View Full Version : Anyone want an Android tablet as now playing screen ?
Is there any interest of using an Android tablet (or phone) as a Now Playing screen for a Squeezebox ?
I'm asking because I've done some experimentation with a simple Android app that shows currently playing track together with continuously switching artist images from LastFM.
I guess the issue for most people is that Android tablets aren't that cheap, so most people that have one is probably not going to have it in the docking station, they are probably going to have in in their hand and in this case a simple Now Playing screen app doesn't make much sense, at least not to me.
But I thought I'd at least ask, so, is there any interest for something like this ?
If there is:
1. What kind of information would you like to see on the Now Playing screen ?
2. Is there any operations you feel is critical to have access to directly in the app without the need to start Squeeze Commander, Orange Squeeze or Logitech's Android app ? I don't plan to implement full browse menus, but if there are something less advanced that would be important to have access to I'll consider it.
3. Do you have an Android tablet (or phone) and would be interested in doing some beta testing ?
The app is very likely going to be free because I want the LastFM integration of artist images myself and LastFM doesn't allow usage of those in commercial applications. It's also going to be fairly simple, because I'm mainly doing this learn some Android development for another unrelated project and figured I could experiment with something I wanted myself, but I don't want to spend too much time on it.
Maybe a widget? It would display album art and controls to start/stop/pause, open the app (i. e. SQ, OS, Logitech's app), probably not much else.
Maybe a widget? It would display album art and controls to start/stop/pause, open the app (i. e. SQ, OS, Logitech's app), probably not much else.
Doesn't Squidget already cover the widget usage good enough ?
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stone.sb
If not, what's missing from it ? Possibility to launch the other controller apps ?
> Doesn't Squidget already cover the widget usage good enough ?
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stone.sb
>
> If not, what's missing from it ? Possibility to launch the other
> controller apps ?
It costs huge amounts of money...
--
Michael
> Doesn't Squidget already cover the widget usage good enough ?
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stone.sb
>
> If not, what's missing from it ? Possibility to launch the other
> controller apps ?
It costs huge amounts of money...
I know you are being ironic, but for those that really think these small apps costs too much, in my mind the fact that Squidget costs money is something positive, not something bad, it ensures that someone is interested to maintain it and ensure it keeps working with future SBS/LMS releases. I'd probably have charged a small fee for this Now Playing screen idea too if it was possible, but it's not possible due licensing restrictions from LastFM.
Full screen artist images from LastFM looks a lot better on a 7" tablet than the small Squeezebox Touch screen by the way. Now, I'm only thinking that maybe I should have gotten the 10" instead, but I guess I'll just have to do a version for the iPad later on if I like something bigger. Maybe even a TV based one, since there are Android docks with HDMI output ?
Or are there any Revue users that would want one for Google TV ? (assuming Revue supports installation of apps)
So back on topic, is there any interest for a big tablet based now playing screen and in that case what would people like to see on it ?
It would be interesting. I don't necessarily *need* it, but it would be cool. For me, being able to do it with google TV (specifically the Logitech Revue) would be best. Obviously, that is always connected to my TV whereas my andriod tablet follows me around the house.
For it to be engaging, I think the screen should have some sort of animation. I had an idea (which I was going to do as an exercise to dip my toe in android development myself) to have a "now playing" screen that showed the side view of a turntable platter rotating with a strobe. Maybe even show the cartidge drop on the album and slowly move toward the center as would happen when a real lp is playing. This could even be proportional to the length of the track, like a progress indicator. The track/album/time information could be displayed on there too. When the track would change, there could be some sort of animation of the album being dropped (like a record changer or just bing placed on the platter). Prior to the animation, a record label could be displayed showing the next track, with length, artist, etc. in a format like you would see on an lp (or 45). Taking this further, you could have options for a more modern scheme where maybe it's a CD juke box or something. You could even do a old style jukebox scheme rather than a turntable.
I think something like that would be really cool rather than a relatively static "now playing" screen, especially on a TV. I would certainly be rather complicated, but that's what I've envisioned. I have coding skills, but I'm not a graphic designer, so I never really got anywhere with the idea.
Something like this I'd be willing to pay for. But for it to have wide appeal, it would have to be able to do "now playing" for more than just the squeezebox. In my research, I seem to recall that there are hooks for getting information of what the player is playing - though it may only be for the google music player. I would want it to work with the squeezebox controller apps and PowerAMP (the music player I use). It would be like a visualizer or a screensaver type thing.
