Free Streaming your iTune 5.1 to your Axim

SolSie · 10-09-05, 09:30 AM

This project started primarily as a proof of concepy and is still very much still work in progress. This application will discover via Rendezvous any iTunes running on Macs or PCs on your local network and allow you to browse the library or playlist and then stream MP3s directly to your PDA. Example uses include connecting your PDA headphone jack into a stereo in another room in your house (I have mine streaming music to the bathroom).

Major things that need done are AAC support (at the moment it uses the fmodce library so see here for the file formats supported). I'll contact the fmod folks and see if they are planning on adding AAC support. I've set it so it doesnt bother displaying any m4p or m4a files. Although AAC is superior to MP3 in terms of VBR to filesize, in terms of quality its not very well known that LAME MP3 is in fact better. I heard that if you are using iTunes to do your cd wripping then iTunes AAC does produce better quality than iTunes MP3. But if you want the best then a LAME MP3 encoder plugin for itunes is available for OS X.

Since fmod doesnt really support streaming on the PDA it involved a bit of a hack with a memory buffer. That buffer probably needs monitored properly, I mean at the moment if the music doesnt transfer over quick enough it will just stop playing.

Install via the cab file, then connect to your wireless network, remove from the dock, run WiFiTunes and pick an iTunes share in the top left box. Click on the box to the right to choose playlists. Click on the eye to switch browsing modes. Click on a track to play it.

http://www.aspecto-software.com/WiFiTunes/WiFiTunes.htm

IM0001 · 10-09-05, 01:23 PM

it works but i find it saying i dont have enouth memory for half of the songs i want to listen to. Is there any way to move its cache or have it stream like GSplayer does?

**ksong12** · 10-09-05, 01:41 PM

NICE FIND!!! I love it!!! Thank you!!!, i was looking for a way to stream music to the living room, i could only think of using a wireless mic, but that would pick up background noise too and this is the perfect way, thanks!!

magnolia · 10-09-05, 02:40 PM

Doesn't work for me either. I get my library and playlists, but no songs play. (Either mp3 or non-protected aac)

**ksong12** · 10-13-05, 06:30 PM

Originally Posted by magnolia

Doesn't work for me either. I get my library and playlists, but no songs play. (Either mp3 or non-protected aac)

works fine for me! however, i did have to make a change in my netgear router configuration, i forwarded ports 2000-3000 then it worked. it will not play aac files, weather protected or not, and if i try to play a 40 minuite mp3 podcast, it wont work either, but a 4-5 minute song seems to work fine. I dont have anything in bettween those extremes, but which router do you have?

Mr. Xbox Live · 10-16-05, 11:25 AM

Does anyone know whether the program works with Itunes 4.9 or Itunes 6.0? I currently have the older version installed and the latest is 6.0 (For Windows).

Thanks for the help

Howard2k · 10-16-05, 11:52 AM

SlimServer from http://www.Slimdevices.com is probably a better option. It WILL stream non-DRMd AAC files as well as MP3 etc.

**ksong12** · 10-16-05, 04:38 PM

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I DOWNLOADED VERSION 5 ONE WEEK AGO!!?!?!!? Wow, apple rolls out updates fast.

**ksong12** · 10-16-05, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by Howard2k

SlimServer from http://www.Slimdevices.com is probably a better option. It WILL stream non-DRMd AAC files as well as MP3 etc.

Oh, and that is hardware, not software and it has nothing to do with the axim

**Rishad** · 10-16-05, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by ksong12

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? I DOWNLOADED VERSION 5 ONE WEEK AGO!!?!?!!? Wow, apple rolls out updates fast.

heh.. now its iTunes 6. I still have iTunes 4 and it works nicely with wifitunes.

Howard2k · 10-16-05, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by ksong12

Oh, and that is hardware, not software and it has nothing to do with the axim

No, there is a hardware component that will stream from the Slim Server product.

Hardware being the device that will sit and play the audio stream.
Software being the Slim Server application itself.

magnolia · 10-16-05, 10:49 PM

Howard,

I installed slim server (OS X 10.4, if it matters). Started the server and tried to connect to my powerbook with my Axim. Went to 10.0.1.2/stream.mp3 and it just started downloading. I let the file get to 12 megs before I decided to kill it (the file was called stream.mp3.pdl while it was downloading and disappeared when I stopped the download). Any ideas?

Howard2k · 10-17-05, 06:48 AM

I'm running it on 10.4 too. On my PPC I use GSPlayer to open the stream as opposed to WMP.

Give that a shot.

You can then go and chance the profile on the server to adjust the bit rate it uses to stream to the PDA.

hypertrout · 10-22-05, 02:15 PM

do you think this would work just networking my axim thru bluetooth straight to my ibook?

or should i say... is there a way?