Android control of Tune Blade - Easy quick app build

[Chris Marx]

TuneBlade is awesome. But I wanted an Android app to control devices.
Basic commands using a HTTP Client are:

Change IP and port to your TuneBlade settings

Disconnect Device
http://192.168.0.165:63245/devices
Put: 00A0DEA5D807@RX-V675 A5D807
Body: {"Status": "Disconnect"}

Connect Device
http://192.168.0.165:63245/devices
Put: 00A0DEA5D807@RX-V675 A5D807
Body: {"Status": "Connect"}

Change Volume:
http://192.168.0.165:63245/devices
Put: 00A0DEA5D807@RX-V675 A5D807
Body: {"Volume": "75"}

Now got to http://appinventor.mit.edu/explore/ and sign in with Google account or whatever. It's free.
Start a new project.

For a very simple device connect / disconnect create two buttons. Create one web under connectivity.

For the web enter the url as "http://192.168.0.165:63245/devices/00A0DEA5D807@RX-V675%20A5D807" - Notice the %20 is a [SPACE]

Click the blocks tab.

In the left column you will see screen1 and the button labels. Add  [When .click]
Then add a Call PUT TEXT from the Screen1 web list. Add a Text block and enter {"Status": "Connect"} or whatever function you want.

Now Build the app and save it. Install on your Droid and it works.

Sorry, I'm not a skilled programmer and can't give much help.
This was just a simple fix for a problem in my audio system since we don't use iOS.

[TuneBlade Support]

Android controller has been a popular request, thank you for posting this excellent and easy tutorial to build an Android app to control TuneBlade!  

[Chris Marx]

Thanks. I'll work on a better build and publish the file for others. It works, but the app is ugly.

[Chris Marx]

Attached is the MIT AppInventor project file for TuneBlade Android remote. You will have to log into the App Inventor site and load this project file. Change the TB_CMD component to the IP and Port of your TuneBlade server. Build and save the project to an APK. Install it on your android.

You can duplicate the buttons and components for each device you want to control. You will also have to duplicate the functions and change the names to match the components.

It would be nice if we could enter the IP of TuneBlade then have it Pharse the text into a list. I know this very plain and simple, but it works. I've never wrote an android app before, so forgive me for unpolished look and poor logic flow.

Perhaps others can build on this and post better versions. For now, it does exactly what I wanted. Some devices don't support Volume control from TuneBlade, like my Yamaha RX-V675, but the volume slider in TuneBlade responds.

Does TuneBlade Support know how to call the Master Volume?

[Chris Marx]

I made this app since I don't use iOS devices, but I like AirPlay for low latency and audio quality.
My whole house audio system has been growing slowly and my latest additions are the Amazon Echo Dot and a Rasperry Pi3 with Moode Audio built into a custom power speaker. It's a like a Sonos Play 5 but better.

What does the Amazon Echo Dot have to do with TuneBlade you might ask? Well, one of the biggest complaints of the Alexa Dot is it only connects to external speakers via BlueTooth or line out. So why not get a DAC USB device like the Behringer UCA222 and connect Alexa to it? TuneBlade can take that USB input and play it back over AirPlay speakers. Now you have whole house audio with the Echo Dot. Subscribe to Amazon Music Unlimited and you get a complete music library via voice control.

It maybe possible to build a new Skill for the Echo to allow voice control over TuneBlade using the developer API kit. Does anyone want to take a crack at it?
https://developer.amazon.com/public/solutions/alexa/alexa-skills-kit/getting-started-guide

Or use the HA Bridge! https://github.com/armzilla/amazon-echo-ha-bridge
This just might work. I already use it to control my Zwave lights. HA bridge supports PUT commands, so it maybe possible to configure TuneBlade commands.

Uhg, I just gave myself more work. LOL!

[TuneBlade Support]

This is amazing! Thank you for sharing this! You've made TuneBlade more useful than we'd imagined! Having the Echo/Echo Dot as the audio source and as an audio remote for AirPlay speakers is something truly useful. Once configured, it's as if Echo has multi-room AirPlay output capability in a seamless manner. 

The master volume can be controlled using: 

URL: baseURL/master (example: http://192.168.0.165:63245/master)

Body: {"Status": "Connect"} or {"Volume": "75"}

The master control should be enabled in TuneBlade settings for this API to work. 

