Focus on Player 2-- 1024 x 768 resolution                                                                        Read image description below

A

When a player receives "focus" (becomes the subject of attention), a green  READY TO PLAY  message is displayed below the timeline, and a bright blue border light appears around the player window edges.  These are some of the "Ready Player Visual Cues" that are part of SmartFocus™ technology.  In the Media Player Mixer Express™ (MPMe), when a player has focus it can be started with one press of the SPACEBAR or ENTER key, or a mouse click on its Play button; which can also trigger a smooth segue if Auto Fade is on. 

By his decision to hover the mouse over the Play 2 button (depicted above in image A), the user transferred focus to Player 2—which accepted focus because it was loaded and ready to play.  Observe the focus state visual effects created here, which include a bright green neon glow around the Play 2 letters.  Notice also that the value "2" is displayed in the Player Ready Focus indicator (screen right, near top).  This screen image is a 1024x768 resolution capture.  View the 1280x1024 version here.  Next, continue with the image sequence below.

Since Player 2 has lost focus, its blue border lights are off, and its  READY TO PLAY  message is displayed in gray, signifying it is ready to start—but not the subject of focus.

"Next event auto focus" automation, part of SmartFocus™ technology, continually sets up the next event and  gives the DJ clear visual clues showing him where to go next.  This SmartFocus™ design coordinates screen graphics with mixer and user behaviors.  See the last image in this visual workflow sequence directly below.

In the last image of the sequence (C), the user has clicked the Play 3 button and the program's SmartFocus™ technology has determined that Player 2 is the next ready player, and signaled the user by automatically transferring focus to Player 2.  This design allows the Media Player Mixer Express™ to evaluate player ready states, and guide the DJ through a series of natural events by displaying clear visual cues.

Notice that the "situational awareness" logic, that is part of SmartFocus™ technology, has updated the player status messages.  For example, Player 1 displays  LOAD NEXT TRACK  while Player 2 (the subject of focus) displays  READY TO PLAY , and Player 3 displays  NOW PLAYING .  (Since Auto Fade is on, starting Player 2 would automatically begin a 3-second fade to zero for the audio level in Player 3.)  And, you can see that the value in the Player Ready Focus indicator has changed back to "2" (screen right, near top)

In screen shots A, B and C, (above, at 1024x768 resolution) each player is depicted with its "neon" play button skins, and the "Galaxy Glow" background tile theme is active.  Also, the Search Group Number (1) is visible at the left of the Search By Title button.  The yellow borders around the various MATCH filter buttons indicate that the current MPM track ("This Is Your Night") has attribute values for corresponding categories in the MMB DJ catalog.  For example, if the DJ clicked on the Match Set Name button, a filter would be activated and the song list view would be limited to tracks that share the same set name value ("Party Magic") as the current MPM track.

Return to start of workflow sequence.

Screen shot X (below) does not continue this sequence demonstration, but instead shows the MPMe standard play buttons in context with an applied attribute MATCH filter.

 Match Decade Attribute Filter active                                                         Read image description for screen X below

The image above (X) is also presented with the "teal" logo theme (as with A, B and C above), however, a player tile theme has not been applied.  Also, the standard play buttons are visible.  Player 1 is the current active player and displays  NOW PLAYING .  Both Player 2 and Player 3 are loaded and ready to play, but neither has focus so the  READY TO PLAY  message is displayed in gray.  The user has clicked the "Match Decade" attribute filter.

Observe that the combo box has dropped down to reveal an assortment of 1970s decade tracks as the DJ browses the list.  In this case, the Match Decade filter has applied a mask that limits the song view list to only tracks from the 1970s.  This occurred because the active record (track title) in the combo box when the DJ applied the filter  was "Desperado" by the Eagles—a track which has a catalog decade value of 1970.

With one click, and in less than 1 second, every available track (a total of 486) from the 1970s is instantly accessible for selection and loading into any open player.  In this example, if desired, the DJ could replace the content in either Player 2 or Player 3 with a new track from the filtered list.  The lavander borders and background colors clearly indicate to the DJ that an attribute filter is active, and he is seeing a limited view of his digital media assets.

This page depicts 1024x768 screen resolution images.  You can view the 1280x1024 versions here.  See WIDESCREEN resolution captures here.

Note: Beta software and beta screen images subject to change without notice.  Text descriptions and screen content ©2012 Codentity LLC.