BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

[donny]

OK, here is a new skin by BestRip - I'm just downloading it, will post more after some testing...
just thought I should post where everyone will see - I know I didn't like it when release of new skins are missed.
some more info here:

http://skins.dbpoweramp.net/modules.php?name=Downloads&d_op=getit&lid=59

ps. BestRip, I'm not sure if your mail adress works on the users page...

[xoas]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

Downloaded it yesterday. Great skin. Overall this is BestRip's best effort to date-which is saying quite a bit!
Handsome, practical and fun. I would strongly recommend it.
best wishes,
bill mikkelsen

[BestRip]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

Thank you guys!!
... for your kind words.
A little user info may be in place... A little caution... there are 2 spectrum/scope utils that can turn on a rather heavy processor load. They are in the "Screen Mode # 1" /EQ/Scopes/EQ and in "Screen Mode # 6" Scope/Spectrum. If you experience a slowdown of your computers text scrolling of the song title or any other processor load related problem you may consider:
a: using that presentation sparingly.
b: buying a super computer
I considered not keeping it in but decided against it because I thought they looked too nice
Another little note... The "Screen Mode # 6" is a 1024 x 768 resolution full screen utility and has a poor to silly appearance in other resolutions, so you know... but has an EQ fine-tuning possibility that is very precise.
My big satisfaction in making the skins, apart from when something turns out nice... is being able in some degree to add to other dAP users enjoyment of this excellent program... So thank you Spoon!

[donny]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

OK, I have tested it - it is excelent!!!
I think this is the first skin to have "stereo" eq
for those who want to use a lot of eq settings this is the skin, it has EQs all over the place
I like the OnScreenControls - I would prefer the middle one, and I guess you are too - being that it is also activated on two places on the main amp

prev played and playlistis fascinating - and the fullscreen is probably the best one yet (although it can't be read from a distance though)...

one little question(normal people shouldn't be reading this): what is "out of order" ? I have been thru the skin - so I think it is heritage from the previous version...

and the only thing I didn't like about it - that blue letters on the main amp are sometimes hard to read - especialy on high resolution screens:(

[BestRip]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

Hi Donny... and thank you!

"Out of order" I couldn't find it again now... but yes I remember putting something like that in a while ago... I think the function didn't work too well at that time or something...
There are some 950 parts to this puzzle I think and I've forgotten about many of them already...
About the hard to read text... yes it is a bit of a problem to make something fit all sorts of resolutions... I have a 19" screen and I use 1024 x 768 the resolution setting (big surprise?). I have thought it to be a rather commonly used resolution so I've made my skins mostly to fit that. But now that I think of it I had an idea how to make it suitable for a wider range of resolutions... I'll keep that in mind for my next skin... and possibly if there are some requests I could make another version of this skin too.
I'm very happy you like this skin!!!

[xoas]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

One of my few suggestions for this skin would be to have the full screen display available in 800 by 600 resolution. I have a 17' screen and find that 800 by 600 works better for me. If you had both sizes available then you top bar control for the larger version could also be longer (as it has been on other skins).
Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

[donny]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

about the letters - I think that maybe something with more contrast should have been used - so that it can be easily readable in high res. I have tested it in 800x600 and then it is easy to read - although it still is somehow "blue"(), sad...
also I can say that the fullscreen part looks nice in higher resolutions also (1152x876)...

so I guess I'm the only maniac who works in 1152x876 on a 17" monitor

[BestRip]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

And the letters could be bigger... just need to build another font
I tried out a genius idea I had (I thought:() to just take all of the files in the User#1 folder for the skin, run a macro on them and just resize all skin parts... then "just" move all of them in the skin designer... and then I would have a 800 x 600 fullscreen....... well sorry but it didn't work that easy...
The macro took about 15-20 seconds at the most but as most of the parts have been pixel painted with exactly 1 pixel width and 3 pixels between and so on lots of the fine tuning of appearance was totally lost... so it will take a lot of more work to make it viewable in that resolution (or any other resolution)... but if I get a lot of requests I may still do it.
I have received a lot of great feedback from your comments anyway and I'll try to go around these problems in other ways in my next skin

[xoas]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

My other two recommendations for this skin would be to change the font color for the skins menu (black on black is especially hard to read) and to do something about the tray control (whenever I activate it it calls up the mini control, micro control and top bar control; btw this has been a problem with some of the other skins using the cd tray control).
Best wishes,
bill mikkelsen

[BestRip]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

About THAT font color.. I thought it looked so sofisticated I was tempted to use it on the Playlist Editor and Prev played skins too (with that dark grey background instead of the lighter grey). Good thing I didn't...
I have come to think my monitor is exceptionally bright and clear in the colors because I have no problem reading the text... have to keep that in mind when doing the next skin...
About that re-appearing of controls... I had that problem too but I believe something happened with a dAP update??? I use release 3 beta 4 now and I don't seem to have that problem now. Anyway I think if you deactivate these controls from the tray they will not keep re-appearing???

[donny]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

I also hadn't had the problem of reappeareing parts since then... not sure what the problem is...
I also can read the text without much problem in the menus...
...and most of these problems are quite minor, so you should probably go on to the next skin if you have good ideas It would be a shame to have to wait longer than needed:D
and as an (partly) off-topic addition, my next skin is almost done

[xoas]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

"Anyway I think if you deactivate these controls from the tray they will not keep re-appearing???"

Yes, that seems to do the trick.

"I also can read the text without much problem in the menus...
...and most of these problems are quite minor, so you should probably go on to the next skin if you have good ideas"
I quite agree.

"...my next skin is almost done"
I"m looking forward to it!

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

[Craze]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

Way to go BestRip. Another quality skin on the cutting edge of excellence. Something for everybody. I like it.
Not to detract from what you've been doing, I would agree with Donny & Bill that some of your productions could be enhanced if they were a just few shades lighter. They are a tad dark and difficult to read. But your ideas and schemes are brilliant.
Perhaps increasing the main amp size a bit would allow you to use a larger font that is less difficult for the user to read. Or perhaps a brighter font or different color?
You're on the right track. Keep up the great work.

Craze.

[BestRip]

Re: BestRip skin dAP-HK-AMP

Hi Craze

Thank you!!! I'm taking notes on all of these comments... and I'll try to improve on these points in coming projects... Apparently I use a rather big screen for a relatively low resolution, at least compared to you who have replied on this subject.
I wonder how come the N_Log skin is so popular in regard to this. It is smaller than my skins and use a similar font size... although with a very nice color scheme and good contrasts, - in short a beautiful composition...
I have an idea or two how to handle it so it will be better for all sorts of resolutions... simply changeable . We'll see what it'll look like...