Rockbox as an Application (Android, WebOS etc.)

[stewartwb]

Rockbox was created because stock DAP firmwares suck, and people like to hack.  Native music player apps for android suck, they really suck, they suck really hard.  I would consider it an evolution of rockbox, not a reinvention.

+1
My sons and I have been using Rockbox for 10+ years, on many different devices. We intuitively understand how it works from a user interface perspective, even as we upgrade devices. Native Android apps don't work the same way, with file/folder access, automatic playlists, and bookmarks.

I'd love to see Rockbox on Android grow into an app with a native Android UI that works the way Rockbox always has, regardless of the playback engine. Skinning would be a plus, but honestly Rockbox is still my player of choice in Android with the default build and no skin loaded (could never find Cabbie V2 for 1920x1080 resolution).

Thanks to the developer community for everyone's hard work!

-- stewartwb

[Vorlonesque]

I may be the only one who likes it, but I actually really love the 3x3 grid.  Its handy for doing stuff without looking at my tablet...and it seems like an easier way to browse really long lists of folders or songs.  That's a big part of the appeal of Rockbox on Android for me (and something that no other music app seems to do, especially wrt browsing folders via a 3x3 grid) along with all the other nice stuff it offers...hell, its the big reason I haven't upgraded my tablet to Lollipop (my phone is updated since I prefer to use my tablet for music).

[Alexander]

Hey,
have got a phone called C5000 with Android from China, displayed as HTC.
Downloaded several builds like 480x800, 800x480, 200xxxx and so on...

Rockbox has a loading screen for some seconds (maybe 1 or 2) and then shuts down. If i start it a second time it show a top panel in grey sayin Rockbox but it gets stuck,
so is the message: Isnt responding, shut down?

How can i run it on this phone?
Thx

Edit: just tried 1280x800 and it didnt get stuck but is just very distorted, by screen and font.

[[Saint]]

You can't just install random builds and expect it to work.

The build resolution must match the device resolution exactly.

Also note that for many of these builds we do not ship with a default theme (as none exists for the resolution), so you will see a VERY small font. I suspect this is what you mean by 'distortion'? If so, that is totally expected. Install a larger font. I supply a font pack linked in the 'Extras' page to your left.


[Saint]

[Alexander]

my resolution as given by Meine-Bildschirmaufloesung.de is 480x854.

480x800 ddnt work, just had a titlebar saying Rockbox and got stuck. ...

Should i now approach the problem with the Extras feature? How?
..all on via the phone, right?
Thank you

[steak]

Rockbox was created because stock DAP firmwares suck, and people like to hack.  Native music player apps for android suck, they really suck, they suck really hard.  I would consider it an evolution of rockbox, not a reinvention.

+1
My sons and I have been using Rockbox for 10+ years, on many different devices. We intuitively understand how it works from a user interface perspective, even as we upgrade devices. Native Android apps don't work the same way, with file/folder access, automatic playlists, and bookmarks.

I'd love to see Rockbox on Android grow into an app with a native Android UI that works the way Rockbox always has, regardless of the playback engine. Skinning would be a plus, but honestly Rockbox is still my player of choice in Android with the default build and no skin loaded (could never find Cabbie V2 for 1920x1080 resolution).

Thanks to the developer community for everyone's hard work!

-- stewartwb

Thanks Stewart for putting in simple words what I struggled to explain on a few occasions = I agree 100%

The only thing I would find useful for anyone to add in all screens is the device battery level. As for myself, on regular ports I change the WPS screen to add more information about current/next track but on Android device, I can live without it.

Like many, I won't get anything above KitKat just as long as I don't know if I can use Rockbox with it. (another BIG issue is the fact not all Apps are allowed to write to extSdCard)

[[Saint]]

my resolution as given by Meine-Bildschirmaufloesung.de is 480x854.

480x800 ddnt work, just had a titlebar saying Rockbox and got stuck. ...

As I stated, the resolution of the build and the device must match exactly.

Because 480x800 != 480x854, this will naturally fail. You will either have to compile Rockbox for Android for this specific resolution yourself, or convince someone else to do it for you.


[Saint]

[Alexander]

Like said, 540x960 does work just looks like pixel matrix... after pressing randomly a window popped up asking to read music files and later music was running through the software...

Fonts were copied everywhere, copied single font files in all directories of rockbox (maybe 2 or 3) + copied the .rockbox folder (its for non-android, right?)

