TC
2004-10-17, 11:08
I've had my sqeezebox for a week now and love it.
Short version: I want the number keys on the remote to either play a
playlist, named hotkey_n.pls (if nothing is playing) or make a playliste
named hotkey_n.pls (if something is playing).
Long version:
Now I'm going for wider adaptation of the SB in my household (read: Make
the wife use it).
So I've been thinking about how she uses ours normal stereo.
She either:
1. Listens to one of two radio stations
or
2. Listens to one of three CD which are in the cd-changer.
What it takes for her to listen to music is to
a. Press power
b. Press "radio" or "CD" (if the wrong one is selected)
c. Press station or CD number (if the wrong one is selected)
d. Press "play"
An minimum of two, average of three and max of four key presses.
Now to do the same on the SB she would have to:
a. Press power on the SB
b. press power on the stereo
c. Press AUX on the stereo (unless it was already selected)
d. Select between Browse genres/artists/albums/playlists/internet radio
(I removed some items, to make it simpler): 0-5 clicks
e. Select playlist or artist: 0-9 clicks (fx nine artists starting with A)
f. if artist selected; Select album: 0-10 clicks
g. if playlist selected; select playlist/radio station: 0-5 clicks
h. Press play.
Now that gives a minimum of two, a max of 28 and a gestimated average of
10 (most artists just have 2-3 albums, etc).
I just know, that when I start to explain the usage of the SB to her,
she's going to give me the "wow, that's complicated, compared to what we
already have - how excatly is this a step in the right direction?".
The thing is; I listen to a lot of different music, but she doesn't. The
fact that I don't have to browse through the CD collection, means a lot
to me, but nothing to her - she just listens to what's in the box (which
btw isn't my music).
So what I'm proposing is: Hotkeys. Kind of like speeddial.
If nothing is playing (nothing select or pause has been pressed) and you
press and hold an number key, the DB looks for a playlist called
hotkey_n.pls (or something like that) and plays it.
If music is playing and you press and hold a number key an playlist,
called hotkey_n.pls, is saved with a copy of the current playlist. If a
playlist with that name already exsists overwrite it, unless it marked
as readonly (so you have a way to keep hotkey settings you really like).
Now, I aware that the number keys already have functionality and that
that repeated or long presses already have some functionality here and
theres, but not everywhere.
Nothing happens if I press and hold a numberkey in the "now playing"
mode, and this is excatly where it want it to have new functionality
(save list).
And nothing happens when I press and hold a numberkey in the root menu
(browse artist/album/etc) menu, and this is where it want that to mean
"play hotkey_n.pls".
A user interface (change number on playlist, mark as R/O) would be nice,
but isn't really needed.
What do you think? Suggestions to make it even better?
--
TC
Short version: I want the number keys on the remote to either play a
playlist, named hotkey_n.pls (if nothing is playing) or make a playliste
named hotkey_n.pls (if something is playing).
Long version:
Now I'm going for wider adaptation of the SB in my household (read: Make
the wife use it).
So I've been thinking about how she uses ours normal stereo.
She either:
1. Listens to one of two radio stations
or
2. Listens to one of three CD which are in the cd-changer.
What it takes for her to listen to music is to
a. Press power
b. Press "radio" or "CD" (if the wrong one is selected)
c. Press station or CD number (if the wrong one is selected)
d. Press "play"
An minimum of two, average of three and max of four key presses.
Now to do the same on the SB she would have to:
a. Press power on the SB
b. press power on the stereo
c. Press AUX on the stereo (unless it was already selected)
d. Select between Browse genres/artists/albums/playlists/internet radio
(I removed some items, to make it simpler): 0-5 clicks
e. Select playlist or artist: 0-9 clicks (fx nine artists starting with A)
f. if artist selected; Select album: 0-10 clicks
g. if playlist selected; select playlist/radio station: 0-5 clicks
h. Press play.
Now that gives a minimum of two, a max of 28 and a gestimated average of
10 (most artists just have 2-3 albums, etc).
I just know, that when I start to explain the usage of the SB to her,
she's going to give me the "wow, that's complicated, compared to what we
already have - how excatly is this a step in the right direction?".
The thing is; I listen to a lot of different music, but she doesn't. The
fact that I don't have to browse through the CD collection, means a lot
to me, but nothing to her - she just listens to what's in the box (which
btw isn't my music).
So what I'm proposing is: Hotkeys. Kind of like speeddial.
If nothing is playing (nothing select or pause has been pressed) and you
press and hold an number key, the DB looks for a playlist called
hotkey_n.pls (or something like that) and plays it.
If music is playing and you press and hold a number key an playlist,
called hotkey_n.pls, is saved with a copy of the current playlist. If a
playlist with that name already exsists overwrite it, unless it marked
as readonly (so you have a way to keep hotkey settings you really like).
Now, I aware that the number keys already have functionality and that
that repeated or long presses already have some functionality here and
theres, but not everywhere.
Nothing happens if I press and hold a numberkey in the "now playing"
mode, and this is excatly where it want it to have new functionality
(save list).
And nothing happens when I press and hold a numberkey in the root menu
(browse artist/album/etc) menu, and this is where it want that to mean
"play hotkey_n.pls".
A user interface (change number on playlist, mark as R/O) would be nice,
but isn't really needed.
What do you think? Suggestions to make it even better?
--
TC