Simple iTunes interface for tiny monitor

slugheadslughead
Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
I'm going to be building a boom box out of an old G4 pretty soon, I'm just looking for some software to make it easier.



For instance, I'd like to use iTunes, but the screen is going to be a VERY FUZZY 640x480 and so iTunes' regular interface wont do.



I've looked at other solutions, I haven't found anything yet. I'm looking for something like the iPod's interface: fast, simple, keyboard accessable.



Any help would be greatly appreciated. If I get this thing done, I'll post tons of pictures

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    digihdigih Posts: 21member
    Hi slughead,



    Have you tried setting the source text and song text to large in the iTunes preferences? That should work nicely, unless your screen is REALLY FUZZY



    Hope this helps.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    baranovichbaranovich Posts: 184member
    How about hitting the green button in the upper left corner and using the "minimized interface". That should work on a low resolution screen.
  • Reply 3 of 11
    slugheadslughead Posts: 1,169member
    oh we're talking real freakin fuzzy

    it's a 7" diagonal LCD TELEVISION screen, possibly 16:9 scaled to 4:3, plugged in via RCA!



    I'm getting the screen pretty soon (probably friday), I'll be able to see just HOW fuzzy when I get it.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    danosaurdanosaur Posts: 258member
    There is a dashboard widget called Symphonic where you just type the song you want to hear in and press enter. 95% of the time it will get it right.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    ipodandimacipodandimac Posts: 3,273member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by slughead

    oh we're talking real freakin fuzzy

    it's a 7" diagonal LCD TELEVISION screen, possibly 16:9 scaled to 4:3, plugged in via RCA!



    I'm getting the screen pretty soon (probably friday), I'll be able to see just HOW fuzzy when I get it.



    why not buy a better screen if you're starting from scratch?
  • Reply 6 of 11
    slugheadslughead Posts: 1,169member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ipodandimac

    why not buy a better screen if you're starting from scratch?



    The screen was really cheap



    The next step up was 3 times the cost and still didn't have VGA OR DVI.
  • Reply 7 of 11
    slugheadslughead Posts: 1,169member
    It's only slightly more readable than this





    That's with the "large" lettering ...



    iTunes WILL NOT RUN at 640x480 without the window being off the screen so I'm running at 800x600.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    mercury7mercury7 Posts: 203member
    there is a program called podplayerpackage.exe I think I found it on version tracker, anyway althought it was written so you could play the ipod directly through any windows machine speakers, it has a very simple and great menu, check it out, it might work on macs too, im not sure
  • Reply 9 of 11
    danosaurdanosaur Posts: 258member
    Use Universal Access with the Zoom function.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    slugheadslughead Posts: 1,169member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Danosaur

    Use Universal Access with the Zoom function.



    Good idea, but I tried it out and it's pretty annoying.



    I also plan to use it without a mouse



    All I need is a simple, keyboard navicable, full-screen (or close) interface to iTunes.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    danosaurdanosaur Posts: 258member
    Here's an idea: download "sizzling keys" for iTunes.



    Pressing a key combination brings up a window where you can type in a song you want to hear, and it will bring up all the matches. Then you can select one.



    Alternatively, pressing a different key combination will bring up your playlists to chose from.



    Running in 640 x 480 it's almost full screen.



    Might not work but worth a try.
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