Bose-SoundTouch/docs/content/docs/reference/SOURCE-SELECTION.md

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Source Selection Guide

Overview

The Bose SoundTouch Go client provides comprehensive source selection functionality through the POST /select endpoint. This feature allows you to switch between different audio sources like Spotify, Bluetooth, AUX input, and various streaming services.

Implementation Status

✅ Complete - All source selection functionality implemented and tested

• Generic source selection with SelectSource()
• Convenience methods for popular sources
• CLI flags for easy source switching
• Real device validation with SoundTouch hardware
• Comprehensive error handling

API Endpoint

POST /select

Purpose: Select an audio source for playback

Request Format:

<ContentItem source="SPOTIFY" sourceAccount="user_account">
  <itemName>Spotify</itemName>
</ContentItem>

Response: HTTP 200 OK (no body) on success

Sources selectable this way:

• SPOTIFY - Spotify streaming service (with a real sourceAccount)
• BLUETOOTH - Bluetooth audio input
• AUX - Auxiliary input (3.5mm jack)
• AIRPLAY - Apple AirPlay (device dependent)
• PANDORA, AMAZON, IHEARTRADIO - streaming services (with an account)

Sources that need a ContentItem instead

A bare /select carrying only a source and account is not enough for every source a speaker advertises. These need a full ContentItem with a Location, built by stations.ResolveContentItem with type="stationurl":

• TUNEIN - TuneIn internet radio
• RADIO_BROWSER - RadioBrowser internet radio directory
• LOCAL_INTERNET_RADIO - stream URLs, including Play URL and TTS output
• STORED_MUSIC - one entry per media server; selecting it names no track

Given a bare select for one of these the speaker does not report an error. It answers 200, parks on a stub now-playing with no playStatus, empty type and location, and an itemName echoing the source name, and carries on playing whatever it was playing. It then reports that stub indefinitely, so callers that check /now_playing see the source they asked for while the audio is something else.

Use SelectContentItem with a real Location for these, and see Player: Sources and Selection State for the stub's full signature and how the web player avoids it.

Client Library Usage

Basic Source Selection

import "github.com/gesellix/bose-soundtouch/pkg/client"

// Create client
config := client.ClientConfig{
    Host: "192.0.2.100",
    Port: 8090,
}
c := client.NewClient(config)

// Select a source
err := c.SelectSource("SPOTIFY", "your_spotify_account")
if err != nil {
    fmt.Printf("Failed to select source: %v\n", err)
}

Convenience Methods

For popular sources, use the convenience methods:

// Select Spotify
err := c.SelectSpotify("your_account")

// Select Bluetooth
err := c.SelectBluetooth()

// Select AUX input
err := c.SelectAux()

// Select TuneIn
err := c.SelectTuneIn("tunein_account")

// Select Pandora
err := c.SelectPandora("pandora_account")

Source Selection from Available Sources

First get available sources, then select from them:

// Get available sources
sources, err := c.GetSources()
if err != nil {
    return fmt.Errorf("failed to get sources: %w", err)
}

// Find and select a ready Spotify source
spotifySources := sources.GetReadySpotifySources()
if len(spotifySources) > 0 {
    err := c.SelectSourceFromItem(&spotifySources[0])
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("failed to select Spotify: %w", err)
    }
}

// Or use helper methods
if sources.HasBluetooth() {
    err := c.SelectBluetooth()
    if err != nil {
        return fmt.Errorf("failed to select Bluetooth: %w", err)
    }
}

Error Handling

err := c.SelectSource("INVALID_SOURCE", "")
if err != nil {
    // Check for API errors
    if apiErr, ok := err.(*models.APIError); ok {
        fmt.Printf("API Error: %s (code: %d)\n", apiErr.Message, apiErr.Code)
    } else {
        fmt.Printf("General error: %v\n", err)
    }
}

CLI Usage

Basic Commands

# Select source using generic method
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -select-source SPOTIFY -source-account "your_account"

# Select source with convenience flags
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -spotify -source-account "your_account"
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -bluetooth
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -aux

Real Examples

# Check available sources first
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -sources

# Select Spotify with account
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -spotify -source-account "your_account"

# Select TuneIn
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -select-source TUNEIN

# Select AUX input
soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -aux

CLI Flags

Flag	Description	Example
-select-source <source>	Select audio source	-select-source SPOTIFY
-source-account <account>	Account for streaming services	-source-account "user123"
-spotify	Select Spotify source	-spotify -source-account "user"
-bluetooth	Select Bluetooth source	-bluetooth
-aux	Select AUX input	-aux

