Here's a semi-capable third party open source player for the empeg ... it's my hacked up version of RioPlay originally written for the RioReceiver. I'm still trying to work out plenty of bugs, but at least it's working in some capacity.

Put streams.cfg in /etc/ to make Shoutcast functional ... otherwise you get a segmentation fault ... this will be fixed next time around (to be located in same directory as app).

Very few of the remote keys work ... 2, 4, 6, 8 are directional menu keys but there's something wrong where they jump two spots. Use the volume knob instead.

5 on the remote is the "Enter" ... Menu on the remote brings up the menu. Cancel on the remote is stop. Play on the remote is play.

There is no searching, only skipping tracks.

Source button on remote is power

Volume works a little bit.

Before you run this, make sure you have a rioreceiver server running somewhere with a few songs in the database. I found the rioreceiver server windows software on dell's support web site. Maybe the empeg guys would be kind enough to post the server app somewhere since it's no longer available?

http://www.swampzombie.com/empegreceiver.tgz

Greg

Well... It's me again...
The original Rio Receiver software is on the Sonicblue FTP site here

- Trevor

WOW! this sounds very cool. Congrats on being the first to release some new player software for the empeggers

I'll give it a try after i find the rioreceiver server software.

You are too sharp. Is there nothing that you don't know about? ;-)

Greg

See tmans post in this thread for the server software ... and to fix shoutcast, all you have to do is put that streams.cfg file in the /etc folder.

Greg

I'm a little confused on the functionality/purpose of this. Is this an addon/feature to the existing rio software to add the ability to play shoutcast stations on it's own? And if so, where does the rio receiver server software fit in?

Or is this a replacement for the empeg software on the rio, basically disabling it's normal use?

Sorry, I just never got into the whole Rio Receiever thing because they are so expensive but shoutcast stations is a very big wish for me for the rio.

It makes the empeg act like a RioReceiver. It is based on an open source version of the Rio Receiver client software.

The official Rio Receiver client doesn't support streaming shoutcast. The one this hack is based on does. Aside from streaming shoutcast, it also has the ability to stream MP3s from a server. That is why you would need the Rio Receiver Server software.

I would assume that once you install this hack, the tunes on your empeg's hard drive are no longer accessible.

Right now this is a whole new application ... to work in lieu of the empeg player software ... it pulls it's normal music off a rio server somewhere ... and also can pull streams from shoutcast servers elsewhere.

But in general this is a jumping off point for a third party player for the empeg.

greg

Correct on all counts ... it would be nice to have a menu item to pull up your playlists from the local drive(s), but that's not in there yet.

Greg

This is cool. I have an extra empeg that I could connect to my LAN and stream from my server that has all my mp3s? Very nice!

Exactly what I have planned. For one of you guys who decides to try this out ... if you have a digital camera could you snap a couple of action shots of it? The original RioPlay author would love to see it's new incarnation...

Greg

Dave Flowerday, the author of RioPlay is working on a version that will play FLAC files, and will hopefully play ogg vorbis files as well.

He would get ogg support via an integer version of ogg vorbis freely available at ftp://ftp.arm.linux.org.uk/pub/linux/arm/people/nico/vorbis/

I'm anxious to try this out.

Greg

Congrats, Greg!

Is there an official permanent URL for this product that I can link from the FAQ?

Well for the original software it's http://rioplay.sourceforge.net/ ... however since I'm quite done with our end of things, there's no permanent site yet for the empeg version.

Dave Flowerday (of RioPlay) is going to see about merging at least some of my changes back into the main tree.

Has anyone (besides me) tried this out yet? If so, if any of you guys have a digital camera, could you snap some photos for me?

Greg

I'm just looking for a way for this to be something where I can point someone and say: "click here foe a site that has an alternate player app for the Empeg Car and it has all of the necessary installation instructions etc."

Does the author of RioPlay intend to support the car player in this fashion, or do we need this project turned over to someone who wants to continue it?

I based that on your statement: however since I'm quite done with our end of things...

Unless of course, you meant to say "not quite done", in which case I withdraw what I said and I eagerly await a site where everyone can go to get the app with installation instructions.

I meant to say "not" quite done ;-) ... brain slower than fingers. So I figure I'll get it a bit more functional for the average joe, or at least the average tony, and then see where we stand.

If David doesn't want to include much of my changes in his source tree (which I can understand) once these changes are ironed out, then we'll set up a real site for it.

Greg

Get your latest dose of hacking fun. Now with Bling Bling improved technology in the form of FLAC support.

http://www.swampzombie.com/empegreceiver.tgz

You'll either need JReceiver for your server software, or you'll need to fool your server software into somehow telling the client to use the flac codec.

For those using Jeff Mock's linux rioserve, I've already done the hacking for the tags.cgi (and MP3::Info) to allow for flac, let me know if you need these files.

Also, speaking with Dave (RioPlay) supporting local empeg playlists may be a very real possibility.

Greg