Supacon
When I made my skin I put so much work into it, really trying hard to make it a great skin for everyone here to use, and I tried about four times to submit it, and it was always rejected, except, oddly enough for the very first time. So the only version of VideoVision currently available through VirtualDJ.com is an ancient version that was designed for version 3.4 of VirtualDJ. Hopefully my latest version actually gets through!
This has always been annoying. The first work I ever did on a VDJ skin was to make some modifcations and enhancements to Ken's VinylVideo skin, which at the time I thought was the best VideoDJ skin out there, but it was sorely lacking certain features. I changed it up and submitted it and was then told that it was not allowed because it looked too much like another company's competing DJ software.
I was somewhat flabbergasted after the many hours of work I put into this, since I got it from this site in the first place!. So then I thought that I'd modify it from a Tractor styled skin into a John Deere themed skin, but that ended up being so much work that I decided I'd start from scratch, base some of my design on VinylVideo, but create a totally new skin, and make it as graphically pretty and detailed as possible.
I wanted to have a really intuitive layout that had almost all the controls one could use regularily, obvious, easily readable logos and labels for every button and control, and a coherent, clean good looking design. I also felt that it was important to have a skin available in 1280 pixel width, since at the time, 17" flat panels were becoming the predominant screen resolution (or at least 1280 pixel wide screens for both laptops and desktops). I made the skin available in a variety of heights so it was good for users of several sizes of screens.
When version 4 of VDJ came out, I immediately revamped the skin (a number of changes needed to be made) to take advantage of the new features of version 4. And just now I made a couple of tweaks for version 5 compatibilty.
I've used that skin successfully for over a year now, so the bugs are mostly worked out... but still it's not accessible via the site! I feel so bad that nobody else could really take advantage of my work.
Today, I'm about half done the 1440 pixel wide version of this skin, that will have the following new features:
The skin will be released with the following sizes included:
Stay tuned.... I won't have the skin ready for release for a couple weeks yet, but I will put a preview shot up on the site, and will be looking forward to getting feedback on it - at this point I'm still open to feedback and suggestions on further enhancements and tweaks before the final release, and would love to hear from people who have constructive suggestions.
This has always been annoying. The first work I ever did on a VDJ skin was to make some modifcations and enhancements to Ken's VinylVideo skin, which at the time I thought was the best VideoDJ skin out there, but it was sorely lacking certain features. I changed it up and submitted it and was then told that it was not allowed because it looked too much like another company's competing DJ software.
I was somewhat flabbergasted after the many hours of work I put into this, since I got it from this site in the first place!. So then I thought that I'd modify it from a Tractor styled skin into a John Deere themed skin, but that ended up being so much work that I decided I'd start from scratch, base some of my design on VinylVideo, but create a totally new skin, and make it as graphically pretty and detailed as possible.
I wanted to have a really intuitive layout that had almost all the controls one could use regularily, obvious, easily readable logos and labels for every button and control, and a coherent, clean good looking design. I also felt that it was important to have a skin available in 1280 pixel width, since at the time, 17" flat panels were becoming the predominant screen resolution (or at least 1280 pixel wide screens for both laptops and desktops). I made the skin available in a variety of heights so it was good for users of several sizes of screens.
When version 4 of VDJ came out, I immediately revamped the skin (a number of changes needed to be made) to take advantage of the new features of version 4. And just now I made a couple of tweaks for version 5 compatibilty.
I've used that skin successfully for over a year now, so the bugs are mostly worked out... but still it's not accessible via the site! I feel so bad that nobody else could really take advantage of my work.
Today, I'm about half done the 1440 pixel wide version of this skin, that will have the following new features:
- generously sized video cue monitor and output preview windows (all the same size)
- a fat, easy to see scrolling waveform display, with pannel toggles to change the mode of the waveform displays (overlap, on top, and off)
- turntables and mixer control pannels toggleable inside the deck video monitors (thanks to the creators of VMix for that idea, by the way)
- A dedicated key control section (for harmonic mixing and karaoke)
- Bigger loop controls, and a loop shift knob
- An increase to seven cuepoints displayed and controllable in the skin.
- A cue/mix crossfader for internal software-only cueing and mixing
The skin will be released with the following sizes included:
- 1440x900 for WSXGA widescreen monitors and laptops,
- 1440x1025 (for a 1680x1050 widescreen with taskbar on bottom)
- 1440x1164 (for 1600x1200 or 1920x1200 displays with big taskbar).
Stay tuned.... I won't have the skin ready for release for a couple weeks yet, but I will put a preview shot up on the site, and will be looking forward to getting feedback on it - at this point I'm still open to feedback and suggestions on further enhancements and tweaks before the final release, and would love to hear from people who have constructive suggestions.
Posted Wed 24 Oct 07 @ 9:24 pm
Supacon
Here's the preview of the left side of the skin with all the buttons lit up (which won't happen under normal usage, but it gives you an idea of the layout).
To see the full width at once, check out the following link.
http://fullspec.ca/misc/skins/VV4W_Preview.png
Please post your comments and suggestions! I'm looking forward to hearing it.
P.S.
I forgot to mention in my new features list that there's now a Numark Style Stutter button next to the play/pause button. I still haven't added the headphone cue/master mix, but it's a slider that will go between the master and the headphone volume knobs.
To see the full width at once, check out the following link.
http://fullspec.ca/misc/skins/VV4W_Preview.png
Please post your comments and suggestions! I'm looking forward to hearing it.
P.S.
