Music Browser for NMT - Updated August, 2nd, 2011

[gkreidl]

Music Browser ( http://musicbrowser.sf.net/ ) for NMT

New update available from Omertron's website or through CSI. I've simplified the shell/cgi scripts so that they work on old busybox installations, as they are on all NMTs by default. And I have also added musicbrowser to 2xx repository of CSI.

Music Browser is a media server which supports recursive audio (or video) playlists in different formats and streams their content to any device with a decent browser or any media player program. MP3 files can also be played directly within the browser with the builtin flash player (if enabled). Additionally it can be used to play music or videos remotely on the NMT and control playback from the browser. The web interface should also work on many web enabled phones, PDAs and so on and enable remote control of your NMT. It is not accessible from NMT devices (not compatible with Gaya). It requires lighttpd webserver (install from CSI).

I have adapted Music Browser to run on NMT devices and to offer special features there:

1) Optionally using LLink to do the real streaming (more efficient and reliable than streaming via PHP)
2) Server mode for NMT (files are played on the NMT) with simple remote control functions
(pause, play, next, stop, Volume control)
3) Support for NMT's native jsp playlist format
4) Added video file formats
5) All templates available for Music Browser have been included

It should run on any A100/110/B110 compatible devices. For use with der 200 series the server functions (playing files on the NMT) may have to be rewritten, but everything else should work.

Call it from your browser with: http://your_nmt_ip:9999/musicbrowser_web/

Required:

lighttpd (install from CSI), Syabas Webserver does not work
new lighttpd.conf and php.ini file (supplied, adds cgi support, directory listing and alias for share volume. php cache is disabled, php script timeout set to 0. php is running as cgi instead of fastcgi, because it needs too much memory - about 35%, even if it is not used).
Update: in version 0.2.4.1 I have included 2 different configs for lighttpd/php. The second uses fastcgi, but with a smaller cache than in the original configuration.

Not required, but recommended:
LLink for NMT
NetworkMounter (if you want to use network drives)
Telnet (if you want to create symlinks for usb drives etc.)

Installation:
Install from CSI repository or download the zip file and use "install from file" with CSI.

IMPORTANT: Replace the files lighhtpd.conf and php.ini in /share/Apps/lighttpd/etc with the ones supplied with this package (in folder /share/Apps/musicbrowser/ligttpd-configs-cgi or /share/Apps/musicbrowser/ligttpd-configs-fcgi). Restart lighttpd or reboot your NMT.

If you want to use LLink for streaming you have to add the follwing line to llink.conf:
ROOT|path=/opt/sybhttpd/localhost.drives/HARD_DISK/|subdir=share

Disabling MyiHome on the NMT will definitely give faster response.

Configuration:
There are lots of configuration options. Edit the index.php file to suit your needs:

You can choose between 3 (4) different templates (all predefinded) simply by commenting or commenting out the lines starting with 'template'.

You can define which playlist formats or services will be supported ('enabledPlay')

You can also add or remove file formats which should be played ('fileTypes')

The number of files / playlist is currently set to 10000 and can be changed to any value you like. In server mode (NMT playing) a maximum of 200 - 300 files (depends on path lenghts, automatically limited) can be served in one run, but they can be taken from a much larger (shuffeled) playlist.

The configuration is set to share your whole hard disk. USB drives can be included by creating symlinks. Network shares can be added using NetworkMounter. You can set the 'path' variable to share only a part of your hard disk, but in this case the llink part of the configuration has to be modified also, if you use LLink for streaming. See the comments in index.php for details.

The package is available from Omertron's website http://mediaplayersite.com and through CSI.

[blankser]

Looks great! Any clues on how to get the server control working on the A200?

[gkreidl]

(07-27-2011 11:00 PM)blankser Wrote:  Looks great! Any clues on how to get the server control working on the A200?