(The details are at the second last page of the API doc: http://tuneblade.com/Developer/TuneBlade%20Remote%20API%20v0.8.pdf)

Regarding TuneBlade not controlling Yamaha's volume, please check you're running the latest version of TuneBlade as we've added this capability (DACP server) recently. 

Thanks,

The TuneBlade Team

[mobile.ga...@gmail.com]

Hi there,

I created a full Android App. but Google won't me let publish it without some sort of proof that you allow me.

Please let me know if you would like to see an App in the google play store.

Attached are some screenshots (in a first run I am doing the German version, but the app is multilingual, so that I can add the English version soon).

[TuneBlade Support]

Hi,

Thank you for your interest in TuneBlade and developing an Android remote app for TuneBlade! The UI looks nice!

The API is open, you're free to use it the way you like, including developing an Android Remote which can be a free or paid app, without taking our permission. It's okay to use our logo or similar inside your app to show compatibility, but possibly have a different logo for your main app as it might confuse users into believing it to be an official app, and users may end up reaching out to us for support :-) . When we released the TuneBlade Remote for iOS, it was a paid app and some users complained about having paid 10-13 dollars on the main app and then have to pay extra for the remote, so we made the app free of charge. I believe if your app makes it clear it's a third party app, users will not complain about any charges or ads if any as they'll understand they are not being charged twice by us, and goes to an independent developer. 

It's strange that Google is asking us to give permission, please let us know how we can help to publish this app. You can possibly show them this forum post with our support for your application, or let us know how we can help. 

Please release the English version soon as well :-) 

Thanks,

The TuneBlade Team

 

[mobile.ga...@gmail.com]

The Tuneblade App is live for Android.

Please be so kind to review the app and let me know if there is anything not working the way it was meant to be.

In a first run the app is free.

Probably adding a password will cost money. But I am taking one step at a time.

Hope you like the app.

[TuneBlade Support]

That's great! Thanks for sharing. 

We could not find it on the Play Store. Can you please share the direct link please? 

Thanks,

The TuneBlade Team 

[mobile.ga...@gmail.com]

The play-store link:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mgd.TuneBlade

Hope it's the same for the US store.

Torsten

[mobile.ga...@gmail.com]

Ups - my bad.

I missed to set it to different countries.

With the next update USA and 25 other country stores should be added. 

[TuneBlade Support]

Hi,

We tried it briefly, it works great! 

Just a minor quirk to enter the port number at the start, you can possibly use Zeroconf to discover the TuneBlade remote service in future updates? 

Thank you for sharing this, please keep us posted on it's availability in other countries, English version and any other future updates. 

Thanks,

The TuneBlade Team 

[mobile.ga...@gmail.com]

I have added Zeroconf support with version 1.01.00

Hope all works as supposed.

The only issue I am facing is, that if you have Tuneblade running for some time, it seems not to posts it's port.

Once you restart Tunebalde the remote gets informed and is working fine.

[TuneBlade Support]

Zeroconf support is great news!

TuneBlade uses the standard Apple Bonjour Windows SDK. TuneBlade simply registers the port and other information with the API, and the Bonjour service takes care of the rest, advertising and responding to Zeroconf requests. Which Zerconf library are you using on Android? You could use Wireshark on Windows to troubleshoot the issue. We'll test it on our setup as well.  

Thanks,

The TuneBlade Team

[shane.t...@gmail.com]

How are you connecting the USB to the Dot?

I'm running the line out of the Dot, to line in of a small PC and then using HA-Bridge to control the API. Its a lot of power though. 

I'm looking to achieve the same thing with a Pi Zero, using Forked-Daapd, but I cant find any information on making DACP work with HA-Bridge :(

[Frederic BLANC]

Hello,

The post is old but I am looking for an app for android.

I find your APP but it is no longer compatible with the new android. 

Do you have an updated version?

[Bill Nowlin]

Hi there!  I know it's been a long time but I just wanted to jump in on this.

I'm a long time TuneBlade user that just made the switch from iOS to Android. Sadly, I haven't found any active solutions.

I have started working on a project to build an android app to solve this (utilizing the API). So far, I've had some success! I can discover servers, get a list receivers, and control their enable/disable status and volume. However, I'm very new to building apps and wanted to see if anyone would be interested in collaborating on this project? Currently I'm using MAUI and using GitHub for source control. 

If anyone would like to help out, please feel free to reach out.