Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[steveklein]

i want to use my iPhone to use as a remote control for my MC library. i assume xptunes can do this? i'm still a bit confused how it will work since my iPhone is not seen as a computer on my LAN, nor does it send any IR signals. i guess at this point the best thing i could do is just install it and see what it looks like.

i was kind of expecting to see this as an app in the app store (like rivermote; perhaps this is the app that i'm actually looking for to do the above)

[Listener]

@all
any ideas about the best fit ? and other classical fans out there ?

I'm a classical fan.  For that genre, I usually browse in this order

   composer-->work name-->artist (-->version)    (version is not needed most of the time.)

For broadway shows browse in

   album-->composer--->artist (-->version)

or
   composer-->album-->artist (-->version)

Using "filter in both directions" panes in MC 12, one view scheme can support both browse orders.

For pop (songs) I use

   composer-->artist-->album->name

For many of my files in this genre, the composer is as important as the performer in selecting music to play.

For Jazz and Rock, I browse in a standard order

    artist-->album-->name

I have view schemes for each genre in the tree on the left side of the MC window.

I would not have a problem building view schemes for your remote if there were clear and detailed documentation.

Bill

[fidelio]

Hi Bill,

I have defined similar views.

A) For classical music:
1) "Work Navigator": Composer -> Work -> Album (*). For this case I have set a filter that only complete works are displayed (defined extra data base field in MC: Work complete Y/N).
2) "Composer Navigator": Composer -> Album
3) "Album Navigator": Genre -> Album

B) for Non-Classical music:
There I don't care about the composer.
For these views I have set a filter that titles with classical music genres are not displayed

1) "Genre/Artist": Genre -> Artist -> Album (*)
2) "Genre/Album": Genre -> Album
3) "Artist Navigator:" Artist -> Album  (*)

It looks like the best would be that xptunes supports the in MC defined custom views. If this is not possible, I have marked with (*) my minimum requirements which should be supported.

@Bill, "Using "filter in both directions" panes in MC 12, one view scheme can support both browse orders."
                 What does that mean exactly? Could you point me to where to set this option?

[Listener]

@Bill, "Using "filter in both directions" panes in MC 12, one view scheme can support both browse orders."
                 What does that mean exactly? Could you point me to where to set this option?

For an existing view scheme under Audio, right click on it and choose "Edit View Scheme".  In the dialog that appears, there is a checkbox on the right side that says "Filter in both directions".

If it is not checked, then the panes will work in a strict left-to right way.  Suppose that you have selected a value in the leftmost pane. (say "Beethoven") and then "Overture, Coriolan" in the second pane. If you go back to the first pane and select a different composer ("say Borodin".)  The selection you make in the second pane, "Overture, Coriolan" ill be removed so that all Borodin works are shown.

This works fine if you are selecting values from left to right in the panes.  It doesn't work at all if you want to select a value from the rightmost pane first and then a value from the leftmost pane.  When you click on a value in the leftmost pane, your selection in the right pane will be removed.  So you need a View Scheme for each browse order.

If "Filter in both directions" is checked, your selections are not removed when you make a selection in a pane to the left of the ones you have selected in.  For example, if you have panes for Composer, Work and Artist fro m left to right, you can browse in any of these orders. For example

    Composer->Work->Artist

or
    Artist->Composer->Work

I do find that the logic that MC 12 uses in implementing "Filter in both directions" is puzzling.  For awhile, I thought I understood it but JRiver seems to have changed the logic.  So it sometimes clears a selection when I don't want it to.

Bill

[Messiahs]

does xp tunes work with any cell\pda? 
will it work on a smartphone?

xpTunes can work with any device (an Internet browser must be installed).

can you use it with in your home network?

of course. I personally use xpTunes wit my IPod touch (wireless connected) to control JR, but you can also use a touchsceen, your pcm your pda or any other device with a Internet browser.

i want to use my iPhone to use as a remote control for my MC library. i assume xptunes can do this?

you're right

will i find xpTunes in the apple appstore ?

