SU Bar, Jukebox, not playing your song

padser

Im having a small problem with the SU bar.

Last night I put money into the Jukebox to play songs. When my third song started after about 20 seconds or so it just died away and the jukebox proceeded to play my next song.

I know there is a button behind the bar which can be used to kill a song. It's purpose afaik is
a) In case someone needs to use the PR system (i dont understand why you just cant mute the music for this to happen)
b) To prevent abuse of the machine. Ie someone puts in loads of money and requests the same song 20/30 times in row. Apperantly it can happen.

The button is to my mind abused by bar staff on a regular basis. I go there 2/3 times a week and the on average at least 1/2 songs per night get killed in this way.

I know when Mr Brightside was big last year it was almost invariably killed.

While I accept that it is frustrating if working in the bar to hear a song come on 5/6 times in 3 hours if I have paid for my music selection to be played (barring abuse such as repeating the same song) it should not be interfered with in my oponion.

Anyway I went up and complained. Not something the SU bar likes. Finally after being told by 2 of the bar staff that the jukebox is nothing to do with them I was told to go into the office.

There I was told a song dies in this way if it is scratched etc (I really doubt that the jukebox uses CD's!!) which is irrelevent to me because
a) I paid for the song and for it not to play means I am entitled I think to either a refund (its obviously the principle not the money) or for it be played.
b) The practive of barstaff killing songs goes on whether or not it happened on this occasion.

Anyway I was informed that the reason was that this happened due to a fault in the machine. My name was taken and I am to be rang tomorrow when the man who runs the machine comes out. I obviously doubt this will happen.

I am wondering if anyone has similar experiences and if people have noticed their songs being turned off in this way.

Red Alert

I feel qualified to talk about this because the shop I used to work in had a setup like the SU bar: sound surfer tabletop jukebox (minus the money-box), big ass amp and PA system.

First and foremost: you do not need to mute the jukebox to use the PA system. The PA is also divided into three zones (main speakers + subs, the two speakers in the front half, the four speakers in the back half) - so you can have the TV on in one half and the jukebox on in the other etc. The jukebox can actually play the music through its own speakers too but they never use that anymore. As far as the big PA sees it the jukebox is just the same as the DVD Player, Sky Box, DJ or Live Sound.
So if they said that to you then they're lying or talking bull, if someone wanted to use the PA on a busy friday then they'd be pushing the button a while.

Secondly: there are no CD's - the jukebox is a big MP3 player with a big hard disk. They either own, rent or profit-share the machine from http://automaticamusements.com/ (as they're the sound surfer dealer in ireland), and subscribe to their update service either by satellite or by getting a compressed CD in the post each month. (That's whats inside the little door on the left).
So if they said that it skips then they're lying too. A corrupt MP3 won't be loaded at all - the only way it could skip is if the computer crashed - it wouldn't go and play the next song.

Thirdly: you'd be amazed the things you can restrict or set on the machine. It can be set to dump songs (with or without refund) on repeated requests. You can set a limit on how often the same song will be played. And the setup menu is very easy to use even if you're a complete buffoon.

I've noticed this too - i'm into Rock (which ususally gets by without interruption) and House (which invaribly gets killed). It shouldn't be happenning - i hope my post wasn't too tech-talky for you but it proves that you're right and they're wrong.

I think we should deal with this if its happenning.

humbert

That is interesting, I've never used it but it pisses me off when any vending machine kinda thing robs me and the fact that it can be programmed to do this is surely border line illegal. I can see the need to limit the number of times certain popular songs can be played though, but who decides.

Red Alert

We could always do the programming for them! I'm trying to figure out how to break into the menu on it - the one at work:



had a big menu button on the right which ours doesn't have, I suspect you need a key to get at it!

You can tell it to reject a song or not, and it can even be made flash a message like: Your song will be played at 4.03PM for all requests.

I think we're being ripped off

humbert

If you can manage that I would be very impressed!

Red Alert

I'm convinced either the Menu switch is inside the door on the left or you have to touch the screen in the right places in the right sequence. Will get to work on it

singingstranger

What I REALLY hate is when you put on Champagne Supernova and it automatically fades out after three minutes of its glorious seven.

The_Minister

I dread to think what would happen if you asked for Bat out of Hell or I would do anything for love but I won't do that.

singingstranger

Meatloaf, in fairness, is class for epics like that.

