STV Import: SlimPlayer 2.0 - Slacker, Pandora, Sirius,... on Extenders

[mkanet]

The mac address can be anything you want it to be. But, it's gotta match the one in the registry; or, you will have to go into the squeeze server and "forget" or delete the player. And add it again. It's unlike a hardware mac address since this is software emulation of a hardware player.

90% of the confusion in most cases is not understanding where softsqueeze/slimplayer clients save their preferences.

You need to be a little bit familiar with the Windows Registry. If you are, then I'm sure with some playing around you guys wont have these unexplained mysterious issues with things not working. It's much more simple than you think. I've included 2 registry files; one for my local server playback and one for my extender using hardware loopback.

There are a couple of places that the settings for these clients like to be saved (at least on 32bit OS's):

Here:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\JavaSoft\Prefs\org\titmuss\softsqueeze]

and

[HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\JavaSoft\Prefs\org\titmuss\softsqueeze]

Just take some time to study whats in the registry files, with time, you will understand what's going on better. I think you would only be concerned with the local.reg file. With a little bit of trial and error, I'm sure youll get the hang of it. The great news is once you have it set up, it just works... like any other appliance at your home.

Whatever you do, dont double-click the reg files. Just use them as reference. Your sound cards will most likely be different.

Good luck! ...and remember, everyone had to start from where you were.. not knowing a whole lot at the beginning.

Originally Posted by mbowling

I'm attempting to configure this plugin for the first time. I think I misunderstood the meaning of the Slim Player mac address. In SageTV I right-clicked on the player and changed the player mac address. Now I am unable to see the favorites that I entered in the Squeezebox server. Of course I didn't make a note of the original mac address. How do I find the correct Slim Player mac address?

[mbowling]

Originally Posted by mkanet

Just take some time to study whats in the registry files, with time, you will understand what's going on better.

You were right mkanet, I studied your registry file, compared it with mine and discovered the problem. I had a space at the beginning of the mac address in the registry. SlimPlayer is working fine now. I'm a little overwhelmed with all the stations that are available through Squeezebox. I've added a few holiday stations as SlimPlayer favorites and they are playing perfectly through my SageTV PC client. Thank you very much for pointing me in the right direction!

[mkanet]

Glad I could help! Which Christmas stations are you listening to? I put mine one Sirius and Slacker Holiday stations; but, was looking some really old fashioned Christmas songs when my parents come over

Originally Posted by mbowling

You were right mkanet, I studied your registry file, compared it with mine and discovered the problem. I had a space at the beginning of the mac address in the registry. SlimPlayer is working fine now. I'm a little overwhelmed with all the stations that are available through Squeezebox. I've added a few holiday stations as SlimPlayer favorites and they are playing perfectly through my SageTV PC client. Thank you very much for pointing me in the right direction!

[mbowling]

Originally Posted by mkanet

Which Christmas stations are you listening to?

I'm still adding, removing and test driving stations, but the "181.FM Christmas Classics" station has traditional Christmas songs and artists from our parents era.

EDIT: I've had the "181.FM Christmas Classics" station playing for the past hour, those classic tunes are good!

[RedCoat999]

Did anyone get this to work ***easily*** on a HD200 extender running SageMC yet?

[farfromuman]

Originally Posted by mkanet

That's weird, Slimplayer IS the same thing as softsqueeze (they both depend on Softsqueeze.jar; as far as the SqueezeCenter/server Squeezebox Server is concerned, its the same thing; just a different front end or graphics. Slimplayer uses slimplayer registry settings and features in the same way as softsqueeze does. If standalone softsqueeze is behaving differently than slimplayer, I am guessing it might be because the registry information is different in one verses the other (maybe due to 64 bit windows stores the client information in a different location than what the Slimplayer's audio configurations settings thinks they should go.

I would definitely compare both client (slimplayer and softsqueeze) registry settings (the real places they actually get saved) and make sure they are using the same settings; except for player specific settings such as MAC address. Of course, you want to also make sure that youre using the same softsqueze.jar used in the latest Slimplayer download (or softsqueeze 3.9b1.zip

Sorry I couldnt give you anything specific, but at least those guidelines will help you have a little bit better idea of how the clients work.

I am running the latest version 3.9b1, the registry strings are correct and settings get saved. I think the problem might be that Sage takes exclusive control of the SPDIF, I base this on the fact that Slimplayer has no issues using a different audio device within Sage.
I wonder where else I can try to debug this.