No. xpTunes is a (web-) server, so you have to install it on the same pc like MC.
Done this, you can connect from every browser to xpTunes and start playing.

does it send any IR signals

No, xpTunes is like a webServer and all skins are pure html and Javascript. If you are connected to xpTunes with your browser the skin loads from xpTunes and all your commands are send via TCP/IP (LAN/WAN, wireless or not) to xpTunes.
xpTunes now translates these commands and controls MC.

hope this helps,
Markus

[steveklein]

wow,  got xpTunes on my iPhone. i am VERY impressed by it. kudos, kudos.

i bookmarked it on my home page and now i've got a real kickass way to control media center from my couch. A++

[Messiahs]

@steveklein
thanks for your feedback.
I think after christmas i can release a new version of this iPhone skin...(i belive that the new one is more than a touch better) :-)

@all
thanks for your input. i will take a look whats possible...

regards,
Markus

[CGW]

@steveklein
thanks for your feedback.
I think after christmas i can release a new version of this iPhone skin...(i belive that the new one is more than a touch better) :-)

@all
thanks for your input. i will take a look whats possible...

regards,
Markus

That would be great!

Thanks for all your hard work.

[hartmoney]

I am unable to enter the IP address of my 'server' into xpTunes.

It is a local IP: 192.168.210.109. It even shows up in the list but says the IP is invalid.

[Messiahs]

@hartmoney
you're right. i just checked it and fixed this bug.
Till the new version is available (i fight with a new feature) can you choose the 'auto' option ?

Markus

[kevind]

Is it possible to port this or tweak it so it can be added to Vista Media Center?

[Messiahs]

Is it possible to port this or tweak it so it can be added to Vista Media Center?

I don't know the possibilties of Vista Media Center... if you can open a browser, then you can control MC (but i don't know how the remote will work).

[hartmoney]

@hartmoney
you're right. i just checked it and fixed this bug.
Till the new version is available (i fight with a new feature) can you choose the 'auto' option ?

Markus

Auto will allow me to save but it still does not work. It fills in the ip with the MAC address which shows in the dropdown in the settings (which won't save if selected that way)

[JONCAT]

Incredible work!

Seriously, I'm blown away at how fast this works on the iPhone.

One thing I just noticed was I don't see all my playlists. I'll read through the thread for comments on this. Consider me on deck for a license.

DC

[sub-24]

Just discovered this and cant seem to find a skin/page that has command on it fro changing zones.

Is there one

[sub-24]

Sorry meant to say i will be using a PDA to view these pages

[JONCAT]

There is on the "clean" text-based iPhone one. The other iPhone skin has one too I believe. I think I'll be using both; each has its merits.

How long is the trial license?

DC

[surge]

I got excited about xpTunes as a replacement for Musiclobby from Cinemar.  It is much simpler and robust then Musiclobby.

I have xpTunes working when accessed by a Windows computer, but my hope all along has been to use a handheld browser to control the music on JRiver.  Cinemar is no longer giving out Musiclobby PPC at all.

xpTunes should work, but I do not have or want an Apple IPhone or IPod Touch.  I have 2 or even 3 Windows Mobile devices that I have been trying to get work with xpTunes.  Any browser should work right?  Not really.

Mobile IE does not work with xpTunes in Pocket PC 2002 or Windows Mobile 6 - and heck Mobile IE is useless for almost anything I can think of .

But, I have also tried Opera Mobile now (version 8.65), and still don't get properly formatted screens from xpTunes, or functioning buttons.

Skyfire and Opera Mini won't work because they are not really handheld browsers, but rather remote WAN browsers which are not suitable for an in-home LAN.

Is there stuff in the xpTunes pages that require a desktop browser?  Does anyone have xpTunes working with a Windows Mobile phone or pda browser? 

[Messiahs]

@hartmoney
your problem is fixed in the next version (coming soon..).

@Doctor Cilantro
playlists:
never heard about this problem... can you pls provide some more infos.

How long is the trial license?
there is no limit. You can test xpTunes how long you want.

@sub-24
I think only the iRemote skin has the zone function

@surge
"Any browser should work right?"
No. It depends on the skin.
i.e. in the iPhone skin i use heavily javascript and functions which are only available on a IPhone/iPod touch.

"Is there stuff in the xpTunes pages that require a desktop browser? "
No, but xpTunes needs a modern brower or a downgraded pda skin. I think PocketPC 2002 uses IE4... that's really too old.

best regards,
Markus

[JONCAT]

I have listed in XP-tunes, Playlists:

Hi-Fi Workout
New Playlist
Recently Played
Top Hits


On my machine...ahhh, I see the problem, XP-tunes doens't see playlist groups.

