The Jukebox is Dead, Long Live Streaming....

[Barry Barcrest]

So it would seem interest has really dropped off over the past 12 months regarding jukeboxes as streaming services really pick up. The only issue I have with the streaming services are the client software is never any good to use as a jukebox replacement when groups of people are over. Anyone else noticed this trend towards streaming rather than paying for music? This is the reason why I added the online support to E-Touch and I'm thinking of expanding it now to also allow the random play to be streamed so you can pretty much use it with no local music.

[pbj]

I really, really wanted a jukebox until I got Pandora on a smart phone.  Now you couldn't pay me to haul one off.

 

[yotsuya]

My jukebox build is my favorite thing in my gameroom, and it's really popular with guests.

I've been playing with E-Touch and really like it. Adding a streaming component probably isn't a bad idea.

[Dermbrian]

The drop off in the forum traffic here and over at DWJukebox.com has been pretty dramatic.  Collections of mp3 songs, especially massive collections, are definitely going the way of the 8-track.  My daughter and many of her friends do not even own TV sets.  Their phones are their stereos and the streaming services are their music sources.

I'm glad I've been messing with DWJukebox for years, and that I've tried most of the other jukebox programs out there.  My quasi-jukebox sounds great and is the best way that I've found to enjoy my music collection.  I even use the quarters that I force myself to pay for play as a way of saving up for other hobbies, cashing them in for Amazon gift card credit.

I just ordered a Bluetooth transmitter for my laptop, to allow me to run DWjukebox from my easy chair to my c. 1930 radio.  I'll have a tray of quarters and a piggy bank there, too.  But I'm beginning to miss the postings from others and the clever things they've built and the problems they've worked through in their builds.

Oh well...I can still work on a steampunk or vintage radio theme for DWJukebox to enhance the use with the radio.


Brian

[yotsuya]

The drop off in the forum traffic here and over at DWJukebox.com has been pretty dramatic.  Collections of mp3 songs, especially massive collections, are definitely going the way of the 8-track.  My daughter and many of her friends do not even own TV sets.  Their phones are their stereos and the streaming services are their music sources.

I'm glad I've been messing with DWJukebox for years, and that I've tried most of the other jukebox programs out there.  My quasi-jukebox sounds great and is the best way that I've found to enjoy my music collection.  I even use the quarters that I force myself to pay for play as a way of saving up for other hobbies, cashing them in for Amazon gift card credit.

I just ordered a Bluetooth transmitter for my laptop, to allow me to run DWjukebox from my easy chair to my c. 1930 radio.  I'll have a tray of quarters and a piggy bank there, too.  But I'm beginning to miss the postings from others and the clever things they've built and the problems they've worked through in their builds.

Oh well...I can still work on a steampunk or vintage radio theme for DWJukebox to enhance the use with the radio.


Brian

Thanks for sharing! 

I just ordered an Airport Express to send music from my Mac to a custom box I'm going to build for my back patio. I love the jukebox concept because it allows me to pick what I want to play.

[Barry Barcrest]

The drop off in the forum traffic here and over at DWJukebox.com has been pretty dramatic.  Collections of mp3 songs, especially massive collections, are definitely going the way of the 8-track.  My daughter and many of her friends do not even own TV sets.  Their phones are their stereos and the streaming services are their music sources.

You are right in this however I think that doesn't fill a social gap. Everyone gathering around a phone might be ok when you are a kid on the bus or in your bedroom but I think as you get older you want a more social experience at least replacing the phone with a TV and some way to play music at a decent volume for all to listen too.

I love the jukebox concept because it allows me to pick what I want to play.

This... This is why I don't like using spoitfy or any other streaming service as they stand right now. The interface isn't good for a shared experience.

Good news is Streaming is back in E-Touch and it is now configurable for different sources. The streaming just allows you to fill that gap when someone asks for something obscure or too new for you to have in your collection. Also means I don't have to keep upto date with the top 40 albums every week.

[yotsuya]

I agree with you about the communal experience of the jukebox. When I'm in there tinkering by myself, I have my jukebox on a random play setup, but when I have company over (like last Saturday - we had a party for my mother-in-law's 80th), you better believe that people love picking the songs they want to hear. I spent a fair amount of time showing people how it works. It was fun.