For it to be engaging, I think the screen should have some sort of animation.
Yes, I agree, especially on a large screen some movement would be good.
However, I think variation is more important than movement, I think a spinning LP would be kind of boring after a while, an image slide show of the artist playing is a lot more interesting, IMHO.
I had an idea (which I was going to do as an exercise to dip my toe in android development myself) to have a "now playing" screen that showed the side view of a turntable platter rotating with a strobe. Maybe even show the cartidge drop on the album and slowly move toward the center as would happen when a real lp is playing. This could even be proportional to the length of the track, like a progress indicator. The track/album/time information could be displayed on there too. When the track would change, there could be some sort of animation of the album being dropped (like a record changer or just bing placed on the platter). Prior to the animation, a record label could be displayed showing the next track, with length, artist, etc. in a format like you would see on an lp (or 45). Taking this further, you could have options for a more modern scheme where maybe it's a CD juke box or something. You could even do a old style jukebox scheme rather than a turntable.
It's kind of funny how we all want to turn all these modern toys into old fashion stuff, reminds me of the screensaver that was discussed during the Squeezebox Touch hardware beta testing.
http://www.davidairey.com/images/design/cassette-tape-1.jpg
Later I got some help with the graphics and it resulted Casetta style for the Custom Clock applet with graphical design by Rikk and animated wheels:
http://wiki.slimdevices.com/uploads/0/01/CustomClock_Cassetta.png
Something like this I'd be willing to pay for. But for it to have wide appeal, it would have to be able to do "now playing" for more than just the squeezebox. In my research, I seem to recall that there are hooks for getting information of what the player is playing - though it may only be for the google music player. I would want it to work with the squeezebox controller apps and PowerAMP (the music player I use). It would be like a visualizer or a screensaver type thing.
Do you use Revue for music playing ?
Or is it just used as a remote control ?
Yeah, I remember those now-playing screens. There's something about the retro look and making our modern devices look like our old ones :-). I'm particuarly fond of the retro VU meters for the Touch.
If my Revue was capable of running an SB player app, I think I would use it as such. People have looked at that and it doesn't seem like it will be a reality. So, no, I don't use it to play music. Just to see how well it would work, I fired up Pandora one time and was impressed with how nice it was to have the cover art and stuff on a big screen.
I have a controller app installed on my revue only because I can - I don't really use it.
A now-playing screen on the Revue I think would be great for parties.
A now-playing screen on the Revue I think would be great for parties.
What kind of information do you think people would like to see on it ?
Would the guests like to interact with it somehow using their own smart phones ?
What kind of information do you think people would like to see on it ?
Would the guests like to interact with it somehow using their own smart phones ?
smart phone interaction I think would be strictly a controller function, in so called party mode. If a guest queues up a new track, a notification could be put on the "now playing" screen. Maybe the last track added would persist on the screen.
As far as what should be on the screen, I would say:
- artwork
- track title
- track artist
- progress bar
- previously played track w/info
- upcoming track to be played w/info.
The previous/upcoming track info could included artwork, but be less prominent on the screen since it's really just there as an fyi.
As far as smartphone interaction went, it would be cool (perhaps in a geeky sort of way) for the guests to be able to vote "thumbs up/thumbs down" on currently playing tracks. These stats could be put up on the screen in real time. After the party, it would be interesting to collect the data. If the smart phone app required that the user register with some sort of name, you could track stats based on the user. You could even envision a smart playlist that built the ongoing playlist based on feedback from the users, much in a way that Pandora does, but using music from your library.
I'm just thinking out loud with all of this...
bugmenot
2012-03-08, 21:23
I have both an ipad and a best android tablet (http://www.espow.com/wholesale-computers-networking-tablets.html) and apart from games, the android can do everything the ipad can, at least as well as the ipad does. There are some games, but not nearly as much as on the apple side. That said for general day to day things i use the android tablet much more than the ipad.
I like the idea of using last.fm pictures for a now playing screen. Would it be possible to switch naturally between the controller app and the now playing app? By naturally, I mean for the controller to be up front, but just underneath the now playing app, which would be kind of like a screensaver. Touch the screen, and you are back to the controller. If that's not possible, if I'd have to actively switch to the now playing app, I don't think it would get used much.
By the way: I know there's a player app for android (Squeeze Player). Is there one for the iPad?
bluegaspode
2012-03-15, 20:29
On iPad SqueezePad and iPeng do have playback capabilities.
Kudos Erland! One more hit for the road.
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