Homemade MP3 Jukebox

[dpalmi]

Hello all!

Well - my MP3 touchscreen Jukebox is done!  Wohoo!  But I did take the lazy way out...lol.  Anyway - here's all the info I can think of with pics...enjoy!

Thanks to Paladin for reminding me I wanted to do this...I've been thinking about it for years and his post about his Megatouch (http://newlifegames.net/nlg/index.php?topic=4800.0) final got me off my butt...

I am going to split the post up a little for pics/etc...

I am a wedding DJ on the side so I already have a huge MP3 music collection on a laptop computer.  I always have this setup in my bar/gameroom - but it's not very easy for anyone but me to use.  I wanted something more user friendly - like the digital Jukebox's in the bars....

Dan #2

[dpalmi]

So - the first step of this process for me was finding an Jukebox app that I liked and would be easy for everone else to use.  Paladin found that for me - it's Freebox Jukebox.  The webpage is http://freeboxjukebox.com/.  It costs $25 to buy - the free version is the same as the one you buy - it just has a 30 minute time limit - but you can test it out and set it up all you like.  This app is very easy and is very close to the TouchTunes software you see on digital jukeboxs in bars.

I had to re-organize all of my MP3s (aprox 10,000 songs) into folders for each individual album - I found a great tool that did that for me based on the ID3 of the song - File and MP3 Renamer 2006 - http://download.cnet.com/File-and-MP3-Renamer-2006/3000-2248_4-10018579.html?tag=mncol

I also had to get all the album art for my whole collection - the best tool I found for that was MP3Toys - worked great http://download.cnet.com/MP3Toys/3000-2139_4-10359771.html?tag=mncol

These 2 tools saved me hours and hours of work because of how many MP3s/Albums I have...

Dan #2

[dpalmi]

The next step was finding a touch screen - hello eBay!  I originally planned on building all of this into a box of some kind - so I didn't really care if the monitor had a case.  I found an ELO USB 15" touchscreen on eBay that had a $40 BIN and cost me $54 shipped.  Not bad!  Now it didn't have a case - it is OEM - but the ones in cases on eBay start selling at $140+ and I didn't need a case anyway.  The guy selling these has a ton of them - has sold over 100 so far and still has some left.  His current auction is http://cgi.ebay.com/ELO-15-inch-LCD-Touch-Screen-Monitor_W0QQitemZ130337718169 - if you need a touch screen for a project of some sort - I highly recomend this one.  I think I'm going to buy 2 more because they are such a good deal.  The max resolution for these is 1024x768.  Is it the best LCD picture I've ever seen?  No - but for the price - I'm very happy.

Now the monitor I got didn't match the pic he has on the auction - but it worked out better for me.  I don't know if you will get the same one I got - so keep that in mind.  Mine had a black bezel on it that really dressed it up.

Dan #2

[dpalmi]

So I decided to just mount the screen on my wall and not put it in any kind of box.  As I was taking pictures for these posts - I took the bezel off to see what it looked like without it - well the bezel holds the touch screen itself - so I would think they all have to include this.  The back of the screen is all inclosed except for your button panel for adjusting the picture - but it's on the side and out of the way...

Dan #2

[dpalmi]

When I originally got the monitor - it had a red and black cable coming out the back - I have no idea what it's for - and a board screwed to the back.  The board was labeled "AMP" so I assume it's for some kind of speakers a monitor would normally have.  I disconnected it - didn't affect the monitor at all - and I stuffed the cords behind the metal plate on back to help clean up the back of the screen.  I also included a pic with that back cover off...

Dan #2

[jay]

Great stuff - what is the interface from the LCD touch to the PC ? is it USB and does it simply emulate a mouse ??

[dpalmi]

I got a cheap $30 wall mount from Walmart http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=11961957 and that's all it took!  15" screen is plenty big.  Wife loves it and said I should have done this years ago...

Any questions, let me know!

Dan #2

[dpalmi]

Great stuff - what is the interface from the LCD touch to the PC ? is it USB and does it simply emulate a mouse ??

Touchscreens come in 2 types.  The older style used a 9 pin serial port - current (more expensive and this one) is USB.  If you buy plan on buying a touchscreen - make sure you can find the drivers on the web or they come with it.  Without the drivers, you won't be able to get the touchscreen part to work.

Once you install the drivers and calibrate the screen - your finger acts like a mouse - the pointer moves where you move your finger.  To click, just tap the screen.  One issue, the very edges of the screen can be tricky - so it can be hard for example to press your Start button.

Dan #2

[stormrider]

Dan,

First off great job  I have been wanting to do this for so long
since I have gigs worth of mp3 and I told the wife it would be my next project for the bar/gameroom
that was over a year ago  well at least we have more slots anyway my question to you is
did the touchscreen you bought off Ebay come with the drivers ?
Thanks for the pictures K+
I will get to this in the next few weeks right after I dig out my snowmobiles for the winter tune up 

Tim

[dpalmi]

did the touchscreen you bought off Ebay come with the drivers ?

Hello Tim!

That's one reason these screens are such a good deal - they are a big name brand - ELO - not some off brand chinese thing.  You can download the drivers right from ELO's webpage http://elotouch.com/support/Downloads/dnld.asp.  Also they are USB and the power supply is built in - so no walwart kind of thing...

ALSO - these monitors do not come with any cables - so you will need 3 - the 15 pin male to male VGA cable, the USB cable and a standard 3 pin computer/slot power cable.  I work in IT so I had all of these cables laying around...lol.