[jennifer]

   OMG, NOW YOU TELL JENNIFER.... I just bought like 300 new records, like 2 days ago, there not even here yet, Death to the juke....Really !!!!

[pbj]

I spent a fair amount of time showing people how it works.

Then your project is far too complicated and you failed.

[yotsuya]

I spent a fair amount of time showing people how it works.

Then your project is far too complicated and you failed.

No  ,  they wanted to know the INNER WORKINGS.  You know, encoder, computer, software, how it hooked into my network. They could pick songs just fine. They wanted to know how the actual project worked.

[pbj]

It was nice of you to throw a sausage party for your mother in law.

 

[yotsuya]

It was nice of you to throw a sausage party for your mother in law.

 

We Metiscans have big famblies, esse.

[Le Chuck]

Last party my wife threw I was the only hearing adult and there were 40 people.  I can justify all kinds of stupid projects but I haven't been able to justify a juke.  Spotify to a BT set of battery operated speakers and you've got a party in your pocket anyway.  My friends that can hear spend way more time drinking than complaining about the fact they don't have a juke box to crowd around to pick the next track. 

Besides if I had a juke box it would just have 1000 entries of diverse and awesome music titles but every single one would really just be "Cottoneye Joe" by the RedNex

[Barry Barcrest]

Last party my wife threw I was the only hearing adult and there were 40 people.  I can justify all kinds of stupid projects but I haven't been able to justify a juke.

To be fair that probably is the exception rather than the rule. I am pretty sure when most people have a party most of the guests will want to hear music.

[Le Chuck]

Last party my wife threw I was the only hearing adult and there were 40 people.  I can justify all kinds of stupid projects but I haven't been able to justify a juke.

To be fair that probably is the exception rather than the rule. I am pretty sure when most people have a party most of the guests will want to hear music.

Oh I fully acknowledge the rarity of my situation and we do throw parties with hearing folk.  That's why I have the spotify and the the blue tooth speakers. 

[yotsuya]

My daughter just asked me this weekend to build her a mini-jukebox, so there's still hope yet, Barry!

[8BitMonk]

Since switching over to streaming I haven't looked back.

It's a misnomer to say that you can't select the exact tracks you want with streaming, that may be the case with Pandora but not services like Rdio or Spotify in which you can manage your entire collection, playlists etc. They also allow you to add your local files to the playlists within the app for the obscure stuff they might not have.

As far as the 'communal' experience goes it's easily reproduced, the app interfaces aren't much different than a juke interface. I have a touchscreen flush mounted in the wall where people can use the Spotify interface to select songs etc. I can also remote into it with a tablet and pass it around for music browsing and selection etc. In some cases the juke interfaces are a little slicker (I really like some AlbumPlayer skins) but I can see that changing over time as ability to skin streaming service clients evolve. For me, the power and convenience of streaming far outweighs the minor interface difference.

Streaming is definitely the way of the future, Apple is rumored to be coming out with it's own streaming service (part of the reason they bought Beats for 3Billion) and Amazon just added free streaming to their Prime accounts this month.

[yotsuya]

Streaming is definitely the way of the future, Apple is rumored to be coming out with it's own streaming service (part of the reason they bought Beats for 3Billion) and Amazon just added free streaming to their Prime accounts this month.

You're probably right. Then again, I've got 11 2'x6' or so boxes in my family room playing games I could play on my cell phone, so maybe there's more to it... 

[8BitMonk]

I agree. I don't think the jukebox or the jukebox experience is necessarily dead, just the way the music gets to the box. 

[yotsuya]

So getting back to Barry's question, I think he's be smart to incorporate a streaming component into his software, then. I honestly only stream when I'm using my phone or when I'd riding the exercise bike, but for parties and being in the gameroom, it's jukebox (which, incidentally, has a "radio" function, so in essence, I'm streaming my own collection, which is just under 200 GB).

[NIVO]

I am just now currently building my touchscreen juke so im well behind. But Im an old goat I guess as I just wont change. F streaming music services I listen to online "genre" radio stations every now and then but there is nothing like your own music to jam to. Streaming isnt up to my standard yet to "fit my mood". No one place has the right algorithm and the juke does that for me.

