Any ideas for Home portable jukebox?

[mikehende]

Hey guys, I need a portable jukebox system for my home mainly to move from inside of my garage out into the yard whenever needed. I would have used a CD system but the 100 CD's limit will not work so for that reason I have to use mp3's therefore a computerized system and I purchased 2 jukebox "touchscreen" softwares and a portable touchscreen monitor but the main problem I am running into is the varying volume levels when using a jukebox software. Even though I used mp3 gain to normalize all of my mp3's in my large collections, when running on a high powered DJ system as I have you can very clearly hear all the differences in both volume and frequencies with different tunes, this is the main issue and was wondering if any of you guys are in a similar situation and has anything worked for you or any advice please? I would have preferred to use a CD jukebox system like an NSM where you won't have the sound levels issue so if there would be any way to use that but with a large library that would be first option.

[yotsuya]

I gutted an non-working 80s boombox and threw in a Lepai amp and Apple Airport Extreme, so I can stream music to it directly from my iTunes.

[mikehende]

Thanks, is that practical for people around to search for their tunes and does itunes normalize mp3's effectively so you wont have volume and frequency issues?

[Nephasth]

Bluetooth speakers. Spotify on your phone. Done.

[yotsuya]

Bluetooth speakers. Spotify on your phone. Done.

Easiest, but what's the fun it that???

Thanks, is that practical for people around to search for their tunes and does itunes normalize mp3's effectively so you wont have volume and frequency issues?

I just shoot out playlists and people drink beer around the pool and enjoy the music... It works. 

[Nephasth]

Bluetooth speakers. Spotify on your phone. Done.

Easiest, but what's the fun it that???

[mikehende]

Remember guys, for my application, it would require people choosing their own music, since they don't wish to use my main mp3 playback software that is why I am looking for something both the brown ups and kids can easily use and is why I purchase the touchscreen monitor just that I have the volume issues with jukebox softwares so this means I will need something which will connect to my rig which will allow people to choose their own music whether touchscreen or cd format jukebox.

[mikehende]

I am wondering now if an internet jukebox system might be the way to go something like this?

http://www.nsmmusic.com/

[RandyT]

Sounds like you need a player with AGC (Automatic Gain Control).  I've seen a post elsewhere indicating that VLC and MediaPlayer Classic can do this.  If your software has a way to use these for the playback, it might be something to look into for volume level control.

As for the frequencies varying, that one's going to be a tough nut to crack.  Your DJ speakers are going to have a specific frequency profile, and will sound good as long as the source music doesn't stray too far outside of that profile.  The problems arise when many different types of music are being played.  Some types will sound very good at even the highest output levels, while other types of music will distort or sound poor, regardless of volume.  This is why DJ's aren't just picking the music to play, but are also tweaking the EQ and volume during shows.  Commercial jukebox system providers very likely do some pre-processing to audio files, before they are encoded and added to their library, to make sure they are normalized and sound good on their equipment, and/or "middle of the road" quality speakers supplied by the operator.  I know from working in an FM station a couple of decades ago, a lot of audio compression was used to ensure decent sound across varying playback devices, but it comes at a loss of sound detail.

Also keep in mind that the quality of the audio file can make a big difference in playback.  Mud is mud.  In an uncontrolled environment, I think it's going to be difficult to get the results you are probably looking for.

[mikehende]

I had considered an internet setup like Google access where there wouldn't be any sound issues and they have an endless library, if I could get the hardware and software of the NSM separately, that could work but I don't think it's possible to get that.

[yotsuya]

I am wondering now if an internet jukebox system might be the way to go something like this?

http://www.nsmmusic.com/

Those are really for commercial setups and not made to run with your own collections, as far as I know.

The hiccup here is the word portable. I have a wall-mounted MP3 touchscreen juke I made that sounds exactly like what you want, but it's mounted in my gameroom. If I want something similar outside, I'd build a second one (and I may do that).

[mikehende]

Well my wanting my system to be portable is not an issue for I can easily move it from it's wall mount, that it the least of my worries, mind telling me what type of system you have please?

[mikehende]

Man, if I could have an efficient Jukebox software and hardware setup like this which could work with either my existing library or Google access, that would be it:

http://nsmmusicinc.com/digital-jukebox-products/software-and-apps/digital-jukebox/
If you look at that video clip it shows how very fast and efficient that system is, I tried a few different jukebox softwares with a brand new Dell touchscreen monitor and always have problems at some time or the other with either freezing or touch being non-responsive.

[Wired203]

This is something I spent a lot of time researching,  in the end I took a rooted android tablet and did a cifs mount to my nas and installed ampd and a few tweeks.  Originally I was going to use a mpd server on a raspberry pi and just use the tablet for a remote.  Nice thing about mpd is the clients are for every platform.  Grab your cell phone and control it,  your kid has a android phone no problem.  Wife has a iPhone same just install a mpd client and point to the server.  Build playlists and kick off whole play lists or albums.