Russound SMS3 User manual

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Copyright ® 2004 Russound All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This product includes some software components that are licensed under the General Public License (GPL).
Source code for GPL components is available upon request.
This product includes software developed by GlobeCom GCAB AB. Copyright ® 1999 GlobeCom GCAB AB.
All rights reserved.Music recognition technology and related data are provided by Gracenote®.
CD and music-related data from Gracenote, Inc., Copyright © 2000-2003 Gracenote. Gracenote CDDB®
Client Software, Copyright © 2000-2003 Gracenote. This product and service may practice one or more of the
following U.S. patents: #5,987,525; #6,061,680; #6,154,773; #6,161,132; #6,230,192; #6,230,207; #6,240,459;
#6,330,593, and other patents issued or pending. Gracenote and CDDB are registered trademarks of
Gracenote. The Gracenote logo and logotype, the Gracenote CDDB logo, and the “Powered by Gracenote”
logo are trademarks of Gracenote.
End-User License Agreement
USE OF THIS PRODUCT IMPLIES ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS BELOW.
This product contains technology and data from Gracenote of Emeryville, California (“Gracenote”). The technology from
Gracenote (the “Gracenote Embedded Software”) enables this product to do disc identification and obtain music-related infor-
mation, including name, artist, track, and title information (“Gracenote Data”), which is included on the Gracenote Database
(the “Gracenote Database”).
You agree that you will use Gracenote Data, the Gracenote Database, and Embedded Software for your own personal non-
commercial use only. You agree that you will access Gracenote Data only by means of the standard end user functions and
features of this product. You agree not to assign, copy, transfer or transmit the Embedded Software or any Gracenote Data to
any third party. YOU AGREE NOT TO USE OR EXPLOIT GRACENOTE DATA, THE GRACENOTE DATABASE, OR GRACENOTE
COMPONENT, EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PERMITTED HEREIN.
You agree that your non-exclusive license to use the Gracenote Data, the Gracenote Database, and Embedded Software will
terminate if you violate these restrictions. If your license terminates, you agree to cease any and all use of the Gracenote Data,
the Gracenote Database, and Gracenote Embedded Software. Gracenote reserves all rights in the Gracenote Data, Gracenote
Database, and Gracenote Embedded Software, including all ownership rights. You agree that Gracenote may enforce its rights
under this Agreement against you directly in its own name.
The Embedded Software and each item of Gracenote Data are licensed to you “AS IS.” Gracenote makes no representations
or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy of any Gracenote Data. Gracenote reserves the right to delete data
or to change data categories in any Data updates and for any cause that Gracenote deems sufficient. No warranty is made that
the Embedded Software is error-free or that functioning of the Embedded Software will be uninterrupted. Gracenote is not obli-
gated to provide you with any new enhanced or additional data types or categories that Gracenote may choose to provide in
the future.
GRACENOTE DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WAR-
RANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. GRACENOTE
DOES NOT WARRANT THE RESULTS THAT WILL BE OBTAINED BY YOUR USE OF THE GRACENOTE COMPONENT OR ANY
GRACENOTE SERVER. IN NO CASE WILL GRACENOTE BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES
OR FOR ANY LOST PROFITS OR LOST REVENUES.

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Warnings and Cautions
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO
NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT
REMOVE COVER. NO USER - SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.
The lightning flash with arrowhead symbol, within an equilateral tri-
angle, is intended to alert the user to the presence of uninsulated
“dangerous voltage” within the product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to
alert the user to the presence of important operating and mainte-
nance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the
appliance.
If you have any questions please call Russound Inc. at
1-800-638-8055 or 603-659-5170.
Safety Instructions:
1. Read Instructions - All the safety and operating instructions
should be read before the appliance is operated.
2. Retain Instructions - The safety and operating instructions should
be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings - All warnings on the appliance in the operating
instructions should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions - All operating and user instructions should
be followed.
5. Water and Moisture - The appliance should not be used near
water; for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laun-
dry tub, in a wet basement, or near a swimming pool.
6. Carts and Stands - The appliance should be used only with a cart
or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. An appliance
and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops,
excessive force and uneven surfaces may cause the appliance
and cart combination to overturn.
7. Wall or Ceiling Mounting - The appliance should be mounted to a
wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.
8. Ventilation - The appliance should be situated so that its location
or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For
example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa,
rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings, or
placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet
that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings.
9. Heat - The appliance should be situated away from heat sources
such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliances
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.
10.Power Sources - The appliance should be connected to a power
supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or
as marked on the appliance.
11.Grounding or Polarization - Precaution should be taken so that
the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeat-
ed.
12.Power Cord Protection - Power supply cords should be routed so
that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items
placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords
at plugs, receptacles, and the point where they exit from the
appliance.
13.Cleaning - The appliance should be cleaned only as recommend-
ed by the manufacturer.
14.Non-use Periods - The power cord of the appliance should be
unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of
time.
15.Object and Liquid Entry - Care should be taken so that objects do
not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through the
openings.
16.Damage Requiring Service - The appliance should be serviced by
qualified service personnel when:
A. The power supply cord or the plug has been damaged;
B. Objects have fallen, liquid has spilled into the appliance;
C. The appliance has been exposed to rain;
D. The appliance does not appear to operate normally;
E. The appliance has been dropped or enclosure is damaged.
17.Servicing - The user should not attempt to service the appliance
beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other
servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
Precautions:
1. Power – WARNING: BEFORE TURNING ON THE POWER FOR
THE FIRST TIME, READ THE FOLLOWING SECTION CAREFULLY.
2. Do Not Touch The SMS3 With Wet Hands – Do not handle the
SMS3 or power cord when your hands are wet or damp. If water
or any other liquid enters the SMS3 cabinet, unplug the unit from
power immediately and take the SMS3 to a qualified service per-
son for inspection.
3. Location of SMS3 – Place the SMS3 in a well-ventilated location.
Take special care to provide plenty of ventilation on all sides of
the SMS3 especially when it is placed in an audio rack. If ventila-
tion is blocked, the SMS3 may overheat and malfunction. Do not
expose the SMS3 to direct sun light or heating units as the SMS3
internal components temperature may rise and shorten the life of
the components. Avoid damp and dusty places.
4. Care – From time to time you should wipe off the front and side
panels of the cabinet with a soft cloth. Do not use rough material,
thinners, alcohol or other chemical solvents or cloths since this
may damage the finish or remove the panel lettering.

