MBXRemote | MusicBee Remote Desktop Client | HALRAD Research

Features

MBXRemote is a comprehensive Windows desktop client for MusicBee Remote, implementing the MusicBee Remote Protocol v4.5. Here's everything it can do.

PartyMode - Web-Based Guest Jukebox

Let guests browse your library and add songs to the queue from their phones. No app install required - just open the URL in any browser.

Connection Management

Auto-Discovery

MBXRemote automatically discovers MusicBee instances on your network using UDP broadcast on port 5900. No manual IP configuration required.

Connection Favorites

Save frequently used connections as favorites for quick reconnection. The last used connection is remembered for convenience.

Auto-Reconnect

If the connection is lost, MBXRemote automatically attempts to reconnect with exponential backoff, ensuring minimal interruption.

Remote Desktop Access

One-click button to open a Remote Desktop (RDP) session to your MusicBee host. Quickly access the full MusicBee interface on your media center or jukebox PC when you need direct control.

Library Management

Full Library Sync

Complete synchronization of your MusicBee library to a local SQLite database. Browse 200,000+ tracks offline with instant search.

Virtual Lists

Efficient virtual list rendering handles massive libraries smoothly. Tested with 70,000+ tracks, designed for 200,000+.

Hierarchical Browse

Navigate your library by Genre, Artist, Album, or Track. Drill down through your collection with breadcrumb navigation.

Smart Search

Search across all metadata fields including title, artist, album, and genre. Real-time results as you type.

Queue from Library

Right-click any track to "Add to Queue" or "Play Now". Queue multiple tracks at once with bulk selection. Uses file paths for reliable playback.

Extended Library Sync

Protocol v4.5 enables full synchronization of MusicBee's engagement metadata to your local SQL cache. Query your music library with SQL for advanced filtering and analytics.

Play Statistics

Sync play counts and skip counts for every track. Find your most played songs and identify tracks you always skip.

Last Played Dates

Track when each song was last played. Build "recently played" queries and find forgotten favorites.

Loved & Banned

Sync your love/ban status from MusicBee. Filter by favorites or exclude banned tracks from your views.

Star Ratings

Full 5-star rating sync with your MusicBee library. Sort and filter by rating in the SQL cache.

Remote Library Editing

Protocol v4.5 enables bi-directional metadata sync - not just reading from MusicBee, but writing back changes to your library.

Set Star Ratings

Rate any track from 0-5 stars right from the Library view. Right-click → Set Rating. Changes sync immediately to MusicBee.

Love/Ban Tracks

Mark any track as Loved (♥) or Banned (⊘) from the Library view. Right-click → Love Status. Perfect for curating your library remotely.

Multi-Select

Select multiple tracks and apply ratings or love status in bulk. Rate an entire album or mark all tracks by an artist as loved.

Instant Feedback

See your changes reflected immediately in the Library view. Rating and Loved columns update in real-time as you make changes.

Real-Time Library Updates

MBXRemote keeps your local library cache in sync with MusicBee automatically. When tracks are added, removed, or modified in MusicBee, your local cache updates in real-time - no manual sync required.

Live Sync

Enable in Settings to receive live updates. Status bar shows "LIVE" with event count when active.

Tag Updates

When you edit track metadata in MusicBee, changes appear in MBXRemote immediately.

Rating & Play Stats

Ratings, play counts, and last played times sync automatically as you listen.

File Changes

New tracks added to MusicBee appear in your cache. Deleted tracks are removed.

PartyMode - Web-Based Guest Jukebox

Transform your MusicBee setup into a multi-client jukebox. Guests connect via their phones or tablets to browse your library and request songs - like a modern bar jukebox or Logitech Media Server web UI.

How to Use PartyMode

  1. Enable PartyMode - Go to Settings > Firewall and toggle PartyMode on
  2. Generate a PIN - Click "New PIN" and save it somewhere safe
  3. Show QR Code - Click "Show QR Code" to generate a printable QR code
  4. Share with guests - Print the QR code or display it on screen - guests scan and they're in!
  5. Request songs - Guests browse or search your library and tap to add songs to the queue

Tip: The QR code includes the PIN, so guests go straight to the jukebox without typing anything. For manual access, the base URL is shown in the status bar.

QR Code Setup - Step by Step

The QR code feature makes guest access effortless. Here's the complete walkthrough:

Step 1: Enable PartyMode

  1. Open MBXRemote and go to Settings > Firewall
  2. In the PartyMode (Web Jukebox) section, check "Enable PartyMode web server"
  3. The status will change to 🟢 Server running
  4. Note the Access URL shown (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:8080/)

Step 2: Generate a PIN

  1. Click the "New PIN" button to generate a random 8-digit PIN
  2. The PIN is displayed in the settings and can be viewed/changed anytime

Step 3: Generate and Print QR Code

  1. Click the "Show QR Code" button
  2. A QR code dialog appears with your connection URL and embedded PIN
  3. Click "Print" to print the QR code for display
  4. Or click "Copy URL" to share the link directly

Step 4: Guest Access

  1. Guests scan the QR code with their phone camera
  2. Their browser opens directly to the jukebox (PIN is in the URL)
  3. The PIN auto-fills and they're logged in instantly
  4. They can now browse albums, search tracks, and queue songs!

