Software reccomendations?

[Trimoor]

The harware of my jukebox is complete, but I need a good program now.

The monitor has two columns of 8 switches, one on each side.
I would like a GUI that resembles song selection cards only--not the jukebox cabinet.
The software must run on either DOS or linux--no exceptions.

Does anyone know of anything that resembles this?

[DrewKaree]

I dunno if Chris' Dos Jukebox is skinnable like that, but if it IS, that's exactly what you'll want.

[RacerX]

It is skinnable and extremely flexible.  It's listed in the sticky post.  DOSCab jukebox.

[Chris]

I'll even help you put together the skin.  Do you have pictures of the cabinet?  I'd love to see it...

You'll need to save two of the buttons for next page/previous page, and you may want other buttons for optional functions like a button to show the most popular songs, a pause button, or a button to skip the current song.  Presuming you use a "popular" button and a "pause" button, you can use the remaining six as letters A-F and numbers 1-6, giving you 36 selections on the screen at once.  The testskin.ini skin is very basic-looking, but it is formatted for 36 selections, and it'll give you a chance to try out the software right away; it can be made to look better later.

--Chris

[Trimoor]

I just realized that I already ripped all of my music--to an ext3 linux file system...

So unless someone can compile DOScab for linux, I'll have to stick to the crappy homemade interface I have now.

*sigh* thanks anyway.

I'll try to get pics up soon.

[GadgetGeek]

I just realized that I already ripped all of my music--to an ext3 linux file system...

So unless someone can compile DOScab for linux, I'll have to stick to the crappy homemade interface I have now.

*sigh* thanks anyway.

I'll try to get pics up soon.

What about using DOS and a network share to your mp3s?  Shouldn't care that it is ext3 at that point.  Just a thought.
Also, ask Chris if would be willing to let you test a linux port of DOScab.  IIRC, he used multi-platform libraries when designing it.

[Chris]

What about using DOS and a network share to your mp3s?  Shouldn't care that it is ext3 at that point.  Just a thought.
Also, ask Chris if would be willing to let you test a linux port of DOScab.  IIRC, he used multi-platform libraries when designing it.

Linux is not in my plans at this time.  I don't know Linux, don't know how to deal with multiple distributions, would have no way of supporting it, and once you release anything for Linux everyone expects it to be open source.

--Chris

[Trimoor]

once you release anything for Linux everyone expects it to be open source.

So release the source

Actually, I just remembered that I have a spare HDD lying around, so I could copy everything over to fat32 and install dos.

What flavour of dos should I use?  6.22, 7.0, freedos?

DOScab supprots ogg vorbis right? Nearly all my music is in ogg (screw you mp3!)

I'll try to get pics up soon. (insert generic excuse for lazyness here)

Thanks!

[Chris]

once you release anything for Linux everyone expects it to be open source.

So release the source

See?  

Actually, I just remembered that I have a spare HDD lying around, so I could copy everything over to fat32 and install dos.

What flavour of dos should I use?  6.22, 7.0, freedos?

I like the DOS 7 that comes with Windows 98.  Even without Windows, it puts up the Windows logo (which can be replaced), which hides the boot process.

DOScab supprots ogg vorbis right? Nearly all my music is in ogg (screw you mp3!)

Yes, OGG is supported in v3.0 beta.  It'll depend on all the Artist and Title tags within the OGG to be correct for indexing purposes.

--Chris

I'll try to get pics up soon. (insert generic excuse for lazyness here)

Thanks!

[Trimoor]

Here are some pictures (finally)



The buttons on the sides of the monitor have been artificially lightened.  They don't show up in the pic very well.

There are 8 buttons on each side, plus 3 at the botton (scroll left/tight, and one for previous menu)


The large tubes on the perimiter contain rope lights and a bubble tube (still in production)

[papaschtroumpf]

FYI, there are drivers for extfs2/3 in windows.
Take a look her for a start:
sourceforge.net/projects/ext2fsd
uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/ext2ifs.htm

[Trimoor]

Thanks, but windoze is far too bloated to use for a jukebox kiosk.
I want something small, fast, and free.

[GadgetGeek]

http://www.it.fht-esslingen.de/~zimmerma/software/ltools.html
That might allow you to read ext3 from DOS

edited to add...
the more I think about this, the more I realize it won't do what you want it to.  You could read the drive with this utility, but DOSCab still can't get the files.

Is there a DOS port of Samba you could load and handle the ext3 drive that way?  Or would that be too much of a drag on your system?  I guess that spare HD may be your best bet after all.  Good luck.

Maybe post the juke to the projects forum too with a link back to this thread if you want more feedback on the cabinet design.  And give us a little construction history while you are at it.  Please and thank you.

[paigeoliver]

Linux can read Fat and fat32, it is really just a matter of slapping another hard drive in there and coopy them over.