Add support for using multiple backends simultaneously

[jodal]

It would be nice to be able to mix music from different backends, e.g. Spotify and local disk, in the current playlist. The library and search results should also include tracks from all backends.

Current work on this is in the features/multi-backend branch. There are largely two separate parts of work that needs to be done:

• The backend controllers need to dispatch requests to one or more backend providers, depending upon the command and the playlist/track.
• The GStreamer output needs to be able to play both URIs (file:// and http://) and raw audio data using the same pipeline.

[adamcik]

http://cgit.freedesktop.org/gstreamer/gstreamer/tree/docs/design/part-block.txt is probably relevant for low-level gst part of fix.

[adamcik]

http://cgit.freedesktop.org/gstreamer/gst-python/tree/examples/switch.py inputselector example that might be relevant

[adamcik]

b5b2319 has solved gst part of this problem. Thus, only the backend controller part of this task needs to be completed.

[jodal]

I just pushed a new feature/multi-backend branch, which contains some new work on this.

Disclaimer: Currently, the branch got 586 failing tests due to outdated test setUp.

[matt-oakes]

Is there any update on this issue? I'm looking at using Mopidy as a replacement for my own system and it would be good if multiple sources. I'd gladly help out once I get up to speed with the code.

[jodal]

Nothing new, but it's still our highest priority.

[matt-oakes]

Cool. Thanks for the quick response. If any help's needed I'll be happy to get involved.

[paulsturgess]

Hey guys, just wondering how this feature was coming along? It's the one thing holding me back from using Mopidy to play music in our company office...

[jodal]

I'm sorry to say it's status quo.

[adamcik]

For the record, I believe we have the gstreamer part of this more or less in check. I could envision implementing/using a spotify gstreamer element like http://code.google.com/p/dogvibes/source/browse/trunk/gst-spot-src/src/gstspotsrc.c so that we can just give gstreamer a spotify:// url and have it work. But this should in no way be required to implement multibackend support.

So what is remaining is really having the controllers dispatch to multiple backend providers part of the problem.

[jodal]

It took almost two years, but support for multiple simultaneous backends have now landed in the develop branch. Mopidy 0.9 will be great :-)