News:

Current Full E-Touch Version: 10.2.0
Current Demo E-Touch Version: 10.0.0
Current Beta: 10.2.1 Beta 22 (09/02/23)

Main Menu

Which version / skin should I go for please?

Started by simon26, August 19, 2017, 04:58:42 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

simon26

Hi all

Just got a question please, I'm playing with the demo at moment and it seems better than other jukebox software I've looked at, so will most likely buy / subscribe ,  but am looking for the most basic easy to use version possible (in terms of end-user, so to speak, not setup).

Basically I'm wondering should I go version 10 as it's the newest? And which skin(s) the most basic please, if they even exist.

Will stick very few albums on there as all I really want is something set to freeplay with my music organised by decades and title / artist search also. This is for my kids to use also so needs as few option so as possible, real minimal.

So basically 60s / 70s/ 80s etc, the obvious search options and 'maybe' a few genres I'll stick in like reggae/ rock etc. I may not even bother with albums or genres  atall.

Is there anything in here as basic as that please?

Also, is it easy enough to set it to random / background music too when nothing been selected? I haven't quite got a handle on that yet.

Thanks
Simon



Mark Norville

Hi Simon,

Your purchase will get you version 10 as standard, but you can download older versions if still available but I would not recommend this.

A lifetime version gets you access to other skins, or it is easyish after practice to build your own.

The basic version is obviously a lot cheaper.

I am on the tablet for a while, but shall be on a pc lAter if you need further help.

Regards

Mark
I am now retired from the jukebox scene. I still visit from time to time and will help if I can, but apart from that. I am no longer a slave to downloading and tagging.

simon26

Hi Mark

Thanks for your reply, so if I'm understanding correctly the basic version if I purchase won't include access to additional skins but if I buy the lifetime version I can use them?

Are there many different skins to choose from? Obviously I can't see what's about until I buy it.

And is it feasible to pretty much reduce the screen options to just search and decades?

Thanks
Simon

Mark Norville

Hi Simon,

These are the skins on lifetime and some on free basic version http://www.freeboxjukebox.com/Forum/index.php?topic=6126.0

You can pretty much do what ever you want really, yes with removing items from a skin, or not include items, if you can learn how to skin, but also with aimed tagging.

Regards

Mark
I am now retired from the jukebox scene. I still visit from time to time and will help if I can, but apart from that. I am no longer a slave to downloading and tagging.

simon26

Hi Mark

Thanks for all that. So if i sign up for a lifetime membership i should have a chance to find a skin thats more singles / decades orientated than the demo hopefully?

Im starting to understand how to remove buttons i dont want etc now, so thats good, Im assuming setting genres and decades will involve the 'key shortcuts' section in the settings menu, so far as i can tell? (Not been brave enough to try and adjust any of that yet!)

Thanks
Simon

berrywell

Hi Simon,

If you purchase the V10 (current version) you will have access to all those skins shown in the tread that Mark has linked to above, plus a couple of other skins that aren't shown in public.
Whilst you can alter any of the existing skins to suit your needs the nearest to a singles orientated skin would be the Retro Singles Layout skin.

Hope that sort of helps.

Regards
Tel.

simon26

Hi Tel

Thanks for that, I saw that retro singles one - have a feeling thats the one Ill go for if i can adjust it to show a track queue and decades as everything else on it looks almost exactly what i want, don't want albums as an option atall really.

Its funny, this seems like Im going to take a fairly advanced bit of software and roll it back to something that looks and functions like its from a decade or so ago :)

Have ordered lifetime version now so will await the download code or what have you. Have a feeling ill be back with more questions(!)

Thanks Again

Simon

simon26

OK, didnt take long to hit a problem :(

I stuck the retro singles skin on and sometimes now itll only play the first track i choose, the others following it in the queue (Which im guessing you cant see in this skin?) they just kind of sit there and dont play? If i select a new track it plays that one.

Also, how can I make it play random tracks when none selected please? Ive ticked the 'enable random play' button and set wait time between tracks to zero. Im missing something here I guess?

Is there a manual somewhere that basically guides me on the absolute basics setting this all up? Ive managed to stick an album on using an MP3 folder ive created in the program file, so Ive got somewhere I guess :) Even then, its stuck the album in as a single on the main menu so I havent got that right yet I guess.

Thanks
Simon

ecbrad

In Random mode you need to select some tag options such as Genre or Decade

Brad

simon26

Hi Brad

Thanks for that, I'll try it but haven't managed to set up any decades or genres yet unfortunately.

