Open Radar

 
02-Aug-2012 04:09 PM Zach Drayer:
When dealing with audio/video, AirPlay is basically a must-have feature at this point. However, the only way to have an AirPlay route picker is by using MPVolumeView from MediaPlayer.framework. In cases where one writes a custom player (for whatever reason one has -- why one would do this isn't the purpose of this radar), MediaPlayer.framework *still* needs to be linked in, in order to show the a/v route picker.

It would be nice if there was a property, perhaps on AVPlayer, that exposed available routes. This would be very preferable to having to link in MoviePlayer.framework for one bit of functionality that does not have a very complex UI.

 In my mind, the ideal interface will look something like this:

extern NSString *const AVRouteAvailabilityDidChangeNotification;

@interface AVPlayer (Routing)
@property (atomic, retain) AVRoute *activeRoute;
@property (readonly) NSArray *routes;
@end

typedef enum {
    AVRouteTypeLocalDevice,
    AVRouteTypeAppleTV,
    AVRouteTypeBluetooth,
    AVRouteTypeWifi
} AVRouteType;

@interface AVRoute : NSObject
@property (readonly) NSString *displayName; // localized as needed
@property (readonly) UIImage *displayIcon; // suggested icon, to avoid confusing con
@property (readonly) AVRouteType routeType;
@property (readonly) BOOL active; // is the route currently in use?
@property (readonly) BOOL available; // is the route available, or has it disappeared on us?
@end

However! I would also be okay (even if not exactly happy with) with an interface along the lines of:
@interface AVPlayer (Routing)
@property (readonly) BOOL hasAvailableRoutes;
@end

// instantiate this view and stick it in your view hierarchy, like you would with a MPVolumeView.
@interface AVRoutePickerView : UIView
@end

02-Aug-2012 04:46 PM Zach Drayer:
"to avoid confusing con" -> "to avoid confusing consumers"