9 ms·

Soundcloud for the Desktop

169 points by somecoder 11y ago

somecoder 11y ago
On GitHub here: https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app
- tarellel 11y ago
  Interesting, I had figured they had used something along the lines of http://electron.atom.io/ http://electron.atom.io/
  - fortytw2 11y ago
    NW.js is very, very similar to Electron
brink 11y ago
Awesome! I'm aware that there are plugins for Chrome to capture media keys, but they never seem to work right and intercept the keys when I don't want them to. This fixes that problem of listening to my stream and having to navigate to that tab when I don't like a song.
kevinastone 11y ago
Interesting! I've been using Soundcleod[0] for a couple years now which is basically a Fluid-style browser wrapper (with support for media keys). [0]: http://soundcleod.com http://soundcleod.com
- angeloashmore 11y ago
  I've also been using this for a couple years now. Using it now in fact! Soundcloud's UI has gotten much better within the past year, enough so that it feels fine to use as a dedicated desktop app.
pascalo 11y ago
Works well, but I cannot figure out to browse the likes of follwers and followees, which is one of my main ways of discovery. So back to the website.
- andy_ppp 11y ago
  Be great if you could order artists by number of friends/followers who like them...
SeanAnderson 11y ago
Hey, How does this comply with SoundCloud's API Terms of Use? https://developers.soundcloud.com/docs/api/terms-of-use https://developers.soundcloud.com/docs/api/terms-of-use More specifically: > Unacceptable Use > use of the SoundCloud® API to aggregate and stream User Content from multiple users into an on demand listening service; I've built similar things in the past (https://github.com/MeoMix/StreamusChromeExtension https://github.com/MeoMix/StreamusChromeExtension), but using SoundCloud's API for such a project always seemed off-limits from a TOS perspective.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
- meddlepal 11y ago
  Well if it is off limits then SoundCloud should really hire this guy ASAP. As a new SC user I much prefer desktop clients to web browser applications.
  - elithrar 11y ago
    Note that it's a web app using NW.js (like Electron) to turn it into a 'desktop' app. (Which I'm personally OK with for applications like this, where native gains may not be as big)
    - mrmondo 11y ago
      Usually I would choose a native app over a website for the performance and better memory management, unfortunately all that is lost with node & friends.
    - foota 11y ago
      @mondo, is the advantage really gone? Seems like cutting out the browser would eliminate a lot of overhead.
      - girvo 11y ago
mintplant 11y ago
Anyone know if there's something like this for Bandcamp?
- voltagex_ 11y ago
  Nope, unless there's an underground trade in API keys. [1] Wonder what happened. [1]: https://bandcamp.com/developer https://bandcamp.com/developer
  - ec109685 11y ago
    Can't someone just steal the API key in a currently authorized app?
    - kuschku 11y ago
      Indeed you can, and preferably you'd use the key of an official phone app from them, so that they can't just invalidate it without releasing a new one.
owencm 11y ago
Looks great! Out of interest, does this take advantage of any native features via node or could it also be a website? I'm curious if the motivation of making a desktop app was just for the "installed app user experience" or because it was needed to access some API.
raylus 11y ago
Can't open osx version
- Gys 11y ago
  No problem on my system - Air, 2012, OSX latest
rjvir 11y ago
For me, the main allure of the a desktop app is the support for media keys. For those interested, there is a Mac app called BeardedSpice that maps the media keys to a variety of websites (Youtube, SoundCloud, BandCamp, etc). https://github.com/beardedspice/beardedspice https://github.com/beardedspice/beardedspice
- padenot 11y ago
  We are also doing a spec so that it works in all browsers: https://mediasession.spec.whatwg.org/ https://mediasession.spec.whatwg.org/
- 4lun 11y ago
  There's also a chrome extension "Media Keys by Sway.fm"[1]. It can scrobble to last.fm and pause videos/music in other tabs when you start playing something else. [1] https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/media-keys-by-swayfm/icckhjgjjompfgoiidainoapgjepncej https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/media-keys-by-sway...
  - l-p 11y ago
