AmiTunes 0.5

I'm not sure if I posted here about previous versions, but I've just finished the latest version of AmiTunes - my music manager application, and it's finished enough for me to start using it for its intended purpose - running my A1200-based MP3 jukebox. As such, it does have a very minimal GUI and isn't the nicest to use, but I still use it almost every day on my A1, using AmigaAmp instead of the MAS Player it would normally use.

I've uploaded it to mus/play on AmiNet, and you can also download it from my website here:

AmiTunes 0.5

Please let me know what you think... Like I said, I don't think I'll do more on this version. I plan instead to rewrite it with a full, modern GUI and internal decoder for high-end Amigas, but if you have any suggestions or bug fixes, I'd appreciate them!

[Edit] Fixed broken link

@Daedalus

I'd like to try it but don't see a download link on your website :(

@my_pc_is_amiga

http://www.robthenerd.com/show.php?se ... b=softwarea&page=amitunes

Scroll down a little

@samo79

Thanks for that... Something happened the link when I pasted it - seems the word "sub" can be misinterpreted :(

@Daedalus

Do you think a standard 68000 Amiga would be fast enough for the hardware? The parallel port it pretty slow on a 7MHz Amiga. I was just wondering if I could run something like this on my little A600/2MB/OS3.1.

@A1200

Well, the parallel port itself won't be the hold-up, but the bare 68000 might have trouble converting the MPEG data to the serial format that the MAS chip requires. This will limit the fastest bitrate you can play. At a total guess I'd say you might be able to play 96kbps or even 128kbps on a 68000 with the original MAS software, but the overheads on AmiTunes are far greater - I don't think it will even run on a 68000, and it needs an FPU, so really some kind of accelerator would be best.

The lowest machine I tested it on was an A1200 with an 030 and FPU. Worked fine with 192kbps files :)

@Daedalus

Thanks for the info mate, most interesting. Is there readily available hardware, or at least a circuit board? I don't fancy etching my own circuits!

@Daedalus

sounds good! looking forward to try this on my Sam flex once I get her going

@A1200

The MAS player was available complete up until fairly recently. I notice now that amigaKit haven't got it on their website any more, but it might be worth asking them if they're gonna stock it again. The MP3@64 is rumoured to work on the Amiga, but I haven't tested it myself, and I don't think there are any very low-end applications for using it like there is with the MAS player.


@328gts

Cool :) Let me know what you think or if you need a hand setting it up. I am working on an updated version for OS4 and high-end OS3 machines with a much nicer GUI, but that's a while away yet...

@Daedalus

Thanks for the info, I have emailed Amigakit in case they have some coming in.

Shame no more are being made due to a lack of MAS chips :(

@A1200

Really? That does suck! I guess eBay might be your friend here then, or maybe AmiBay etc... Oh well!