Xion... A new skinnable media player
skin it with just a .psd !!!
Monday, September 25, 2006 by BoXXi | Discussion: WinCustomize News
A new skinnable media player arrived on the scene in August, say hello to Xion. This is a very capable little player, but by far the most interesting thing about it is it's skinning format. To skin this player you simply create the interface in Photoshop, making sure all the different elements are on individual layers, (which many of us do anyway) and then you give the layers specific names and just dump the .PSD file in the skins folder of the player...... That's it!!!! The software does the rest and converts your layered .PSD into a skin.
This is surely a step forward for ease of skinning. No code to write, no XML to battle through, NO SLICING UP OF IMAGES!
I made two skins within an hour of downloading the software, and they work perfectly. So well done to r2 Studios, the creators of Xion, they really have an innovative Player AND skinning system here. It even supports animation too.
I hope some of you guys will support this player and make a few skins for it. They deserve to have some success, and I think you will enjoy skinning it.
This is surely a step forward for ease of skinning. No code to write, no XML to battle through, NO SLICING UP OF IMAGES!
I made two skins within an hour of downloading the software, and they work perfectly. So well done to r2 Studios, the creators of Xion, they really have an innovative Player AND skinning system here. It even supports animation too.
I hope some of you guys will support this player and make a few skins for it. They deserve to have some success, and I think you will enjoy skinning it.
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whiterabbit007
Reply #3 Monday, September 25, 2006 2:33 PM
Reply #3 Monday, September 25, 2006 2:33 PM
Holy skinnable player Batman! This is just awesome. 'Bout time somebody took advantage of all those layers for something really useful 
So does Stardock have any plans to do something like that for DesktopX or WindowBlinds sometime in the future - like maybe in time for the Vista release
Seriously, get on the ball here guys, you gonna let yourself be outdone by some independent punks?! (punks = geniuses)
So does Stardock have any plans to do something like that for DesktopX or WindowBlinds sometime in the future - like maybe in time for the Vista release
Seriously, get on the ball here guys, you gonna let yourself be outdone by some independent punks?! (punks = geniuses)
Justin Rhoades
Reply #4 Monday, September 25, 2006 2:38 PM
Reply #4 Monday, September 25, 2006 2:38 PM
nvm it just wont let u download it from Firefox all i had to do was go into Internet Explorer so anyone who wants to download it, download it from Internet Explorer
whiterabbit007
Reply #6 Monday, September 25, 2006 2:57 PM
Microsoft conspiracy! J/K
I still can't download it even through IE, could somebody maybe mirror it
Reply #6 Monday, September 25, 2006 2:57 PM
| nvm it just wont let u download it from Firefox all i had to do was go into Internet Explorer so anyone who wants to download it, download it from Internet Explorer |
Microsoft conspiracy! J/K
I still can't download it even through IE, could somebody maybe mirror it
Septimus
Reply #7 Monday, September 25, 2006 3:31 PM
Reply #7 Monday, September 25, 2006 3:31 PM
Looks good, downloads fine in Opera btw.
Impressed with the sound quality, better than iTunes (not difficult I know), anyone know what it uses for output? (eg it's own decoder, Windows Media etc).
Impressed with the sound quality, better than iTunes (not difficult I know), anyone know what it uses for output? (eg it's own decoder, Windows Media etc).
Hippie
Reply #8 Monday, September 25, 2006 4:48 PM
Reply #8 Monday, September 25, 2006 4:48 PM
I DLed it in FireFox. It has a damn good sound. I have 1 by 1, iTunes,QMP.Winamp MusicMatch,WMP, foobar, and probably a couple more, but this sounds good. I have always said MusicMatch sounded better than any of them, but this little thing is KILLER. Playin' through Bose speakers. Something I have never been able to figure out. The sound comes through the same sound card, and out the same speakers, so why does each player have it's own unique sound.
whiterabbit007
Reply #9 Monday, September 25, 2006 4:56 PM
Reply #9 Monday, September 25, 2006 4:56 PM
Managed to download. Man, I tell you, making skins using PSD files is like an eye-opening experience - no saving PNGs, BMPs with pink (ugh!) or TGAs, no slicing images, no hastle! I don't know how I'll ever go back to skinning DX objects, it'd be like going back to Win 3.11 . I don't think it completely replaces scripting though as of course we are limited to what the author has thought of, but imagine combining the power of DesktopX scripting with PSD based skinning - it'll blow microsoft and yahoo widgets, gadgets or whatever they call them out of the water.
