Thread: Can I make web content part of a skin?

OK, this may sound like a weird question so let me explain the "why". I have an Empeg Riocar... it's a hard drive based MP3 player. It has it's own interface and database... all songs are loaded onto it via ethernet/serial/USB.

Anyway, I use this as my primary radio having removed the stock radio from the car. I have no need for it when I have 15,000 songs at my availability. Well, I also have a carputer. I use the in dash kit from digital ww for a 7" screen. the screen is mounted above the Riocar and effectively blocks the view of what is on screen. I have been using a home brew program written by someone on the support site to interface with the player through the ethernet port. I connect a crossover cable from the player to my carputer and the program mirrors what is on the screen. This works fine but the annoying part is that it has to remain on top of everything to be useful. Meaning, when I want to watch a movie or use the GPS, I have this big black area that is not transparent sitting in the way. Yes, I can move it, but it's annoyign to do that all the time and I am lazy... The player has an accessible web page that lists all of the info that I was getting through that home brew program... things such as now playing, the full playlist availability, etc.

Currently I'm using Frodoplayer 1.09 and have been mostly happy with it. I have asked Frodo if there is capability to display web content on a skin and currently there is not. The new version is capable he said, but no one knows when that will be out. I previously used Mediacar because the only GPS software I had at the time was Mappoint. And although that is an OK program, it was hard to use. I got Destinator and then Iguidance and I prefer Iguidance. When Destinator came into play, I switched to Frodoplayer...

Anyway, I would like to be able to have skins which have the capability of displaying sections of a web page (I can modify the XML file to show only what I want). The actual file accessed on the player is an XML file and updates the screen continually. But by adding it into a skin, when I am watching a movie (the player is used as master control and line out from the carputer goes to the Riocar... I change to the AUX on the Riocar to get computer/XM sound), I can leave out that section but whereas when I am listening to the MP3 player and using the GPS or doing other things, the information from the player could be displayed in a section of the skin.

Is any of what I'm saying doable in RoadRunner? I've not followed the development much and my searches about these things have come up pretty empty or not applying to what I'm needing.

If it can be done, can anyone give me a brief primer on "how"?


Jemmi