Dan #2

[slotsteve]

In sept 09 auction at winston /salem nc they had 3 r 4 touch tunes download boxes that where striped of comp and  touch screen they sold for around 250 each  you could make a great box that way very cheap

[stormrider]

did the touchscreen you bought off Ebay come with the drivers ?

Hello Tim!

That's one reason these screens are such a good deal - they are a big name brand - ELO - not some off brand chinese thing.  You can download the drivers right from ELO's webpage http://elotouch.com/support/Downloads/dnld.asp.  Also they are USB and the power supply is built in - so no walwart kind of thing...

ALSO - these monitors do not come with any cables - so you will need 3 - the 15 pin male to male VGA cable, the USB cable and a standard 3 pin computer/slot power cable.  I work in IT so I had all of these cables laying around...lol.

Dan #2

Dan,

Thanks for that info I have all those cables here
I would like to know about that red/black wire you spoke of for the amp.I would rather play it via my stereo amp speakers
in the bar vs using my pc but I will sort that out later first thing is to get this up and running.
I will be checking the links for the software now.

Thanks Again.   Tim

[dpalmi]

I would like to know about that red/black wire you spoke of for the amp.

Hello Tim!

The red/black wire is not for the speakers - at least I don't think so - it comes off the board what looks like is the USB board for the touchscreen display.  I going to do some research to see if I can find out what it is for.  Maybe for a switch?  I was to chicken to put a switch on it to try

It was the extra board on the back that was for speakers...

I would rather play it via my stereo amp speakers in the bar vs using my pc but I will sort that out later first thing is to get this up and running.

That's how I have my laptop setup right now - it's connected to the AUX in on the receiver I have in my bar/gameroom.  All you need is a 3.5mm headphone jack to 2 RCA audio cable like the one pictured below.  Any store like Radio Snatch or Best Buy would have these on the shelf - I think even Walgreens has them...lol.

Dan #2

[stormrider]

Dan,

Ok then I also have that cable too for the aux I have boxes of cables between my ham radio days and guitars + stereo equipment
I am building my mp3 (60gig worth)library now as I type...heck all I need is the screen I already have a spot picked out on the wall in the Bar 

[jay]

I want one of those screens but the dude there won't ship to Canada.
Shipping will exceed the BIN price....LOL.

[stormrider]

This thing is awesome all my music is loaded but it's missing the album art 
back to the drawing board

[CaptainHappy]

Dan #2,

COOL PROJECT!!!

K+ for sharing!

CH

[CaptainHappy]

I want one of those screens but the dude there won't ship to Canada.
Shipping will exceed the BIN price....LOL.

Jay,

One of us could buy it and then reship it to you. Unless the added shipping would be cost prohibitive??

CH

[jay]

Thats a cool offer - shipping would probably be around $50 on top of what it costs to ship to you.

[Evilmonkey]

I want one of those screens but the dude there won't ship to Canada.
Shipping will exceed the BIN price....LOL.

Jay,
If you find any of those screens up here, please let me know. I have a few ideas those screens  would be great for.

[CaptainHappy]

Thats a cool offer - shipping would probably be around $50 on top of what it costs to ship to you.

Ouch!

CH

[mah]

Thanks for the tip on the monitors.  Picked up 2 at e-bay last night @ 40. each.  I plan on trying to build the juke box and I would like to try it with movies instead of songs.  Not sure if it will work but was thinking it would be nice by the TV and would get rid of all the DVD's.

Thanks for the idea's and links for the software.

[knagl]

Dan-

K+ and thanks for the info in this thread -- I bought two of them ($80 + $18 shipping).  I just looked and as of the time of this post, there are 42 remaining from that vendor -- just an FYI to anyone who is interested but hasn't pulled the trigger yet.  (If you add the item to your "watch" list, the quantity available will show up in your "My eBay" summary page.)

[Paladin]

I'm glad I inspired you Dan!  I've got my jukebox up and running now as well.  I just moved my 'SPIN REELS' slot button from a project box to the jukebox so I can use it with the 'Little Green Men' and 'Texas Tea' PC slot programs.  I then added buttons to adjust the volume up/down.  All 3 buttons are connected to and Ultimarc I-Pac keyboard encoder, and a program called VolumeTray let me assign volume controls to keyboard keys.

What I need to do now is decide how to better mount the speakers, as currenty the left and right point out of the air vents in the sides of the cabinet.  If you're on one side you can't hear the other side very well, not good for stereo!

Here's a picture of the monitor shroud with the slot/volume buttons.  Dan, in case you don't know about it, the jukebox uses Windows Media Player to play music so you can set whatever 'visualization' you want in Media Player, then it shows up in the upper right corner of the screen when in the 'now playing' screen.  Just touch the visualization, and it expands to full screen!

[stormrider]

Paladin,

I Would also like to thank you on this project   
I also installed Little Green Men CD which works by touch it's really awesome to play it on touch screen
all my music is loaded with album covers,backdrop art and song facts.I will be adding video's later and even Karaoke for the kids
but I need those files,all I invested in this was the cost of the touch screen $50
The best part is I can always add stuff to it  sitting at my main pc being the touch screen is 2nd monitor
with 16ft long cables mounted on the other side of the wall which is in the game room
so not only do I have a juke box I now have video slots on touch  enchanted unicorn is a blast
The possabilities are endless with this setup heck I can even surf the net on touch in the game room
looks like this might replace my cd player for sure will post some pictures soon.
Thanks to all who posted and helped in this thread it was well worth the time.

Tim