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Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................6-7
Controlling the Media Server
SMS3 Remote Control ................................................................................................8-9
UNO-S2 Keypad ............................................................................................................10
UNO-S1 Keypad ............................................................................................................11
UNO-LRC1 Remote Control ..........................................................................................12
Computer Interface ..................................................................................................13-14
Cataloging CDs
Load CD into SMS3 ......................................................................................................15
Music Information and Cover Art ..................................................................................15
What’s Playing ................................................................................................................16
How Themes Work
Themes ..........................................................................................................................17
Default Themes ..............................................................................................................18
Creating a New Theme
How to Add a Theme ....................................................................................................19
Sample Theme “Recipes” ........................................................................................19-21
Configure a Theme
Theme Icon ....................................................................................................................21
Name ..............................................................................................................................21
Is a Playlist ....................................................................................................................21
PMA Prefers ..................................................................................................................21
PMA Effect ....................................................................................................................22
What to Play ..................................................................................................................22
Add Music ......................................................................................................................22
Add or Exclude ..............................................................................................................23
Exploring Your New Theme
Skip ................................................................................................................................24
Play Again ......................................................................................................................24
Rate Song ......................................................................................................................24
More Detail ....................................................................................................................25
Edit ................................................................................................................................26
Edit Album ................................................................................................................26-27

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Table of Contents
Music Choices on the Fly
Music ............................................................................................................................28
Genre ............................................................................................................................28
Artist Name ....................................................................................................................29
Album Name ..................................................................................................................29
Song Title ......................................................................................................................29
Year ................................................................................................................................30
Internet Radio ................................................................................................................30
Text Search ....................................................................................................................30
Newest Additions ..........................................................................................................30
Longest Since Heard ....................................................................................................30
Recently Played ............................................................................................................30
Changing an Existing Theme
Selections ......................................................................................................................31
Song Rating....................................................................................................................31
Song Order ....................................................................................................................32
Remove Theme ..............................................................................................................32
Add Theme Icons
Add My Own Theme Icons ............................................................................................32
Photo Albums
Adding My Photo Albums..............................................................................................33
Viewing My Photo Albums ............................................................................................34
Add Digital Music Files
Loading My Music Files ................................................................................................35
Internet Radio
Internet Radio Handler ............................................................................................35-37
Internet Radio for Macintosh Users ..............................................................................38
Internet Radio Themes ..................................................................................................39
Options and Status
Schedules ................................................................................................................39-40
System Time ..................................................................................................................40
Review Music ................................................................................................................41
Network Information ......................................................................................................42
Backing Up Media Server Hard Drive ......................................................................42-43
Who to contact for Assistance ..........................................................................44

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Welcome
If you are reading this, you must be the proud owner of a Russound Smart Media
Server. If you are a music lover, this unassuming black box is going to change the way you
listen to your CD collection. It holds up to 2500 hours (4140 hours for SMS3-250) of your
music and replays it when, where and how you want it. This little book is your guide to
making music with your media server.
What the Media Server does
The Russound Smart Media Server (SMS3) is an intelligent audio system that catalogs
music from CDs and stores it on its local hard drive. The media server also plays MP3s
and streaming audio via the Internet, and displays digital images such as photos or
clip art.
As you add music and make listening requests of the media server, it monitors your
choices and adapts its automatic playback of songs based on the way you use the sys-
tem. This learning behavior is a key feature of the media server and is called the Personal
Media Assistant.
Who is the Personal Media Assistant (PMA)?
Named in recognition of the skill and spirit of one of Russound’s most energetic deal-
ers, the Dean of Media applies his knowledge and experience to personalizing your media
server for you and your family. By watching your listening habits, the Dean automatically
remembers your favorites and offers them up at a single touch. Don’t like a song? Just
skip over it – the Dean remembers and won’t play it as often.
How he provides the background music for your life
Imagine if you will enjoying just the right music for just the right times in your daily life
– rock and roll for Friday afternoons, classical pieces for an early Saturday morning, inter-
net news and weather on the weekdays, or children’s sing-a-longs for birthday parties and
play dates. And knowing you will hear only the songs you want – all jazz with nary a coun-
try song in sight…or sound. You create a Theme (Workout Music, Tracks to Relax By), add
some songs to it, and set your Theme’s “Recipe.” As you listen, the Dean of Media watch-
es what you choose or skip over and delivers that music more or less often, depending on
your preferences. As you add more music, the Dean reads your Theme “recipes” and puts
the right music into the right Themes. You can also schedule your media server to deliver
your choice of Themes at specific times during the day or week. The media server is
always ready to deliver your special mix of music over your choice of three streams.
Introduction
Hello, I’m the Dean of Media,
your Personal Media
Assistant. Look for me as I
lend a hand with your media
server.

