Media files on network disk

I have a huge collection off media files (mp3´s etc) stored on a network drive connected to my wireless router. Is it possible to play these files with my m8 over the network and add them to my music library?

no, you will have to download them. at least to my knowlegde unless you use the m8 online music app. i havent found out how to though.

I wrote a guide on how to do it with video files How-to access video files stored on a remote drive

I have modified it below to work with mp3s.

1. Download CeRegEditor - free registry editor for PDA PocketPC WindowsCE WindowsMobile(WM)
2. Connect your phone to usb by ActiveSync mode
3. In CeRegEditor, click the connect button in the top right hand corner
4. Navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\
5. Make a new key called "audiofile" (without quotes)
6. Under "audiofile", make keys called "Shell", "Open" and "Command" (without quotes)
It should look like this:



Under the "Command" key make a new string called "default" with a data value of "MzMusic.exe %1" (all without quotes)

Now you can exit out of that and unplug the USB and close the registry editor.

Now we have to open explorer.exe. This can be done by browsing in the File Manager to Device\Windows\explorer.exe or you can install Explorer/Control Icon to make it easier.

Now, in the address bar (you may have to unhide the address bar by clicking view > address bar) type the location of the files.

For me, this is \\SERVER-PC\Music

If you have a password on the files, now is the time you must use it. It should be the same Username/password as that of the user account on the serving pc.

Now, admire your work and enjoy the songs!

Edit: this must be done over a WiFi connection

nice idea! and thanks for your work!!

Originally Posted by SNOOP_69

nice idea! and thanks for your work!!

No problem .

After reading the first post again, I just want to clarify that this won't add to the library.

Also using explorer.exe can be a bit tedious as the things you must click on are so small.

Also, I'm not sure if you can play multiple files at once, so you may have to go into explorer every time you want a new file, but you could try make a playlist file somehow and see if you could make it work that way.

very nice ! is there any chance to make that working with the normal Meizu Explorer (Windows/FileBrowser.exe) ? I have not found out how to run that one with parameters to point it to a path of my choice.

Originally Posted by BobbyQ

very nice ! is there any chance to make that working with the normal Meizu Explorer (Windows/FileBrowser.exe) ? I have not found out how to run that one with parameters to point it to a path of my choice.

I'm not too sure. I haven't gone any further than trying a shortcut file to point to the network drive and shortcuts arent supported in the file browser it turns out.

If there is anything else to try it would be good to know... Unless there was an app coded to do it.

Edit. The above method may not work. It should, but I haven't tested it so it might not. If it doesnt work it should be very easy to fix.

I tried to start FileBrowser.exe with a parameter by modifying the icon executable with in the registry HKLM/SOFTWARE/Meizu/MiniOneShell/Main/(internal name of my icon = FileBrowser2) but no success.
If that could work it would be a really cool feature ! Browsing files with the Explorer is a pain, and also skipping to the next track does not work.

So it works for sure? Great!

Does it work to play multiple if you highlight them all and go File > Open?

Ps. I just shortened the guide removing things you dont have to do becuase they are already done (eg. make a key called ".mp3")

Edit: Just testid the multiple files, it doesnt work

hoho, I got something ! When I noticed that FileBrowser.exe remembers the last browsed directory, I assumed that it does so in the registry and voila :
I changed HKLM/SOFTWARE/Meizu/FileBrowser/Path to a network path like this "\\mymediaserver". Then I started FileBrowser and now I can browse all my media :-)
Skipping mp3 tracks still doesn't work, but at least it's a proof of concept and it works ! Browsing photos even works with skipping to the next one !

edit : you can use the Meizu registry editor to export this registry key to disk, so you can easily import it again when your "last browsed" directory has changed. This way you don't need to use activesync.

Originally Posted by BobbyQ

hoho, I got something ! When I noticed that FileBrowser.exe remembers the last browsed directory, I assumed that it does so in the registry and voila :
I changed HKLM/SOFTWARE/Meizu/FileBrowser/Path to a network path like this "\\mymediaserver". Then I started FileBrowser and now I can browse all my media :-)
Skipping mp3 tracks still doesn't work, but at least it's a proof of concept and it works ! Browsing photos even works with skipping to the next one !

That... Is... A... GREAT FIND!


And the good thing about the file browser is that there is no need to associate the files in the registry like my guide details! Much easier.

I wonder if there is a wa for MZMusic.exe to look in \\HomeServer rather than Disk\Music when refreshing. That would be handy.

this is awesome guys!

well i was wrong....

Originally Posted by Shadowstrike

well i was wrong....

Not totally wrong. So far there is no way of adding it to the media library. But I'll search around for something today.

Well I just looked through the registry and the MzMusic.exe with out finding anything.

My next idea would be to look in the music.edb database file located in Disk\Music.

Unfortunately I dont have MSaccess installed right now so i cant , but Ill try get my hands on a copy.

maybe it would be a better idea to save your breath and directly post this information to Meizu, because eventually it's them who are making the MzMusic.exe. Why invent another wheel when the first one just needs a little polish.

While I dont think they would really do anything about it, it would still be a good idea.

I'll give it a try. Thanks

Just found something that could be helpful.

My sprite allows you to change the directory which it will search for files in by going
System > System path settings.

Unfortunately you cannot type in a path and you must select one from the file browser... which doesn't remember the last visited directory from M8Sprite .

There must be a way!!

found 2 registry keys :
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Meizu\Path:Music = /Disk/Music
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Meizu\Path:MusicDB = /Disk/Music/music.edb
can you check if that can be changed to a network path ? I am at work right now and can't do much testing ...

I'm not able to test this now, but I think it might be possible to do it that way, BobbyQ!

But while I was reading through this thread, I was thinking that it might be possible to just edit a .m3u file to send the M8 to ex. \\JaffZe\Music\ for the files?
I did this all the time earlier when I synchronized the M8 with MediaMonkey, because something went wrong and I had to edit the path to every track.. But it worked 100% when the playlist lead somewhere local. I'm not sure how the M8 will react if you suddenly try to send it somewhere over wifi!
Just a little idea

Good luck!