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Snarl + MPC-HC: Improve Media Notifications on Windows

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This guide walks through downloading, installing, configuring, and customizing the Snarl extension for MPC-HC, plus troubleshooting tips and advanced options.

What you’ll need

  • A Windows PC (Windows 7 or later recommended).
  • MPC-HC installed (latest stable build preferred).
  • Snarl installed (v2.x recommended for compatibility).
  • Basic familiarity with installing Windows applications and editing simple configuration files.

Step 1 — Download and install Snarl

  1. Visit the official Snarl website or a trusted archive to download the Snarl installer for Windows.
  2. Run the installer and follow prompts. Choose default options unless you have specific directory preferences.
  3. After installation, Snarl typically runs in the system tray. Right-click its tray icon to open settings and verify it’s active.

Step 2 — Ensure MPC-HC is installed and up to date

  1. If you don’t have MPC-HC, download it from the official site or a trusted mirror. Choose either the installer or portable build.
  2. Run MPC-HC to confirm it opens and plays media properly. Note version number (Help → About) if you need compatibility checks.

Step 3 — Get the Snarl extension/plugin for MPC-HC

MPC-HC supports extensions/plugins that can send notifications to external systems like Snarl. There are two common approaches:

  • Built-in plugin support (if your MPC-HC build includes notification plugins).
  • Use a third-party extension or a small script that listens to MPC-HC’s player events and forwards them to Snarl.

Where to find extensions:

  • Official MPC-HC forums, community plugin repositories, or GitHub projects.
  • Search for “MPC-HC Snarl plugin” or similar terms. Verify compatibility with your MPC-HC and Snarl versions.

Note: If you prefer, you can use automation tools (AutoHotkey scripts, small Python apps) that monitor MPC-HC via window titles or remote control interfaces and send notifications to Snarl.

Step 4 — Install/configure the extension

If you’ve downloaded a packaged Snarl plugin for MPC-HC:

  1. Follow the plugin’s installation instructions — usually copying a DLL into MPC-HC’s plugins or installation folder (for a portable build, into the same directory).
  2. Restart MPC-HC.
  3. Open the plugin or extension settings within MPC-HC (View → Options → Plugins or similar) and enable Snarl notifications. Configure which events trigger notifications (track change, playback start/stop, pause, etc.) and set the text templates.

If using a script or external helper:

  1. Place the script/executable somewhere permanent.
  2. Configure it to detect MPC-HC events — methods include reading window title changes, using MPC-HC’s web interface/remote control (if enabled), or monitoring log/output if provided.
  3. Ensure the helper is allowed through Windows Firewall if it communicates over localhost.

Step 5 — Configure Snarl notification styles

  1. Right-click Snarl’s tray icon → Settings (or Snarl Manager).
  2. Create or edit notification types that match the names used by the MPC-HC plugin/script. For example, create types like “MPC-HC — Now Playing”, “MPC-HC — Playback State”.
  3. Choose display position, timeout, icon, and animation preferences. You can also set persistence or user interaction options (click actions).

Tip: Use a simple icon for clarity (e.g., MPC-HC icon or a generic media icon) and short templates like “Now playing: {title} — {artist}”.

Step 6 — Test notifications

  1. Play a media file in MPC-HC.
  2. Trigger events that should create notifications (start playback, skip track, pause, stop).
  3. Confirm Snarl displays the notifications with correct content and styling.

If nothing appears:

  • Check Snarl is running and not muted.
  • Verify plugin/script is active and configured with the same notification type names as Snarl.
  • Ensure Windows notification policies or focus assist are not blocking pop-ups.

Troubleshooting common issues

  • No notifications: Confirm Snarl process is running; ensure plugin/script is enabled; check compatibility of versions.
  • Wrong or missing metadata: Some video files lack embedded metadata; use MPC-HC’s Title/Playback info or configure the plugin to parse filename patterns.
  • Firewall/blocking: For helper tools using network/localhost, allow them through Windows Firewall.
  • Multiple instances/conflicts: If you run multiple notification systems, ensure only one is bound to the same notification events to avoid duplicates.

Advanced customization

  • Template variables: Many plugins let you use variables (e.g., {title}, {artist}, {time}, {filename}). Edit templates to include desired information.
  • Click actions: Configure Snarl to bring MPC-HC to foreground or perform play/pause when the notification is clicked.
  • Auto-hide rules: Create rules to hide notifications when on full-screen apps (games, video) to avoid interference.
  • Localization: If you prefer another language, customize text templates in the plugin or Snarl.
  • Use other notification systems (Toasts, Growl-like apps) if Snarl isn’t suitable.
  • Use MPC-HC’s built-in OSD for on-screen messages, or combine OSD with Snarl for desktop alerts.
  • For advanced automation, integrate with AutoHotkey or Home Automation tools to trigger other actions when playback events occur.

Example: Simple AutoHotkey approach (concept)

  1. AutoHotkey script monitors MPC-HC window title for changes.
  2. When title indicates a new track, script calls Snarl’s command-line/API to show a notification with extracted metadata.
    (Exact script depends on Snarl’s API and MPC-HC window title format.)

Final notes

  • Keep backups of any plugin or script configurations.
  • Stay on recent versions of MPC-HC and Snarl for security and compatibility.
  • Check community forums for updated plugins or improved methods.

If you want, I can: provide direct links to likely plugin repositories, write an AutoHotkey or Python script to bridge MPC-HC and Snarl, or create sample notification templates. Which would you prefer?

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