MM Android Player

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Julianhorvat
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:10 pm
Location: Canada

MM Android Player

Post by Julianhorvat »

Ok, so first the disappointing news, of course as soon as I started planning this application I got swamped by schoolwork and regular work, so there is actually very little done on the project. I still have a lot to learn about Android development itself. So I wholeheartedly apologize if I got anyone's hopes up, etc. I got in way too far over my head and while I don't plan on not doing this it is certainly not going to be done anytime soon. This summer I plan on at least getting some alpha stuff working but then in the fall I'll be starting my first year at the University of Guelph for Software Engineering so we'll see how much I get done. Again I'm deeply sorry if I mislead anyone in my abilities, or the progress of this application

Hey all, I've been thinking lately that the one thing that MM is sorely missing is a mobile application and with the looming release of MM4 I've been doing a lot of thinking about having a MediaMonkey player on Android. By this I mean a local player with its own MM.db file that can be merged with a MM4's MM.db with a script as well as being able to act as a DLNA control point for the player (maybe a renderer too so you can stream stuff over Wi-Fi). I'd need to look into it but sync over DLNA could be possible too. I've been looking for a project to get into for awhile and I think this would be really cool.

----Progress----

So I've been frantically learning the Android platform (I already know Java but I've never worked with Android before) and all I've got in terms of application development is a good idea of how to do the key features for this app. However I do have some mockups of the actual application! Let me know what you guys think.
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Last edited by Julianhorvat on Tue Jul 19, 2011 10:27 am, edited 3 times in total.
Peke
Posts: 17457
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2003 7:21 pm
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Re: MM Android Player

Post by Peke »

Only thing that I could say is that we can try answer all your questions and help you with Developing as much as possible.

Like you said the best would be:
Basic features (Main Focus):
- Android Player that is compatible and in sync with info from MM Library
- Device plugin that will do two way sync (both tracks and library)

Advanced features:
- MediaMonkey Controller that is capable to show Playing Track info on Device
- Renderer that would make MM stream to Android Player

EDIT: Regarding Users that are interested in this, I know several that will worship you if you pull this off.
Best regards,
Peke
MediaMonkey Team lead QA/Tech Support guru
Admin of Free MediaMonkey addon Site HappyMonkeying
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Julianhorvat
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2011 8:10 pm
Location: Canada

Re: MM Android Player

Post by Julianhorvat »

Peke wrote: Regarding Users that are interested in this, I know several that will worship you if you pull this off.
Well then I will try my hardest to pull it off :)
Peke
Posts: 17457
Joined: Tue Jun 10, 2003 7:21 pm
Location: Earth
Contact:

Re: MM Android Player

Post by Peke »

Few starting pointers:
- Check Songs Table format in MM.DB (For Info that MM uses) and use it for Player DB
- See How windows would detect Device with Android Player (Local App that would do detection which then would be added in MM device plugin)
- Make layout of actual Player

Let me know if you have any questions.
Best regards,
Peke
MediaMonkey Team lead QA/Tech Support guru
Admin of Free MediaMonkey addon Site HappyMonkeying
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simon142857
Posts: 16
Joined: Wed Dec 19, 2007 6:19 pm
Location: Alaska!

Re: MM Android Player

Post by simon142857 »

YES!
B Simon B
DieHardDan
Posts: 41
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2011 7:20 pm

Re: MM Android Player

Post by DieHardDan »

I would be very happy if this went through :D
One thing I've always wanted to see on mobile music players is "columns" so that I wouldn't have to rely so much on playlists. But due to limited screen space, maybe have a "sort by" button that brings down a drop menu with the column selections and the ability to choose ascending/descending. Just dreaming out loud :lol:
timelezz
Posts: 151
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2005 6:08 am

Re: MM Android Player

Post by timelezz »

I'm worshiping you! Hailing MM on Android!
jadjam

Re: MM Android Player

Post by jadjam »

timelezz wrote:I'm worshiping you! Hailing MM on Android!
+1

Exactly my feelings!
luks_abido
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 11:08 pm

Re: MM Android Player

Post by luks_abido »

This idea is awesome!! Count me in for testing! :p

I don´t know if it is possible, but a genius like feature would be perfect! There is a script for MM called Last.FM Node that queues songs similar to the one selected. It is an online feature but comes very close to genius feature in the iphone/ipod.
TheTriPoc

Re: MM Android Player

Post by TheTriPoc »

+1
I would even be willing to pay something for an app which would have all the features of MM + wireless synchronyzation with Android devices through MM.

Cheers mates
Finsternis
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:00 pm

Re: MM Android Player

Post by Finsternis »

I'm glad SOMEONE is doing this (hint, hint - looking at MM desktop developers).

I bought a lifetime version of MM and I'm not unhappy I did. It's a pretty good app, and lets me more or less replace iTunes, which was the whole goal. So this rant isn't a complaint about MM as it is. It's just pointing out how much better it could be.

The money I paid for the lifetime MM? I'd pay the same amount again - I'd pay MORE THAN THAT - for an Android player that SYNCED with MM. And I mean "sync",not "dump". Right now MM claims to "sync" with Android devices, but all it really does is dump files. It doesn't do anything I couldn't do myself by dragging and dropping, though admittedly being able to use playlists makes it more efficient. Using the word "sync" is lying, because that implies two-way transfer of information. It implies intelligence. No, what MM does with Android devices is a simple dump, nothing more. And since my desktop MM has no way of knowing what tunes I listened to on my mobile device (just about the only place I listen to music at all anymore), most of the features of MM are useless - at least any that depend on play count, rating, last played date, and so on. All that information is lost.

