Quinto Black CT - New Winamp Modern skin

[PeterK.]

Just a short note. I am working on a new component called Frequency Response Graph and which might look like that:



Creating this feature would also mean a complete new challenge for me, namely knobs. And I am really looking forward to trying it.

[libero]

Peter, super. You make almost hi-fi components, but do not want to refine the main chip of this project - the diode indicator. At the moment he looks pale and little informative. By the way, will the frequency plotter be transformed from an equalizer? It would be cool. If this is an additional window, the skin will soon take up the entire screen.

[PeterK.]

I found a brilliant post made by Dr.O on FB regarding CPU- and Memory-usage while running Quinto (and other modern) skins:



In order to make things even more clear I would like to add a screenshot made on my 4-core/8GB laptop:


Running the Main Player, Playlist Editor with cover, VU Meters (both) and the Spectrum Anaylzer makes the processor barely sweat, which even do not change significantly after adding the Visualization window to that constellation (8-9%).

Running Main Player all alone reaches not even 1% (on four cores!):


To sum up these thoughts I would like to say, that the processor choice is and always will be THE crucial side of anything that is happening on the desktop. Even if I wanted I could not create a low-cpu-usage-skin, because I neither have access nor influence on the processor and its work. It is obvious that the more components (which include animations) run on the desktop at the same time the more cpu power is required.

[PeterK.]

I have a bad and a good news. Which one would you like to hear first? The bad one? O.K.
I am afraid we have to get rid of the balance knob on the Frequency Response Graph because the transformation of the horizontal balance slider into a knob seems not possible. The clicks on the knob and/or the click+dragging must be transferred onto the balance slider in order to hear either the left or the right speaker. But setting the value does not work here. I can set the position of the thumb (for example to the left) but after hitting play both speakers would play. Too bad, I really liked the knob.

So in case someone know a skin with working balance knob please share it.



And the good news is: both knobs: treble and bass work like a charm. The script file still need some cleaning and understanding (!) though - I implemented those parts from MMD3 and desperately need some time to go through those lines.

[PeterK.]

By the way: does someone know how to create such map bitmaps?

[Victhor]

By the way: does someone know how to create such map bitmaps?

In Photoshop and most Graphic design applications there is a specific tool / gradient for that. This is a complete tutorial on that:

https://www.photoshopessentials.com/basics/how-to-draw-gradients-with-the-gradient-tool-in-photoshop/

But it can be basically summed up on this:





Select the first gradient:

And finally, the magic button:

[PeterK.]

In Photoshop ...

And I was going to say: Please do not tell me that this is a Photoshop-Plug-In. It is a Photoshop Plug-In! Curses!

Would you please make one for me? 26x26 pixel? Pretty please ...

P.S. Does this gradient have a special name? Maybe I could find such an extension for Inkscape.

[Victhor]

That gradient is called Angle gradient, most apps has it, it's pretty common. I'm sure you'll find it before I can reach my pc with photoshop (at home) XD

[PeterK.]

Got it!

[PeterK.]

I just went one step further and cut out that area which (on the knob) lies between the min and max points and which, normally, is never clicked on.

[PeterK.]

This is an update regarding the post number 259 about the problems with the balance knob.



Well I got it done and would like to share with you what was the problem. The balance slider has a range going from -127 through 0 to +127, which is pretty common for Winamp. So normally I would use those values for moving the slider's thumb on the track. For example:

mySlider.setPosition(0); 

would place the thumb in the middle of the track. But the odd thing about the balance slider is the fact that this range do not work for that particular slider. We have to use 0-255 in order to move the thumb. So the line above would look like this:

mySlider.setPosition(127); 

And using this pattern I have managed to get the balance slider thumb moving while clicking on the balance knob.

BUT! While struggling with that balance feature I noticed how buggy it is. A short scenario to show one problem:

1) start Winamp
2) hit PLAY
3) move the balance thumb all the way to the left (left speaker should be playing alone).
4) now hit STOP and PLAY again
5) the thumb is still in the left corner while BOTH (!) loudspeakers play.

Huh?

Further more I would like to say, that adding the balance knob means, that the balance slider is going to vanish from the Equalizer leaving an empty spot. And I have been thinking if it was a good idea to move the EQ, AUTO and PRESETS buttons to the blue area and leave the Equalizer bands "alone", which would have the advantage that the values on the display would have more space horizontally.

What do you think?

P.S Thanks to Dr.O for clarifying words about the balance slider range.

[PeterK.]

And this is how the re-designed Equalizer might look like:

[Victhor]

I love the new EQ, I'm impressed, you're getting better and better with this =)

[PeterK.]

I love the new EQ, I'm impressed, you're getting better and better with this =)

I am happy to hear that you like it, but I must confess that I am still not quite sold. Something is missing, something that would give that container a nice touch? Maybe a new background color? Hmm...

And I added two more frames to the <animatedLayer> so I have exactly the same amount of ticks on the knobs as I have on the scales, namely 25. Unfortunately, this leads to small chaos because I cannot use the formulas I found in the script file anymore. I will have to create new ones. And this is definitely combined with some additional work on that update.

[PeterK.]

Still making some improvements ...



Should we keep the blueish slider area?