Playlist feature improved!

Everything Else Humor
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I noticed last night some changes to the Playlist feature. I assume this applies both to the DMP and the PWT, so I have put the topic here rather than in the DMP Forum. But I can’t test with the PWT, so if it doesn’t work, someone let us know. Thanks to the PSA team for these improvements!

Changes noted:
– disc can be marked as CD, SACD, or HDCD
– album can be shared with the PSA Community
– typing track info works much better; one can tab between fields

I have shared three SACDs: the 2015 MOFI of Dylan’s John Wesley Harding; the Analogue Productions reissue of the Living Stereo Scheherazade; and Disc 1 of Mozart’s Symphonies 38-41 with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. If anyone has these discs and has not previously played them (so they are not already in one’s Playlist), try them and see if they are automatically downloaded.

Since it’s now possible to share albums, it’s important to enter the data not only accurately but in the most useful way. The following occurred to me as I worked on the three albums mentioned above. If you disagree with these choices, speak up.

For albums that have been released multiple times, it’s probably a good idea to identify them in the title. So instead of just John Wesley Harding I put John Wesley Harding (MOFI 2015). In some cases it doesn’t matter, but in others there are bonus tracks or different cover art – the latter with the MOFI, for instance. Even if tracks and art are the same, people may own different versions and want to see which one is playing.

For classical albums, some people put the composer in the ‘Artist’ field. I don’t think this is a good idea (although I understand why it has been done). For a reference database, the ‘Artist’ entry should indicate, well, the artist. So in the album title I put the composer’s last name followed by a colon, e.g., Mozart: Symphonies 38-41, with the Artist as Scottish Chamber Orchestra / Sir Charles Mackerras.

Since screen real estate is limited, I think it’s OK to use sensible abbreviations in the Artist field for each track. I spelled out the details for the Mozart SACD at the top of the listing, but for individual tracks I put just “SCO / Mackerras”.

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Thanks for your efforts on these!

Each entry submitted to the community will be reviewed by our team before release. I just reviewed Magisters and made one small change - there was a track missing.

We will be looking for volunteers to help out in the editing and approval departments.

Anyone interested in volunteering should contact me directly.

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Well, it kinda works. I loaded John Wesley Harding, which I had not previously played in the DMP, and the unit quickly downloaded the metadata and (after some prompting) the artwork. However, the entry does not show up in my playlist.

Magister did a good job entering the disc information and selecting appropriate artwork, but what if I wanted it to appear slightly different? If it’s not in my playlist, I can’t change it. If it does appear in my playlist and I alter it, does it alter it for everyone?

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No. Only your playlist gets altered. Once it’s been submitted and then approved, it’s available to everyone in the PS community.

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Paul McGowan said I just reviewed Magisters and made one small change - there was a track missing.
Thank you for doing this promptly, Paul, so people can try out the ones I shared. Would you let me know what track I missed? I just compared the back covers of the discs with the track list as it appears in my Playlist (same as I shared earlier today, no changes) and I don't see anything missing.
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The middle one, Scheherazade I think, started with track 2 through 4 and left out track one. You can see the one I added (track one) because it hasn’t any track time info.

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Well, I don’t know what to say. I entered this disc a while back (located the artwork, etc.) but didn’t have a few details like track timing. This morning before sharing the album I went through and cleaned everything up, including adding the timings. (Track 1 is 9:03, BTW.) I am sure track 1 was there when I clicked on Share.

I wonder if there is some sort of a delay involved. IIUC the Playlist entries you make are stored on the PSA server under your own account, unless/until you choose to share the album. Since I had earlier saved this album in an incomplete form (although I do think all four tracks were present in some way), I wonder if that was what got presented for your approval. Maybe the moral is to make all changes, then wait a day or two before sharing?? Or maybe I needed to close the screen after I made the edits and re-open it, rather than just clicking Share after doing the edits?

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It’s kind of like Big Brother seeing what we are playing. Better unplug before listening to those pornographic and anti- government discs.

Hey, I never got an answer, has anyone ever listened to see if the PWT sounds better without the ethernet cable plugged in. I have mine disconnected at the moment, my router only has two ports, and I needed both for PCs. I have been kicking arround whether to reinstall it. I can’t read the data from my listening chair, and I really can’t understand why I would want or need a playlist? And I always turn off the display when playing a disc anyway.

Do you guys just like seeing the little album cover?

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jeffstarr said Hey, I never got an answer, has anyone ever listened to see if the PWT sounds better without the ethernet cable plugged in.
I don't imagine there is a consensus about this. Do what sounds best in your situation.
I can't read the data from my listening chair, and I really can't understand why I would want or need a playlist?
I can't read the screen from across the room either, except for that nice big track number (thank you, Paul!). I use the Playlist

a) to check what’s on the currently playing disc, if I have left the jewel case on the audio rack

b) potentially more useful – to decide what I want to play later. Is Album X the one with [song] that I like? What else is on that disc that I might want to hear? What else do I have by [artist]?

Both of these are more useful with albums that I don’t know well or haven’t played in a long time. I don’t know yet whether I will use the Playlist on a long-term basis or not. When I get a new toy, I always want to find out everything it can do, even if I don’t end up using all of its functions regularly. Since there is no documentation about the Playlist, the only thing to do was plunge in. What I found was kind of limited, especially for music outside the pop mainstream (and of course nothing for SACDs). Things seem to be moving in the right direction now. If more albums become available without typing in all the data myself, I will almost certainly keep using the Playlist. I see a lot of potential with b). The album art is cool but is by no means the most important thing.