Did you try it? The shell script is rather simple. All I need to know is the name of the applications to stop and to start and the call to gaya to start it again after playing the files. And perhaps the remote control key codes are also different or the way to send them from a script (or terminal).

I cannot test it and there is almost no information in the wiki about 2xx machines. But some of our Developers here should know.

Guenter

[dmedved]

Flash is working perfectly, but server mode would not start - nothing is happening on my A-110.

What means :
"NMT version with the supplied script monorun.sh, the server control script requires CGI support in lighttpd to be enabled"

Isn't CGI support in lighttpd enabled by default ?

Is any additional action needed ?

Thanks,
Damir

[gkreidl]

(07-30-2011 07:40 PM)dmedved Wrote:  Flash is working perfectly, but server mode would not start - nothing is happening on my A-110.

What means :
"NMT version with the supplied script monorun.sh, the server control script requires CGI support in lighttpd to be enabled"

Isn't CGI support in lighttpd enabled by default ?

Is any additional action needed ?

Thanks,
Damir

No, cgi support is disabled in lighttpd.conf. It uses fcgi for php and no cgi at all. I have suplied 2 versions of new config files (both lighttpd.conf and php.ini). One runs with cgi for both shell scripts and php (less memory needed); the other one uses cgi for sh and fcgi for php, but with a reduced cache size (faster). Copy one pair of them to lighttpd/etc and restart lighttpd or reboot your nmt.

If it still does not work, please check if monorun.sh and control cgi are executable.

Guenter

[dmedved]

(07-30-2011 07:54 PM)gkreidl Wrote:  

(07-30-2011 07:40 PM)dmedved Wrote:  Flash is working perfectly, but server mode would not start - nothing is happening on my A-110.

What means :
"NMT version with the supplied script monorun.sh, the server control script requires CGI support in lighttpd to be enabled"

Isn't CGI support in lighttpd enabled by default ?

Is any additional action needed ?

Thanks,
Damir

No, cgi support is disabled in lighttpd.conf. It uses fcgi for php and no cgi at all. I have suplied 2 versions of new config files (both lighttpd.conf and php.ini). One runs with cgi for both shell scripts and php (less memory needed); the other one uses cgi for sh and fcgi for php, but with a reduced cache size (faster). Copy one pair of them to lighttpd/etc and restart lighttpd or reboot your nmt.

If it still does not work, please check if monorun.sh and control cgi are executable.

Guenter

Well, I did everything according your instructions - but unfortunately no luck.
Both mentioned files are executable.

Any other idea where to look ?; I have newest NMT fw, and following applications - hope that is not causing a problem:
- File Manager 1.1.1
- lighttpd 1.4.23
- nmt_ntfs3g 0.1
- SYNK 1.0.0.
- Torrentwatch 0.7.1
- Transmission 2.21
- USB drive standby 1.0

Thanks and regards,
Damir

[gkreidl]

(07-30-2011 08:39 PM)dmedved Wrote:  Well, I did everything according your instructions - but unfortunately no luck.
Both mentioned files are executable.

Any other idea where to look ?; I have newest NMT fw, and following applications - hope that is not causing a problem:
- File Manager 1.1.1
- lighttpd 1.4.23
- nmt_ntfs3g 0.1
- SYNK 1.0.0.
- Torrentwatch 0.7.1
- Transmission 2.21
- USB drive standby 1.0

Thanks and regards,
Damir

The applications should not make a difference.

Can you test, if the server control is working? Play something on your NMT and click the stop link in musicbrowser, or the Vol+ and Vol- links.

If that is working I only habe to care about monorun.sh. PM me, and I'll send you one for testing. I can add some options; perhaps it is more strict on x2xx nmts.