I consider myself fairly intelligent but already looking very unlikely I get this setup, the lack of manual is extremely frustrating , I'll probably just try and pay one of the tekky people at work to spend the next week / month / year / rest of their life figuring this mess out , bit annoying if I'm honest but that's life. Failing that I'll just try alternate software and see if it's less ridiculously complex to set up :(

I wrongly assumed the demo was just bare bones and the full version would be easier to use and have the manual included etc -way off the mark on that one.

Thanks
Simon

Mark Norville

#10
Hi Simon,

Giving up before you begin, is a very bad trait. I posted some youtube videos a while back, once I stop downloading, I shall post some links to help you.

The best way of learning something is not to have such a negative attitude, it is very easy once you get the hang of it, and no need to pay people.

Just have faith and patience.

Part 1 - Installation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Z6ZyTzKxI
Part 2 - Installing songs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JWPgalSElc ROUGH UNEDITED VIDEO
Part 3 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr0RxU0G390 ROUGH UNEDITED VIDEO
Part 4 - A long one SKIP TO 20 mins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXDuXwPkIjI&t=595s I was doing other videos shorter ones, but I think I deleted before I uploaded to youtube.

Regards

Mark
I am now retired from the jukebox scene. I still visit from time to time and will help if I can, but apart from that. I am no longer a slave to downloading and tagging.

Barcrest

To get it up and running shouldn't be much of an issue, there is lots of information on here.

I think you have fallen foul of the following,

Do not install into program files, use something like C:\E-touch\
Make sure you right click and run as admin. You can set it to do this everytime by right clicking and selecting properties and under compatability setting it to always run as admin. You need to do this for all the exe's at least the config.exe and the e-touch.exe.

Once you have done that it should just be a case of running the config and pointing it to your music and generating the library. Make sure you have a least 2 albums there, it can act funny with only one (2 sub folders of music from where you build it).

The random play is quite indepth, you need to put the tick in audio so it will pick randomly from your audio library. The boxes with number in allow you to weight certain things so like 4 in audio and 6 in video should be a 60% video bias.. This works for all the various categories etc allowing you to tailor it pretty well. For basic random play you just need random turned on and the audio selected with any weighting number. Make sure E-touch DJ isn't turned on.

If you follow what i have said here you should be up and running. I also suggest getting everything running under the default skin first so you can be sure skin errors are not causing something to act funny.
Keep on Rocking in the Free World \m/ ;D\m/



Jukebox Stats...

simon26

Hi

Thanks for the replies, its just been frustrating so far as what im after doing is just using the most 'basic' elements of this really.

Have set up a test rig next to my desk with touchscreen etc (Have a warehouse literally full of the necessary hardware as run an IT recycling company, usefully) and started making progress i thought yesterday, but then afterwards I read about the administrator thing plus not putting the software into program files, so moved it across and made those changes before i left here last night.

This morning i come back in switch it on and its somehow rolled back to the demo version and lost my changes / music, despite me running regedit to remove all trace of the demo before installing the full version yesterday - and i guess this is what im saying, you do need some genuine top draw IT skills to run this, it definately isnt an off the shelf type program to be fair.

So toys out the pram again, ive given up for now and passed it to my best guy whos an ex programmer etc and basically a genius, as i think thats what its going to take, short of me giving up work and sending the kids off for adoption so i can dedicate my life to this :)  Its a shame as i was quite up for just doing this myself, but clearly Im far more stupid than i ever realised.

Hes playing with clearing the registry now again before we give up and reinstall windows, as it keeps coming back to the demo version for some reason. Ive pointed him to this thread so he can use the pointers you guys have laid out to hopefully speed things up, once he gets the full version booting again.

Thanks
Simon



simon26

Oh, and the random play settings thats exactly what i did, but i did only put one album on initially to test with, so maybe thats one of the issues here.

Thanks
Simon

Mark Norville

Hi Simon,

You need at least 10 albums in the library at one time, maybe even 20. If you only have one album, it is not really going to work, as it is scratching it's head wondering what the hell am I going to play next?

The software is good, but there are still a few annoying gremlins, but that happens more so when you don't really have a library to speak of.

Regards

Mark
I am now retired from the jukebox scene. I still visit from time to time and will help if I can, but apart from that. I am no longer a slave to downloading and tagging.