[mkanet]

If you change sageTV's primary audio output to something other than SPDIF, that would at least eliminate that as being the culprit for not getting audio; or, confirm your suspicion that this plugin's audio gets blocked by sageTV somehow; although, I thought that the default audio device used by sageTV only when the SageTV Media Player is active (which is not used; unless you use an extender too like me. My underderstanding of SPDIF is definitely limited; since I only use multichannel analog output. I know in the old days, only one application could take control of the SPDIF output at a time. I would definitely use the Java mp3 plugin; which I know you are. I dont think I've ever been able to get audio from any softsqueeze/slimplayer based client that didnt have the mp3 plugin. Whatever it is, I wouldnt give up just yet; it sounds like something minor we're missing here.

Originally Posted by farfromuman

I am running the latest version 3.9b1, the registry strings are correct and settings get saved. I think the problem might be that Sage takes exclusive control of the SPDIF, I base this on the fact that Slimplayer has no issues using a different audio device within Sage.
I wonder where else I can try to debug this.

[farfromuman]

Originally Posted by mkanet

If you change sageTV's primary audio output to something other than SPDIF, that would at least eliminate that as being the culprit for not getting audio; or, confirm your suspicion that this plugin's audio gets blocked by sageTV somehow; although, I thought that the default audio device used by sageTV only when the SageTV Media Player is active (which is not used; unless you use an extender too like me. My underderstanding of SPDIF is definitely limited; since I only use multichannel analog output. I know in the old days, only one application could take control of the SPDIF output at a time. I would definitely use the Java mp3 plugin; which I know you are. I dont think I've ever been able to get audio from any softsqueeze/slimplayer based client that didnt have the mp3 plugin. Whatever it is, I wouldnt give up just yet; it sounds like something minor we're missing here.

I tried your test, changed Sage to use different output. With Sage not using default/SPDIF and Slimplayer set to default/SPDIF when I play a song I can see that my receiver is getting a Digital audio stream but there is no sound. So possibly it is in a format that it cannot understand or somehow volume is muted, one step closer

[mkanet]

So, as soon as you choose another sound card in the audio options for slimplayer, do you get back your sound? Do you restart sageTV client completely after each audio change? I know that I have to restart sageTV.exe every time the audio source changes. In some extreme cases, I have to restart the entire Squeezebox server.

Sorry if I missed this, but what client(s) are you using? Also, try various music content, not just one source (if you arent already) ... uch as Internet Radio, mp3s, wmas. Have you tried pressing the mute button on the remote? j/k

Is there a chance your softsqueeze client is somehow still lingering in memory? T

Originally Posted by farfromuman

I tried your test, changed Sage to use different output. With Sage not using default/SPDIF and Slimplayer set to default/SPDIF when I play a song I can see that my receiver is getting a Digital audio stream but there is no sound. So possibly it is in a format that it cannot understand or somehow volume is muted, one step closer

[chrisc983]

has anyone gotten this to work with WHS and the software loop back.

[mbowling]

Is it possible to add/delete/reorder SlimPlayer favorites using www.mysqueezebox.com? I would like to use Internet Explorer from any PC to manage internet radio favorites rather than using the Squeezebox Server interface on my SageTV PC client.

I had some success using Squeezeplay. From my desktop PC I can add and delete favorites using Squeezeplay and they are added/deleted in SlimPlayer in SageTV. However, I am unable to reorder the favorites using Squeezeplay.

When I select Favorites when logged-in to www.mysqueezebox.com the favorites I have saved using Squeezeplay or Squeezebox Server are not listed. There is only an option to add new favorites.

Can I manage SlimPlayer favorites from www.mysqueezebox.com?

[mkanet]

No you can't manage favorites via www.mysqueezebox.com. However, the good news is you still can still do what you are trying to accomplish by using " Explorer from any PC to manage internet radio favorites". In fact, we have always been able to do that via the "http://sagetvserver:9000", http://myurl.com:9000", or "192.168.1.168:9000", etc. In fact, you have more control/settings using the original web interface verses depending on their backend's website; which might not eve be as reliable. Using the original web interface gives you direct access to your settings verses having them pushed onto the players from their backend.

It will take a little time to get yourself setup where you access all your settings from any PC anywhere if you can't do this already. I have a feeling you might be able to do most of this already, and just didnt know.

Locally on your Squeezebox Server, open up your web browser and go to: http://127.0.0.1:9000. If your server is up and running, you can access many different settings and stuff you wont see on www.mysqueezebox.com related to your setup. You can replace "127.0.0.1" with the private numeric IP of your Squeezebox Server when youre on your LAN.... for me,it's 192.168.1.2... so I would type http://192.168.1.2:9000 on any PC on my LAN at home. It's not that much harder to access your own server via Internet. It requires a little bit of time setting up your Internet router to route TCP/UDP ports 9000 and 3483 to your Squeezebox Server. Most routers now have builtin Dynamic DNS as well which will allow you to setup a unique URL name you can go to from anywhere in the world with Internet acccess to your LAN/respective PCs at home. This also gives you the power/luxury to do other cool things too such as accessing your sageTV server from any PC connected to the Internet (or LAN) as well. You can do some pretty cool things using the dyndns.com service as well which lets you ultimately go to: http://squeezeadmin.mbowling.com and it would secretly route you to: http://yourmachinenameathome:9000; which would basically give you the illusion youre going to somethign like mysqueezebox.com; except it would be your own PC! Once you set it up this way, I assure you you would prefer to do things this way anyway... opening up a whole new world of accessing your server once you spend a little bit of time understanding your Internet router's capabilities. Pretty much all modern routers do this; even the one that was given to me free by Comcast.

