Database driven jukebox software?

[richms]

Looking thru the available software, the few I have tried (not naming just yet) have being rather lacking.

Some wouldnt read tags from the files, most seem to only support a few formats and all of them seem to want to scan thru all the audio files on the mame machine.

I have all my MP3s stored on a central server with many many HDDs in it. This is plugged into the lan and I access the files via the UNC name (*NOT* a mapped drive letter) - relocating files to be \genre\artist\album\xx.title or similar is not an option because of the amount of playlists I have built with them just where I want them.

As the lan is somewhat slow, I want to use something where I run a server on the PC with the songs, and the client on the mame machine queries that rather then opening up every audio file to pull tags out.

I saw one of the programs used mysql, I am hoping for something that uses either an access database or mssql as my last attempt at using mysql on a windows platform was an exercise in futility.

[nipsmg]

MS Access is a really limited backend DB.  MSSQL is very expensive (You could use something like MSDE maybe).

I don't know why you had so many problems with MySQL, but if you get one of the automated installers for AMP (Apache, Mysql PHP) like XAMPP or something similar then installation is a snap, and they usually come with phpMyAdmin, which is an amazing web based MySQL frontend that makes administration a snap on any platform.

Give it another try, you won't be disappointed.

[Bloinkxp]

MSSQL has a free version coming out...
Called workgroup I think.

[richms]

I will give mssql another go in that case

[str1der]

Take a look at Nordbeat.

[richms]

Looks like Iplay and the DB are working fine, but im having some issues with it that I have posted on that forum about. Seems to have very poor error handling in it with frequent exceptions and closings happening.

Nordbeat looks more touchscreen oriented. While I will be putting a keyboard + mouse on a pull out draw, it will not be something I want to have out when people are over, so the mouse/touchscreen aspect isnt going to work too well. I think that iplay will be fine if I put buttons mapped to the 4 coloured keys for various options. Still will be hard navigating a 40ksong library without the ability to jump straight to a letter etc.