Android Tutorial MediaPlayer tutorial

The MediaPlayer is used to play audio files.
MediaPlayer supports formats like: mp3, midi, wave and ogg. The full list is available here: Android Supported Media Formats | Android Developers

In order to play an audio file we first need to load the file:
B4X:
MediaPlayer1.Load(File.DirAssets, "IsawHerStandingThere.mid")
In this case the file was added with the file manager and therefore File.DirAssets is used.

Now we can start playing the file with:
B4X:
MediaPlayer1.Play
and pause the playback with:
B4X:
MediaPlayer.Pause
Calling Play will resume from the same position.
Note that you can only call Pause while MediaPlayer is playing.

You can call MediaPlayer.Load at any point (after initialization), and load a new file.
MediaPlayer should be declared in Process_Globals otherwise a new instance will be created each time the activity is recreated.

The program attached is a small program that allows the user to see the playback progress and to change the position.

mediaplayer_1.png


This is the code:
B4X:
Sub Process_Globals
    Dim MediaPlayer1 As MediaPlayer
    Dim timer1 As Timer
End Sub

Sub Globals
    Dim barPosition As SeekBar
    Dim barVolume As SeekBar
    Dim lblPosition As Label
    Dim Looping As ToggleButton
End Sub

Sub Activity_Create(FirstTime As Boolean) 
    If FirstTime Then
        MediaPlayer1.Initialize( )
        MediaPlayer1.Load(File.DirAssets, "IsawHerStandingThere.mid")
        Timer1.Initialize("timer1", 1000)
    End If
    Activity.LoadLayout("1")
    Looping_CheckedChange(Looping.Checked) 'set the default value
End Sub

Sub Activity_Resume
    MediaPlayer1.Play
    timer1.Enabled = True
    timer1_Tick 'don't wait one second for the UI to update.
End Sub

Sub Activity_Pause (UserClosed As Boolean)
    If MediaPlayer1.IsPlaying Then MediaPlayer1.Pause
    timer1.Enabled = False
End Sub

Sub timer1_Tick
    If MediaPlayer1.IsPlaying Then
        barPosition.Value = MediaPlayer1.Position / MediaPlayer1.Duration * 100
        lblPosition.Text = "Position: " & ConvertToTimeFormat(MediaPlayer1.Position) & _
            " (" & ConvertToTimeFormat(MediaPlayer1.Duration) & ")"
    End If
End Sub
'converts milliseconds to m:ss format.
Sub ConvertToTimeFormat(ms As Int) As String
    Dim seconds, minutes As Int
    seconds = Round(ms / 1000)
    minutes = Floor(seconds / 60)
    seconds = seconds Mod 60
    Return NumberFormat(minutes, 1, 0) & ":" & NumberFormat(seconds, 2, 0) 'ex: 3:05
End Sub

Sub barVolume_ValueChanged (Value As Int, UserChanged As Boolean)
    MediaPlayer1.SetVolume(barVolume.Value / 100, barVolume.Value / 100)
End Sub

Sub barPosition_ValueChanged (Value As Int, UserChanged As Boolean)
    If UserChanged = False Then Return 'the value was changed programmatically
    MediaPlayer1.Position = Value / 100 * MediaPlayer1.Duration
    If MediaPlayer1.IsPlaying = False Then 'this can happen when the playback reached the end and the user changes the position
        MediaPlayer1.Play
    End If
    timer1_Tick 'immediately update the progress label
End Sub

Sub Looping_CheckedChange(Checked As Boolean)
    MediaPlayer1.Looping = Checked
End Sub
We are initializing MediaPlayer only once when the application starts.
Playing starts when the activity resumes, which happens right after the Create event.

A timer is used to check the playback position every second and update the label and seek bar.
Note that the seekbar ValueChanged position includes a boolean value named UserChanged which you can use to differentiate between changes done by the user (by dragging the thumb) and changes done programmatically.

