Hi all!
Sometimes a year I need to play music in public from files for my friends.
In the past we did with CDs, but now what I get are only files, mostly Mp3s and the like. Until now I have tried many ways to do it, but at the moment I am still sticking with a PC with Win Media Player or VLC. I use a full-sized wired mouse to command the software. However I am always afraid that the laptop hangs in the middle of the show.
Also I had some good experience with modified firmware miniplayers like the Sansa w/Rockbox, but the buttons are tiny for my big piano player hands and with the age I have problems reading the very small display.
So is there a valid alternative out there?
What I need should :
1-Play MP3s along with other most common formats, possibly Flacs as well.
2-Have nice and firm play-pause-forward buttons. NO flimsy TOUCH sceen, please. So forget (i)phones, they are even not allowed in some control rooms.
3-Possibly playing only song-at-once, not the whole directory or playlist (to pace the various songs is my main job there 😉 ). I know the tricks to do it anyway, of course, but it would be nice to have this possibility built-in.
4-Have a display of about at least 3 x 1 inch (7.5 x 2.5 cm), with backlight.
No graphics or color is necessary.
5-Unbalanced (mini Jack or 2XRCA) stereo output. Balanced or other as optional.
6-It does not need to fit in a pocket and work on battery only, a small desktop or rack unit is OK as well.
I know that there are lots of commercial offers out there, but I would like some first-hand experience. High-end hifi is not really necessary, it is for PA at the end, but reliabilty it is. Ah, price. Well, if it costs like a good smart phone is OK 🙂
Thanks in advance for any suggestion.
Sometimes a year I need to play music in public from files for my friends.
In the past we did with CDs, but now what I get are only files, mostly Mp3s and the like. Until now I have tried many ways to do it, but at the moment I am still sticking with a PC with Win Media Player or VLC. I use a full-sized wired mouse to command the software. However I am always afraid that the laptop hangs in the middle of the show.
Also I had some good experience with modified firmware miniplayers like the Sansa w/Rockbox, but the buttons are tiny for my big piano player hands and with the age I have problems reading the very small display.
So is there a valid alternative out there?
What I need should :
1-Play MP3s along with other most common formats, possibly Flacs as well.
2-Have nice and firm play-pause-forward buttons. NO flimsy TOUCH sceen, please. So forget (i)phones, they are even not allowed in some control rooms.
3-Possibly playing only song-at-once, not the whole directory or playlist (to pace the various songs is my main job there 😉 ). I know the tricks to do it anyway, of course, but it would be nice to have this possibility built-in.
4-Have a display of about at least 3 x 1 inch (7.5 x 2.5 cm), with backlight.
No graphics or color is necessary.
5-Unbalanced (mini Jack or 2XRCA) stereo output. Balanced or other as optional.
6-It does not need to fit in a pocket and work on battery only, a small desktop or rack unit is OK as well.
I know that there are lots of commercial offers out there, but I would like some first-hand experience. High-end hifi is not really necessary, it is for PA at the end, but reliabilty it is. Ah, price. Well, if it costs like a good smart phone is OK 🙂
Thanks in advance for any suggestion.