Source Account Information

When Source Accounts are Required

• Spotify: Required for multi-account setups
• Pandora: Required for account-based access
• TuneIn: Optional, may improve personalization
• Amazon Music: Required for account access
• Bluetooth/AUX: Not required (leave empty)

Finding Source Accounts

Use the sources endpoint to discover available accounts:

soundtouch-cli -host 192.0.2.100 -sources

This shows account names for each source:

Ready Sources:
  • user+spotify@example.com (user) [Remote, Multiroom, Streaming]

In this example:

• Full account: user+spotify@example.com
• Short account: user (often works better)

Integration Examples

Smart Source Selection

func selectBestAvailableSource(client *client.Client) error {
    sources, err := client.GetSources()
    if err != nil {
        return err
    }

    // Prefer Spotify if available
    if sources.HasSpotify() {
        spotifySources := sources.GetReadySpotifySources()
        return client.SelectSourceFromItem(&spotifySources[0])
    }

    // Fall back to TuneIn
    if sources.HasSource("TUNEIN") {
        tuneInSources := sources.GetSourcesByType("TUNEIN")
        for _, src := range tuneInSources {
            if src.Status.IsReady() {
                return client.SelectSourceFromItem(&src)
            }
        }
    }

    // Last resort: AUX if available
    if sources.HasAux() {
        return client.SelectAux()
    }

    return fmt.Errorf("no suitable sources available")
}

Source-Specific Configuration

type SourceConfig struct {
    PreferredSources []string
    Accounts         map[string]string
}

func selectWithConfig(client *client.Client, config SourceConfig) error {
    sources, err := client.GetSources()
    if err != nil {
        return err
    }

    for _, preferred := range config.PreferredSources {
        if sources.HasSource(preferred) {
            account := config.Accounts[preferred]
            return client.SelectSource(preferred, account)
        }
    }

    return fmt.Errorf("none of the preferred sources are available")
}

Error Codes and Troubleshooting

Common Error Codes

Code	Name	Description	Solution
1005	UNKNOWN_SOURCE_ERROR	Invalid or unavailable source	Check available sources first
1006	SOURCE_UNAVAILABLE	Source temporarily unavailable	Try again later
1007	ACCOUNT_ERROR	Invalid account for source	Check account name format

Troubleshooting Tips

1. Check Source Availability

   soundtouch-cli -host <ip> -sources
   

2. Verify Account Names

   • Use short account names when possible
   • Check for special characters in account names
   • Some sources don't require accounts

3. Source-Specific Issues

   • Spotify: Ensure account is logged in via Spotify app
   • Bluetooth: Check device pairing status
   • AUX: Verify physical connection

4. Network Issues

   • Ensure device is on same network
   • Check firewall settings
   • Verify port 8090 is accessible

Testing

Unit Tests

Run all source selection tests:

go test ./pkg/client -v -run ".*SelectSource.*"

Integration Tests

Test with real hardware:

SOUNDTOUCH_TEST_HOST=192.0.2.100 go test ./pkg/client -v -run ".*Integration.*"

Manual Testing

# Test discovery and source selection
soundtouch-cli -discover
soundtouch-cli -host <discovered-ip> -sources
soundtouch-cli -host <discovered-ip> -spotify -source-account "account"
soundtouch-cli -host <discovered-ip> -nowplaying  # Verify selection

Performance

Benchmarks

Source selection typically completes in:

• Local Network: 100-300ms
• Wi-Fi: 200-500ms
• Error Cases: 50-100ms (validation)

Optimization Tips

1. Cache Source Information: Get sources once, reuse for selections
2. Validate Before Selecting: Check source availability first
3. Use Convenience Methods: Slightly faster than generic selection
4. Handle Errors Gracefully: Implement fallback source selection

API Compliance

XML Format Requirements

The implementation follows the official SoundTouch API:

• Uses ContentItem XML structure
• Sets appropriate source and sourceAccount attributes
• Includes human-readable itemName for better UX
• Handles all documented source types

Known Limitations

1. Source Dependencies: Some sources require external app authentication
2. Account Format Variations: Different devices may expect different account formats
3. Source Availability: Dynamic based on network and service status

Related Documentation

• Player: Sources and Selection State - which sources accept a bare select, and how a selection is confirmed

• API Endpoints Overview - Complete API reference

• Sources - Source model implementation

• Now Playing - ContentItem model

• Client Usage Examples - CLI implementation reference

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Implementation Date: 2026-01-09 Status: ✅ Complete and tested Real Device Validation: SoundTouch 10, SoundTouch 20