Open Source Spotlight - TCPMP

[From Rimez] Going trough the Palm Addicts forums it's never to hard to find some comments about how great TCPMP is (a number have even said that it's the number one program they could NOT do without) as well as being consistently mentioned in the "favorites lists". After reading many of the comments from PA users I tried TCMP after problems I had with Realplayer.

I also tried most of the other available media players but settled on TCPMP because (although I only wanted the mp3 features at the time) it seemed to have the most capabilities -- supporting mp3, avi, ogg, mp4, mpeg, divx Xvid, etc, etc. Naturally the price tag and Open Source (with its feel good factor) were key selling points for me.

The only thing I think is missing right now is the fact that there is no background play for audio files… but I suppose this is because TCPMP was actually designed to be a video player and the audio abilities are simply a side effect. I am sure this will be addressed in the future.

Recently I was able to convert some video's for my daughter into Divx format so while on a road trip she was able to watch her favorite Krtek episodes (thus leaving me to drive without her screaming in boredom ;-).

I recently sent an email with the developer of TCPMP (Gabor Kovacs –aka Picard) and asked him if he could answer my standard questionnaire – so here's what he had to say..

1. Why do you spend your time developing TCPMP?

To do something challenging and fun in a different area as my job. In the past months it's more shifted to a goal finishing an end-user product, which is not always that much fun, but reaching the final goal will be satisfying :)

2. How did you start your involvement with TCPMP?

I first started to help in another open-source media player project called PocketMVP. Later I decided to build my own player called BetaPlayer. It was only supporting Windows mobile devices. I always had a multiplatform player in my mind and in 2005 spring inspired by The Magic Lantern open-source project I finally ported the player to Palm OS and renamed it to TCPMP aka The Core Pocket Media Player.

3. What does the future have in store for TCPMP?

There are lot of new features planed till we can say the player is ready to be called "version 1.0". Example subtitles support, skin and customizable user interface, network streaming.

4. What device do you use?

Thanks to user donations and companies I can use lot of PDA's for developing. The ones with Palm OS are T|T, T3, LifeDrive, Zodiac.

5. Do you have a favorite Open Source application which you use on your palm device?

FileZ :)

6. What is your opinion of PalmSources move to Linux?

Same way as we are planing Symbian support, Linux support is a must for TCPMP in the future. PalmSource moving to Linux will makes it easier for us.

7. Is there anything you would like to add?

Offtopic, but I'm eagerly waiting 2006 to see the new episodes of 24 and BSG TV series :)

If you would like more info about TCPMP you can go to the site at: http://tcpmp.corecodec.org/about

Or if interested in what other have to say simply check out the user comments in the Palm Addict forum