Z-Subsonic - iPhone Client for Subsonic Released

[Sporkman]

Upgrades will be free.

So we'll get the new version simply by "updating"?

Good work on the app, btw - it is pricey but worth it.

[sola]

So we'll get the new version simply by "updating"?

Yes, by simply updating.

[pufnstuf]

Yes, by simply updating.

Yay! I am downloading the new version now...

[noxon]

Would it be possible to include a setting for transcoding for the player, so that we can change that dynamically without going to the app itself? On 3G i wouldn't want to stream more than, say, 128kbps, while on wifi i would like full quality streaming, so a transcoding setting would be very neat to have here.

[einsteinx2]

Would it be possible to include a setting for transcoding for the player, so that we can change that dynamically without going to the app itself? On 3G i wouldn't want to stream more than, say, 128kbps, while on wifi i would like full quality streaming, so a transcoding setting would be very neat to have here.

At the moment, that would take an addition to the Subsonic API to make that work. What you can do for now is make multiple accounts on your server that have different limitations. For instance, I have my main account with no restrictions, then I have accounts called 128, 160, 192, etc that are each limited to their respective bit rates then just change accounts to get the same effect.

[dobson]

great job with z-subsonic. it's really looking nice (v1.4). And thanks for the price drop... it encouraged me go for it.

one feature that I'd really love is the ability to jump forward or skip to a particular part of a song. i can do it in iSub, though of course there are features that iSub lacks as well. I'm still jumping between both programs to see what works best for me, but I applaud both your efforts, and look forward to new releases.

[sola]

great job with z-subsonic. it's really looking nice (v1.4). And thanks for the price drop... it encouraged me go for it.

one feature that I'd really love is the ability to jump forward or skip to a particular part of a song. i can do it in iSub, though of course there are features that iSub lacks as well. I'm still jumping between both programs to see what works best for me, but I applaud both your efforts, and look forward to new releases.

Thanks. v1.5 is going to improve the overall experience ... I'm going to try and accommodate most requested features while keeping the app uncluttered and simple. That's the challenge.

[sola]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFzM7-rfINM

New in v1.5:

SSL support.

Artists, album and song information are all cached. Browse directories you've been to before even when you're offline.

It is now possible to delete a single song from the cache.

Album art now takes the full screen width on tapping.

Favorites.

Duration limitation on cached songs removed.

Temporary playlist length limit increased to 1000.

Search result limit increased to 60.

[wraithdu]

Nice video for v1.5! There's some exciting stuff in there. Release date in mind?

So I noticed you have implemented cache-ahead streaming now. I've got a question about your implementation... I can see that the current song is cached fully as fast as possible (evidence by the video's song being cached at 2:00 min of 3:30 min playtime). What happens next though? Does it continue and cache the next song in the playlist? Cache the entire rest of the playlist? Or stop and wait for the next song to start and only then begin to cache it? IMO it should also fully cache the next song in the playlist (and so on once that song begins to play) so that it is always one full song ahead of what is being played.

And on to my only feature request at the moment (now that you have SSL support as well)... song playback seeking. Will you ever implement such a feature? Currently the Android app enables seeking for songs that have been fully cached. Is this or anytime seeking possible in your app?

Keep up the great work!

[sola]

Thanks!

Version 1.5 should be live in the app store by next Tuesday.

Your observation is right that caching is complete before the song's end. Z-Subsonic does not currently pre-cache the entire playlist because of some Apple restrictions on network data consumption over 3G. The bottom line is that your link is either good enough to support the bit rate you have set or not.
If your link is good, the current buffering will work just fine. If your link is really bad, anything short of buffering the entire song (a.k.a pre-caching) will not suffice.

Seeking will be added in the near future.

[wraithdu]

The bottom line is that your link is either good enough to support the bit rate you have set or not.

I think the point of caching ahead is so that while you are driving and your connection speed / quality is inconsistent, the cached data can make up for the time while your connection is not able to keep up with the song's data rate. In this scenario caching the current and next song would make the best use of the time while your connection is strong, and make it so you wouldn't even notice if your connection dropped completely for 30 seconds.

I have several spots along the highway during my drive to work where the connection is just crappy. These sections don't last long, maybe 15 or 20 seconds, but it's enough that a small buffer runs out. Caching two whole songs or more makes these areas transparent to me.

At least that's how I rationalize it

[sola]

I absolutely get your point. Version 1.5 includes better buffering and v1.5.1 will include even better buffering. The chain holding everyone back is Apple's limit on how much data you can consume within a given period over 3g. Otherwise, I would gladly implement a routine that would pre-cache the entire playlist as quickly as possible.

[einsteinx2]

I absolutely get your point. Version 1.5 includes better buffering and v1.5.1 will include even better buffering. The chain holding everyone back is Apple's limit on how much data you can consume within a given period over 3g. Otherwise, I would gladly implement a routine that would pre-cache the entire playlist as quickly as possible.

Yes, Apple can be a real pain about their network rules.

[wraithdu]

The chain holding everyone back is Apple's limit on how much data you can consume within a given period over 3g.

I suppose you could build in your optimal streaming scenario for Wifi, then those of us Jailbroken + 3G Unrestrictor could, um, take advantage of it

[Sporkman]

The bottom line is that your link is either good enough to support the bit rate you have set or not.

I've set my max bitrate to 320 kbps, but in z-Subsonic the rate always shows as 800-900 kb/s...