The good news is that it doesnt take a high end computer programmer to set this up. The only bad news is that it will take a little bit of your time to learn how to do it.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by mbowling

Is it possible to add/delete/reorder SlimPlayer favorites using www.mysqueezebox.com? I would like to use Internet Explorer from any PC to manage internet radio favorites rather than using the Squeezebox Server interface on my SageTV PC client.

I had some success using Squeezeplay. From my desktop PC I can add and delete favorites using Squeezeplay and they are added/deleted in SlimPlayer in SageTV. However, I am unable to reorder the favorites using Squeezeplay.

When I select Favorites when logged-in to www.mysqueezebox.com the favorites I have saved using Squeezeplay or Squeezebox Server are not listed. There is only an option to add new favorites.

Can I manage SlimPlayer favorites from www.mysqueezebox.com?

[mbowling]

Thanks for the info mkanet. Luckily, I am familiar with accessing the Squeezebox server using the IP and the port number from inside my LAN. I currently use no-ip.com to create a URL to access my home automation system and security cameras from outside my LAN. I can see the advantages of doing the same thing with the Squeezebox server.

My config is:
SageTV server in the home office.
SageTV PC client in the living room.

I currently have the Squeezebox server installed on the PC client. So when I was trying to sample radio stations using the Squeezebox server web interface (PC client) from the home office desktop (SageTV server) the audio was playing in the living room rather than the office. I was hoping to sample a radio station from the home office desktop and if I liked the station I would add it to my favorites and reorder the favorites. All in the same user interface in a couple easy steps. In the living room I use either the remote control or wireless keyboard to control the PC client. A real keyboard and mouse in the home office is more convenient. That's how I got wrapped around the axle with trying to use mysqueezebox.com.

So, to work around the issue I was sampling stations using Squeezeplay, adding them to my favorites using Squeezeplay, then using the Squeezebox server web interface to arrange the favorites in the order I want. Certainly sounds convoluted, but it does work. I'm open to suggestions for an improved game plan.

[mkanet]

It's really not that complicated Softsqueeze 3.9 is perfect for the work environment.

I just downloaded good old reliable Softsqueeze 3.9 and installed it at work. Audio works perfectly. Softsqueeze is better suited for the work environment than Squeezeplay; which has a faster, smaller, more discrete interface; plus, it has builtin SSH support for access to your Squeezebox server even through the strictest firewalls; only allowing port 80. You can quickly quickly flip through different Internet Radio networks with the flick of your keyboard arrow and enter keys (ie Slacker, Sirius/XM, Napster, Pandora) to add favorites. I do it all the time. Needless to say, it's certainly more appropriate than using Slimplayer through Placeshifter at work; which is a lot clunkier; but, does work too.


So... just to summarize:

- I use the slimadmin.myurl.com for adminining Squeezebox Server from any PC (Internet or at home via any web browse).

- Slimplayer via sageTV (which has aesthetics/functionality Squeezeplay or any other hardware client cant even compare to at this time) on my TVs at home. I can add favorites with the flick of the remote control arrow and select keys... or use them for "dont play" "play this more often" for Pandora, etc.

- Slimplayer 3.9 for work (very small and fast UI, with builtin SSH support and, of course the audio can be heard at work.... and, flick through the stations which can be added as favorites. Consider Slimplayer 3.9 Slimplayer's twin, very discrete brother.

As you can see, there are more than one way to do things.. with lots of personal experience, the methods above work best for me. I'm glad youre taking the time get things set just right. Once they are set... they just work like any other appliance. I dont want to jinx myself, but I'm amazed at how well the backwards compatibility is for Softqueeze. I just upgraded to the very latest possible Squeezebox Server. I didnt have to do anything... and sure enough, all my clients works fine; and get even more Internet radio support with no extra upgrades to my clients.

I admit, it was a bit of a pain to setup support for my extenders... HD-200s; which I finally had to use the hardware loopback method. However, once it was setup, its worked invisibly in the background ever since. Nobody has ever seen anything like Slimplayer; especially the way it looks under SageMC; not even people who use mass market based Logitech Squeezebox clients.. so, its always fun to impress guests who come over seeing nothing but a tiny HD-200 box hooked up to the livingroom TV.