But have no clue how the software would change its display(Fonts) ...

Is 480x854 that uncommon? ...have no clue about smartphones but i think it looks conventional :p
Maybe its just the config file having this 854 number to limitate it?!?!?! ....

Does compiling in this case mean, changing parameters in an existing document? ..then np ofc... m sure there must be more people having a display like this phone here

[[Saint]]

Like said, 540x960 does work just looks like pixel matrix... after pressing randomly a window popped up asking to read music files and later music was running through the software...

This is not "working" by any stretch of the imagination.

Fonts were copied everywhere, copied single font files in all directories of rockbox (maybe 2 or 3) + copied the .rockbox folder (its for non-android, right?)

But have no clue how the software would change its display(Fonts) ...

Fonts go to the sdcard/rockbox/fonts directory, and are selected after the fact from Settings - Theme Settings - Fonts.

Is 480x854 that uncommon? ...have no clue about smartphones but i think it looks conventional :p

It is fairly uncommon, yes.

Maybe its just the config file having this 854 number to limitate it?!?!?! ....

I have no idea what you are trying to say here.

Does compiling in this case mean, changing parameters in an existing document? ..then np ofc... m sure there must be more people having a display like this phone here

Compiling, in this context, means setting up a build environment capable of building for both Rockbox and Android, checking out the Rockbox source tree, and compiling a build from scratch using our build system to configure the build for 480x854 resolution.

But, you're probably not going to do any of that, and our build system currently needs some work on it to be able to build Rockbox with modern Android tools.
So, I did it for you.

In that archive is a Rockbox binary compiled for a 480x854 framebuffer built from the current tip of the Rockbox source code as of this writing - ad5e5c4, and the patches applied to the Rockbox source in order to produce the binary.

You do not need to do anything with the patches contained in this archive, they are simply provided to meet license obligations and so that you can compile an identical binary if you so choose.


[Saint]

[Alexander]

  THIS IS AWESOME !!!
WORKS!
Thank you very much!

[orby]

Hi,

I tried to install rockbox on a Moto E5 ("Surnia"), but it crashes right after start.
Screen resolution of the device is 540 x 960 pixels, so I tried to install this binary:
http://rasher.dk/rockbox/android/rockbox-540x960.apk

I made logfile using logcat during an attempted start of the rockbox app that can be found here:
http://pastebin.com/b3VqT5Vt

Can anyone help me to learn how to get RB to work on my android?
I would love being able to use rockbox again so much! Thanks!

[steak]

As I stated, the resolution of the build and the device must match exactly.

Because 480x800 != 480x854, this will naturally fail.
[Saint]

Correct me where I'm wrong but based on my three smartphones I can assume :
> with android version older than 4.??, the build resolution can be smaller than the device resolution. (you probably pointed that out in the past)
> the build with smaller than device resolution are more likely to work on such device if they were released prior to a given date (=??)


My experience is based on my 3 android smartphones

> Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100, android 4.1.2, screen resolution 480x800
> Motorola Defy MB525, android 2.2.2, screen resolution 480x854
> Huawei Ascend P1 U9200, android 4.0.3, screen resolution 540x960
-------------------------

Latest builds
> Latest (& any ?) build <rockbox 540x960 ad65f8c 2015-1225.apk> with fonts <35-Adobe-Helvetica.fnt> works on the Huawei except :
>> All menus are displayed as text only (no icons)
>> WPS menu is not usable : no touch button displayed, no touch button or area working

> Latest build <rockbox 480x800 ad65f8c 2015-1225.apk> does not work on Huawei
------------------------

Old builds
> OLD (& many) BUILD <rockbox 480x800 v4aa32fb-2013-1023.apk> does work on all : Galaxy, Motorola & Huawei
>> All menus are displayed in CABBIES V2 Theme
>> WPS menu has all touch buttons & areas working
>> Only it works in a reduced part of the screen
>>> I guess 480x800 of 540x960 for the Huawei
>>> and 480x800 of 480x854 for the Motorola (hardly visible)

Yes I'd rather be able to do whatever is needed to match my build & Huawei screen resolution but it seems far from my skills and of course available time.
Anyway until it stops working, my main device is the Motorola which I use without a SIM as an mp3 player mostly.