Guenter

Guenter

[kory007]

Hi,

same problems here
I don't even have the conrtol buttons. tried both sets of config files, streaming is working fine, server play is not.

http://192.168.111.104:9999/musicbrowser...?com=pause is just giving a blank screen. files you have mentioned are executable.

any idea?

gabor

[gkreidl]

(08-02-2011 09:31 PM)kory007 Wrote:  Hi,

same problems here
I don't even have the conrtol buttons. tried both sets of config files, streaming is working fine, server play is not.

http://192.168.111.104:9999/musicbrowser...?com=pause is just giving a blank screen. files you have mentioned are executable.

any idea?

gabor

Yes, install update from CSI. The shell/cgi scripts were too complicated for old busybox versions. It didn't happen here, because I have telnet with a newer busybox. I've simplified the scripts to make them compatible with old busybox versions.

Guenter

[kory007]

installing the latest Musicbrowser solved the problem!
in CSI the latest version was 0.24.2, but since I downloaded and installed the musicbrowser_nmt3_zip_19355.zip it is working fine!

thanks for the help! great app!!!

gabor

(08-02-2011 10:23 PM)gkreidl Wrote:  

(08-02-2011 09:31 PM)kory007 Wrote:  Hi,

same problems here
I don't even have the conrtol buttons. tried both sets of config files, streaming is working fine, server play is not.

http://192.168.111.104:9999/musicbrowser...?com=pause is just giving a blank screen. files you have mentioned are executable.

any idea?

gabor

Yes, install update from CSI. The shell/cgi scripts were too complicated for old busybox versions. It didn't happen here, because I have telnet with a newer busybox. I've simplified the scripts to make them compatible with old busybox versions.

Guenter

[rvdet]

installed latest v3 update and lightpd too, but in my case pushing the play button as a server did not do anything.

the webinterface is loading OK.

furthermore, i would like t play the whole folder like PWRC does.

[gkreidl]

(08-06-2011 12:05 PM)rvdet Wrote:  installed latest v3 update and lightpd too, but in my case pushing the play button as a server did not do anything.

the webinterface is loading OK.

furthermore, i would like t play the whole folder like PWRC does.

Did you click on the "play" link of remote control? This does not initiate any playback; it is only to start palying again after you clicked the pause link.

Playing folders (and subfolders) is initiated by clicking on the small play icon on the left side of a folder link.

Guenter

[rvdet]

i mean the play button (text) in the web interface that i use on my laptop.

(08-06-2011 01:23 PM)gkreidl Wrote:  

(08-06-2011 12:05 PM)rvdet Wrote:  installed latest v3 update and lightpd too, but in my case pushing the play button as a server did not do anything.

the webinterface is loading OK.

furthermore, i would like t play the whole folder like PWRC does.

Did you click on the "play" link of remote control? This does not initiate any playback; it is only to start palying again after you clicked the pause link.

Playing folders (and subfolders) is initiated by clicking on the small play icon on the left side of a folder link.

Guenter

[gkreidl]

(08-07-2011 12:52 AM)rvdet Wrote:  i mean the play button (text) in the web interface that i use on my laptop.

rvdet,

the remote control links (pause, play, next etc.) are not part of musicbrowser at all. It's a small iframe I have added to control playback on the NMT (in musicbrowser's server mode), after musicbrowser has sent a list of files to the NMT for playing. Except for the stop button, they just send simulated IR commands to the NMT.

To start playing music on the NMT from your laptop, first select "server" in musicbrowser. To play a file, simply click on it. To play a folder (and all of it's subfolders), click on the small round button with a graphic play symbol in front of a folder's name.

After you have started playing on your NMT, you can use the server control links to pause pöayback and start playing again, go to next song, control volume or stop playing completely.

Guenter

[winfried_laane]

Hi,
i can't get the musicbrowser to play music from my popcorn c200.
i have installed llink and the musicbrowser through CSI.
I can see the files through the webinterface, but the music doesn't play.

Probably i forgot to edit a config file or index.php, but i can't find anything i should change. somewhat to complex for me.

I would like to use the music browser to select and play music from my c200, without using my television :-)

Please can you help?

Winfried