I guess I can move them out, but I like to organize them in groups.

best,
DC

[Messiahs]

On my machine...ahhh, I see the problem, XP-tunes doens't see playlist groups.

you're right, MC doesn't offer a SDK function for playlist groups (or i did'nt found a right function)... so xpTunes can only handle playlists and smartlists...

[JONCAT]

Also, maybe mentioned before, the XP-tunes server must be started after MC13 or else MC13 reports it is opening in "read-only" mode.

DC

[Messiahs]

Hi Doc,

can you please give some details. I always only start xpTunes and I never seen a MC13 messagebox with "only read-only mode".

thanks,
Markus

[JONCAT]

 Ever since running XP Tunes at startup, I get the "Read-Only" access once starting MC.

I checked the Processes list, and made sure MC and XPtunes were shut down. Start XP-tunes, then MC, every time I get the "Read Only" message.

I'll make sure it's not another app doing this.

DC

[Messiahs]

hi doc,

can you please provide an screenshot of this messagebox? and did you use some special settings or plugIns ?
Perhaps MC13 as Libarary server ? or MC is installed twice (MC12/MC13) ? or the internal MC webServer is enabled ? You are using XP or vista ?

Perhaps "allow multiple instances to run at one time" is enabled (options/general/advanced) ?

best regards,
Markus

[JONCAT]

It was the "run multiple instances" causing it. I enabled it to try something the other day. I'm seeing Media~1.exe remain open long after closing MC; just closed XPtunes and it's still running.....

DC

[JONCAT]

I was seeing some bugginess with the iTouch skin, but seems to have resolved itself. Awesome app...thanks!

Minor sorting suggestions -

1. Use Album Artist (auto) rather than artist, or make this an option for searching but then show actual artist field only upon playback. The number of variants in the Artist field will be eliminated. Better yet allow the user to pick a field. A Custom Artist field is a great way to avoid "popular" artists getting "stuck" in Multiple Artists because they appear on a compilation or have a duet with someone (i.e. one track has different value in Artist field)

2. Allow sorting by Artist (auto) but show albums; this is highly overlooked way to visually browse albums but in sections ordered by Artist.

DC

[JONCAT]

Okay, I think I have a bug.

Using the iTOuch skin (the black one) on my iPhone:

When I select the disc to browse albums and then choose an album to diaply tracks I see the same wrong tracks listed for the album every time.

DC

[kevind]

nice plugin. Any idea how to add zone access? I have 4 zones in my house: me, the missus, and the two kids. Using an M-Audio Delta1010

[Messiahs]

@kevind
Did you create the zones already in JR ? these zones should be shown in the iPhone skin.

[kevind]

I don't have an iPhone. What I do have is many PCs around the house that could be used as client controllers for the main MC installed in the rack. Man I wish MC would natively support true Server/Client...been asking for this for years.

[kevind]

Is there a way to hard code the zones so we can add as many as we need? Also, on that same note, is there a way to make a version that is better suited for desktop monitors? I'm quite proficient at HTML, CSS etc. xpTunes is a great program and really fills a massive hole for "Client" control as my music server.

[ichkriegediekriese]

Hi
I just stumbled upon this thread while looking for a way to control MC over WiFi / Bluetooth.
On my Laptop and Desktop the program looks very good and works well. So far great program.
The only downside is that with the device I would like to use it for, my "smartphone" running on S60 3rd fp2 I have to say it useless - sadly :-(
First the pages don t load completely and it seems they are "stuck" by some imcompatibility with the browser (s60 uses some java browser I think, at least it isnt a "real" browser) and when the pages load navigation is pain in the a..
You have to scroll way to much.....
I suppose thats because the page isnt designed for such a small screen 240x320 and the browser cause iPhones is much bigger :-)

So the Version 1.0 is about 6 Months old, is there any chance for further developement and optimization for smaller screens other browser?
The price of a couple of Euro/dollar isnt the problem, but i just wouldnt buy it if its not working to some degree :-)
greetz :-)

[adamsp70]

Hey Markus - been using xpTunes very happily for months now. Built my own Frameless pages to access my library via my old XDA Exec and everything works great.

But this week i upgraded my Media Center from 12 to 13 both at home and at work. Everything is great and works as before except the album art that is served by xpTunes. Whereas before the quality of them was the same as the originals on MC, now they look as if they are tiny images being resized up - and hence look awful.

