I want to announce that I just released version 0.9 of squash. Which marks the first official release of squash that runs on the empeg (it is also a PC console linux player). This is the initial release and so please be kind with the fact I am still missing lots of features.

However, I would like to point out the benifits that squash has:

Automatic song picking: This is an enhanced shuffle that picks songs you skip less often than the songs you do not skip.

OGG support: The current version of squash supports both OGG and MP3. I plan on adding FLAC support if there is interest. (In fact any c-library based format can be easily supported).

Backwards compatible with old player: Squash will read the original player's database files and play it's music. This way you can try squash out without having to re-upload.

No database: That is, there is no need to use extra tools to maintain a database. Additionally, you can just send you files via ftp or rsync directly and squash will play those files automatically.

I won't mention all the current shortcommings, misfeatures, etc, as I'll likely fill up several screens. But fear not, squash is quite usable and shouldn't do any permenant damage. (Just don't hit the power button while it's running, ok? This is "beta".)

Without any further ado here is the freshmeat link, I apologize that I do not have a homepage yet.

http://freshmeat.net/projects/squash

Also check out the screen shots of the PC and the Empeg version:
http://savannah.nongnu.org/download/squash/squash-0.8.png
http://savannah.nongnu.org/download/squash/squash-0.9-empeg.png

Thanks. Please feel free to do whatever you want, as you did before you read this life-altering post.

-Adam Luter (Gryn)

Got a direct link to the binary?

I dug around and found an ARM binary, copied it to the player (renamed it to "squash"), marked it as executable, and ran it at the shell prompt. Got:

empeg:/empeg/bin# ./squash
Can't create '~/.squash_control'

Did I get the wrong binary? Am I doing it right or not?

I'd like to request support for those tracker music files, like MOD,S3M, etc. Converting them to WAV, then MP3 just wastes too much space on the player.

Actually I'd love to see this support in the next version of the car software but I doubt it will happen.

That is the correct binary. Please dig around for the docs .

(The docs will walk you through the source compilation, but just ignore all the makes, etc, and only do the rest).

Sorry that squash cannot just be run, you have to setup some support files first. If the current documentation is no good please let me know and I will try to make it better (and perhaps geared to binary installation -- I only put the binaries there as a last resort, but I guess that's sort of foolish since not everyone will want to make a toolchain).

Related: If you do have a toolchain, created independently from my instructions, please let me know if the OGG files show the total time. My toolchain does not work and I would like help in knowing what options to set. I can then put those in the documentation.

I'd like to request support for those tracker music files, like MOD,S3M, etc. Converting them to WAV, then MP3 just wastes too much space on the player.

Actually I'd love to see this support in the next version of the car software but I doubt it will happen.

Holy freakin' cow. I thought I was the only one who did that. Whew. I feel less insane now.

Me.

Oh, for that matter I am another one I'd love to play old mods on the empeg. Not that it's a major need tha I have, of course, but that would simply be very nice and unique.

Just in case you didn't know it already - there's a sid player available, but you have to select it instead of the player binary at init time (at the time it was typically selected with the "picker" application)

/Michael

Thanks. In fact, I knew that. It would be nice if that and other file formats would be supported natively... Nothing important, of course. Just in memory of the old days

Gryng,

There are people interested in remote control of the empeg via the serial port as well as remote display capability thru the serial port. Would it be difficult for you to implement these requests into squash?

rtundo,

Squash currently has a control file, ( /drive0/squash/control ) that can be written to do various user interface commands. I only use it to easily bridge squash with my joystick at home. I also plan on upgrading this feature, which currently uses an very unreliable and fidgety FIFO, with a socket. The socket should be more reliable, but you won't be able to do the cool "echo pause >> control".

Sorry for the late reply, I've been working hard at school -and- trying to get squash ready for 1.0 (which has taken way too long!).

Thanks for the reply. Hope school is going well. That's definitely number one priority (although sometimes a real pain in the rear section )