The Looping property determines whether playback will restart automatically when it reaches the end.
 

Attachments

  • MediaPlayer.zip
    9.5 KB · Views: 6,987

mjcoon

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Note that the seekbar ValueChanged position includes a boolean value named UserChanged which you can use to differentiate between changes done by the user (by dragging the thumb) and changes done programmatically.

Aha; that would have saved all those boolean flags I had to invent for the same purpose in Basic4PPC programs!

Mike.
 

moster67

Expert
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Wow Eril - you are really spoiling us with goodies :icon_clap:

I actually feel guilty asking you this after all things you have managed to include in B4A so far, but I am wondering if you are going to extend later on the Media-Library with video-support as well?
 

susu

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I hope B4A will support it. Thanks Erel.
 

derez

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Duration

When playing mp3 files the duration is about 6.7 times the correct duration, I haven't tested other types yet. :confused:

edit: Now I'm more confused because I found that for that album I have the same problem with the PPC player, and for other albums there is no problem.

I guess it needs more checking... maybe there are differences in the mp3 files based on the compression level ?
 
Last edited:

peacemaker

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So is MediaPlayer the part of Android ? Not an application that can be removed from rooted device wishing to have better player (and application using it hangs)?
 

susu

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Can you make MediaPlayer supports streaming data?
 

karmacomposer

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Great. I will need to use media player. Is video far off? I really would love to take advantage of video playback if possible.

How is drag and drop utilized on Android devices? I would like someone to drag and drop a file from a file browser, put it on a track, ready for playback.

Also, how would I create a 'snap to' grid? Any ideas?

Mike
 

nfordbscndrd

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I just compiled the sample Media Player app to an Archos 70, having modified it to load an MP3 file already on the device. It starts okay, but then it pauses every 5 seconds or so. I stopped all other apps which were running on the A70 and it still does it.

The music player that comes with the A70 works fine, but I have had issues with other music players that I've downloaded, so I assume it is an issue with the A70, unless you know of something I may be doing wrong.

The only other thing I can think of is that the A70 has a 250GB hard drive which is where the MP3s are stored. I noticed that Media Player stops if I press the A70's Home button while A70's music player continues in the background, so it makes me wonder if Media Player pauses when the hard drive is accessed or some other background app does something while the A70 player doesn't.
 

wocmedia

New Member
Just a simple question isn't enough change in this code line MediaPlayer1.Load(File.DirAssets, "IsawHerStandingThere.mid") the .mid with one video extension supported by android to get a file video played by mediaplayer?
 

nfordbscndrd

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
I just compiled the sample Media Player app to an Archos 70, having modified it to load an MP3 file already on the device. It starts okay, but then it pauses every 5 seconds or so. I stopped all other apps which were running on the A70 and it still does it.

The music player that comes with the A70 works fine, but I have had issues with other music players that I've downloaded, so I assume it is an issue with the A70, unless you know of something I may be doing wrong.

The only other thing I can think of is that the A70 has a 250GB hard drive which is where the MP3s are stored. I noticed that Media Player stops if I press the A70's Home button while A70's music player continues in the background, so it makes me wonder if Media Player pauses when the hard drive is accessed or some other background app does something while the A70 player doesn't.

It sounds like a problem in this specific device.

Looks like it. I just got this info on the Archos forum (regarding media player on the Archos A70):

Archos player uses special hdd [hard disk drive] sleep state "lock". This lock prevents hdd from sleeping while system media player plays something. For some reason, Archos didn't document that anywhere and they locked this to system apps only, thus preventing other players from playing without stuttering. Simple solution for archos would be removing DEVICE_POWER permission from that hdd sleep lock, still archos 70 hdd will require specifc support from players (few lines of code).
 

susu

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Just wonder when will media player supports streaming file??? I wished it for a long time.
 

StevieC

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Hi Erel,
Is it possible to speed up and slow down the audio? Not necessarily keeping the pitch the same (although that would be a nice option).
 
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