    Or Keysocket which is FOSS (Apache license). https://github.com/borismus/keysocket https://github.com/borismus/keysocket
- bede 11y ago
  Is anybody aware of plans for a web API to allow reassignment of media keys? Clearly it would require strict permissions so as not to be abused, but it could be really useful.
meir_yanovich 11y ago
Does it use SC API's ( guess not ) or does it scrap / manipulate the sound cloud client ? is it allowed ?
- provemewrong 11y ago
  Why do you guess not? It says it uses Souncloud API in the first paragraph on GitHub's readme. [1] [1]: https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app
thecopy 11y ago
I have waited so long for Spotify to add a feature where you can add a Soundcloud track to a playlist. I guess i have to use this until (if) that happens.
- danielsamuels 11y ago
  You could download the Soundcloud tracks into a directory and add the directory to Spotify.
przemoc 11y ago
I haven't checked Soundnode App yet, but any attempt to sanitize the way you interact with SoundCloud should be appreciated, because SC web UX is bad. Soundnode App UI looks nice. I'd add screenshot for each main view on app's home page, even if they're all similar, though. UX remains to be tested. The only (apparent?) downside is that this app seems to be a bundled web app with web browser. I'm not that fond of such solutions. But. If it wasn't open source and GitHub page wasn't shown there, then there is a high chance I would not notice that it's built like that, at least from screenshot alone. Writing SoundCloud client is on my ToDo list, as it would be a good way to brush up and enhance my Qt skills. Maybe I'd finally embrace QML along the way, as I'm postponing QML tinkering for far too long I guess. I'm also considering fiddling with PyQt5, as it could possibly quicken prototyping, but I'm not sure about it in my case, as I have only minor Python experience and no PyQt experience at all (well, it's like incentive to change that). There is also SoundCloud python package, so going python way is quite tempting, but I always prefer native compiled apps over scripted ones.
- V-2 11y ago
  What do you find so bad about UX of the SoundCloud web app?
  - przemoc 11y ago
    Allow me to answer by pointing to what I wrote some time ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7854080 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7854080 (Oh, it's already ~2 years since I first thought about writing my own SC API front-end. Time sure flies...)
r3bl 11y ago
Okay, so I ran it with my backup account that I'm using to download stuff for free (those songs that require you to follow certain people on SoundCloud to get access to the download link), and I noticed something strange: apparently, I'm following the SoundCloud user named Flying Spaghetti Monster. I then went to SoundCloud, logged in with the same account, opened up the list of the users I'm following, loaded until the end of the list, pressed Ctrl+F, typed in "fly", and no matches were found. I then went ahead and typed "spa", again, no matches were found. Then, I have started to be a bit suspicious about the app. Then, I started typing "Flying Spaghetti Monster" in the search bar on SoundCloud and immediately realized that I am indeed following a user named "Flying Spaghetti Monster", even though I absolutely don't see it through the list of the people I am following. Talk about a bad user experience. I'm definitely not going to use their official website again.
Gys 11y ago
The app starts by showing the login and therefore requires to be registered first. However, on the official website I can listen without registering. An API requirement I guess. A regular user will probably be registered anyway. But the login looks exactly like the official page. So is this just a wrapper for the website or do they actually add value ?
kmfrk 11y ago
I’ve hoped for a long time that SoundCloud would release an alternative to iTunes to capitalize on the many podcasts on their platform. iTunes is such a goddamn POS, and I wish a private company would take up the challenge, at least when it comes to podcasts.
verbify 11y ago
I'm hoping it works natively with an xbox controller. Until now I've used Kodi's soundcloud app for my HTPC, but I'd prefer a proper app.
0XAFFE 11y ago
If you are on windows and want a native app: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/store/apps/clouder/9wzdncrfj3zv https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/store/apps/clouder/9wzdncrfj... Used it for some time and is very nice.