Red Alert

They also just lower the volume to almost zero if they don't like a whole rake of songs but know the customers want them. Bastards!

padser

Red Alert wrote:

Thirdly: you'd be amazed the things you can restrict or set on the machine. It can be set to dump songs (with or without refund) on repeated requests. You can set a limit on how often the same song will be played. And the setup menu is very easy to use even if you're a complete buffoon.

I actually suspected that things like that could be done however my source who used to work in the bar wouldnt have had access to the jukebox so wouldnt have known that. He did however have access to the button to kill individual songs and used it on numberous occassion (he mentioned one song to me that he just never allowed to be played).

I have no doubt that what I was told was complete BullSh1t, and was just wondering if anyone else has ever complained about it before and what was said to them.

Since I was told I would get a phone call today I intend to call over tonight to speak the manager if I dont get one (It wasnt the manager in on monday - was the other guy who always looks like he is in a p1sser of a mood) - which im sure I wouldnt.

liamk

fair play for taking a stand!

blondie83

singingstranger wrote:

What I REALLY hate is when you put on Champagne Supernova and it automatically fades out after three minutes of its glorious seven.

Sacrelidge!(sp) I have that on my bebo flash at the moment - all 7 mins of it, lovely video As for the bar juke-box, its one of those things that will stay as it is unless someone seriously complains and keeps on complaining so well done Padser, and keep up the good work!

Red Alert

Somebody always puts on Bohemian Rhapsody about 10 times in a row the first week back

Paul Tergat

singingstranger wrote:

What I REALLY hate is when you put on Champagne Supernova and it automatically fades out after three minutes of its glorious seven.

Or when they turn off any Oasis song half way through in fairness...you put 3 songs on and u hear a bit of the first one and then they turn up the volume on the tv's they have on!!!

18AD

The system confuses me. Me and a pal put on a variety of 5 tracks. Wynona by Primus goes down fine, no volume change. 2 other tracks were turned down, one was Pink Floyd (Full volume would still send you to sleep *slight exaggeration*), and I can't remember the other. Then Walk by Pantera goes on, which we were expecting to be changed and so it was. And lastly, more Pink Floyd (Time) which was also turned off.

Each time the song was turned down or skipped, the bar person clearly walked from the counter over to the far left of the bar, and when they got there >>| or V.

And that was my one and only visit to that place.

Good job complaining. Right on, brothah.

Red Alert

Yes, the sound system's innocent, it IS the barman.

The PA is in a rack about the same height as a fridge and it's inside the walled off area on the left of the bar! So yer man was doing it.

When people are paying for the tracks that's just not on, if we didn't have to pay for them I wouldn't be too upset.

arbeitsscheuer

Red Alert wrote:

When people are paying for the tracks that's just not on, if we didn't have to pay for them I wouldn't be too upset.

I agree, as it stands the whole thing is just a fcuking racket - I've lost count of the number of times tracks that I've put on have been faded/cut out completely before they've even got half-way thru.

On the bright side, this thread makes me feel a whole lot better about having not been to the Student Bar in a while!:D

An Bradán Feasa

Any progress on the situation?

padser

Just thought id post back and finish what i started. (few days late I know). So i actually did get a call from the bar, twice, although i was in the library both times. So I called in. Talked to the lad I had been talking to before, he told me the man who runs the jukebox had come in, left me €1 and said these things happen when there is dirt on the CD etc (i refrained from pointing out that it being a digital dukebox it doesnt have CDs!).

However I did say to him that my problem wasnt the money I just felt it was an abuse of a facility on the jukebox to be stopping songs that people had paid for. At this stage he was extremely intersted in what I had to say. He took me into the office (or just outside it) again and asked me what member of staff had told me about this 'button'. Not wanting to finger anyone I said i heard it off someone who works in another bar with the same juke box. He repeatedly asked me who told me about the button. I stuck to my story.

Then he looked me straight in the eyes and told me that this is a complete myth about the button. The problem actually is that people go to the jukebox and 'give it a box' but there is 'nothing we can do about that'. Funny Iv never seen anyone hit the jukebox, and it being located beside the bouncers I kinda doubt it happens that often.

THere ya go. THat was the end of it. Obviously not worth it for the Euro. But from the bars point of view, with the hastle and staff time I took up, It certainly wasnt worth turning off my song.