Winamp Ipod Controller ml_ipod - review

I hope Winamp counts as a 3rd Party App! :confused:

I only found two previous refs to ml_amp so I'll post a little review for you.

Ok...I was very pleasantly surprised with the Winamp plug-in "ml_ipod". Installation was typical of any Winamp plug-in. I didn't exactly follow the online documentation - I merely connected my iPod. iTunes came up of course, but surprisingly as the iPod started to sync, every file on it was "updated" - all 2.2 gig worth!

What apparently was happening was Winamp was indexing everything on it. Lo and behold, when I opened Winamp's Media Library Window, there were all my playlists. Everything seemed complete and all selections played flawlessly.

I'm using the magnificent Konfabulator Winamp Controller and WinampCDCase widget and am extremely impressed with both. The WinampCDCase widget requires the ActiveWinamp plug-in. Both widgets are avaialble at the widget gallery.

I have a question: I'd like to post a thumbnail and link to a screenshot of the 2 widgets in action along with the open Media Library . Can I post them in this thread, or should I post them under the Yahoo Widgets thread or perhaps under the Screenshot thread? The Screenshot thread seems to be the best candidate under the rules. I readily admit that the shots are more specific to the Konfab widgets than to the ml_ipod plug-in.

You can download the ml_ipod plug-in at www.mlipod.com. Full documentation is online.

UPDATE:

Well...before someone posts and tells me "been there, done that...you'll be sorry" - I have to conclude this "review" with the observation that with the iPod connected and the ml_ipod plug-in running, this sucker is a bigger resource hog than iTunes.

Oh well...live an learn. I see that iTunes 6.0.3 is waiting for me to download it...

#359930

Edit your original post, don't double post!

//Posts Merged

You may post the thumbnails in this thread if it's specific to Winamp iPod controller.

Thanks

-NC

#359951

Winamp 5.2 beta has support for media devices as standard modules for media library (supports iPods, Creative Zens and WPFS devices)

As for resources - takes 2-7% of processor time with modern skin and 20 Mb RAM (when Media Database is loaded + 40 Mb swap) [2-5% CPU 40/67 Mb for iTunes]

ok, the're almost the same at resources now.... but Winamp doesn't lag on playback, can be supplied with a good DSP, has fast visuals, looks much better with a smart skin.

As for resources - I have a 1400 Mhz AMD Athlon (Thunderbird) 512 Mb RAM, WinXP SP2 - just to compare if someone tells iTunes takes less than percent of CPU time (on his 4.2Ghz P4EE ) ))

oh well - I forgot to say when Winamp's ML is closed, it's memory footprint drops to 7Mb (50 songs in playlist + iChange skin)

iTunes frees memory only when it's minimized to tray (provided you have MultiPlugin installed)

P.S. iTunes deleted, iPod service uninstalled. Winamp rules )

And here comes another thing.... the update.... 6.03 came and I have to get 30+ Mb? That is not funny at all.

#360024

_Cell might be on to something I hadn't really considered.

I've been looking at this darn thing...I think the peak in resources that I was seeing (30% +) was when I disconnected, then reconnected the iPod and it was wanting to reread the tags for the media library, which it didn't save (or I didn't save) from the first connect. Once it was done reading however, I was still seeing 20% + resource usage.

But - it was reading song info directly from the iPod, not from my library on HD. When I get home this evening I'll work with it some more - maybe clear the ipod and restore part of it from my library and let Winamp do its thing.

By permission of Nightcrawler above, here's the screenie of the Konfab Winamp controller + Winamp CDCase. Alternately, you could use the excellent "Dashamp" skin and save on some resources by not running the controller widget.

UPDATE:

I re-read Nightcrawler's note - let me take another screenie than the one I was going to post showing the open Winamp Media Library along with the controller and CD Case widgets - without the Media Library the screenshot I have probably belongs under Yahoo Widgets.

I'll post my findings later on.

#360044

_Cell might be on to something I hadn't really considered.

I've been looking at this darn thing...I think the peak in resources that I was seeing (30% +) was when I disconnected, then reconnected the iPod and it was wanting to reread the tags for the media library, which it didn't save (or I didn't save) from the first connect. Once it was done reading however, I was still seeing 20% + resource usage.

I'll post my findings later on.

There is some processor usage peak with 5.2 when I send music to iPod - it takes 20-100% and sometime even lags playback.... but 5.2 is still in beta. When I was using 5.11 + ml_ipod I didn't notice any significant resource consumption....

#360092

I am also using the BETA of winamp... I am really not a Fan of the new MTP Standard for portable players. But never the less i am also and will never be a fan of iPods. I got my lovely iRiver H10 (Winner in several audio magazines and a lot more useful functions than an iPod) and run it now with winamp cause i really HATE Windows media player.

SO WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT THE NEW SUPPORT:

Its very comfortable, but has some problems with generating playlists (perhaps only on my device) But the rest works great!!!

#360136

SO WHAT I CAN SAY ABOUT THE NEW SUPPORT:

Its very comfortable, but has some problems with generating playlists (perhaps only on my device) But the rest works great!!!

Oh, Irivers are godlike compared to iPods.... Sound like angels singing.... but we have what we have.....As for playlists I also noticed one thing - winamp says that it cannot transfer playlists (yet) Hope they'll fix it soon.

#360165

_cell, when I told RadioMike that you're to edit your original post and not double (or triple) post, I think I was pretty clear. This is a rule that applies to all members . Please don't do this in the future.

//Thread Cleaned Up Again.

-NC

#360186