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Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 15 Jul 2015 20:45
by radio42
A new major version 4.0 is about to be release soon - in a couple of weeks!
You could already take a sneak preview as announced here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1347

What's New?
  • 64-bit architecture, 64-bit audio engine (natively), User Interface build on top of the latest .Net 4.5.2 Framework (an extra 32-bit version for older OS versions will also still be available for some time)
  • Extensible GPIO Client/Server architecture (extendable by users or partners)
  • AutoWatch Playlist feature (allows external last minute reference changes of an already running playlist)
  • Multi-Client Chat-Message System (incl. automatic control-command mapping, e.g. to sync parallel moderator tasks)
  • Remote Voice Tracking (comming soon in a free v4.0 maintenance release)
  • New Meta Data attributes (Style and Energy)
  • Track based scripting restrictions
  • many smaller enhancements and improvements

Extensible GPIO Client/Server architecture
There is now an open API architecture being introduced. Partners or Customers being interested in development of additional interface can contact me and I'll provide them with the needed information.
The new “ProppFrexx GPIOClient.exe” application for example was build just on top of that API itself.


AutoWatch Playlist feature
So far a (pre)prepared and scheduled playlist file must have been changed at latest right before that program was started. Now you can make modification in the very last minute and at any time (even multiple times) while that playlist is already running.
Any scheduled playlist file (i.e. as added via a 'LoadPlaylist' script-line) is now being monitored. In case the 'LastWriteTime' of such playlist has been changed, it will be reloaded on-the-fly starting with the currently playing entry number. E.g. if the currently playing playlist item relates to the 5th playlist entry number all playlist entries starting with the 6th playlist entry number will automatically be reloaded and exchanged in the currently running playlist.
So you can now make changes to already running playlists e.g. from a 2nd ProppFrexx instance or any other playlist editor or in your external scheduler at any time!


Multi-Client Chat-Message System
At first, this might look like a simple and stupid build-in chat message system. E.g. one (or actually any) ProppFrexx instance might act as a chat message server. Other (remote) ProppFrexx instances might connect to it and the users might send chat messages to each/all other. But...
the real power comes into play, as you might (for each ProppFrexx instance) assign the well known control-command(s) to any chat-message! As such you can define your own 'chat-commands' yourself! Once such a chat command arrives the related control-command(s) are executed. Here is typical use case where this can be very powerful:
Think of two remote moderators sharing a single streaming server and they need a simple way to hand over their streams to each other. Both use ProppFrexx... now they can use the char message system to perfectly synchronize their work. The current moderator might for example send a chat message once he finishes his playlist and stopped his streaming server to the sub-sequent moderator, which in turn now automatically starts the other streaming server and start the other playlist.


Remote Voice Tracking
This feature actually should have gone to v4.0 in the first place. But as I still need a few weeks to finish it, I am not sure, if it finds its way to the first 4.0 version. If not, it will be released soon right after in a free maintenance update.
However, due to the fact, that the internet connections became more and more fast, I decided to not make it more complicated as needed. This means, that the native tracks (audio files) are fully transferred between the acting ProppFrexx server and the remote client instance. This might take a bit more time to down- resp. upload the changes, but gives much more flexibility and offers unlimited capabilities. E.g. an hour of 320kbps MP3 files might take only 2 minutes to download all needed files (assuming an internet connection offering 1MB/sec.).

New Meta Data attributes (Style and Energy)
These two new arbitrary string attributes can be used to further classify your music, as they are fully available for any filters and searches.


Track based scripting restrictions
The following scripting restriction attributes have been added (which are applied automatically to a script-line processing and are only visible in the TAG Editor):
- Time of Day Restriction: TimeStart and TimeEnd
- Day of Week Restriction: Mon … Sun flags
- Month of Year Restriction: Jan … Dec flags
- Date Restriction: DateStart and DateEnd
Note: The restrictions (if set) define, when the track should NOT be scheduled/played. These are only in effect for the ProppFrexx scripting, but not used elsewhere.