------------------------

I'm glad to own rather old devices with not so up-to-date android version

Another (major for me) drawback with (some) latest device / android version is the tendency to dismiss external microSD flash memory :
> no microSD slot on the latest Nexus
> many apps are not allowed to write on external microSD (many can be tweaked but what a hassle)
> I guess the user is meant to use Cloud storage, media streaming etc... which sounds
>> stupid anywhere with no 3G/4G connexion (most of the earth out of urban areas)
>> stupid for those who don't want to waste their so called unlimited 3G/4G connections actually all limited past a preset !
>> stupid in terms of privacy : yes it's easy to synchronize data over the Cloud but I don't and I won't, like many
>> insane in terms of energy wasted in the City like data centers used for Cloud storage (Computers & devices at home use power also but each ownetr is able to turn it off when not using it)

[[Saint]]

Correct me where I'm wrong ...

Gladly, since you gave me permission. 

> with android version older than 4.??, the build resolution can be smaller than the device resolution. (you probably pointed that out in the past)

No. Actually, the Android version has nothing to do with this.

> the build with smaller than device resolution are more likely to work on such device if they were released prior to a given date (=??)

Yes. This accidentally worked in older builds that weren't particularly careful about the framebuffer size and drawing out of bounds.

My experience is based on my 3 android smartphones

> Samsung Galaxy S2 GT-I9100, android 4.1.2, screen resolution 480x800
> Motorola Defy MB525, android 2.2.2, screen resolution 480x854
> Huawei Ascend P1 U9200, android 4.0.3, screen resolution 540x960
-------------------------

This is useful information for this response, thank you.

Latest builds
> Latest (& any ?) build <rockbox 540x960 ad65f8c 2015-1225.apk> with fonts <35-Adobe-Helvetica.fnt> works on the Huawei except :
>> All menus are displayed as text only (no icons)
>> WPS menu is not usable : no touch button displayed, no touch button or area working

Based on the information given, this is absolutely expected behavior.

We do not have any theme for this resolution, and themes are resolution-specific. We don't have a 540x960 cabbiev2 theme bundle, so one never gets included in the build and it is falling back to the aptly named fallback theme. There are in fact touch areas on the WPS screen in this state, input will default to 3x3 grid mode touch input in this case where absolute point is not used.

> Latest build <rockbox 480x800 ad65f8c 2015-1225.apk> does not work on Huawei
------------------------

This is also absolutely expected behavior.

Because 540x960 != 480x800, this fails.

Old builds
> OLD (& many) BUILD <rockbox 480x800 v4aa32fb-2013-1023.apk> does work on all : Galaxy, Motorola & Huawei
>> All menus are displayed in CABBIES V2 Theme
>> WPS menu has all touch buttons & areas working
>> Only it works in a reduced part of the screen
>>> I guess 480x800 of 540x960 for the Huawei
>>> and 480x800 of 480x854 for the Motorola (hardly visible)

Yes, this is the way it used to work. But not the way it works now. The way it works now is not a bug, or unexpected behavior however. Stricter framebuffer checks were absolutely intentional.

Yes I'd rather be able to do whatever is needed to match my build & Huawei screen resolution but it seems far from my skills and of course available time.

If only there were a place you could go that explained how to do this


[Saint]

[[Saint]]

Hi,

I tried to install rockbox on a Moto E5 ("Surnia"), but it crashes right after start.
Screen resolution of the device is 540 x 960 pixels, so I tried to install this binary:
http://rasher.dk/rockbox/android/rockbox-540x960.apk

I made logfile using logcat during an attempted start of the rockbox app that can be found here:
http://pastebin.com/b3VqT5Vt

Can anyone help me to learn how to get RB to work on my android?
I would love being able to use rockbox again so much! Thanks!

Android 5.0+, I assume?

If so, then, no. I can not help you I am afraid.


[Saint]

[steak]

If only there were a place you could go that explained how to do this
[Saint]

I've been there mind you and actually designed my own bunch WPS for my Cowon D2 (though quite basic and text information based only) so yes I could probably go back into it and give it a try. Not that simple I remember trying to do something more than basic, struggling and giving up. I suppose I was not motivated enough, truth is I got just what I really needed so...

One question about WPS on android devices : as you pointed me to this page, I assume the files and subfolder go in main /rockbox/ folder right ?
Then why can't I see a /wps/ and a /wps/cabbiev2/ subfolder on my device ??

Finally when I really go for it, I will actually try to learn how to design the whole theme. I'd start with cabbiev2 for my device resolution screen, that would make things slightly easier. If you remember I was ready for it a while ago, maybe I should put it in my 2016 resolution list.