Playing .mp3's and other sound files.

[mike55]

Hi all,

Was messing around with the .mp3s that I have on my machine, and was thinking that it would be pretty cool if I had a web service set-up on my machine that would allow me to select a song and play it on the computer/server using a pda to select the particular song. Now such a web service would only be usefull for myself at home, but it would allow me to sit in one room at home, and use the web service to change the song playing on the server in another room.

I have been unable to find any information on the possibility of getting the functions for playing a song for a web service, I did come across some very nice functions for a windows application.

I would appreciate it if anyone could tell me if my idea is a load of crap or if it is possible as I am only interested in the web service at the moment.

Mike55.

 

[Nate Bross]

I know this is an old thread, but I am very interested in this idea because I had the same idea but never got around to doing it. I will post back and let you know what I come up with.

 

[mike55]

Hi Nate,

Have looked on the net a number of times, but could never get a suitable solution, managed to get hold of components build by other people that would allow me to create my own cd player, but I could never find anything that would allow me to do what I really wanted to do.

Mike55.

 

[Nate Bross]

What I am working on, on a very slow basis I might add, is a program to run on the server that plays audio through the servers audio system, that accepts incomming TCP/IP connections, and a client that runs on the PDA that connects to the server and sends simple commands like play, pause, next, previous, etc. Currently I do not even have a proof of concept, as its finals week and Im up to my ears in homework, hopefully I will be able to devote more time to this during Christmas Break.

 

[mike55]

HI Nate Bross

I was thinking along the same lines, all that I wanted to do was to simply to play, pause, next, back, etc. I was considering the use of a database such as mysql (since its free). The database could simply contain a single table which contains the track name, path to the track on the web server, and other necessary track information.

My research so far, has identified components/add-ons that you allow you to play music using a windows based application. However, I seem to be drawing a blank on a web based approach; either I am doing my research incorrectly, or else we have discovered a niche market.

The concept should be relatively straight forward, as I have heard of situations where people can turn on their central heating from their office, or when they are on the road using their mobile phone/pda.

I am going to be studying for exams over the next number of weeks, but if I get a chance I will continue to do some research.

Mike55.

 

[HJB417]

I would
1) try to use directx directsound as the mp3player.
2) have a structure Mp3Id {string path; string title; int id;}
3) have a webmethod PlayMp3(int id)
4) have a mebmethod Mp3Id[] GetMp3s()

 

[mike55]

Thanks for the suggestions HJB417, will take them under consideration.

Mike55.

 

[Gambit_sunob]

Winamp Web Control

I dunno if youve seen the Winamp Web Control but you might be able to use that or the same concept. It uses a web port through the winamp interface and creates its own locally based web page. It uses that to send instructions to the winamp player. Maybe you could set up your PDA to use those to send the commands. Just a thought, but it could work rather easily.
http://winamp.com/plugins/details.php?id=92511

 

[tmack]

This might be easy.

Server (PC):
When the client requests what songs are avaliable, it sends the list to the client (the PDA)

From the web (ASP.NET):
When the user accesses the website, it requests the playable songs from the server (using .NET Sockets). When you click play, the ASP.NET script connects to the server and says to play SONGID (or something else).


This really seems simple, you can even do it in ASP 3 with a simple activex component.