Pricing and Upgrade
We did not change our license prices for almost 5 years. However, we felt, that it is about time to slightly increase the prices and introduce a slightly adopted price structure. The increase in license price is moderate and around Euro 100 for the Commercial versions and around Euro 50 for the Non-Commercial versions.

Note: ProppFrexx v4.0 requires an UPGRADE and new license keys!
Existing customers can purchase the upgrade for a highly reduced price (for around only 25% of the official price).
Customer having purchased a new license within the last 3 month before the new v4.0 version is coming out, can upgrade for free!
In case you have questions - please contact me.


As said, a sneak preview for testing etc. is available here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=1347

Have fun!

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 15 Jul 2015 20:55
by radio42
As a few users asked:
After the 4.0 version is released, all new development is done only in the 4.0 version.
There will be NO updates to the 3.0 version anymore - except in a cases of a real critical bug.

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 19 Jul 2015 20:32
by friso
So far you throw away the promise you made with free lifetime updates?
I have also upgraded free from v2 to 3, and now we have to pay to go on to version 4.
And also you say we are stopping development on version 3.

That's client friendly. We didn't saw this comming. So actually what you say is: You have to pay otherwise in the next couple of time it's not working anymore.

I don't like this kind of commercial bennefit. At least not the way you are communicating.
Sadly i cannot post a screenshot i found with google that says that we have actually free lifetime updates.

Friso

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 19 Jul 2015 21:40
by radio42
1) I NEVER made that promise! Read the web:
In all cases there are no royalties to pay and you can use future ProppFrexx ONAIR v3.x updates without further cost.
See here: http://www.proppfrexx.radio42.com/v3/download.html
And I NEVER EVER throw away that promise!
Also please read the license agreement; there is clear difference between "Update" and "Upgrade"!
And yes, you get and still will get ALL "Updates" for free!
But this is an "Upgrade".

2) I said, that NEW features go to v4.x; bugs will still be fixed in v3.x !!
THAT is common practice and totally fair!

3) WHY do you believe, that v3.x stops working in a couple of weeks! You are of course free to use it as long as you want.
In that case you just do not get the new features for free - that's ALL!

4) I guess the main frustration is, because you believe you get all further development and all further enhancements for free.
I am sorry to say, that I cannot fulfill this wish; nor would it be serious.

Sorry, that you find the open communication I herewith offer not good. But I believe it is not the communication you don't like, but the fact, that this is a commercial product.

As said, I never charged for anything since 5 years! Tell me one other commercial product with that moderate price policy!

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 20 Jul 2015 09:53
by friso
Bernd i was just frustrated, because i for myself have upgraded my versions to the pro versions not a long while ago, and also baught a license for our local radio station wich we have upgraded afterwards to the professional version.

Can you tell me what i have to pay for the 2 licenses private, and the one for our local radio station?

Friso

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 20 Jul 2015 20:16
by radio42
As written above:
Existing customers can purchase the upgrade for a highly reduced price (for around only 25% of the official price).
Customer having purchased a new license within the last 3 month before the new v4.0 version is coming out, can upgrade for free!

As to my records you purchased the private license as well as the one for your radio in October 2014 - which will then be around 10 months ago.

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 00:23
by benny
Hi Bernd,
With the Remote Voice Tracking will the "full download" be optional for people who use exclusively .WAV files?

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 12:15
by Joche
Hello,
About the remote voicetracking:
Is Professional version enough/required on both ends in order to get it to work?

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 13:02
by radio42
The Remote Voice-Tracking feature requires two ProppFrexx instances: an Enterprise Edition on the server side and any other Edition locally. As such you can use/invoke Remote Voice-Tracking from any Edition (even the Basic or Premium), as long as a running Enterprise Edition is available remotely.

Regular (stand-alone) Voice Tracking (without any remote Enterprise Server instance) however always requires at least the Professional Edition.

Re: Version 4.0 is about to be released soon!

Posted: 21 Jul 2015 13:48
by benny
excellent news!
Thanks Bernd!