That's interesting. I myself haven't noticed a difference, but then again I'm listening through cheap headphones
It is strange that different players have different sounds, I mean they all go through the same hardware... the only thing I can think of is maybe their "zeroed out" equalizers have actually different levels.
. I don't think it completely replaces scripting though as of course we are limited to what the author has thought of, but imagine combining the power of DesktopX scripting with PSD based skinning - it'll blow microsoft and yahoo widgets, gadgets or whatever they call them out of the water.| I DLed it in FireFox. It has a damn good sound. I have 1 by 1, iTunes,QMP.Winamp MusicMatch,WMP, foobar, and probably a couple more, but this sounds good. I have always said MusicMatch sounded better than any of them, but this little thing is KILLER. Playin' through Bose speakers. Something I have never been able to figure out. The sound comes through the same sound card, and out the same speakers, so why does each player have it's own unique sound. |
That's interesting. I myself haven't noticed a difference, but then again I'm listening through cheap headphones
It is strange that different players have different sounds, I mean they all go through the same hardware... the only thing I can think of is maybe their "zeroed out" equalizers have actually different levels.
BoXXi
Reply #10 Monday, September 25, 2006 7:14 PM
Reply #10 Monday, September 25, 2006 7:14 PM
There is a very good tutorial section on making skins for the player here: http://xion.r2.com.au/index.php?page=help
I'm going to have a go at an animated skin for it (if I ever finish this WindowBlind that I'm making), It looks like fun, and as it says, the possibilities are endless.
I'm going to have a go at an animated skin for it (if I ever finish this WindowBlind that I'm making), It looks like fun, and as it says, the possibilities are endless.
speedy5662
Reply #11 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:19 PM
Reply #11 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:19 PM
Download is NOT working....GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Speedy
Speedy
BoXXi
Reply #12 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:22 PM
Reply #12 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:22 PM
Try this download page..... http://www.cnet.com.au/downloads/0,239030384,10558548s,00.htm
speedy5662
Reply #13 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:24 PM
Reply #13 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:24 PM
Thanks Boxxi!!!!!!!!! 
I'm getting ready to try it now!!!
Speedy
I'm getting ready to try it now!!!
Speedy
speedy5662
Reply #14 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:34 PM
Reply #14 Monday, September 25, 2006 8:34 PM
It doesn't work!!!! It crashes as soon as it opens!!! 
Speedy
Speedy
BoXXi
Reply #16 Monday, September 25, 2006 9:00 PM
Reply #16 Monday, September 25, 2006 9:00 PM
If you type "Xion Media Player" into google, you will lots of download sites.
LoveSensualityDevotion
Reply #17 Monday, September 25, 2006 11:50 PM
Reply #17 Monday, September 25, 2006 11:50 PM
For those who are experiencing download problems with Xion. I have tried and easily downloaded Xion from the r2 Studios website http://xion.r2.com.au/ with all possible web browsers,
IE (6 and 7), Mozilla Firefox (v. 1.5.0.7), Netscape (v. 8.1) and Opera (v. 9.01 Build 8552) using a pc with Windows Xp Professional.
All downloaded installers worked just fine and installed correctely with no hassles or problems. After installation, running the small software was a breeze with no crashes (yet), no weird bugs (yet).
One thing I DEFINITELY DON'T like is the "simple playlist"/"simple library". It is really way too "simple" with info about the track and the singer all together in a messy list.
Other than that, the skinning easy is really cool as it can be a first step for those interested in skinning, sound quality is good and clear.
We shall see if the project goes far with the program itself, the skins and the add-ins...
Time will tell.
IE (6 and 7), Mozilla Firefox (v. 1.5.0.7), Netscape (v. 8.1) and Opera (v. 9.01 Build 8552) using a pc with Windows Xp Professional.
All downloaded installers worked just fine and installed correctely with no hassles or problems. After installation, running the small software was a breeze with no crashes (yet), no weird bugs (yet).
One thing I DEFINITELY DON'T like is the "simple playlist"/"simple library". It is really way too "simple" with info about the track and the singer all together in a messy list.
Other than that, the skinning easy is really cool as it can be a first step for those interested in skinning, sound quality is good and clear.
We shall see if the project goes far with the program itself, the skins and the add-ins...
Time will tell.
speedy5662
Reply #19 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 12:06 AM
Reply #19 Tuesday, September 26, 2006 12:06 AM
well I hate to say it but I did the google thing and the direct link thing and every single download was a crash after installing and running and even rebooting and then running so I guess I will not get to have the fun everyone else is going to have or is already having. Good luck to you guys!!! Maybe that I will try again on my next wipe and reload!
Speedy
Speedy
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Reply #1 Monday, September 25, 2006 2:24 PM