Maybe you should take a look at NetRemote (
www.netremote.org). This talks directly to MC and will allow you to configure your own customised touch screen interface where you can easily browse your library, check the contents of playing now, add ratings, get info and cover art for the currently playing track and much much more that you cannot do quickly from within MC.
For example, I have a single button that will display all other tracks by the artist that's currently playing (with subsequent buttons to play all or some of the tracks shown). I have similar buttons to:
- show all tracks on the currently playing album
- show all albums by the currently playing artist
- show all tracks rated 3 or more by the currently playing artist
- show my favourite playlists
I run NetRemote on a handheld wireless PDA but you can also run it on a Simpad, laptop or normal PC in exactly the same way. You probably know that I spent a lot of time suggesting Theatre View enhancements and created a long thread specifically for it. Since I doscovered NetRemote, however, it's no longer an issue for me as I can do virtually anything I want with MC. NR has totally transformed my enjoyment of MC and I know longer find myself flooding the forum with change requests. In fact, i don't find myself flooding the NR forum with change requests either as it can already accomplish everything I need.
Here's some screen pics of my NetRemote interface. (I use it to control other equipment too) and there are plenty of other examples in the Gallery on the NR site.
There are plenty of other MC users who will echo what I say (Sapnho, Mastiff, Cocophone, and a recent convert - nick_harambee to name just a few).
If you want to control MC
how you want in the coolest possible way then you should give it a try. And if you don't have the know-how or the time to create your own interface there are plenty of examples that other people have created that you can download and try. Getting started i.e. installing components and plug ins and setting parameters so it all hangs together is a bit of a learning curve but it's no worse than getting started with MC itself and there's people available to help.
In my opinion, if you are trying to remotely control MC and you have not looked at NetRemote you are missing out big time.