Zoneskin3 Release - Final Public Update 12/9/07 www

[Marbles_00]

#
http://www.xlobby.com/files/Marbles_00/2mainmenu_1.jpg
##
ZoneSkin 3:
Read more in forum or just download:

http://www.mediafire.com/?6dxyj2gfgbn

Have fun
Marbles

Reason for the skin:
I've decided to expand the amount of zones in my house, allow for syncing of the upstairs and syncing the whole house. So I'm looking at 7 zones and three synced zones...which is too much for Zoneskin2 to display properly, unless it underwent some large modifications. I also wasn't totally fond of the flow of Zoneskin2. Finally, I feel that the most attractive thing to Zoneskin2, meaning the zonemap, should be brought to the forfront and utlilized.

###


Here are some updated screen shots:
Main Menu


Sources:


Album select (*UPDATED 16/7/07*):


Volume Control:


Sync Control:


Search Abilities:


House Sync view:


Multiple PPC screens:


New PPCAlbum select (*ADDED 16/7/07*)


Also that can be found in the .zip file is a PDF document on requirements and setting up the skin.

There is also a FONT directory with required fonts, applications directory with PervHub and kXd with example .ini files to use, and a plugins diretory with Xpert.dll plugin. These all require relocations to proper places as defined in the document.

Decompress the .zip within the Xlobby/skins directory. There are some small bugs, and the spider overlay remains to be completed, but overall it is functional.

If you have any questions, please ask...hopefully I can help

DOWNLOAD NOW

**UPDATED 2/6/07**
-Replaced some graphics with my own new ones
-Made a slick executable installer...trial run for my next skin
-Indicates when the external tuner is tied to a zone

**UPDATED 4/3/07**
-Fixed the Now Playing Screens. They operate correctly now.
-Corrected button events in some PPC screens.
-Used Multiscreen control for buttons that appear on multiple screens and PPC screens.
-Updated documentation for the proper SB0400 image.
-Updated documentation for some gramatical errors (always on the go)
-Included sleep.exe for using to place system to standby.
-Included .ini files for my recent post about alternate uses for PervTalk. View post to see how to setup DSP.

Download from link above.
-Included screen and events for alternate uses for PervTalk

**UPDATED 8/7/07**
-nothing new...just forgot to include the applications folder with Perv Devices in the new installer when last updated. This has now been corrected.

**UPDATED 16/7/07**
-added alphabeticallized categories from 0 to 9 and A to Z. Databases are to be named group#, where # is either a number or letter (from 0-9, a-z). All music files are to be in their own alphabetical directories. Both album pages and ppc pages have been updated.

**FINAL UPDATE 12/9/07**
-This will be the final release of this skin. I am now putting a halt on all development of this skin as I am deciding on a newer version, and I'm thinking about how to make it all flow currently.

New to this version:
-Taken out all the Now Playing screensaver functionality. Though I think it cool, what Buddabing has done, for my use, it was rather impratical, so I took them out.

-Added additional music selection/playlist control in the PPC screens, since the PPC is my primary access point. Clicking on "Function" when selecting album tracks will open a small window, which will allow the user to either play/que tracks and play/que albums. In the playlist screen, I added a small overlay which allow the user to delete tracks from a playlist, move tracks up/down etc. I've also allowed users to rename playlists to their own liking.

-Attempted to add a new plugin/function called xMusicovery, developed by Dgemily. I haven't played around with it for a while, so it is very early in the development stage when concerning my setup. It could work very well in a dedicate HTPC though. The main files reside in the applications directory. View the skin events for details on how the buttons operate.

-Started the preliminaries of adding ShoutCastPLS control. Files reside in the applications directory.

[scottw]

Looks real good Marbles


Have you thought about switching to the VAC setup instead of the standard winamp method???
Not trying to push you but I think we were/are on the same page with multizone. I have it working kind of (just the TC issues), and I love it!!! I did not want to be limited to the amount of zones I wanted to sync and have to set them up ahead of time. I also did not like the idea of having to stop the music just to add another zone into my current playing music.

Just a thought


EDIT: By the way I love the map. I was thinking of adding one to my skin eventually.

[sharp_1]

Great job Marbles, I like your revision alot.

scottw has a good point, I would also like to be able to add a zone into an existing zone while playing. I have been reading about the VAC option but am not sure if I want to spend the money on it just for one function.

[scottw]

Great job Marbles, I like your revision alot.

scottw has a good point, I would also like to be able to add a zone into an existing zone while playing. I have been reading about the VAC option but am not sure if I want to spend the money on it just for one function.

I thought the same thing. I only used XL for my movies in the past and have recently added multizone music to it and that gets used more than anything else. So $30 was well worth it

[Marbles_00]

I have been really pondering using the VAC setup. The one big problem right now is your thin client issue. Mainly in my current setup, the system is totally controled by the PPC...I can't afford to have control issues of that nature. I'd rather have the control (which I've more or less proven to work) and live with the inability for zones to chime into existing zone music, then to loose control via the PPC. That will totally blow the WAF.

Though I haven't totally ruled it out, right now, it is not high on the list...what is...learning kXd/P3rv stuff, so I can drop the Maylume project.

[scottw]

I hear ya. I stil have my main XL setup using the winamp method until I can get this perfected. I will already tick my wife off for changing the setup but need to have it right the first time

I have it working using one source and whatever zones I want. I just need figure out how add more sources like radio and another music player incase some zones want to play different music than others, although we rarely do this but I don't want to limit it.

Keep us updated on the skin!!!!!

[summerall]

Does XL multizone audio still have problems syncing music aross several zones? I tried multizone a while back with 2 instances of winamp and the zones kept getting out of sync.

[scalt]

Regarding the PPC thin client with VAC setup, which I also want to implement in my skin, I was thinking of using 2 different screens.

First screen, you select the Source, it then brings you to another screen or an overlay where you select the different zones. This way, you can be assured that you only have 1 source selected at a time.

Just a thought...

EDIT : An advantage of the 2 screen approach for the PPC is that screen real estate is much more limited. It would probably be way to crowded to have everything on 1 screen with a PPC

[Marbles_00]

If using the internal Xlobby sync command is hit and miss, that's why a good majority of us don't use it and have opted using CL cards and the KX Drivers, then setting up output 0/1 as the sync zone. The other newer option is to use the VAC software, which has also worked for a few.

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

If using the internal Xlobby sync command is hit and miss, that's why a good majority of us don't use it and have opted using CL cards and the KX Drivers, then setting up output 0/1 as the sync zone. The other newer option is to use the VAC software, which has also worked for a few.

One addition ive been thinking about adding for kXd is ability to connect (drawing wires between) kX-plugins in realtime... this would allow zones to be grouped and teared down on fly in xlobby on CL-card based systems...

yay or nay?

[scalt]

Would this allow you to connect different cards together...if not, syncing between two cards won't be possible..

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

Would this allow you to connect different cards together...if not, syncing between two cards won't be possible..

nope, u will still need other approaches for that.

[Vaporware]

Wow.. I like your skin Marbles... I will be watching for the release.. I think this will help my WAF..

What are CL-card based systems ?

[P3rv3rt B3ar]

What are CL-card based systems ?

CL is there short for Creative Labs, but what we actually mean there is systems built on Live/Audigy family of soundcards with kX drivers.

[Marbles_00]

If you go to the KX Drivers website, they have a card compatibility list. Worth looking at before you purchase a Live/Audigy.