Spotify integration/app

**bartsidee** · January 8th, 2011, 06:03 PM

I can be real short on this.
As a developer I've looked already into it. Spotify has a special api which can be used others. It is divided into two parts, a http api for simple music info, lyrics, albumcover etc. And a more complex C api library for the music streams (to make sure it is copy protected?)

To communicate with this C api you need to physicly add a third party file on you boxee installation to make communications with python possible.

Conclusion for the boxee box, spotify is only possible in 2 situations:
One if boxee will develop its own spotify app or two if boxee makes it possible to install third party applications on the box.
Both are unlikely at the moment unfortunately.

**se99jmk** · January 9th, 2011, 02:56 AM

Thanks Bartsidee - At least someone has looked into it ;-p

As you said, it may be unlikely that Boxee produces their own Spotify app (at least while focused on bug fixes), but would it be possible to create an app by working in tandem with them?

After all, they may be able to include the requisite third party file if they've been provided with it, and they know the functionality it would add. If they're aware of Spotify I'm sure they'd want it on there as much as we do! (they may just not have the resources to focus on it)

**bartsidee** · January 9th, 2011, 04:49 PM

This might be an option, not sure how they think about it. Unfortunately i'm also busy with developing a special framework app for boxee so I don't have that much time now. But if boxee would be able to add this to their system configuration it would probably be possible.

**leXorNet** · January 10th, 2011, 06:27 PM

Hi everyone!

I've been doing a lot of research on the spotify api and boxee plugin development during Christmas. I was not sure if it was even possible to run the spotify lib in the current boxee plugin architecture.

Since my nice Boxee Box is dying to get a spotify client, I decided to have a go at making a prototype. I knew that the chances of getting it to to run was slim and the workload would be big.

Yesterday I finally had a breakthrough. I'm now able to actually run (part of) the spotify API on the Boxee Box! Currently it's only logging in and listing saved playlists. It's not much, but it proves that the spotify lib could be interfaced without any changes by the Boxee team (and distrubuted like any other app)!

I will continue in trying to make this a usable spotify-client (for the BoxeeBox only). It's still very early. I don't even know if I will actually be able to PLAY the music

. And I'm only able to work on it in my spare time (no release dates, no promises :P).

If I get to a point where it needs beta-testing, you'll be the first to know!

**wallibn** · January 11th, 2011, 08:22 AM

First really good news regarding a Spotify app. Do not forget that a few of us has set a €50 award for it it!

I suggest that the first one who presents a fairly well functionall app in this thread will get it.

Good Luck in your future development!

**koudman** · January 11th, 2011, 09:23 AM

I already did a short defintion for a working app:

"working spotify app (ability to search & play music from the db, play my favorites/starred tracks, play what's new & top lists) - whether or not you need a subscription is up to the developer."

Always open for discussion though

And good to see that we have some developers in here that are looking at the challenge :-)

**mathiasm** · January 11th, 2011, 03:06 PM

I'll jump on the wagon and also offer 50 euros to anyone who's able to create a working Spotify app, similar to the definition above.

I also want playlists though :-)

**wallibn** · January 12th, 2011, 04:49 AM

I do not see a problem starting with a Spotify app, where you need to "admin" your Spotify playlists on a PC.

I mean that is what I am doing with all my local content like videos, home videos pictures and music

But I do not want to store any Spotify music locally, only admin the playlists.

BR

**leXorNet** · January 12th, 2011, 06:05 AM

Originally Posted by wallibn

I do not see a problem starting with a Spotify app, where you need to "admin" your Spotify playlists on a PC.

I mean that is what I am doing with all my local content like videos, home videos pictures and music

But I do not want to store any Spotify music locally, only admin the playlists.

BR

Agreed. That's what I'm doing for the first version. Read-only stuff like listing your playlists (with playlist folder support), doing searches, starred and maybe new/toplists. I'm also interested in adding facebook friends, like on the PC client (probably not for the first version though).

I might do edit operations like; creating playlists, adding/moving/removing tracks, etc. for later versions: However, I have yet to figure out how to do this in a nice way (UI-wise). If someone has suggestions on how edit operations could look and function, feel free to post your mockups

**roughneck** · January 13th, 2011, 05:30 AM

Originally Posted by leXorNet

Agreed. That's what I'm doing for the first version. Read-only stuff like listing your playlists (with playlist folder support), doing searches, starred and maybe new/toplists. I'm also interested in adding facebook friends, like on the PC client (probably not for the first version though).

I might do edit operations like; creating playlists, adding/moving/removing tracks, etc. for later versions: However, I have yet to figure out how to do this in a nice way (UI-wise). If someone has suggestions on how edit operations could look and function, feel free to post your mockups

I'll be happy to help if you need any testing done.