regards

[BTHOEM]

Still looking, although I am currently using a SB Touch.

However - the Touch can not output anything with higher resolution than 24 bit 96 KHz, so everything higher than that, is resampled before it is sent to the DAC.

Bjørn Tore

[BTHOEM]

Still looking, as the Squeezbox Touch can only pass through 24-96, 24-192 is downsampled to 24-96 and the downsampling is not reliable.
So if a programmer would like to go for the challenge....?

Bjørn Tore

[pvdwaal]

I would also like to stream music from my NAS to the C-200 and control it by a mobile App like iTunes/Squeezebox Remote.

Is there still no solution for this?

[TManiac]

(06-25-2011 06:47 PM)pvdwaal Wrote:  I would also like to stream music from my NAS to the C-200 and control it by a mobile App like iTunes/Squeezebox Remote.

Is there still no solution for this?

You can get mpd via ipkg... there is a thread on here somewhere... and there are mpd client apps for iphone/android etc.

[AngelEyes]

Hey guys,

Any movement on this?

It seems like a great idea, I have a Duet and a n A200 and don't really want to fork out on a Touch to get 24bit 96Khz when the A200 can already pass 24bit 192Khz!

I would love it if some bright spark could get the PCH to act as an SB Player so we could control it with iPeng.

I am sure it must be possible and with only Naim and Linn offering 192Khz capability for £2k+ it seems PCH could grab a really popular niche for the less affluent audiophiles out there

Pretty Please?

Adam