Subsonic For ICS Android 4.0

[ttabbal]

Awesome, thanks for doing this.

There may be a few outstanding issues on ICS devices without a hardware menu button. There is another location that openOptionsMenu() is used (current playlist), it would need to be modified to allow that context menu to open. Android is moving away from Menu buttons and if you have the target SDK version to 11 or greater the openOptionsMenu() method no longer works. To get the context menus to work you need to enable the title bar (I don't think we want to do this). I made some changes to allow the app to work slightly differently on pre 3.x devices, most of which will not be Tablets and probably have a Menu button. I assume if you are 3.x or higher that you don't have a Menu button.

I'm also not sure I like the Help button on all tabs, it probably makes sense to have it on the main tab only. It isn't yet context aware so you get the same help regardless of the tab you are on and it just wastes space. In reality we could probably remove the Settings button on the other tabs as well, but I believe people would be more inclined to click Settings on other tabs.

I hope it helps. Your ideas sound good to me. I'm on a Galaxy Nexus 4.0.4, so I can help test menu button changes and maybe do some more coding. I get limited time for real dev stuff these days, but git merges and compiling is pretty fast.

[oshogg]

Thanks for merging and compiling. I am testing Subsonic-20120524.apk now (on AT&T HTC ONE X - which doesn't have the hard menu button).

I have encountered one issue. I have set Max bitrate for both WiFi and Mobile to unlimited. However, it looks like the transcoding is being forced to be 128kbps for flac audio files.
Here is what I see in the log:

[5/24/12 5:54:27 PM PDT] DEBUG TranscodeInputStream Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\ffmpeg] [-i] [H:\Sorted Music\Jazz\Diana Krall\When I Look In Your Eyes\Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes - 01 - Let's Face the Music and Dance.flac] [-ab] [128k] [-v] [0] [-f] [mp3] [-]

My transcoding setting is the default one (running latest 4.6 official release).

ffmpeg -i %s -ab %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -

The %bk is 128k but it should be 320k. Sound quality is really bad to my ears with 128k encoding.

Currently, as a workaround, if I change %bk to 320k in the transcoding all files get transcoded to 320k and the sound quality improves significantly.

Osho

[oshogg]

Another question: has anyone tested this with the unofficial 4.7 beta?

thanks,
Osho

[niko]

Testing on the HTC One S and so far, everything looks great! Awesome job with the ICS theme. I'm all over the "pin" function. Still testing the streaming, but over WiFi, no issues as of yet.

I'll try to keep up with the thread and contribute in any way possible.

THANKS!!

[archrival]

Thanks for merging and compiling. I am testing Subsonic-20120524.apk now (on AT&T HTC ONE X - which doesn't have the hard menu button).

I have encountered one issue. I have set Max bitrate for both WiFi and Mobile to unlimited. However, it looks like the transcoding is being forced to be 128kbps for flac audio files.
Here is what I see in the log:

[5/24/12 5:54:27 PM PDT] DEBUG TranscodeInputStream Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\ffmpeg] [-i] [H:\Sorted Music\Jazz\Diana Krall\When I Look In Your Eyes\Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes - 01 - Let's Face the Music and Dance.flac] [-ab] [128k] [-v] [0] [-f] [mp3] [-]

My transcoding setting is the default one (running latest 4.6 official release).

ffmpeg -i %s -ab %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -

The %bk is 128k but it should be 320k. Sound quality is really bad to my ears with 128k encoding.

Currently, as a workaround, if I change %bk to 320k in the transcoding all files get transcoded to 320k and the sound quality improves significantly.

Osho

Does the version on the Play Store also do the same thing or was it something introduced in the ICS changes?

[oshogg]

Thanks for merging and compiling. I am testing Subsonic-20120524.apk now (on AT&T HTC ONE X - which doesn't have the hard menu button).

I have encountered one issue. I have set Max bitrate for both WiFi and Mobile to unlimited. However, it looks like the transcoding is being forced to be 128kbps for flac audio files.
Here is what I see in the log:

[5/24/12 5:54:27 PM PDT] DEBUG TranscodeInputStream Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\ffmpeg] [-i] [H:\Sorted Music\Jazz\Diana Krall\When I Look In Your Eyes\Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes - 01 - Let's Face the Music and Dance.flac] [-ab] [128k] [-v] [0] [-f] [mp3] [-]

My transcoding setting is the default one (running latest 4.6 official release).

ffmpeg -i %s -ab %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -

The %bk is 128k but it should be 320k. Sound quality is really bad to my ears with 128k encoding.

Currently, as a workaround, if I change %bk to 320k in the transcoding all files get transcoded to 320k and the sound quality improves significantly.

Osho

Does the version on the Play Store also do the same thing or was it something introduced in the ICS changes?

