Streaming Audio from A URL in Android using MediaPlayer?

Question

I've been trying to stream mp3's over http using Android's built in MediaPlayer class. The documentation would suggest to me that this should be as easy as :

MediaPlayer mp = new MediaPlayer();
mp.setDataSource(URL_OF_FILE);
mp.prepare();
mp.start();

However I am getting the following repeatedly. I have tried different URLs as well. Please don't tell me that streaming doesn't work on mp3's.

E/PlayerDriver(   31): Command PLAYER_SET_DATA_SOURCE completed with an error or info PVMFErrNotSupported
W/PlayerDriver(   31): PVMFInfoErrorHandlingComplete
E/MediaPlayer(  198): error (1, -4)
E/MediaPlayer(  198): start called in state 0
E/MediaPlayer(  198): error (-38, 0)
E/MediaPlayer(  198): Error (1,-4)
E/MediaPlayer(  198): Error (-38,0)

Any help much appreciated, thanks S

Answer 1

simple Media Player with streaming example.For xml part you need one button with id button1 and two images in your drawable folder with name button_pause and button_play and please don't forget to add the internet permission in your manifest.

public class MainActivity extends Activity {
private Button btn;
/**
 * help to toggle between play and pause.
 */
private boolean playPause;
private MediaPlayer mediaPlayer;
/**
 * remain false till media is not completed, inside OnCompletionListener make it true.
 */
private boolean intialStage = true;


@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    btn = (Button) findViewById(R.id.button1);
    mediaPlayer = new MediaPlayer();
    mediaPlayer.setAudioStreamType(AudioManager.STREAM_MUSIC);
    btn.setOnClickListener(pausePlay);

}

@Override
public boolean onCreateOptionsMenu(Menu menu) {
    // Inflate the menu; this adds items to the action bar if it is present.
    getMenuInflater().inflate(R.menu.activity_main, menu);
    return true;
}

private OnClickListener pausePlay = new OnClickListener() {

    @Override
    public void onClick(View v) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub

        if (!playPause) {
            btn.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.button_pause);
            if (intialStage)
                new Player()
                        .execute("http://www.virginmegastore.me/Library/Music/CD_001214/Tracks/Track1.mp3");
            else {
                if (!mediaPlayer.isPlaying())
                    mediaPlayer.start();
            }
            playPause = true;
        } else {
            btn.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.button_play);
            if (mediaPlayer.isPlaying())
                mediaPlayer.pause();
            playPause = false;
        }
    }
};
/**
 * preparing mediaplayer will take sometime to buffer the content so prepare it inside the background thread and starting it on UI thread.
 * @author piyush
 *
 */

class Player extends AsyncTask<String, Void, Boolean> {
    private ProgressDialog progress;

    @Override
    protected Boolean doInBackground(String... params) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        Boolean prepared;
        try {

            mediaPlayer.setDataSource(params[0]);

            mediaPlayer.setOnCompletionListener(new OnCompletionListener() {

                @Override
                public void onCompletion(MediaPlayer mp) {
                    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
                    intialStage = true;
                    playPause=false;
                    btn.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.button_play);
                    mediaPlayer.stop();
                    mediaPlayer.reset();
                }
            });
            mediaPlayer.prepare();
            prepared = true;
        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            Log.d("IllegarArgument", e.getMessage());
            prepared = false;
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (SecurityException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            prepared = false;
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (IllegalStateException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            prepared = false;
            e.printStackTrace();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            // TODO Auto-generated catch block
            prepared = false;
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
        return prepared;
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(Boolean result) {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        super.onPostExecute(result);
        if (progress.isShowing()) {
            progress.cancel();
        }
        Log.d("Prepared", "//" + result);
        mediaPlayer.start();

        intialStage = false;
    }

    public Player() {
        progress = new ProgressDialog(MainActivity.this);
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPreExecute() {
        // TODO Auto-generated method stub
        super.onPreExecute();
        this.progress.setMessage("Buffering...");
        this.progress.show();

    }
}

@Override
protected void onPause() {
    // TODO Auto-generated method stub
    super.onPause();
    if (mediaPlayer != null) {
        mediaPlayer.reset();
        mediaPlayer.release();
        mediaPlayer = null;
    }
}