Guide: Changing The "Rhapsody" Boot Image & Startup/Shutdown Messages

[Tobey]

(Watch video)






How did I do it?

The Rhapsody logo which appears after the Insignia logo during boot up isn't embedded into the firmware. It's merely a JPG located in the NS-DV Rhapsody directory. This means you can change it to anything you want.

The image in question is located in 'Service' > 'Rhapsody' on the NS-DV. You can put any size image you want in there, as long as it is a baseline JPEG. All you have to do is name it "RhapsodyLogo.jpg" before dragging it onto the NS-DV and you're set.

Startup/Shutdown Messages

To change startup shutdown messages you'll need to edit an XML configuration file named “messaging.xml” which is also located in 'Service' > 'Rhapsody'. This file is generated by the Rhapsody software. If you don't use Rhapsody, you'll need to manually create it, or download it here: messaging.xml. Within this file you can also adjust the duration of which your boot image appears on screen, disable the start up image entirely, as well as change startup/shutdown message duration, or disable them entirely.

To edit the config file, simply drag it to your desktop and open it using a simple text editor like notepad. The contents of your “messaging.xml” should look something like this:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
 <messaging>
     <StartupMessage>
         <MessageEnable>1</MessageEnable>
         <MessageText>Welcome, Tobey</MessageText>
         <MessageAttributes></MessageAttributes>
         <MessageDuration>3</MessageDuration>
     </StartupMessage>
     <ShutdownMessage>
         <MessageEnable>1</MessageEnable>
         <MessageText>Walk Good, Mon </MessageText>
         <MessageAttributes></MessageAttributes>
         <MessageDuration>3</MessageDuration>
     </ShutdownMessage>
     <ServiceLogo>
         <LogoEnable>1</LogoEnable>
         <LogoDuration>5</LogoDuration>
         <LogoPath>Service\Rhapsody\RhapsodyLogo.jpg</LogoPath>
     </ServiceLogo>
 </messaging>

“MessageEnable” allows you to turn the startup or shutdown message on or off. '1' turns it on and '0' turns it off.
“MessageText” is the message which is displayed on startup or shutdown.
“MessageDuration” is obviously the length of time the message is displayed (in seconds)
“LogoEnable” allows you to turn the logo on or off. '1' is on and '0' is off.
“LogoDuration” is the length of time the image is displayed (in seconds)
“LogoPath” is path to the startup image on the player.

Once you are done customizing your configuration file, save it and drag it back into the player's “Rhapsody” directory. If your operating system asks if you want to overwrite the existing file, say 'Yes'.


That's it. Have fun!

[CrowdAds]

[daking]

Strange, I tried doing this but in the RHAPSODY folder I have no RhapsodyLogo.jpg and only capabilities.xml/firmware.xml and info folder. I tried creating a RhapsodyLogo.jpg and putting it in the folder but nothing happened..Maybe i have to erase the internal memory or format?

[Tobey]

Try copying this file: messaging.xml (right-click > 'Save As...') along with your logo file to the "Rhapsody" folder.

[XPhile]

Thanks Tobey, worked like a charm! Now to go play......!

Mike

[xavier111]

Thanx for the info on this tobey. I have further refined your hack as to include a shutdown pic, and also I had to create my own xml file as even after format, it wasnt there. FYI, you dont need to name the pic RhapsodyLogo, it can be whatever you want, as long as you match that in the INF script. And yes, you can have two different pictures for startup and shutdown.

Kinda curious to see if you can create a 5 pic jpg slideshow for 1 sec duration per pic, and then set the count in the INF for 5 seconds and run a startup slideshow and shutdown slideshow. Will post results if anyone is interested in something like this.

YES
NO

[Tobey]

Very nice work! I'd love to see your config file.

I just kept the name RhapsodyLogo in the guide for simplicity's sake. But yes, it can be named anything, and located anywhere on the player as long as it matches the image path in the config file.

[XPhile]

Tobey, I hope you don't mind if I post a "boot screen" that I've done.



Mike

[Tobey]

Heh, I like that one.

Feel free to post your bootscreens. As long as they're not offensive, it's cool with me.

[Mr. Microphone]

Xavier111 -

What code modification did you make to have a shutdown picture? Can you post the .xml? Ever since the new F/W upgrade, I kinda have a renewed interest in this player.

Thanks!

[xavier111]

Well first off, I am at my dads, 30 miles away from my digital camera, so no pics until monday. Basically all I did was replace the blank background with my own pic. So when it starts up and you see the pic that you put in there under rhapsody, that just overlays the background replacement. But when you shutdown, that doesnt happen. All I did was a XSL transformation with force code, but I am having problems with some very bad hangups and freezes. For the more tech saavy, monday I will post my source, but just for GP, Source Extractor/Viewer is a good program to use with the NSDV files. Well it works good for me. If you know of a better prog or way, please let me know as I am getting pretty frustrated with it. Thanx.

[XPhile]

I'd like to see what other people have done for their bootscreens. Mine is a little further up on this thread and Tobey has his in a video, now it's time to show yours!

Mike

[kraxorot]

xavier111 Yes

Tobey (sorry for my english) I downloaded your file and put it in the correct directory, the text is modified, and works, but the logo is not displayed, I tried to change LogoDuration from 5 to 20 but nothing has happened? can you give an advice?

[Tobey]

Make sure your image is in the correct directory (where "messaging.xml is) and that your image is named "RhapsodyLogo.jpg" (it is case sensitive). Also be sure "LogoEnable" is set to '1' (although it shouldn't have changed).

[kraxorot]

Everything is like you recommend. What is wrong?
[IMG]http://i019.***********/0805/78/685cb21c990a.jpg[/IMG]

[whiskeymcclinton]

Just to confirm, as it should be mentioned, this only works with Firmware Version 1.930. Correct?

[whiskeymcclinton]

The startup and shutdown messages display fine.
Out of curiousity, I opened the "capabilities.xml", and found the last tag to be of interest. Could someone who got this working post what the value "SupportsServiceLogo" is set to?

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
- <capabilities>
<RhapDNAVersion>1</RhapDNAVersion>

<RhapChannelCapable>1</RhapChannelCapable>

<PreferredAlbumArtSize />

<VideoPath>Service\Rhapsody\Video</VideoPath>

<PhotoPath>Service\Rhapsody\Photo</PhotoPath>

<AudioPath>Service\Rhapsody\Audio</AudioPath>

<ArtistInfoPath>Service\Rhapsody\Info\Artist</ArtistInfoPath>

<TextPath>Service\Rhapsody\Text</TextPath>

<RecordingsPath>Service\Rhapsody\Record</RecordingsPath>

<ChannelsPath>Service\Rhapsody\Channels</ChannelsPath>

<SupportsServiceLogo>0</SupportsServiceLogo>

</capabilities>

[whiskeymcclinton]

A couple of notes:

• Copying the image over to the player then renaming the file did not work for me. Once I renamed the file on my computer, then copied it over to the player, the logo displayed.
• The order of the XML tags matters. The player is expecting the StartupMessage tag first. I reordered the tags, and nothing worked (no text, no logo).

I am interested in the as yet unused MessageAttributes tag. This may allow formatting of the text. If anyone figures this out, please post it.

xavier111: I'd love to see your messaging.xml file.

[kraxorot]

xavier111: I'd love to see your messaging.xml file. I would also like to see it!

[tappan]

Does the image need to be any specific size?

[Tobey]

No. It can be anything as long as it's a baseline encoded JPEG. It's still a good idea to keep it small though, anything over 1024x768 can start to slow boot times.