Not sure. I will try it tomorrow and update in the thread.

Osho

[oshogg]

Thanks for merging and compiling. I am testing Subsonic-20120524.apk now (on AT&T HTC ONE X - which doesn't have the hard menu button).

I have encountered one issue. I have set Max bitrate for both WiFi and Mobile to unlimited. However, it looks like the transcoding is being forced to be 128kbps for flac audio files.
Here is what I see in the log:

[5/24/12 5:54:27 PM PDT] DEBUG TranscodeInputStream Starting transcoder: [c:\subsonic\transcode\ffmpeg] [-i] [H:\Sorted Music\Jazz\Diana Krall\When I Look In Your Eyes\Diana Krall - When I Look In Your Eyes - 01 - Let's Face the Music and Dance.flac] [-ab] [128k] [-v] [0] [-f] [mp3] [-]

My transcoding setting is the default one (running latest 4.6 official release).

ffmpeg -i %s -ab %bk -v 0 -f mp3 -

The %bk is 128k but it should be 320k. Sound quality is really bad to my ears with 128k encoding.

Currently, as a workaround, if I change %bk to 320k in the transcoding all files get transcoded to 320k and the sound quality improves significantly.

Osho

Does the version on the Play Store also do the same thing or was it something introduced in the ICS changes?

Not sure. I will try it tomorrow and update in the thread.

Osho

The same happens with the current version in the Play Store as well.

I realized that my 'work-around' to change the transcoding to force 320k does not really work. If I change it to 320k - I see that each track gets cut off (i.e. the current track stops playing and the next track starts playing) after about 40% played. I changed 320k to 256k and then each track gets cut off at 50%. So, it looks like that the client app is somehow expecting certain number of bits to read for the mp3 file and then ignores the rest.

I examined the .mp3 file that gets stored in the cache on a PC and the .mp3 file in the /mnt/sdcard/subsonic/ indeed is chopped off. So, I am now forced to go back to %bk and poor sound quality.

Osho

[Javel]

I realized that my 'work-around' to change the transcoding to force 320k does not really work. If I change it to 320k - I see that each track gets cut off (i.e. the current track stops playing and the next track starts playing) after about 40% played. I changed 320k to 256k and then each track gets cut off at 50%. So, it looks like that the client app is somehow expecting certain number of bits to read for the mp3 file and then ignores the rest.

I examined the .mp3 file that gets stored in the cache on a PC and the .mp3 file in the /mnt/sdcard/subsonic/ indeed is chopped off. So, I am now forced to go back to %bk and poor sound quality.

Osho

Seems to be world conspiracy. And that really irritates
____________
android software

[archrival]

The same happens with the current version in the Play Store as well.

I realized that my 'work-around' to change the transcoding to force 320k does not really work. If I change it to 320k - I see that each track gets cut off (i.e. the current track stops playing and the next track starts playing) after about 40% played. I changed 320k to 256k and then each track gets cut off at 50%. So, it looks like that the client app is somehow expecting certain number of bits to read for the mp3 file and then ignores the rest.

I examined the .mp3 file that gets stored in the cache on a PC and the .mp3 file in the /mnt/sdcard/subsonic/ indeed is chopped off. So, I am now forced to go back to %bk and poor sound quality.

Osho

The 128 kbps problem is known http://forum.subsonic.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9403. I'll look into the other problems in the Android client.
[EDIT:] Transcoding FLAC->MP3 at 320 kbps works fine for me with Subsonic on Ubuntu 12.04. As long as I set a bitrate everything works great. Maybe your ffmpeg functions different than mine?

[archrival]

I've started to mock up my changes for the Download/Now Playing tab. I've attached a few screenshots showing my changes. I switched to stock ICS icons for many things, personally I like them better, but that's just me. You can see these in the 2nd screenshot. Right now I only have the Portrait view mocked up, once I get it finalized I'll move on to the Landscape view.

I am not a fan of the reflection used in the album art. I have very high quality album art so I want my album art to be as large as possible during playback. I've done a number of things to the Now Playing tab:

Enabled the Action Bar, now all tabs are consistent
Removed visualization, I don't like it
Removed menu, didn't work on post 3.x devices
Moved EQ button to Action Bar (headphone icon)
Moved Jukebox (RC) button to Action Bar (Speaker icon)
Moved Remove All from menu to Action Bar (Trash can icon)
Moved Save Playlist from menu to Action Bar (Disk icon)
No replacement for Screen On/Off from menu, this setting is available in Settings
Moved Repeat button to Playback Bar
Allowed album art to fill the control
Moved song title to playback bar and combined with artist (not sure I like this)

I'd love some feedback. Am I going too far with the changes? Is this something you like? Do people really use the visualization?