[yotsuya]

I am just now currently building my touchscreen juke so im well behind. But Im an old goat I guess as I just wont change. F streaming music services I listen to online "genre" radio stations every now and then but there is nothing like your own music to jam to. Streaming isnt up to my standard yet to "fit my mood". No one place has the right algorithm and the juke does that for me.

 

[8BitMonk]

I listen to online "genre" radio stations every now and then but there is nothing like your own music to jam to. Streaming isnt up to my standard yet to "fit my mood". No one place has the right algorithm and the juke does that for me.

You mustn't have tried the newer streaming services like Rdio or Spotify. There is no 'algorithm', you pick and play the music you want, it's not random or genre related or 'mood' related.  You listen to whatever you want whenever you want just like with your own collection without the hassle of having to download and manage gigs worth of music and cover art etc.

[Barry Barcrest]

I can also remote into it with a tablet and pass it around for music browsing and selection etc. In some cases the juke interfaces are a little slicker (I really like some AlbumPlayer skins) but I can see that changing over time as ability to skin streaming service clients evolve. For me, the power and convenience of streaming far outweighs the minor interface difference.

Ok unless I'm completely wrong here you are saying this....



Is as usable as this....



The interface on spotify just isn't designed for touchscreen at all, unless there is a new one out there that I am unaware of.

I agree streaming is a great solution and having millions of songs searchable is great but the interface is what I can't get on with. As soon as they make a decent interface for spotify (Or make it winamp level skinable) then all jukebox software for the home user will be obsolete. Of course there is the other issue with streaming, if you are having a party and the wifi goes down no music. This is why I would never use something like spotify to DJ a bar.

[8BitMonk]

I'd agree that the desktop client isn't as user friendly but still usable. The iPad interface for Spotify that's meant for touch (below) is much better. I still prefer the touch specific gui but when weighed against all of the streaming benefits it's not enough to keep me from it.

Spotify iPad interface


I'd be curious to see how expensive solutions like Sonos handle Spotify, I know they include touch screen apps and have embraced the streaming option.

One other point about streaming, I actually like supporting artists by paying for music again. $10/month seems more than fair for what I get, new stuff hits almost immediately and there's very little of my collection that's not covered in the existing catalog. The songs that aren't there that I have on my local drive can be added seemlessly to the app browser.  Seems like a fair, viable business model for the future of music.

[Dermbrian]

Can Spotify be set to use credits?     I know the answer is 'no'.  Nothing does but true jukebox emulation software.  Most so-called jukebox 'apps' do not.

Really.  I use MortPlayer on my android phone and consider it a great app for playing my collection on my phone, and that's one feature I wish it had.  When I play my music on DWJukebox, I slip a quarter into the piggy bank and select three songs....either from the title strips or as three random selections.  When those are done, it goes quiet unless I feed it again.  My current work-around on my phone is 30 minutes costs me 50 cents and I set an alarm to go off.  Not nearly as elegant of a solution and when I'm lazy my hobby fund doesn't get any love.

Brian

[Barry Barcrest]

That iPad is an improvement but only in as much as getting your trousers off before you crap yourself. I can't believe they actually designed that from the ground up for a device that's only input is touch.

[nipsmg]

I agree streaming is a great solution and having millions of songs searchable is great but the interface is what I can't get on with. As soon as they make a decent interface for spotify (Or make it winamp level skinable) then all jukebox software for the home user will be obsolete.

I dunno Barry.  The type of person who would be interested in a touchscreen jukebox solution has likely amassed a large library of music, and would likely want to serve it up and have it supplemented by streaming. 

[Barry Barcrest]

I agree streaming is a great solution and having millions of songs searchable is great but the interface is what I can't get on with. As soon as they make a decent interface for spotify (Or make it winamp level skinable) then all jukebox software for the home user will be obsolete.

I dunno Barry.  The type of person who would be interested in a touchscreen jukebox solution has likely amassed a large library of music, and would likely want to serve it up and have it supplemented by streaming.

This is what I was thinking, streaming is a fall back for items not in the library.