nessMediaCenter & nessViewer pre-release: music playback of shared iTunes libraries in the media center

On Robert's request we took a look at the music playback of shared iTunes libraries by the iTunes control in the media center and have expanded a pre-relase version of nessMediaCenter and nessViewer.

For this playback, there are the following requirements:
1.) A library has been shared in iTunes on one computer (s. iTunes preferences and there "Sharing").
2.) In the shared library, there are playlists with unique names that contain only music.
3.) On another computer, the shared library has been integrated in iTunes.

The playlist names are important. "Music" as an example exists in this case (pt. 3) for example twice: the default local music playlist and the default music playlist of the shared library. The local default music playlist can be selected via the iTunes control of the media center, but not the default music playlist of the shared library (because its name is not unique and iTunes does not allow to rename the default music playlists).

Another requirement is that iTunes has loaded the shared library once after each launch - otherwise the playlists of the shared library are not available in the iTunes control.

Due to various dependencies (accessibility configuration, iTunes version etc.) we have created an external AppleScript application "iTunes Shared Lib Loader". After downloading and unzipping the file, this AppleScript application can be defined as a login item on each computer, so that after each computer startup it will automatically launch iTunes and then load the shared library.

In the ZIP file there are also screenshots for Mac OS X 10.6 and AppleScripts for iTunes 10 + 11 which must be previously saved as AppleScript application ("only executable"). We suggest to test the AppleScript before and to adapt it if necessary.

In the system preferences and there in the privacy settings (here version 10.10), the AppleScript application "iTunes Shared Lib Loader" must be allowed to control the computer (aka iTunes). Usually you will be asked the first time the AppleScript application is executed and then you can open the preferences by clicking a button.

The iTunes interface (here version 12) must look like this - the leftmost icon for selecting the shared libraries. The AppleScript application automatically selects the first shared library which is then loaded.

nessMediaCenter 1.7.1 available in the AppStore

After 27 days, the 64-bit version of nessMediaCenter is finally available in the Mac App Store (MAS).

Background of this delay was as reported a bug on an Apple web page, which was only fixed after several mails to the Apple support and Apple developers.

In addition to the movie status and faster forward, shutdown of the computer by selecting exit in the media center is now also optionally available in the AppStore version. For security reasons, an AppleScript must be manually installed  - instructions can be found now at Tips & Tricks.

nessMediaCenter & Mac App Store (MAS)

As previously reported, we uploaded the new nessMediaCenter version 1.7.1 to the "Mac App Store" (MAS) on 4. July. Fortunately, the Apple review team has reviewed this new version already on 11. July.

But unfortunately, this new version is still not available in the MAS. What happened?

After the upload, we tried to view the build details to ensure that nessMediaCenter is complete. In the past, it happened that XCode (the Apple development tool) had not uploaded all resources (eg the German user interface etc.).
These build informations are usually viewable in "iTunes Connect" (ITC), the management interface for AppStore applications. And as we had to find out, ITC is showing a completely blank web page instead of the expected build details.

So we reported this problem at 6. July to Apple. On 9. July we finally received the email that the Apple Developer Support can confirm this bug and that this bug has been reported to the Apple engineering team.

Despite repeated requests, so far nothing has changed and we can unfortunately still not check the uploaded (and reviewed by Apple) nessMediaCenter version 1.7.1. Since we think, that the risk of an incorrect version (for example the missing German user interface) is too large, our MAS customers must unfortunately be patient. And we can not tell how long this might take - an internet search showed that this bug might already exist since 24. June.

nessMediaCenter 1.7.1 & nessViewer 3.7.1 for Mac available

The new versions of nessMediaCenter and nessViewer are available since yesterday evening.

As reported earlier, the movie status is now displayed in the fullscreen presentation - of course not always and reduced to the essentials. And the playback speed can now be increased up to 64 times to get faster to a position in a longer movie.

In the 64-bit version of nessViewer, media from various applications can now be imported into a media show.

In addition, a few minor bugs has also been fixed - if you still find one, then please let us know.

The new 64-bit version of nessMediaCenter has been uploaded to the Mac App Store as well - according to our experience, the review & release by Apple will take a minimum of 10 days.

NV Remote II for iPad, iPhone & iPod touch available

After a long time we finally reworked the old "NV Remote" App for iPhone and iPod touch whose successor is now available as "NV Remote II" in iTunes Store (iOS App Store).

"NV Remote II" was not only adapted for iOS 7 and iOS 8 (and still supports iOS 5.1.1 and newer), but is now also compatible with the iPad.

The design of the buttons has also been revised and equals now the buttons of "nessViewer App" for iOS.

The functionality of "NV Remote II" is described on the nessViewer website and on YouTube you can watch a demo video that shows the remote control of nessMediaCenter by "NV Remote II".

In the help of nessMediaCenter or nessViewer, the available control commands of the remote control are explained: beside the media center and media presentations, windows (for example DVD playback, movies and media shows) and even EyeTV and iTunes can be remote controlled as well.

nessMediaCenter & nessViewer for Mac: pre-release with movie status info & faster forward playback

Lorne has suggested the following enhancements for the (fullscreen) movie presentation started by the media center:
1) Display of the current movie position and the current playback speed when fast forward is selected.
2.) Higher playback speed to get more quickly to a specific position in longer movies.
3.) Continuous increase of the playback speed if "right hold" is pressed longer than 3 seconds.
4.) The resume of the last playback position after reopening an already watched movie.

From point 1 we were at the beginning not so very excited because in other applications (eg QuickTime Player or EyeTV) the status info hides a part of the movie for a few seconds. And in other media centers, the status info is too technical. But then Lorne's tenacity and good arguments convinced us and we have found a solution which on the one hand displays this information, but on the other hand hides only a very small part of the movie.

To be able to get faster forward in movie, we have increased the playback speed in the movie presentation up to 64x. However, even at 32x problems occurred. We therefore had to apply a trick to allow such a fast forward: with a playback speed of 32x and higher the movie is no longer playing, but the position moved forward by a timer every second for 1 minute (or 2 minutes for 64x).

The increase of the playback speed is now available in the presentation menu too, so that it can be used without remote control.

Point 4 is already implemented in our view by the use of iTunes routines - more about it can be found at "Tips & Tricks". As Lorne wrote us, however, the realization of the first two points is a sufficient solution.

We would like to thank Lorne for his good arguments, the tenacity and patience.

A pre-release version (last updated on 30.6. 12:45) of nessMediaCenter and nessViewer can now be downloaded. We will continue to test and - if no errors are found - offer the new 32 and 64-bit versions of nessMediaCenter and nessViewer.

The MAS (Mac App Store) version of nessMediaCenter will follow as soon as possible - at the moment we are still working on the release of the new iOS app "NV Remote II", which was once rejected by Apple's review team. We have now (as from the review team requested) recorded a video to demonstrate the functionality - this video can be watched on YouTube now.

nessViewer App for iPad/iPhone/iPod touch & QRCode

As part of another project we dealt with QRCode and now implemented its functionality in a pre-release version of nessViewer app for iOS.

At "Open URL" and "Present URL", a QRCode scanner can now be activated which displays after activating a camera view and sets the (by the QRCode) recognized character string in the URL field.

The QRCode scanner is supported from iOS 7 or newer and is disabled in older versions of iOS.