I forgot to mention in my new features list that there's now a Numark Style Stutter button next to the play/pause button. I still haven't added the headphone cue/master mix, but it's a slider that will go between the master and the headphone volume knobs.
Posted Wed 24 Oct 07 @ 9:33 pm
Hayward
This has always been a great skin, easy on the eyes.
Thanks.
Thanks.
Posted Wed 24 Oct 07 @ 10:05 pm
Supacon
I'm glad you think so. I don't know why, but the forums seem to squish or downsize my sample picture a bit... so click on the link to see how it really looks (it's not actually that blurry in reality).
In the new version I've decided to do away with the texturized background, which sometimes made design changes difficult, and to darken the colors in the background a bit. The little group areas are also a bit more sublte, or transparent (i.e. around all the transport controls, or the effects area or the tempo control area).
I even experimented with a total color change, like to a gray like the default skin, but it doesn't really look good to me... it just doesn't seem to fit and I can't make it look nice. I'm a big fan of black in a DJ skin though... nothing's worse in a dark club or venue than a bright white screen blinding you and highlighting your face, so dark colors are a must. I've DJed in bright sunlight a few times too, and that's even worse though, because you can't read the screen very well... but those are rare circumstances for most DJs, I'd think.
I never really ever heard too many comments about the color scheme.... I used to HATE the old VDJ skin, all red and colorful, I thought it looked like a toy. Any opinions on the dark blue with gray buttons I used?
In the new version I've decided to do away with the texturized background, which sometimes made design changes difficult, and to darken the colors in the background a bit. The little group areas are also a bit more sublte, or transparent (i.e. around all the transport controls, or the effects area or the tempo control area).
I even experimented with a total color change, like to a gray like the default skin, but it doesn't really look good to me... it just doesn't seem to fit and I can't make it look nice. I'm a big fan of black in a DJ skin though... nothing's worse in a dark club or venue than a bright white screen blinding you and highlighting your face, so dark colors are a must. I've DJed in bright sunlight a few times too, and that's even worse though, because you can't read the screen very well... but those are rare circumstances for most DJs, I'd think.
I never really ever heard too many comments about the color scheme.... I used to HATE the old VDJ skin, all red and colorful, I thought it looked like a toy. Any opinions on the dark blue with gray buttons I used?
Posted Thu 25 Oct 07 @ 8:19 pm
Hayward
Your colors are fine, it is what defines your skin and makes it unique. Well done.
The only thing I would do different (personal preference, others may not agree), is the beat meters at the left/right of the wave form should be together or closer together, maybe on the mixer itself.
Again, good looking skin.
The only thing I would do different (personal preference, others may not agree), is the beat meters at the left/right of the wave form should be together or closer together, maybe on the mixer itself.
Again, good looking skin.
Posted Fri 26 Oct 07 @ 10:43 pm
Supacon
Thanks for the input Hayward. The only realy "mixer" in the skin is probably the controls on the top titlebar area, other than the crossfaders. Do you mean to put the meters up there?
I could fairly easily move them to the middle, on either side of the auto-mix button. I think I liked having them on the left and right sides because it made it really obvious as to which deck the sound is coming from. I actually use those meters a lot when mixing, because it can help me find a beat to cue on without needing to hear it.
I could fairly easily move them to the middle, on either side of the auto-mix button. I think I liked having them on the left and right sides because it made it really obvious as to which deck the sound is coming from. I actually use those meters a lot when mixing, because it can help me find a beat to cue on without needing to hear it.
Posted Sun 28 Oct 07 @ 7:27 pm
Hayward
Then maybe you could have both if possible.
Left and right sides and in the middle on either side of the automix button. That would be great.
Left and right sides and in the middle on either side of the automix button. That would be great.
Posted Mon 29 Oct 07 @ 2:05 pm
discobrian24
The only thing I see missing is the video crossfade kinda like the default where you can click on the preview to crossfade the video or the arrows on the VMIX skin, are they there or am i blind?
Posted Tue 30 Oct 07 @ 1:39 am
Supacon
Um... do you mean those fairly large take <1 and take 2> buttons on either side of the video crossfader?
If so, I thought that was pretty obvious... maybe I should really rename those. I got those labels from the skin that originally inspired this design, VinylVideo. It never really made sense to me then, but I thought it had some relevance to video mixing. I'm still looking for said relevance... but yeah.
If so, I thought that was pretty obvious... maybe I should really rename those. I got those labels from the skin that originally inspired this design, VinylVideo. It never really made sense to me then, but I thought it had some relevance to video mixing. I'm still looking for said relevance... but yeah.
Posted Tue 30 Oct 07 @ 2:50 am
discobrian24
I thought those were like a slam fade where when you hit those it puts the fader to that side as soon as u hit it:)
Posted Wed 31 Oct 07 @ 5:43 am
Supacon
Originally they were... in later versions I changed it to a gradual fade. You can still right click it for an instant cut but it goes back to the other side as soon as you let go (a temporary button). I can't remember if I had a double click function to have it instantly cut.
Posted Sun 04 Nov 07 @ 12:05 am
Supacon
Hey all: VideoVision 5 for 1440 has been released - you can download the latest from here:
http://www.compudj.com/skins/Video_Vision5_1440B2.zip
Please direct all feedback to this thread:
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/82609/Skins/VideoVision_V5_Widescreen_1440_Released_.html
http://www.compudj.com/skins/Video_Vision5_1440B2.zip
Please direct all feedback to this thread:
http://www.virtualdj.com/forums/82609/Skins/VideoVision_V5_Widescreen_1440_Released_.html
Posted Sat 29 Dec 07 @ 8:37 am