I'm guessing this is an MC13 setting i am missing rather than an xpTunes fault - but can you help me sort it out at all?

Cheers...
   Paul

[JONCAT]

I have noticed the cover art is pretty small on the Playing Now screen but it is also pretty bad quality. I've been using Simplify on my iPhone over the WAN and the cover art loads quick and it's really sharp.

I've also noticed the Remote Desktop function in the shutdown skin; I use VNC over LAN/WAN with a password. Do I have to change any settings for access via XpTunes...I don't get any prompts just a black screen.

DC

[adamsp70]

Hey Markus - been using xpTunes very happily for months now. Built my own Frameless pages to access my library via my old XDA Exec and everything works great.

But this week i upgraded my Media Center from 12 to 13 both at home and at work. Everything is great and works as before except the album art that is served by xpTunes. Whereas before the quality of them was the same as the originals on MC, now they look as if they are tiny images being resized up - and hence look awful.

I'm guessing this is an MC13 setting i am missing rather than an xpTunes fault - but can you help me sort it out at all?

Cheers...
   Paul

Am i right that for album art, you send through a 400x400 image and for thumbnails you send through 63x64 images?

Is it possible these could be configurable or raised? I'm finding them compressing way to much for the sizes i would like (700x700 and 125x125 respectively)

Cheers....

[Messiahs]

@adamsp70
hi Paul,

not in this version, but in the next one. It's already done, but at this time MC have a little bug with the covers...

@Doctor Cilantro
i already reported this bug to JR. I think deleting all files in "Media Center 13\Cover Art" can help.
I use UltraVNC with port 5900 (without password). xpTunes must be installed on the server pc. Perhaps you have to enable the http port in vnc ?


@ichkriegediekriese
is there any chance for further developement and optimization for smaller screens other browser?

of course there is a chance ;-), but i'm not sure when i will find some time to put in any work on this.
but of course it's possible to change the screens (html) by our own.


@kevind
zone support is already available, but not in all skins. With a little time amd html skills it's of course possible to extend these skins.
"Also, on that same note, is there a way to make a version that is better suited for desktop monitors?"
Yes of course. All skins are html & css based. Javascript is only used to send commands to xpTunes.

"I'm quite proficient at HTML, CSS etc"
You're welcome !

regards,
Markus

[adamsp70]

not in this version, but in the next one. It's already done, but at this time MC have a little bug with the covers...

Hi Markus - any progress on their bug? When is a new version of xpTunes likely?

Thanks....

[Messiahs]

Hi Paul,

the MC bug still exists :-(. I think i have to trigger JR again. It's not a big bug... but unnecessary.
The xpTunes and skin development still goes on. I think the iPhone skin is now really great.

Update:
bug report : http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=51120.0

best regards,
Markus

 

[steveklein]

Not really sure how to troubleshoot this, but my XpTunes has stopped working. I use it with JRMC13 on my iPhone. When I initially installed it, it was a breeze and everything worked fine. I created a short cut to http://192.168.1.100:8081/some-html-file.html on the front of my phone and all was well.

I have no idea what changed (nothing that I know of, but something clearly) and now when I click the link on my iPhone to brin gup the xptunes menu, safari says it can't open the page. I am connected to the right wifi network and the settings look okay. I'm at a loss.


EDIT: I have upgraded to the latest Apple software 2.2.1 I think... but I can't imagine that is the issue. I will try to access the xptunes menu from my PC when I get home tonight. I hadn't even thought about seeing if that worked.

[Messiahs]

Hi Steve,

i have firmware 2.1.1 and MC13 too. No problems.
First i would check the ip address of your pc and the ip address entered in xpTunes.
Perhaps another application now uses the port 8081 ? or a firewall is blocking xpTunes.
You can although check with a local browser (installed on the same pc like xpTunes).
Can you browse to other pages (like google) with your iPhone ?

Let me know if i can help you.
Markus

[steveklein]

for a reason unbeknown to me, my ip changed to .103 so when i changed that in the settings it worked.