Have fun!

Originally Posted by mbowling

Thanks for the info mkanet. Luckily, I am familiar with accessing the Squeezebox server using the IP and the port number from inside my LAN. I currently use no-ip.com to create a URL to access my home automation system and security cameras from outside my LAN. I can see the advantages of doing the same thing with the Squeezebox server.

My config is:
SageTV server in the home office.
SageTV PC client in the living room.

I currently have the Squeezebox server installed on the PC client. So when I was trying to sample radio stations using the Squeezebox server web interface (PC client) from the home office desktop (SageTV server) the audio was playing in the living room rather than the office. I was hoping to sample a radio station from the home office desktop and if I liked the station I would add it to my favorites and reorder the favorites. All in the same user interface in a couple easy steps. In the living room I use either the remote control or wireless keyboard to control the PC client. A real keyboard and mouse in the home office is more convenient. That's how I got wrapped around the axle with trying to use mysqueezebox.com.

So, to work around the issue I was sampling stations using Squeezeplay, adding them to my favorites using Squeezeplay, then using the Squeezebox server web interface to arrange the favorites in the order I want. Certainly sounds convoluted, but it does work. I'm open to suggestions for an improved game plan.

[mbowling]

Originally Posted by mkanet

I just downloaded good old reliable Softsqueeze 3.9 and installed it at work.

Softsqueeze sounds good. I tried to install it on my SageTV server and PC client but it failed to install on both machines. I ran the webstart.html file. Step 1 had a checkmark indicating that Java is installed. When I tried the "install and run" link in Step 2 the following error is returned: "Unable to launch the application".

This is from the exception tab:
BadFieldException[ The field <jnlp>codebase has an invalid value: http://[% host %]/html/softsqueeze/,http://[% host %]/html/softsqueeze/]
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.XMLUtils.getAttributeURL(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.XMLFormat.parse(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.LaunchDescFactory.buildDescriptor(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.LaunchDescFactory.buildDescriptor(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

I did a Google search on the error and someone said they fixed it by deleting the Java temp files in the Control Panel. I tried that as well as deleting the Internet Explorer temp files but it didn't help. Any ideas as to the cause of this error?

[mkanet]

Hmmm... you dont need to install it on the server. All I did was extract the contents of the zip file on my work PC (or any other PC at home) in the folder of my choice and double-clicked softsqueeze.jnlp.

If you want to get it to install on the server itself, all you have to do is follow the instructions in the link below to install slimplayer as a plugin:

http://forums.slimdevices.com/showpo...&postcount=152

Have fun!

Originally Posted by mbowling

Softsqueeze sounds good. I tried to install it on my SageTV server and PC client but it failed to install on both machines. I ran the webstart.html file. Step 1 had a checkmark indicating that Java is installed. When I tried the "install and run" link in Step 2 the following error is returned: "Unable to launch the application".

This is from the exception tab:
BadFieldException[ The field <jnlp>codebase has an invalid value: http://[% host %]/html/softsqueeze/,http://[% host %]/html/softsqueeze/]
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.XMLUtils.getAttributeURL(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.XMLFormat.parse(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.LaunchDescFactory.buildDescriptor(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.jnl.LaunchDescFactory.buildDescriptor(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.launchApp(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main.continueInSecureThread(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.javaws.Main$1.run(Unknown Source)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Unknown Source)

I did a Google search on the error and someone said they fixed it by deleting the Java temp files in the Control Panel. I tried that as well as deleting the Internet Explorer temp files but it didn't help. Any ideas as to the cause of this error?

[mbowling]

Originally Posted by mkanet

Hmmm... you don't need to install it on the server. All I did was extract the contents of the zip file on my work PC (or any other PC at home) in the folder of my choice and double-clicked softsqueeze.jnlp.

I was trying to install Softsqueeze on both of my computers just to see if the installation would succeed. Since the installation fails on both machines Softsqueeze might not be an option for me.

The only functionality I'm missing in SlimPlayer is Pandora. Is Softsqueeze required to use Pandora in SlimPlayer?

I appreciate your patience with my questions. I'm going back to work tomorrow so I won't have as much time to play with SageTV and ask questions.

[SteveD]

I have configured LCDsmartie for slimplayer 2.0. I am also using SageMC. How do I establish a shortcut on my remote to go directly to the slimplayer main screen. I do not want to turn on the Television to tune channels.

Thanks.

[koelec]

Originally Posted by SteveD

I have configured LCDsmartie for slimplayer 2.0. I am also using SageMC. How do I establish a shortcut on my remote to go directly to the slimplayer main screen. I do not want to turn on the Television to tune channels.

Thanks.

I think it is command custom #2
- Chris

[SteveD]

custom #2 brings up a RSS feed config page on SageMC