169 points by somecoder 11y ago

somecoder 11y ago

On GitHub here: https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app

tarellel 11y ago
Interesting, I had figured they had used something along the lines of http://electron.atom.io/ http://electron.atom.io/
- fortytw2 11y ago
  NW.js is very, very similar to Electron

brink 11y ago

Awesome! I'm aware that there are plugins for Chrome to capture media keys, but they never seem to work right and intercept the keys when I don't want them to. This fixes that problem of listening to my stream and having to navigate to that tab when I don't like a song.

kevinastone 11y ago

Interesting! I've been using Soundcleod[0] for a couple years now which is basically a Fluid-style browser wrapper (with support for media keys). [0]: http://soundcleod.com http://soundcleod.com

angeloashmore 11y ago
I've also been using this for a couple years now. Using it now in fact! Soundcloud's UI has gotten much better within the past year, enough so that it feels fine to use as a dedicated desktop app.

pascalo 11y ago

Works well, but I cannot figure out to browse the likes of follwers and followees, which is one of my main ways of discovery. So back to the website.

andy_ppp 11y ago
Be great if you could order artists by number of friends/followers who like them...

SeanAnderson 11y ago

Hey, How does this comply with SoundCloud's API Terms of Use? https://developers.soundcloud.com/docs/api/terms-of-use https://developers.soundcloud.com/docs/api/terms-of-use More specifically: > Unacceptable Use > use of the SoundCloud® API to aggregate and stream User Content from multiple users into an on demand listening service; I've built similar things in the past (https://github.com/MeoMix/StreamusChromeExtension https://github.com/MeoMix/StreamusChromeExtension), but using SoundCloud's API for such a project always seemed off-limits from a TOS perspective.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
meddlepal 11y ago
Well if it is off limits then SoundCloud should really hire this guy ASAP. As a new SC user I much prefer desktop clients to web browser applications.
- elithrar 11y ago
  Note that it's a web app using NW.js (like Electron) to turn it into a 'desktop' app. (Which I'm personally OK with for applications like this, where native gains may not be as big)
  - mrmondo 11y ago
    Usually I would choose a native app over a website for the performance and better memory management, unfortunately all that is lost with node & friends.
  - foota 11y ago
    @mondo, is the advantage really gone? Seems like cutting out the browser would eliminate a lot of overhead.
    - girvo 11y ago

mintplant 11y ago

Anyone know if there's something like this for Bandcamp?

voltagex_ 11y ago
Nope, unless there's an underground trade in API keys. [1] Wonder what happened. [1]: https://bandcamp.com/developer https://bandcamp.com/developer
- ec109685 11y ago
  Can't someone just steal the API key in a currently authorized app?
  - kuschku 11y ago
    Indeed you can, and preferably you'd use the key of an official phone app from them, so that they can't just invalidate it without releasing a new one.

owencm 11y ago

Looks great! Out of interest, does this take advantage of any native features via node or could it also be a website? I'm curious if the motivation of making a desktop app was just for the "installed app user experience" or because it was needed to access some API.

raylus 11y ago

Can't open osx version

Gys 11y ago
No problem on my system - Air, 2012, OSX latest

rjvir 11y ago

For me, the main allure of the a desktop app is the support for media keys. For those interested, there is a Mac app called BeardedSpice that maps the media keys to a variety of websites (Youtube, SoundCloud, BandCamp, etc). https://github.com/beardedspice/beardedspice https://github.com/beardedspice/beardedspice

padenot 11y ago
We are also doing a spec so that it works in all browsers: https://mediasession.spec.whatwg.org/ https://mediasession.spec.whatwg.org/
4lun 11y ago
There's also a chrome extension "Media Keys by Sway.fm"[1]. It can scrobble to last.fm and pause videos/music in other tabs when you start playing something else. [1] https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/media-keys-by-swayfm/icckhjgjjompfgoiidainoapgjepncej https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/media-keys-by-sway...
- l-p 11y ago
  Or Keysocket which is FOSS (Apache license). https://github.com/borismus/keysocket https://github.com/borismus/keysocket
bede 11y ago
Is anybody aware of plans for a web API to allow reassignment of media keys? Clearly it would require strict permissions so as not to be abused, but it could be really useful.

