Add artwork support when streaming with Slimproto (Squeezelite) players with enabled display support

[ArtunSubasi]

When streaming music with the Slimproto players with display support, I can currently display artist and track information as well as some visualizations as follows:

This forks fine. But I can't get artwork to work with my squeezelite-esp32 firmware running on an ESP32-WROVER with an attached display:

I tried running LMS in a piCorePlayer as comparion and managed to display artwork with the same hardware. I documented this here.

My current guess: Music Assistant does not send artwork as image bytes but only as an URL in the metadata which is not supported by squeezelite-esp32 (and the original squeeze hardware?).

If I am missing a configuration, I would appreciate pointers.
If this feature is actually missing, I would very happy about this feature.

Environment

• Mode: Squeezelite-ESP32
• Music Assistant version: 2.7.5
• Installation type: Home Assistant add-on
• Player provider: Slimproto/Squeezelite
• Music providers tested: Apple Music, Web Radio
• Hardware: ESP32-WROVER + Waveshare 1.69" 240×280 IPS SPI display
• Firmware: I2S-4MFlash-1726

[awaldram]

Yes its a bit of a shame , if you set it up as an IOS receiver album art works but you lose all the good stuff that slimproto delivers. Don't think there's any will to expand on the current feature set supported by slimproto in MA as most interest seems to be around sendspin https://www.music-assistant.io/player-support/sendspin/ .
Which though I understand the attraction for the developers as a user it just add another layer of confusion as to what 'players' are supported and what features are enabled especially for low CPU (esp32) multiroom setups with all the functionality expected of a modern streamer (graphics , Cue/Bin support).
Though it must be said even with the glaring missing bits MA is the best stream server for a Home Assistant integrated setup , Announcement fading etc is fantastic .
But if slimproto graphics are a killer then you probably need to look elsewhere for your streamer ..... Pity LMS is looking so dated now.

[ArtunSubasi]

Hi @awaldram ,

if you set it up as an IOS receiver album art works but you lose all the good stuff that slimproto delivers.

What do you mean by that? In which case would the album art would work and what features would I lose?

As for the missing artwork feature in Slimproto in MA... I have no idea how complex this is, but would the team accept contributions/PRs for this or is the feature set being intentionally kept minimal, e.g. to keep it simple?

[OzGav]

PRs are welcome https://www.music-assistant.io/player-support/squeezelite/#known-issues--notes

[awaldram]

You set it up as an Airplay receiver and configure ma to talk 'apple' to it. The Airplay media streamer in ma supports album art. Can't remember the features missing but decided in the end that squeeze light without album art was better.

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