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lannister80

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 7, 2009
490
17
Chicagoland
Does anyone remember the HomePod from 2003/2004 or so?

http://www.amazon.com/Macsense-MP-100-HomePod/dp/B00013BK3C
http://www.linuxfordevices.com/c/a/...udio-device-frees-music-files-from-computers/


It's a wifi/ethernet mp3 player (Linux) that connects to some server software you run on your Mac. It reads your iTunes XML Library file and can play music through built-in speakers or RCA plugs or optical out, etc. Has an LCD display and USB port.

The only problem is, the company MacSense went out of business years ago (the device was based on a Java media-server middleware platform called "Gloo", which was supposed to become popular in embedded devices). Their server software is only available in PowerPC binaries, but since it's Java I think it's just some launcher/wrapper that is PowerPC, as the Java should be mostly platform-independent.

So, it's impossible to run on 10.7 Lion in its current state:

Mac-Pro:bin user1$ ./AudioLibrary
Usage: ./AudioLibrary { console | start | stop | restart | dump }
Mac-Pro:bin user1$ ./AudioLibrary restart
Stopping GLOO Audio Library...
GLOO Audio Library was not running.
Starting GLOO Audio Library...
Launch of "wrapper" failed: the PowerPC architecture is no longer supported.



I've attached the folder with the software in it. The GUI app is awful. I believe you have to use it to select your iTunes XML file when starting the app for the first time, but after that don't even bother using it (edit pref/conf file manually and launch from command line using syntax in my above example).

Is there any possibility of making this into an Intel-compatible program? I have an old PowerPC machine if anyone wants me to do testing.

Help, and thanks! :D
 

Attachments

  • HomePod.zip
    2.6 MB · Views: 89

moongravy

macrumors member
Mar 21, 2006
45
3
Cardiff, Wales UK
The Java executables are in the Audio_Server/apps folder. ituneslibrary.jar does a scan of the iTunes library and then stays running in the background. Not sure if this is the server, though the firewall asks you to authorise it.

Does this app get you anywhere?
 

lannister80

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 7, 2009
490
17
Chicagoland
The Java executables are in the Audio_Server/apps folder. ituneslibrary.jar does a scan of the iTunes library and then stays running in the background. Not sure if this is the server, though the firewall asks you to authorise it.

Does this app get you anywhere?
Holy cow, if it's that easy I'll kick myself. Does it open/bind any sockets that you can tell? Now if I can figure out how to invoke from the command line instead of the GUI so I can script it easily.

Time to go test it...
 
Last edited:

moongravy

macrumors member
Mar 21, 2006
45
3
Cardiff, Wales UK
Holy cow, if it's that easy I'll kick myself. Does it open/bind any sockets that you can tell? Now if I can figure out how to invoke from the command line instead of the GUI so I can script it easily.

Time to go test it...

Didn't test that far as I've no need for this application. "open ituneslibrary.jar" works as long as you're in the right directory.
 

lannister80

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 7, 2009
490
17
Chicagoland
Wow, it works! Just launching that single jar file is all that's required to get it up and running.

Hooray! Now I can use my ancient networked mp3 player with Mountain Lion!
 

ggfuzzy

macrumors newbie
Aug 20, 2015
2
0
Out of curiousity, do you have any idea where I/we might be able to find a build for the software that runs on the homepod? I bought one of these at a JavaOne conference when they first came out, and I've always had an itch to play with the onboard code. I'd love to get the source code for both the server and the player, but it's probably nearly impossible to find.
 
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