meir_yanovich 11y ago

Does it use SC API's ( guess not ) or does it scrap / manipulate the sound cloud client ? is it allowed ?

provemewrong 11y ago
Why do you guess not? It says it uses Souncloud API in the first paragraph on GitHub's readme. [1] [1]: https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app https://github.com/Soundnode/soundnode-app

thecopy 11y ago

I have waited so long for Spotify to add a feature where you can add a Soundcloud track to a playlist. I guess i have to use this until (if) that happens.

danielsamuels 11y ago
You could download the Soundcloud tracks into a directory and add the directory to Spotify.

przemoc 11y ago

I haven't checked Soundnode App yet, but any attempt to sanitize the way you interact with SoundCloud should be appreciated, because SC web UX is bad. Soundnode App UI looks nice. I'd add screenshot for each main view on app's home page, even if they're all similar, though. UX remains to be tested. The only (apparent?) downside is that this app seems to be a bundled web app with web browser. I'm not that fond of such solutions. But. If it wasn't open source and GitHub page wasn't shown there, then there is a high chance I would not notice that it's built like that, at least from screenshot alone. Writing SoundCloud client is on my ToDo list, as it would be a good way to brush up and enhance my Qt skills. Maybe I'd finally embrace QML along the way, as I'm postponing QML tinkering for far too long I guess. I'm also considering fiddling with PyQt5, as it could possibly quicken prototyping, but I'm not sure about it in my case, as I have only minor Python experience and no PyQt experience at all (well, it's like incentive to change that). There is also SoundCloud python package, so going python way is quite tempting, but I always prefer native compiled apps over scripted ones.

V-2 11y ago
What do you find so bad about UX of the SoundCloud web app?
- przemoc 11y ago
  Allow me to answer by pointing to what I wrote some time ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7854080 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=7854080 (Oh, it's already ~2 years since I first thought about writing my own SC API front-end. Time sure flies...)

r3bl 11y ago

Okay, so I ran it with my backup account that I'm using to download stuff for free (those songs that require you to follow certain people on SoundCloud to get access to the download link), and I noticed something strange: apparently, I'm following the SoundCloud user named Flying Spaghetti Monster. I then went to SoundCloud, logged in with the same account, opened up the list of the users I'm following, loaded until the end of the list, pressed Ctrl+F, typed in "fly", and no matches were found. I then went ahead and typed "spa", again, no matches were found. Then, I have started to be a bit suspicious about the app. Then, I started typing "Flying Spaghetti Monster" in the search bar on SoundCloud and immediately realized that I am indeed following a user named "Flying Spaghetti Monster", even though I absolutely don't see it through the list of the people I am following. Talk about a bad user experience. I'm definitely not going to use their official website again.

Gys 11y ago

The app starts by showing the login and therefore requires to be registered first. However, on the official website I can listen without registering. An API requirement I guess. A regular user will probably be registered anyway. But the login looks exactly like the official page. So is this just a wrapper for the website or do they actually add value ?

kmfrk 11y ago

I’ve hoped for a long time that SoundCloud would release an alternative to iTunes to capitalize on the many podcasts on their platform. iTunes is such a goddamn POS, and I wish a private company would take up the challenge, at least when it comes to podcasts.

verbify 11y ago

I'm hoping it works natively with an xbox controller. Until now I've used Kodi's soundcloud app for my HTPC, but I'd prefer a proper app.

0XAFFE 11y ago

If you are on windows and want a native app: https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/store/apps/clouder/9wzdncrfj3zv https://www.microsoft.com/de-de/store/apps/clouder/9wzdncrfj... Used it for some time and is very nice.