Topic: iTunes/DAAP Client

In a similar vein to the slimserver client access, is there any chance of adding an iTunes client/daap client? We're running a firefly media server (mt-daapd) here and remote access would be excellent.

http://www.fireflymediaserver.org/
-w

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

The problem with creating a DAAP client is that people would expect to be able to stream from iTunes, which as I'm sure you know, can't currently be done because Apple has locked down the protocol pretty hard in iTunes 7.  Without that, I'm not sure there's too much point - though I'll add it to the list of stuff to look into.

If someone were to create a nice little DAAP client that makes sense to run on the chumby, we'd consider adding it.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

if the chumby could be an airTunes client too, that would blow my mind.

-John Forsythe
www.jforsythe.com

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

jforsythe wrote:

if the chumby could be an airTunes client too, that would blow my mind.

Sorry, Apple has locked down the protocol.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Hi, just ordered my Chumby a few days ago, and can't wait to receive it. A little disappointed however, because this was one of the features I was really hoping for. Oh, well I guess it's not a big deal to have to plug my iPod in when I want to listen to my music.

Don't know if you guys are aware of this project, or if it would be of any help, but:

www.simplifymedia.com

Their software basically allows you to access your iTunes from across the internet as long as you have two computers running Simplifymedia. As it pertains to the Chumby, they've recently ported their software over to Linux and to the iPhone. I'd love to see a widget for Chunby that could access your computer's Simplifymedia share.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

This is a flash based DAAP client for Firefly.

http://forums.fireflymediaserver.org/vi … php?t=6863

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

has anyone been able to get their chumby to play from fireplay or even get the flash play to work? I primarily purchased this for my wife because she wanted to have a device that would play our itunes music share. I saw there  was itunes support on the device. I had no idea it meant only direct connection. I have to find an easy way to get this to work or it goes back.

Tony

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Blame Apple..
Its not just Microsloth that plays with DRM and monopolistic/closed practices and propriatary data communication.

Just because its DAAP doesnt mean it will play Itunes content. almost ALL itunes content is protected by default!

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

But it will be nice to get DAAP client that could play all the music without DRM from a server like "firefly media server"

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

tonymaupin wrote:

I have to find an easy way to get this to work or it goes back.

I don't know if you'll consider them "easy", but either SlimServer or Nicecast will lets you play your iTunes files. The problem is that they don't really let you have random access to the songs. Rather, you point them at a playlist and they stream that playlist. The Chumby then plays the stream.

nicecast is Mac-only, I think. SlimServer is cross-platform.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Heh wish they had a port of nicecast to windoze... SlimServer is not the nicest thing to deal with.,.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

With a lite DDAP client, it will be nice to be able to choose a songs or albums to be played directly from the chumby. But it won't   be possible using slimserver.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Hi everyone,

My name is Bo Mellberg and I am the author of FirePlay, which is a Flash6 (AS2.0) client for the FireFly media server. I'd like to pitch in if there is any interest. I have already been contacted on the FireFly forums by one of you. The Chumby seems like a nice little gadget and it would be fun to be able to use it as a music player, streaming content from your server library.

The thing is, FirePlay started out as a DAAP-client, but is now only supporting RSP (Roku server protocol). Thus, it's not a client for an iTunes-serving environment (which is good if you ask me, since I think iTunes is one of the worst applications ever written).

I understand that the Chumby is limited to Flash Lite, which would be new to me. Does anyone of you know of any limitations that would prevent a Flash Lite gadget to retrieve XML information from the server, and start playing an mp3?

Regards,

/Bo Mellberg

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

If you're used to Flash 8 programming, you've find that the FlashLight development is fairly straightforward.  The XML and sound APIs are the same, so you should be able to have retrieve XML as  long as the crossdomain.xml file is in place on the server.

Given that Firefly is open source, I'm very interested.  Please feel free to enlist support.

wayn3w

15 (edited by bomellberg 2008-06-11 04:43:52)

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

wayn3w wrote:

If you're used to Flash 8 programming, you've find that the FlashLight development is fairly straightforward.  The XML and sound APIs are the same, so you should be able to have retrieve XML as  long as the crossdomain.xml file is in place on the server.

Given that Firefly is open source, I'm very interested.  Please feel free to enlist support.

wayn3w

The Chumby version would be separated from the FirePlay one, so the FlashLight thing will not be an issue as long as the tools are there.

FireFly is indeed OS, as is FirePlay. How do I enlist support? The tricky thing woulb be to get a chumby-device for the development. The are not shipped outside US and I live in Sweden.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Kinda like that this is *not* DAAP... Yes DAAP support is a good idea problem is people *expect* itunes to work with it, when in fact current releases of Itunes are NOT really DAAP, but propriatary...

So how well would it support the chumby?.. would with have some DRM issue/restriction since its not a true Roku?

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

I think RSP was introduced to overcome the proprietary DAAP issue, so the protocol itself (RSP) may not be open source, but my guess is that it's totally free to use. The FireFly server is open source, which is an implementation of RSP.

I actually did build a widget and a configuration widget and I am now listening to Eric Clapton from my server at home using my virtual chumby! :-)

18 (edited by traumaxp 2008-06-13 07:56:00)

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

@bomellberg: I don't get the rationale why they don't sell it officially in Europe. I live in Germany and was able to buy a Chumby elsewhere on the web. Together with a €2 power plug adapter everything worked perfect. Of course I could have bought another adapter, but I love the Chumby logo on the original.

Since I run FireFly on my NSLU2 I would really appreciate if I could access my media server through Chumby. And if you allow me to dream a little, that would not only include MP3 and M4A, but also picture files for a digital photoframe, or even MPG movies. I would be willing to donate about $20-30 for your developer device. Anybody joining?

(Oh, I just realized that I mixed up FireFly and Twonky - both run on my NSLU2 ;o)

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

If Apple locked down DAAP, how does Airfoil continue to work?

http://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/

Did they reverse engineer it, or license it from Apple?

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

The Airfoil is a DAAP server, not a DAAP client.

The problem is that people want to use the chumby as a DAAP client with iTunes as the DAAP server, and iTunes will only serve to licensed DAAP clients. However, Apple's DAAP clients will accept DAAP servers using older protocols, which is how Airfoil is serving to them.

Now, if you want the chumby to *serve* music to Airport Express units, or even iTunes, that's possible - but that's not the subject of this thread.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Perhaps he meant Airfoil Speakers http://www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/speakers.php

These can function without Airfoil (server) itself and simply work as "virtual" Airport Express locations.  There is a version for Linux.  It requires Mono 1.2.6.

I think that's a possibility, though don't know the specifics enough to comment.

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Is there a firefly client available now?

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Duane wrote:

The Airfoil is a DAAP server, not a DAAP client.
Now, if you want the chumby to *serve* music to Airport Express units, or even iTunes, that's possible - but that's not the subject of this thread.

Um, yes please.  How would one get started on that?

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Au … s_Protocol wink

Re: iTunes/DAAP Client

Here's what I'd try first:

1) Put together a system running Scratchbox.
2) Download and build the daapd server from here.

I'm not sure the latter will work with the latest version of iTunes-compatible clients, but it appears to be a pretty simple build so it should be easy enough to try it.  If, not, then I'd move on to try Firefly/mt-daapd, which is a bit more comprehensive.

EDIT: I take that back - daapd is a miserable thing to build, probably best to start with Firefly.