WiFiTunes: Stream iTunes To Your Pocket PC

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.aspecto-software.com/WiFiTunes/WiFiTunes.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.aspecto-software.com/WiF...s/WiFiTunes.htm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"This project started primarily as a proof of concept 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 doesn't bother displaying any m4p or m4a files. "</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20050128-WifiTunes.gif" /><br /><br />Very cool stuff! I only use AAC in my iTunes setup, so it's not useful to me just yet, but if another family member stole your iPod for the day and you're working around the house, a solution like this could be handy.

[jngold_me]

Don't count it to have any future support for protected AAC file (ie. songs purchased directly from iTunes). I have the same issue with streaming protected ACC from iTunes to my RokuLabs Soundbridge connected to my stereo.

[Janak Parekh]

Don't count it to have any future support for protected AAC file (ie. songs purchased directly from iTunes).
Of course not, but unprotected AAC could be a possibility. There also exist tools to *cough*convert*cough* one to the other, although in my case 99% of my music is ripped from CDs into unprotected AAC in the first place.

--janak

[IanT]

Agreed, newish Mac owner, own iPod but most of my stuff is MP3 ripped CD's. I will buy my music whereever I get the best price.

This sounds like a great piece of software as I head towards my second airport express (with remote control).

IanT

[mikecel79]

This program rocks! I noticed a few bugs with it playing songs but it shows promise. A few things I would like to see are play/stop buttons in addition to skip. Also let it support landscape mode too.

[Howard2k]

Fantastic potential - if it supported AAC. :)

[jngold_me]

Aside from just the "cool, I can do this" factor, why would anyone want to do this - especially if you are home?

[mikecel79]

Aside from just the "cool, I can do this" factor, why would anyone want to do this - especially if you are home?
My PC is in my room and my home stereo resides in my living room. I can take my Axim and stick it in a cradle and stream music to my home stereo. Also it allows my to use my pocket PC as a mobile music device around my home.

[tmenendez]

Um.. OK ... sounds good. So why when I try to download the CAB to my IPAQ do I just get a screen full of garbled text?

[mikecel79]

Um.. OK ... sounds good. So why when I try to download the CAB to my IPAQ do I just get a screen full of garbled text?
It has to do with their site and the way it's sending CAB files down. Just right click and go to Save As. One of the developers on their forums said they are trying to fix this.

[DanielTS]

[i]"This project started primarily as a proof of concept 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.

RendezVous or UPnP ?: the actual winner is UPnP.

A lot of SW &amp; HW are compliant UPnP: HP iPaq rx3xxx, NevoSL, Philips RC9800i; DVD players as IOData AVel LinkPlayer2, GoVideo D2730, Contel NetDVD DV-3021, Momitsu V880N, Zensonic Z500; Play@TV NMP-4000, Philips Streamium, D-Link DSM-320, Netgear MP101, LinkSys Media Link, Roku Music player, Sony VAIO RoomLink PCNA-MR10, HomePod, Sony Aibo, Zensonic Z400, Zensonic Media Server, Windows Media Connect, Gloo media server, TwonkyVision Music Server, Nero MediaHome, …

[Janak Parekh]

RendezVous or UPnP ?: the actual winner is UPnP.
We'll see -- the two aren't precise competitors, as Rendezvous/Zeroconf is really a lightweight service lookup protocol, while UPnP specifies much more. This article (http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/wireless/2002/12/20/zeroconf.html) is a good quick summary on the subject, although its comments on availability are now dated. Besides, they're not the only two "standards": there's Sun's Jini amongst others, and honestly, one hasn't won over the other just yet.

I think you won't see a consensus for at least the next few years, if not more. And, besides, Windows also has parts of a Zeroconf-ish protocol built into it, what with automatic IP addressing and NetBIOS Broadcast Name Resolution. :P

--janak

[DanielTS]

UPnP insane advantage: Windows OS!

"Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) is an architecture in Windows XP that supports peer-to-peer Plug and Play functionality for network devices. The UPnP specification is designed to simplify device and network service installation and management. UPnP performs device and service discovery and control through driverless, standards-based protocol mechanisms. Universal Plug and Play devices can automatically configure network addressing, announce their presence on a network subnet, and permit the exchange of device and service descriptions. A Windows XP-based computer can act as a UPnP control point to discover and control the devices through a Web or program interface.

You can install Universal Plug and Play support in Windows XP by using the Add or Remove Programs tool in Control Panel. If Universal Plug and Play support is installed, when a Universal Plug and Play device is added to the network, the Windows-based computer acts as a control point for that device, and notification is provided on the taskbar that a new device is available."

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;323713