This is not a plug-in for SqueezeCenter but a gadget for Windows
Sideshow that comes with Vista - it won’t work with any other OS.
SideShow Gadgets allow data to be pushed to any SideShow device such as
digital photo frames with Wi-Fi. There isn't a lot of SideShow
compatible hardware around yet but you don't need any to try this
Gadget out since Microsoft has released a SideShow device simulator.

What this Gadget does is take now playing information from
SqueezeCenter and the LyricWiki.org database and push it to your
SideShow device.

To install, download the file from this link and run it:

http://www.elziko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/linked/SideSqueeze%20v1.0.msi

1) Initially you may be told that you need the 'SideShow Managed API'.
If this happens, click 'Yes', install the API from the supplied web
page (less than 1Mb) and restart the SideSqueeze installation.

2) Once installed you should be able to open Windows Side show from
'Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Windows SideShow' and see that under
Gadgets you now see SideSqueeze listed. If not then try pressing F5 to
refresh. You'll also see a list of compatible device such as digital
photo frames you have. Make sure that under the device you want to use
that SideSqueeze is checked.

[image:
http://www.elziko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/linked/SideShow%20Dialog.png]

If you don't have any devices then you can try the simulator that you
can download from here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=BBA99EB2-AA6D-4133-B433-933A2C4D41DC&displaylang=en

3) The SideSqueeze application needs to be running for it to push data
from SqueezeCenter to your device. If your device tries to access
SideSqueeze then it will be started automatically - you'll see it
running in the system tray. Otherwise you can start it from 'Start\All
Programs\SideSqueeze\SideSqueeze vX.X'

4) SideSqueeze uses the default login information for SqueezeCenter
where SqueezeCenter is located on the same machine as SideSqueeze, no
security has been set and both the CLI and HTTP ports are as standard.
If SideSqueeze cannot connect using these settings then SideSqueeze
will leap out of the System Tray with a warning. Adjust the login
details and click 'Check For Additional Players and Start' to try
again. When done minimise it back to the System Tray rather than
closing it.

[image:
http://www.elziko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/linked/SideSqueeze%20Dialog.png]

5) The SideSqueeze dialog can be opened at any time by double-clicking
the System Tray icon. Other then login details there is only one other
option: 'Glance Player'. In addition to the rich text & image data some
devices can display most devices also support 'Glance' data. This is
just a couple of lines of summary text. SideSqueeze uses the glance
data to show now playing information for only one of your players. You
can select which player you'd like to use from the drop-down.

I don't own any SideShow hardware devices myself so all of this has
been developed using the simulator. When the simulator is open and
SideSqueeze is running you'll see the SideSqueeze icon with its glance
data - the current now playing info for one of my players:

[image:
http://www.elziko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/linked/Simulator%20Glance.png]

Clicking on this icon on your device will show a list of available
players:

[image:
http://www.elziko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/linked/Simulator%20Players.png]

Clicking on a player will show the now playing info for hat player:

[image:
http://www.elziko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/linked/Simulator%20Now%20Playing.png]

Clicking right whilst viewing 'now playing' will show you a page of
lyrics for that song:

[image:
http://www.elziko.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/linked/Simulator%20Lyrics.png]

Clicking left when viewing 'lyrics' will take you back to 'now
playing'.

This has been tested on Vista x86 & x64 but since I don't own any
hardware it has only been used with the MS Device Simulator so at the
moment it's just a 'proof of concept'. I'll be buying a SideShow
compatible photo frame soon. Someone here may already have such a
device - I'd like to know if you get it working.

Personally I'm considering an i-mate Momento frame although I have
heard that it may only support the glance information -  it wouldn't
show the now playing or lyrics pages although this may have had its
firmware upgraded to better support SideShow.

There are other types of devices too, not just photo frames, some would
be good for DIY projects. There is a website here that lists & discusses
available hardware:

http://www.sideshowdevices.com/

Hopefully some of you will try this, even if it's just with the
simulator. There are a lot of improvements that could be made. In fact,
there's no reason why I couldn't implement full control over
SqueezeCenter and its associated players from a device... but don't
expect something that could replace a SqueezeBox Controller; SideShow
is too limited.

And last but not least, a big thanks to Adam Reeve (radish) whose CLI
code was invaluable!


-- 
elziko
------------------------------------------------------------------------
elziko's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=11835
View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=53722

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