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I noticed the updated Playlists today as I spun more discs on my new DMP. I uploaded The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Barber, Poulenc, Saint-Saens organ symphonies with Olivier Latry at the organ. It was nice to specify SACD and share with the community, although I’m surprised this disc wasn’t already in the library.

I also loaded a rock disc that was found by UPC label number, the first time this has worked for me. Perhaps that info could be user entered too Paul? It’s probably the easiest way to identify an album.

Later in the afternoon my Playlist stopped working. None of the discs I’ve played show up on the playlist, not even as an unknown album. Sigh.

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Is this share feature only available for DMP users?

When I was using it, I sometimes had the option of using Discogs, haven’t seen it in the last two days, is that gone? The way it is now, I would have to find the cover and save it, then download it., is that what others are doing?

Remember I have a PWT, not the new DMP. I only get big numbers on discs without meta data, like Mapleshade releases.

What I do find interesting is the random way I get covers, I played some obsure classical CD I was given about 15 years ago, cover shows up, but Lou Reed’s “Animal Serenade” not there, but the tracks are.

I am kind of surprised that when the PWT was beta tested, total disc time wasn’t requested, I believe the DMP is getting it, or has it now. I haven’t used my Oppo 83se for anything, but checking CD length.

To make it clear, I am not complaining, I really like the PWT, it is a wonderful upgrade from the Lambda.

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Speaking of Mapleshade releases Jeff, I’m spinning Cliffford Jordan as I type. Sitting front and center at Ethell’s .

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Speed. are you from Baltimore? You know about Ethels loved that place and Mapleshade recordings, saw Stephan Grapelli there

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jeffstarr said Is this share feature only available for DMP users?
Paul will have to give an official answer, but I wouldn't think so. It seems that the software where you edit the Playlist is on the PSA servers in Colorado, not on your own machine, and I have once or twice worked on my Playlist when the DMP was not playing. Do you not see the pulldown menu for disc types?
When I was using it, I sometimes had the option of using Discogs, haven't seen it in the last two days, is that gone?
I hope not (and don't think so). Remember that it doesn't always give the Discogs option. Discogs seems to pop up more frequently if you search for less information. In other words, enter an album title or artist but not both.
The way it is now, I would have to find the cover and save it, then download it., is that what others are doing?
That's what I do for SACDs, since none have been available in the database, and for CDs where it isn't located automatically.
Remember I have a PWT, not the new DMP. I only get big numbers on discs without meta data, like Mapleshade releases.
On the DMP, after you load a disc you get a screen with small type and quite a lot of info. Once the track starts playing, it switches to a screen with large numbers and less info. This does not happen on the PWT? Maybe there can be a firmware update for the PWT.
What I do find interesting is the random way I get covers, I played some obsure classical CD I was given about 15 years ago, cover shows up, but Lou Reed's "Animal Serenade" not there, but the tracks are.
That is exactly what happens to me (and, I believe, others) with the DMP.
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PSAF said Speed. are you from Baltimore? You know about Ethels loved that place and Mapleshade recordings, saw Stephan Grapelli there
No I'm not, was referring to the Live at Ethell's CD.
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Magister, when I mentioned Discogs, I was referring discs that were added to my Playlist, after I played the disc. I used to be able to use Discogs to find the cover. I have never tried entering a disc that I haven’t played.

If I am too lazy to get up, I use All Music Guide, to look at the track listings. I know it is actually more work, but when the 75lb dog is asleep with his head in my lap, I hate to move.

To be honest I would rather have a simple interface on all PSA gear. I know it sets them apart, but it doesn’t matter to me. Could be that I am from a generation that got excited about the cordless remote. My first VCR had a corded remote, when they went cordless, I had all the control I needed, and all the info on the LP or CD cover.

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I, too, prefer simpler. I dislike touch screens, and would prefer a few dedicated small buttons with a basic display. But, as a culture, we love glitter.

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Elk said I, too, prefer simpler. I dislike touch screens, and would prefer a few dedicated small buttons with a basic display. But, as a culture, we love glitter.
I, too, have no interest on data information displayed. I disconnected the cable between the PC and my PWT over a year ago and it bothers me not that I have no data displayed on CDs I have since bought. I only care about the quality of the music reproduced.... When my DMP arrives I will obviously try out all the features but I will still care less about data on the screen. Just the Luddite in me !
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jeffstarr said Magister, when I mentioned Discogs, I was referring discs that were added to my Playlist, after I played the disc. I used to be able to use Discogs to find the cover. I have never tried entering a disc that I haven't played.
I don't think you can enter a disc you haven't played. I typically find that I insert a disc, it isn't recognized and so I get an 'Unknown' entry in the Playlist. Then I search for the data with a minimalist entry approach. I'm not sure I have ever used Discogs for only the cover; I will have to try that.
If I am too lazy to get up, I use All Music Guide, to look at the track listings.
Thanks for this -- I have heard of AMG but never used it. I'll check it out.
. . . when the 75lb dog is asleep with his head in my lap, I hate to move.
I am totally with you on this. Love those canines! Yours obviously has good taste in music.
To be honest I would rather have a simple interface on all PSA gear.
That would be fine with me too. I admit to enjoying new toys, but in the end there is no question: sound quality first, then reliability, then cool stuff like screens. There's not much point to the last item if the first two aren't present.
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Is there anything afoot to improve the ‘share my album’ function so that individual albums do not have to be selected to be shared? It would be nice to think that if an album read & displayed correctly on the transport and it wasn’t in the “hive database” it would be automatically included. I know my seemingly simple request is probably a mammoth coding & serious collection of tasks but still I wonder everytime I go in to my playlist wouldn’t it be nice to automate this “share” function.