Minstrel - asking for early testers

[imush]

Here is a more substantial update

The App Store version is still the first build I submitted, so it has none of the discovery fixes yet. Your reports also showed me the real cause, which I couldn't see in the iPhone simulator: iOS blocks the multicast search UPnP uses to find devices, unless Apple grants the app a special entitlement. That's why servers show up only sometimes and players like the WiiM and Linn often not at all, and why the app wrongly said it lacked permission when Local Network access was on.

I've applied to Apple for the entitlement; that's what will fix it properly. Meanwhile the next build:
- remembers every server and player it has found and contacts it directly at each start, so once a device has shown up it stays found;
- no longer shows the wrong "no permission" message;
- adds a volume slider on Now Playing when playing on the phone (it follows the side buttons). On a network player the slider was there already when the player reports its volume.

I'll post here when the new build is on TestFlight and when Apple has granted the entitlement.

[imush]

build 1.0.1(7) uploaded; with testflight, you can try now or wait for review.

I am still waiting for the milticast entitlement which should resolve all issues with device discovery on LAN.

[Stake]

The volume slider works nicely now. Both for playback on the phone and to a UPnP renderer. I'm currently using foobar2000 on my Windows laptop as a renderer for this test as my WiiM is still not discovered.

Once the discovery issue is fixed Minstrel will be able to replace both mConnect and foobar2000 mobile on my phone. Nice.

Next I will have to get my head around how to use the outbound connection. I don't understand a word of what's written on it. :-)

[Stake]

Two more observations:

When playing to a UPnP renderer the volume slider is now the only possible way to control volume. The phone's side buttons are out of function.
Also there is no playback widget (is this the correct word for it?) on the lock screen.

With playback on the phone both the side buttons still work and the lock screen widget is also present.

[imush]

(Yesterday 08:13)Stake Wrote:  Two more observations:

When playing to a UPnP renderer the volume slider is now the only possible way to control volume. The phone's side buttons are out of function.
Also there is no playback widget (is this the correct word for it?) on the lock screen.

With playback on the phone both the side buttons still work and the lock screen widget is also present.

The buttons volume control for the renderer is something iOS does not seem to allow. Does another app manage it somehow?

I'll add lock screen control in the next build.

[Stake]

(Yesterday 17:30)imush Wrote:  The buttons volume control for the renderer is something iOS does not seem to allow. Does another app manage it somehow?

Absolutely. mConnect, foobar2000 mobile and the WiiM Home App, just to name a few.

[Stake]

Oh, and a Search function would be nice.
It doesn’t have to encompass each tag across the whole library on top level.
But entering the Album, Track, Artist or Album Artist menu searching within those tags would greatly add to the usability of Minstrel.

[imush]

Noted.

Update
* iOS changes are waiting to go with the multicast entitlement, which Apple did not grant yet. It can take a few days reportedly.
* Meanwhile Google is still reviewing after ~2 weeks, and that is only for closed testing.
* Thus Android public deployment is far behind, although actual testing is ahead because for me it is easy to sideload and test.

Queued fixes

1. Volume buttons. Works on Android, I will enable iOS as well.

There is a way to implement it but I am afraid of Apple rejecting it. App Store guideline 2.5.9 says apps that "alter or disable the functions of standard switches, such as the Volume Up/Down" buttons will be rejected. Steps 2–4 are exactly that: the buttons stop meaning "phone volume" and mean "speaker volume". Two things make it a grey area:
- Apple never offered a sanctioned way to do it.
- In 2019 an iOS change broke Sonos's button volume, and Sonos publicly attributed the loss to Apple.

You report that mConnect, foobar2000 mobile and WiiM Home all do this, and they're on the App Store. So Apple evidently accepts it in practice for remote-speaker apps.

If App Review objects, the change is contained and I'll have to roll it back.

2. Adding search to top level tags.
3. Lock screen controls
4. Launchpad features. Two levels of sharing from console: one to listen only or to share further from device to device. To avoid sharing proliferating out of control, sharing from remote device with is limited to listen-only.

[imush]

One more update: Google play first build is finally approved. But, the build from play store is actually broken. I think I figured out why but it will have to wait another cycle.
Closed testing only, so I have to invite you. Note that it has been 2 weeks and some fixes are on the way; hopefully next build's review will take less time.

1. Volume slider
2. Queue purging from renderer.
3. Launchpad and satellite features (sharing for remote playing)
4. Second and later items in queue might not be showing progress.
5. Not skipping when cell network goes bad
6. Remembering where it stopped when you enter and leave LAN.

Android does not suffer from multicast restrictions and should promptly discover your LAN devices.

And, we do need more Android testers, for Google's testing stage. iOS is already approved to public. Please send me emails to invite.