[Doof]

So I just registered xpTunes, and since I haven't gotten my registration key yet I used the demo key just to get myself up and running. Unfortunately I'm not having any luck at all getting it to work on my HTPC. The server is obviously running, because I can view it from my iTouch, but I can't ever get any further than picking the skin I want to use. It just sits there trying to load. On the rare occasion that I do get past this point, it doesn't show any media listed, even though from MC itself, I can browse it all just fine. If I try it from the browser on the PC itself, I can load the skin rather quickly, but still don't get any media showing up. And quite frequently, I get an error message that says something about failing to connect to com server.

On another PC I've tried this all on, it worked perfectly, which is why I decided to register it. For some reason it just doesn't like this other PC.

One difference between these two PCs... on the one that isn't working, I had an older beta version of xpTunes installed. I tried wiping out the folder and extracting the 1.00 version fresh, but there's obviously a configuration stored somewhere because it still has all the settings from the previous version. Not sure if that's relevant or not.

Also... I noticed that the Autostart with Windows feature doesn't seem to be working here. I had to finally create a shortcut and put it in the Startup folder.

And finally... a question. If and when I do finally get this working properly... is there anyway to have it minimize to the system tray on startup? Currently, with my HTPC starting up MC in Theater View mode, I get xpTunes popping up over top and I have to bust out the keyboard/mouse to minimize it to get it out of the way.

Thanks!

[Messiahs]

Hi Doof,

just some small questions:
- you are using the same JR version on both PC's ?
- is it possible, that two instances of xpTunes are running at the same time (task manager) ? or perhaps two instances of JR (pls disable Tools/Options/General/Advanced/Allow multiple instances) ?
- what version of windows you are running ? did you slipstreamed one version or disabled some tasks?

If you have a "com server error" xpTunes can't connect to JR. I would kill all MC and xpTunes tasks and then only start xpTunes (xpTunes will start MC in the background). Perhaps you can although delete the old entries (registry: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JRiver\Media Jukebox\Plugins\Interface\xpTunes").

"Also... I noticed that the Autostart with Windows feature doesn't seem to be working here."
Yes, you're right I just tested it.

"is there anyway to have it minimize to the system tray on startup"
in the new version yes. the new version is finished, but i have to change and test the skins too. the new version of the iPhone/iPod version is really great, but i have to change the 'normal' web skins too. I think in 2 or 3 weeks i can release the new version.

 



 

[Doof]

- you are using the same JR version on both PC's ?

Yep.

- is it possible, that two instances of xpTunes are running at the same time (task manager) ? or perhaps two instances of JR (pls disable Tools/Options/General/Advanced/Allow multiple instances) ?

Checked all that. Only one instance of each is running.

- what version of windows you are running ? did you slipstreamed one version or disabled some tasks?

Both the PC that works and the PC that doesn't are running Windows 7 beta.

If you have a "com server error" xpTunes can't connect to JR. I would kill all MC and xpTunes tasks and then only start xpTunes (xpTunes will start MC in the background). Perhaps you can although delete the old entries (registry: "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JRiver\Media Jukebox\Plugins\Interface\xpTunes").

Tried this. No change. I even did an uninstall and reinstall of MC and it's still not working. Any other ideas?

[JimH]

I noticed that the Autostart with Windows feature doesn't seem to be working here. I had to finally create a shortcut and put it in the Startup folder.

Possibly useful ideas...

1.  A delay somewhere might help.

2.  More likely, the recent change for Media Server startup may affect it.  There are now three options, under Startup.  Reset this even if you've done it before.

3.  Don't try manually adding Meda Center or Media Server to your startup sequence.  Do it in MC.

[steveklein]

one strange bug i've encountered is that the settings always reset to 192.168.1.100

i tell it to set to .103 and it remains .100 the first time. then i tell it to go to .103 again, and it will work.

however, the next time i shut it down and start it back up, it is back to .100.

very annoying.

[steveklein]

also, is there any way to minimize the program to the system tray instead of a fairly obtrusive narrow bar in the bottom left of my screen near the start menu?

[Messiahs]

@steve & @doof @all
please try the new version:
http://rapidshare.com/files/225658841/xpTunesV1.5.zip.html
http://www.alice-dsl.net/markuslipp/xpTunes/xpTunesV1.05.zip

[AoXoMoXoA]

Nice!
I really like the minimize-to-tray feature.

Question -
I only use this on my LAN and do not really need a login for security, so I imagine it was seen as unnecessary, but I'll ask anyway . . . was the login option purposefully removed ?