Bugzilla – Bug 726
Set New Player Defaults
Last modified: 2011-11-06 23:25:05 UTC
When a new player is added, required settings are created in the slimserver.pref file. This process includes some default assumptions regarding the menu choices, etc. After this initial automatic setup, a user modifies these settings via the web browser. For a hardware player, this process is not difficult because it is generally performed just once. However, with the addition of SoftSqueeze, this process becomes cumbersome because each remote connection generates a "new" player instance. It is therefore desirable to have some mechanism to supply the default settings for a "new" player. Perhaps a "phantom" player object called "Defaults" which would allow the user to set the preferred default settings (as if it was an actual player), OR a series of option buttons on the main web page which would allow a user to pick a player to copy default settings from whenever a new player is invoked.
Softsqueeze should not generate a new instance each time. It does not do this for me. I belive that particular problem was recently addressed by Richard on the discuss list (about a week ago, maybe)
I don't think a remote SoftSqueeze connection from the same source will create a new instance. However, each unique remote computer generates a new player object and each has to be "edited" to the desired settings. Maybe I am wrong, but this has been my experience and I find it a bit cumbersome. Although, I am getting good practice with the web browser. @;^)
Dave: I bet your work would benefit from this bug being fixed as well.
Currently, the defaults are pulled from code. The idea of putting them somewhere configurable is a good one. If you need something to tide you over until that happens, try running SoftSqueeze like so: java -Dmacaddress="00:00:00:00:00:00" -jar SoftSqueeze.jar Where you provide a mac address of your choosing. Now if you use the same mac address whenever you run softsqueeze you'll pick up the same settings. However I would not recommend running more than one such softsqueeze at one. I believe if you do the server respond to only one of the softsqueezes.
*** Bug 831 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I just closed 831 as a duplicate, since if this one were implemented it would serve the purpose sought there as well. The original description from 831 was... It would be nice to be able to set a bitrate limit at the server level. When a new player becomes known to the server, it's bitrate limit will default to the servers bitrate limit. Perhaps the server limit can also be set as a maximum as well as a default. (This is mostly for those streaming to a software player, as it often shows up as a new player when your ip address changes.)
Marking items that aren't going to be addressed immediately in 6.1 as future. Please update if this is in error or the bug has already been addressed.
Any possibility that this can be looked into for 6.5? The most important one, IMO, is the bitrate limiting for remote software players, as more specifically addressed in bug 831. If your library is in flac, then it will be streamed in flac, which many outgoing home connections can't manage. Closely related would be the default LAME Quality Level setting. I'd suggest that there be server settings for the defaults specifically for software players. The problem with setting a single default using bitrate limiting for *all* new players is that it will trip up some users when they add a new hardware player and their flac & wav file streaming will then be done in mp3.
Taking the more general view than just bitrates... I'd really like to have an option for a new player (or any player, actually) to clone its settings from another one. The idea of having a phantom "defaults" player in the list sounds good, too. The particular use case I have in mind is the user who has been playing with Softsqueeze for a while before purchasing - messed around with the settings, got it just right - then the player turns up and you have to do it all again manually. Could be as simple as an option under player settings that says "Copy all settings from player ...(pulldown)"
Yup, the ability to clone settings from one player to another would save a lot of time (i.e SB3 to Transporter)
So, would a button in the SqueezeCenter player settings for 'clone last player's settings' do the job? Or do we need something that persists after players are removed? Or editable defaults in the prefs file? Why?
see also: http://www.tux.org/~peterw/slim/SettingsManager.html
On first try, Peter's Settings Manager seems to work well for me, so I'm happy.
There's a SettingsManager plugin which might do what you want: http://www.tux.org/~peterw/slim/SettingsManager.html
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