Web interface w. cover art

[jussing]

Hi all.

I'd like to request that Boxee's web service is extended to the point where you can access its graphical interface (or a simplified version of it) on any other computer on the LAN.

Here's an example of how this works on a TVIX player: (fast forward to 4:00-ish to skip the technical setup)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sy5dtJ9368
Notice how the thumbnails are re-arranged for the iPhone screen, so everything is kept nicely looking.

The reason for this request is:
- A non-screen installation of Boxee (like the Boxee Box, or a shuttle PC stored away in a server room) requires the TV to display anything.
- Meaning you have to turn on the TV to find a song or CD
- That's more trouble than just putting a CD in your 15 year old stereo.

With a web interface as requested, you can work on your PC, and quickly put on a new CD through the browser. Or you can chill in the couch with a laptop. Or from anywhere in the house, with your smart phone or iPad.

I realize there are smartphone remote controls already, but they - and even the bundled Boxee Box remote - still require the media computer's display (Typically the TV) to be turned on.

I think an installation like Boxee Box can't replace a regular CD/stereo installation as a music player until a feature like this becomes available.

Thanks for listening.

- Jonas

[Iggy82]

This may help you, thank you for your post on my thread

https://code.google.com/p/boxeewebremote/downloads/list

[stiefa00]

This is exactly what I'm looking for! My fav would be on Android because I'm going to buy a Galaxy Tab by Samsung. In my opinion the tablet devices will be the new central of a "iLivingroom 2.0". It would be awesome to search and select your mp3s to play with a tablet or smartphone (not with the TV)!

[jussing]

My fav would be on Android because I'm going to buy a Galaxy Tab by Samsung.

Thanks for the reply!

But if it works via a web interface like requested, and as demonstrated in the TVIX video, it's just a website on your LAN - so it doesn't matter if you're on iPhone, Android, iPad, Mac, PC, Linux... you just open up your browser and click on your Boxee bookmark.

- Jonas

[stiefa00]

Yes you are right. We both want the same!
I found a nice example. If you have the a Sonos ZP 90 there is an iPad app which is fantastic. You are able to select a mp3, browse your archive or even select a online radio that should be played by Sonos ZP 90, including a nice interface on the iPad.

This is exactly what I want to do with my boxee box. boxee + android > sonos + iPad

Further I think, this would be very good for boxee because boxee would offer new features for users who want to play music from nas / pc (without TV) and boxee will be an alternative to Sonos!

[AtomicFlow]

I just wanted to chime in and say that this issue also is a huge one for me. My primary setup is in my den, which has a projector and a motorized screen. The receiver that pumps music for that system also powers my outdoor system. I want to be able to sit on the back patio and change songs 1) without firing up the projector, and 2) just looking at my iPhone/iPad to select songs on my WHS.

I agree that the tablet world will really come into its own as the centerpiece of a media system. Anyone who started gawking at Crestron touchscreens years ago has longed for a singular interface that will let you both browse content and allow you to see some of your content directly on that tablet.

Apple TV has huge downsides (the biggest being its requirement to have a Mac/PC running iTunes booted up in order to stream local content), but its most promising feature is the fact that you can control it with coverflow directly from an iOS device.

Boxee and Boxee Box really have the opportunity to do something special here: a true portal to all of your media (online, local, networked), and stream it perfectly with a great UI. BUT, the merits of a UI are not just what is on the TV screen, but the convenience of how you access that UI, such as on another device (iOS or Android). To me, a touchscreen pointer is pretty lame. I might as well just use the regular remote. Let me touch cover art to start playing. If Boxee could somehow "push" their GUI wirelessly to your touchscreen of choice, they would completely dethrone Crestron, Sonos, etc. The other key would be to provide for discernment between multiple Boxee Boxes. Let me sit on the patio outside and 1) select music for my outdoor speakers by a real GUI that includes cover art, 2) select and start playing a movie in the living room for the kids (also by browsing cover art), and 3) figuring out somehow to find an equivalent to AirPlay, allowing you to push media from mobile devices to the Boxee Box--all from the same tablet without handshake issues.

That is the perfectly integrated home, at least from my foxhole. It seems to me that Boxee box is so close to being the panacea of so many home media goals (especially now that local scraping is in the works, which should let you power down the unit completely without worries about slow net scraping on reboot). It would be a shame to come up short so close to the finish line.

[UTC-8]

I too would want to access Boxee Box over the web / lan via a browser to just select Pandora or music.

[Whopper]

I will follow this thread closely too as it is perfectly in line with what I'd like to see in the future. Love my BB even more that I thought I would , but having to turn the TV on for the slightest operation is a bit of a turn down.

[tdelesio]

I too am looking for this feature. Right now I have a VNC server setup on my mini that I remote into and control it this way. This doesn't work the best and has a lot of lag. I use AJAX remote (part of Remote Buddy) from my iphone which runs with itunes. I really hate itunes and would love to dump it for a pure boxee setup.

[jussing]

Thanks for the support, guys!

Can we get an official word from Boxee? Anyone with insider info know if they're looking into this?

Cheers,
- Jonas