Manual Access (No QR Code)

If guests can't scan the QR code, they can access manually:

  1. Tell them the URL (shown in the status bar, e.g., http://192.168.1.100:8080)
  2. They enter the URL in their browser
  3. They enter the PIN you gave them
  4. They tap "Join Party" to access the jukebox
Embedded Web Server

HTTP server runs inside MBXRemote on a configurable port (default 8080). No separate installation required.

PIN Authentication

Secure guest access with an 8-digit PIN. Guests enter the PIN once to get a session token. QR codes embed the PIN for instant access.

Mobile Web UI

Responsive mobile-first interface built with Alpine.js + Tailwind CSS. Works on any phone, tablet, or laptop browser.

Browse & Search

Guests can browse albums and search your entire library. Full-text search with instant results.

Queue Requests

One tap to request a track. Songs are appended to the MusicBee Now Playing queue. Rate limiting prevents spam.

Now Playing Display

Guests see what's currently playing and how many tracks are in the queue. Status updates every 5 seconds.

PartyMode Settings (Settings > Firewall)

Setting Default Description
PartyMode EnabledOffMaster toggle for the web server
Port8080HTTP server port (1024-65535)
PINAuto-generated8-digit guest access code
Session Timeout30 minHow long guest sessions last
Max Queue Per Session3Pending requests limit per guest
Rate Limit10/minMaximum requests per minute
Auto FirewallOnAuto-configure Windows Firewall

Security Model

PartyMode Settings

Screenshot: PartyMode-Settings.png

PartyMode Status Bar

Screenshot: PartyMode-StatusBar.png

Mobile PIN Entry

Screenshot: PartyMode-PIN.png

Mobile Album Browse

Screenshot: PartyMode-Albums.png

Mobile Search & Queue

Screenshot: PartyMode-Search.png

Playback Control

Transport Controls

Full playback control: Play, Pause, Stop, Next, Previous. Click controls or use keyboard shortcuts.

Seek Control

Precise position control with scrub slider. Click anywhere to jump to that position in the track.

Volume Stack

Multi-layer volume control visualization showing Hardware, System, App Mixer, and MusicBee internal volume levels.

Shuffle & Repeat

Toggle shuffle mode and cycle through repeat modes (off, track, all). Visual indicators show current state.

Now Playing

Now Playing View

Now Playing

Queue Management

Queue

Queue & Playlists

Playlist Management

Playlists

User Interface

Tabbed Interface

Tabbed UI

Library Browser

Library

Hotkeys & Automation

Global Hotkeys

System-wide keyboard shortcuts for all major functions. Control playback even when MBXRemote is minimized.

Initiator Actions

Create custom hotkey macros with script commands. Chain multiple actions with delays for complex automation.

Tab Navigation

Navigate tabs 1-10 using Ctrl+Alt+ASDFGHJKL; keys. Send QWERTYUIOP combinations to MusicBee.

Media Keys

Support for media keyboard keys: Play/Pause, Next, Previous, Volume, Mute.

Initiator Actions Commands

Remote Initiated Actions (RIA) execute on the MusicBee host, enabling powerful automation of your jukebox/media center PC. Requires Plugin v1.5+ for enhanced features.

sndKeys()

Send keyboard combinations to the MusicBee host. Trigger any MusicBee hotkey remotely.

mouseClick()

Remote mouse clicks at screen coordinates on the host. Automate UI interactions.

volume()

Control Windows system volume on the host. Adjust up/down, mute, or set numeric steps.

run()

Launch programs on the host with optional arguments. Start visualizers, scripts, or other apps.

restart()

Restart MusicBee or the entire host system. Recover from hangs remotely.

delay()

Add timing delays between commands. Essential for reliable automation sequences.

See Initiator Actions for complete documentation and examples.

Settings

General Settings

Settings General

Hotkey Settings

Settings Hotkeys

Hotkey Configuration

Hotkey Configuration

Initiator Actions

Initiator Actions

Theme Settings

Settings Themes

Firewall Settings

Settings Firewall

Database Settings

Settings Database

Settings Categories

Performance

Metric Target
Startup Time< 2 seconds
Library Sync10,000 tracks/minute
UI Response< 100ms for all operations
Memory Usage< 500MB for 200,000 track library
Tested Library Size70,000+ tracks
Target Library Size200,000+ tracks