Screenshot_2012-05-29-23-37-33.png

Screenshot_2012-05-29-23-33-31.png

[oshogg]

I've started to mock up my changes for the Download/Now Playing tab. I've attached a few screenshots showing my changes. I switched to stock ICS icons for many things, personally I like them better, but that's just me. You can see these in the 2nd screenshot. Right now I only have the Portrait view mocked up, once I get it finalized I'll move on to the Landscape view.

I am not a fan of the reflection used in the album art. I have very high quality album art so I want my album art to be as large as possible during playback. I've done a number of things to the Now Playing tab:

Enabled the Action Bar, now all tabs are consistent
Removed visualization, I don't like it
Removed menu, didn't work on post 3.x devices
Moved EQ button to Action Bar (headphone icon)
Moved Jukebox (RC) button to Action Bar (Speaker icon)
Moved Remove All from menu to Action Bar (Trash can icon)
Moved Save Playlist from menu to Action Bar (Disk icon)
No replacement for Screen On/Off from menu, this setting is available in Settings
Moved Repeat button to Playback Bar
Allowed album art to fill the control
Moved song title to playback bar and combined with artist (not sure I like this)

I'd love some feedback. Am I going too far with the changes? Is this something you like? Do people really use the visualization?

Thanks for your work - I like where this is going. Here are some comments:

1. Removing of visualization: I never use it myself so I personally don't care that it is removed. This may make it harder however to get your patches merged into main 'official' Android app repository as there is removal of functionality. Some folks may live or die for it.

2. I liked the new Action bar and the album art filling. Album art could be better centered between the top bar and the bar containing playback control (loop, shuffle etc.). Currently, there is empty space between the album art and the playback control bar and no space between the action bar and the album art.

3. Removing menu - I like it!

4. Moving Screen On/Off to menu - I like it - less cluttered main interface.

5. I am not sure about the new icons.

Pretty much all of the music apps use the Speaker icon to pop-up a menu for volume control. This is counter-intuitive

Pretty much all of the music apps use headphone icon to indicate whether a headphone is plugged in or not. This is again counter-intuitive.

Naive or new users may interpret the "floppy disk" save icon to mean save the current playing track on the phone.

Trash icon may be interpreted as deleting the current playing track. It doesn't obviously correspond to clear playlist to me.

I don't have many good ideas about what new icons to pick however .

Thanks,
Osho

[ttabbal]

I don't get the menu not working on 4.x thing, menus work fine. You have to do them a little differently, but they do work. I'm on 4.0.4. As long as you can get to the same stuff, I don't really care though. And the "Action Bar" seems to be where Android UI is going anyway.

For the remote control icon, I agree that the speaker might not be the best choice, same with the floppy disk....

I would keep the visualization, though I don't use it. Just because removing functionality is generally frowned on.

Overall I like it though. One note, if you are doing UI work anyway, please make sure to make the changes DPI independent. Not everyone uses the same screen resolution and the current version has some issues there.

[archrival]

I don't get the menu not working on 4.x thing, menus work fine. You have to do them a little differently, but they do work. I'm on 4.0.4. As long as you can get to the same stuff, I don't really care though. And the "Action Bar" seems to be where Android UI is going anyway.

I would love to hear how to implement this. I've spent days searching and I can only find that changing the target SDK will allow it to work (as currently implemented). Honestly though, I like the Action Bar concept because it means less touches than a sub menu. Also I like the consistency.

1. Removing of visualization: I never use it myself so I personally don't care that it is removed. This may make it harder however to get your patches merged into main 'official' Android app repository as there is removal of functionality. Some folks may live or die for it.

I would keep the visualization, though I don't use it. Just because removing functionality is generally frowned on.

Yeah, I may try to implement it a little differently, right now it is just disabled.

2. I liked the new Action bar and the album art filling. Album art could be better centered between the top bar and the bar containing playback control (loop, shuffle etc.). Currently, there is empty space between the album art and the playback control bar and no space between the action bar and the album art.

One note, if you are doing UI work anyway, please make sure to make the changes DPI independent. Not everyone uses the same screen resolution and the current version has some issues there.

This is something I have noticed, I have an EVO 3D which is qHD. My wife has a EVO 4G, it's a little less resolution and it can get scrunched (I'm not sure of the DPI). I'll see what I can do for lower resolution devices.

For some reason the screenshots were displayed in a different order than I expected. I updated the icons to use stock ICS icons in screenshot 1 for the tabs. The icons on the Now Playing tab are just filler right now, there weren't any stock icons that were specific to the actions.

[thirteen113]

This is a fantastic project. Thanks for the hard work!

[rickeo]

For those of us who haven't been following this thread from the beginning, how do we get a copy of one of the latest APK's? The link in the OP doesn't work.