If the Developers of MM are doing anything except working full time on an Android version of MM that syncs, they're wasting their time. MM is the anti-itunes. Anyone who uses an Apple device uses iTunes, so you won't be selling any copies of MM to them. That means that the crossover between MM and Android users is pretty much 100%. Maybe there are a few hardcore people out there who use Apple devices without iTunes, but they are precious few.

So, look at these three important facts about your market: 1) Almost all MM users who have mobile devices have non-Apple devices. They aren't all Android devices, it's true, but that's the largest percentage and getting bigger fast. 2) People are doing their music listening more and more on mobile devices. The desktop is great for large-scale storage of tunes and for organizing stuff, and fine for listening when you're sitting there using the computer. But admit it - who of us isn't doing more and more listening on a mobile device? On your commute, at work, whatever? I know that I do maybe 10% of my music *listening* sitting at my desktop anymore - when I use MM, I'm mostly doing music *management*. And finally 3) Staggeringly unbelievable, but it's true: in this day and age, when we can beam movies from the sky, transmit streaming video from our phones, and do all kinds of other jaw-dropping things, it seems that the ONLY technology in the world that can do the ASTOUNDING feat of "tell my desktop which songs I played" is Apple. It apparently is just not possible with Android. And that BLOWS ME AWAY. When I bought my Android device, I didn't even think to check that, because it was so simple, so fundamental, so OBVIOUS that it didn't even occur to me that the capability might not exist. Compared to all the other amazing stuff, reporting simple play counts is child's play, right? But no.

MM devs, do yourselves a favor. Sit down and think about where you want to go and what you want MM to be. Do you want to be Just Yet Another Music Player App? A decent one, it's true, but just one in a field of a billion others? Then keep on tinkering with bug fixes or whatever else you're spending your time on. Or would you like to be a KILLER APP, downloaded and used (and BOUGHT) by practically every person who owns an Android device? Would you like to be the FIRST? Would you like every technical news source on the planet to make MM their front-page story? Be the first GOOD media player desktop/mobile combo, the first one that actually syncs and doesn't just dump files. Do you want to make lots of actual money? Then take a look at your market and what it's doing. Which do you think will make you more money - a few more ad buys on some web sites? Or having the FIRST decent desktop/Android music player that syncs metadata and doesn't completely suck ass?

It's your call. May you know the market better than I do, it's certainly possible. I only have the perspective of a consumer. But I know one thing: the "killer app" for Android music players is still out there. None of the existing ones will do it, no matter how popular. The "must-have" Android music app has yet to be written. And you already have 50% of the perfect solution. If you're not working night and day on "Media Monkey Android", then... well, then you have very different priorities than most people I know who spend lots of time writing software to be sold for money.
Guest

Re: MM Android Player

Post by Guest »

Couldn't agree with the above post more, been a lifetime licence user of MM for years now. Can't believe it's taking so long to come up with a proper Android solution. I haven't got either the time or the patience to mess around with scrobbling and last FM workarounds. I just want a soloution that works right the first time every time. Even basic syncing with Android and MM is a pain in the ass. I'd happily pay extra for a proper solution.
jadjam

Re: MM Android Player

Post by jadjam »

it seems that the ONLY technology in the world that can do the ASTOUNDING feat of "tell my desktop which songs I played" is Apple. It apparently is just not possible with Android. And that BLOWS ME AWAY
Amen....your post was a little aggressive but I agree 100% with the gist. Really don't know why MM devs aren't competing with doubletwist to be the Itunes for android. It wouldn't even be a competition because doubletwist is one of the worst pieces of software I've ever used in every regard.

Mediamonkey will fade into obscurity if someone comes along with a decent combo for Android.
Lowlander
Posts: 56491
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 5:53 pm
Location: MediaMonkey 5

Re: MM Android Player

Post by Lowlander »

I think you're all a bit off ranting about the lack of an MediaMonkey friendly Android player in the thread on the development of a MediaMonkey friendly Android player.

I'm wishing all the best to Julianhorvat especially as the mockups look very nice and hope he's successful in getting this off the ground. This will take a way the need for MediaMonkey developers to do this and allowing them to focus 100% of their efforts on making MediaMonkey better. There is no need for MediaMonkey to get into app development for the different mobile platforms if others develop good players on those platforms.
Finsternis
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2010 9:00 pm

Re: MM Android Player

Post by Finsternis »

Lowlander wrote:I'm wishing all the best to Julianhorvat especially as the mockups look very nice and hope he's successful in getting this off the ground. This will take a way the need for MediaMonkey developers to do this and allowing them to focus 100% of their efforts on making MediaMonkey better. There is no need for MediaMonkey to get into app development for the different mobile platforms if others develop good players on those platforms.
I certainly wish him well, too, and I don't doubt that he is talented/dedicated and so on. My rant wasn't intended be be a reflection on him.

But come on - let's face it. ONE single amateur developer, no matter how skilled and well-meaning, working on a player as a part-time hobby does not exactly fill me with great hope that it will come out anytime soon and be much good,at least at first. If this were an Open Source project and MM was free, that would be one thing. But since MM is sold for money, that tells me that the developers would like to make a quality product and make a profit on it. Doing a proper/professional Android player both well and quickly requires at least a couple full time professional developers. I've always hated it when a company's product has a problem or feature hole and their answer is "well, some guy on the internet did some kind of workaround, try that..."

So while I'm sure Julian is a great guy and a good programmer and so on,m it's no disrespect to him to point out that an app written by the original developers will be faster to arrive and more compatible. I mean, hey - MM can do whatever it wants. I'm just a customer suggesting a feature that I'd pay extra for.
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