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New! ALAC, WavPack playback and more get nightly build |
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With comprehensive all generations iPod support
and live Smart Play Lists!
Visit MediaUtil here. |
Most recent build 197 download it now, or just launch from the page. (note that a webstarted version can be fresher than the main downloaded build)
MediaChest is an attempt to provide a centralized access to a personal collection of media files from anywhere. MediaChest gives not only a simple access, it gives a fast access to only medias you want to listen, or view now and then. You are not limited to a particular platform or an application. It doesn't matter what system or software you are using, as long as your system capable to run Java, or has a web browser. MediaChest provides also many flexible ways to share some content of your media collections with friends, colleagues, or enemies using FTP, SMTP, HTTP, or NNTP. You get a rich set of possibilities how to organize you medias and provide different views suitable for particular purposes, like dance party, romance, travel impressions sharing and so on. You can create and update web site where you want to share your files, or maybe you can host, so MediaChest can be transformed to a web server itself and give you all its functionality remotely. You can post your files in news group or send to somebody by e-mail. Back ended by database and XML MediaChest is the way to store, access, and share media files in controllable, and configurable way.
Two causes moved me to create this program:
Necessary to have a tool for renaming files produced by a digital camera to something unique and meaningful
Prove that Java can resolve tasks where only native applications worked before
I was amazed the results of first working version as in performance as in functionality, so I decided continue work on the program adding more and more features to it. The most complicated task after getting encoding JPEG files was to create a good UI allowing easily utilize all functionality of the program. Unfortunately, UI is still on heavy development. Although I stopped work soon as got some version satisfied me, appearing a free Java implementation of MP3 player was a boost of new development transforming the original program to a multimedia files organizer. Adding infrared remote control support (for irMan) made the MediaChest ready to be the software for dedicated a la jukebox computers.
Ideally, iPod should keep all functionality I tried to implement in MediaChest. Unfortunately, most of hardware vendors run behind the train. I had to add iPod support simple because no one software vendor doesn't provide it in terms of my usage. So here what I have done and going to do:
1. Flexible way to copy music collection to iPod. Unfortunately, there are many ways of how MP3 or other compressed music files reach your computer. Many compression programs differently add/ or do not add valuable information helping you to find music you'd like to listen. Such programs as MusicMatch are attempts to do that, but not in the way I think about it. I always want to have a control over how my music will be organized.
2. Provide actual copy and storing all music collection on iPod. Many modern programs consider iPod like a sort of PDA requiring synchronization with a main computer. However, I have another approach in mind thinking as Apple asked differently. What if keep all music collection on iPod and use another storages only for backup purpose? In this case iPod doesn't lose any files, unless a user wants that.
3. Provide a real internationalization support. Files itself and name in tag can be in any languages and character set and MediaChest capable to correctly handle them.
4. Provide tight integration with MediaChest with alternative approach of storing most of medias on iPod.
5. Support of smart playlists.
This FAQ about iPod you can find useful.
| I got Zune unit, so read my review here. Since a low interest to Zune and very limited capabilities of music organization, I drop plans for supporting it until an interest will be rosen. |
The current version is relatively stable and requires JRE 1.7. Originally MediaChest was JRE 1.1 compatible program, however I turned it in a lab to leverage the latest technologies from Sun. Due good coverage of JRE 1.7 of all popular platforms, like Solaris, Linux, Mac and all Windows it shouldn't be an issue for many potential users. You can download JRE 1.7 from Oracle's web site, select your platform. You can also download JDK if you are planning to develop. Developers should also download Java build tool.
I plan to improve all media formats support giving fast forward/back search and file split and encoding. A lot of feature for new iPod support in development now. CDDB integration for better tagging. Probably a real WavPack ripping will be here soon. I think also add support of Raspberry Pi and Android
The MediaChest uses many third parties open source free Java products:
Java MP3 layer for build MP3 player. I really love this library and without it MediaChest simple didn't exist. Check this nice library out at http://www.javazoom.net/javalayer/javalayer.html
MP3 id tag viewer/editor. This is also open source free Java library. I did some modification, so provide a full source of this library as it required by its license.
MediaUtil (This is a branch project of MediaChest started with some MediaChest's lossless Jpeg transformation capabilities). Now this is a separate product including many nice features, so check it out here.
IBM Toolkit for MPEG-4 SDK. This is closed source toolkit for playing MPEG-4 audio and video files also known as AAC. Check license agreement for this tool on IBM's site.
Nevertheless to say that exchangeable L&F made the program cool looking. If your OS is XP, then you can try a new cool XP l&F too.
All used third parties tools carry copyrights of their authors.
Since I am only one developer of the tool, I do not see any needs to establish public CVS version. All sources provided in distributed archives. MediaChest supports auto update (currently disabled), however sources are provided for milestone builds.WebStarted version is also based on the latest source probably not released yet. MediUtil as a branch product of MediaChest has sourceforge hosted CVS, so I'd recommend to get latest sources from here, because this product is released not so frequently.
download the latest build with lot playback improvements. Uses CVS version of MediaUtil *
Attention Windows 9x/Me users: : support of these systems has beed dropped, however support of Android is coming.
* The latest MediaChest requires updated version MediaUtil, so it uses the version built from CVS
Nightly builds are planned to be resumed soon
Unzip the distributive archive with preserving directory structure and long names, then run BAT or shell script in dependency on your OS. JDK 1.6.0 is considered installed. Use chmod +x on POSIX systems to make a start script executable. Small editing of start files can be required. See readme and iPod notice files for more details about installation and features.
Mini Java Web Server with Java container 2.4 API support
xBox - Bean box supporting XML serialization (do not confuse with proposed later java.beans.Encoder)
jAddressBook is an address book with float XML format of addresses and another profile information
Search Director (finesearch)
To report a bug or UI enhancement e-mail dmitriy
