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[Alex B]

A quote from the Media Center 12.0.365 release thread:

4. NEW: When playing images and audio at the same time, images will be played in their own zone.  Stopping playback in the image zone will switch back to the audio zone.

Since this build was released publicly almost immediately after the beta team release I am starting a discussion about this change here. Here's my reply from the beta board:

I don't like it at all.

It has always been possible to play images in a different zone when preferred.

Now it is not possible to use them as a visualization for an audio playlist. Just a few hours ago I uploaded a video in which I demonstrate how I use scanned album art images for that. I don't want to see the image playback time and filenames on the display. I need the standard audio details and controls there. The demo video is available here: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=43289.msg295478#msg295478

Also, the system doesn't work well with several simultaneous zones. After a couple of tries with my three previously created zones MC crashed and erased all configured zones. I need to test this more and post the logs, but it is not working correctly yet.

I have always liked the fact that MC has two different modes for playing slide shows. Now you are taking my favorite mode away. Please make the new (or the old) behavior optional.

I'm sure the developers meant good and this indeed is a nice automatic feature when you want to keep a slideshow fully separate from the playing audio playlist. MC 11.1 had a bit more slideshow controls than MC12 has. When the right-click control features were reduced I started to play my family picture slideshows (and that kind of stuff) in a separate zone during music playback. This made possible to have the images in a separate playlist in which a certain image can be replayed, paused, skipped etc.

However, the biggest part of my imported image library consist of about 10000 scanned album art images (front, back, inlay, CD, booklet/liner notes etc). For years I have played these in a slideshow as a visualization when I play a complete album (it is easy to use the remaining right-click controls and stop the slide show and enlarge a certain image when I want to read the liner notes.)

Please, download and watch the linked video and try the same on your PC. You'll notice that it is not possible to adjust the audio controls (volume, next, position slider etc) and view track info on the top display panel without changing the the view away from the new Image zone.

[Matt]

Let's hold the discussion on this until build 366 and later, as we've done a lot of tuning based on user feedback, including yours.

Thanks.

[benn600]

I intentionally did not update to the latest version on my production laptop that I'm running a live performance because of this change.  I for really the first time am heavily using two zones to be able to overlay audio and video with pictures.  If I'm in a zone and double click a media file, it needs to start in that specific zone.  I take it that this change makes images always go to "special" zone?

But for what I'm using it for, Media Center works so amazingly well its unbelievable, especially thanks to gappie creating a modified skin for me.

[benn600]

Wow: this may be bad.  I'm sorry but this feature even confused me!  I was just glancing through some photos and when finished, I started scambling to find VLC because I saw MC wasn't playing music.  It wasn't there!  What is going on?  Well, luckily this new feature is fresh in my mind or I wouldn't have realized.  And I had to know Ctrl + T or the zones manager.

The average user IS going to get really confused and will end up restarting MC...and that may not even fix it.

Without switching zones users can't even stop the music.  It has good intention but may cause major confusion for many people.

[johnnyboy]

Visual buttons I think are needed in 'playing now' to make it easy for everyone (including new users) to easily understand and use this feature.

[JimH]

Without switching zones users can't even stop the music.  It has good intention but may cause major confusion for many people.

Click on the audio tab.  Then press stop.  You should never have to switch zones to do anything.

[gappie]

Click on the audio tab.  Then press stop.  You should never have to switch zones to do anything.

i think that this is how it works 367, but not 365?
i prefer how 365 works or maybe something between the two, where the image playing does not get lost so easy. but that discussion is for later, isnt it.

[JimH]

i think that this is how it works 367, but not 365?

You're correct.  367 isn't on the public board yet.

[Alex B]

I'm still testing, but so far 367 seems promising. My initial problem is corrected.

(Gappie, please explain the problem you are experiencing on the beta board.)

[benn600]

As powerful as zones are, they can confused the brightest individual: oh yes, I have audio playing in a different zone.  Clicking audio (which may work) is still a bit complicated.  Essentially, on the outside, MC acts like it is being silent yet it is playing music.  It bit me again today.  I don't look at our pictures too much but I have to use some for our live performance so I've been really noticing this new feature...if not for this performance I wouldn't even have noticed really.

I vote for at least a change in how it functions.  How about a setting off by default?  You can never go wrong there (unless you get too many settings).

[gappie]

I'm still testing, but so far 367 seems promising. My initial problem is corrected.

(Gappie, please explain the problem you are experiencing on the beta board.)

hello alex
(you can find it in the second post of the bug report, more later at this board)

i still think it is better than it was. mc is doing a nice job finding a way to keep all hot heads (like myself), who use it differently, and the new users, satisfied
im currious how it will work in the end.