Why Three Streams
The “3” in SMS3 stands for three streams or sources of music available at the same
time on the media server. These are set up and named through the multi-source/multi-
zone system configuration. These stream names can also be created through the SMS3
interface. With three sources of music, the kids can listen to rock in the family room, mom
can listen to the news in the study and dad can do a workout to jazz, all from the same
media server.
Overview of Themes
The SMS3 uses Themes to organize its stored music. Themes are created by you, the
user, based on your music preferences. Create and name any number of themes such as
Classical, Sunday Morning Tunes, Kid’s Stuff, etc. When a theme is created, you make a
“recipe” for it in the Theme Editor. Pick the artists, albums, genres or other preference you
want for that theme. When a new song is cataloged, it will be added to the Theme whose
“recipe” calls for that artist or genre.
Video Display and Controls
The SMS3 has a browser-based user interface that can be viewed on a TV, a PC, or
on a computer monitor connected to the SMS3 rear panel. You can see what choices you
are making through the graphical interface, as you use remote controls or keypads to
scroll up, down and across the pages to view music lists and make listening choices.
Internet Radio
When connected to the web, the SMS3 plays internet radio “stations” which are
streams of radio delivered over the internet. If you select an internet stream, the media
server will play that stream until another choice is made or the internet stream drops off or
ends. Internet radio station URLs are stored in the SMS3 and added to Themes and
Schedules.
Schedules
Schedules are used to automatically play Themes at specific times on specific days.
Schedule choices are based on days of the week (Monday, Wednesday, etc.) and hours of
the day (a.m. and p.m.), but not based on calendar days (1st, 22nd, 29th, etc.). For exam-
ple, the media server can be scheduled to select and play a certain Theme every Monday
at 8:00, but not for the 25th of each month. Schedules are a great way to automatically
mix a variety of themes during the day, as the media server is designed to play one Theme
continuously until another Theme is selected. 7
Introduction

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How Do I Control the Media Server?
The SMS3 can be controlled several ways, depending on what type of audio system it
is part of. For a Russound multi-source multi-zone RNET system such as the CAV6.6, the
SMS3 can be controlled through the UNO keypad and UNO-LRC1 remote control. For
other applications, it can be controlled with the SMS3-RC remote control. The SMS3 can
also be controlled by a keyboard connected to the rear panel, or through a network-
connected PC.
Controlling the Media Server
SearchThemeGenre Artist
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SMS3
Remote
Control

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Controlling the Media Server
EXIT - Backs out of current menu (same as left arrow)
MENU RIGHT - Navigates to the right within a menu
MENU HOME - Returns to the home page (What’s Playing)
NEXT SONG - Advances to the next song in the theme
PLAY - Selects and plays the song
STREAM SELECT - Selects Stream 1, 2 and 3 for control of that stream
POWER - Places the selected stream in/out of standby mode
FAVORITES - Saves and recalls preset favorites
PREVIOUS SONG - One tap starts song over, two taps returns to the previous song
MENU DOWN - Navigates down within a menu
INFO - Advances to the More Details screen under “What’s Playing”
OK - Selects highlighted item on page
MENU LEFT - Navigates to the left within a menu
HELP - Advances to the Help page
MENU UP - Navigates up within a menu
GENRE - Advances to the Genre list when selecting music
THEME - Advances to the Theme list when selecting music
ARTIST - Advances to the Artist list when selecting music
TITLE - Advances to Word Search when selecting music
1
2
3
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5
6
7
8
9
10
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18
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SMS3 Remote Control
The SMS3 Remote Control is
used to control the SMS3 by
pointing it directly at the front
of the unit or at an IR receiver
interfaced with the audio
system.

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Controlling the Media Server
Media Server
SOURCE SELECT - Select stream to control
PLAY - Displays info for What’s Playing
VOLUME - Adjust volume up/down in room
NEXT SONG - Advances to the next song in the theme
PREVIOUS SONG - One press restarts the current song.
Two presses returns to the previous song in the theme.
SEARCH THEMES - Scrolls through list of themes
STOP - Exits any menu
PAUSE - Pause/unpause audio of active stream
DISPLAY - Shows name of song, theme, stream, etc.
1
2
3
5
7
8
1
2
45
7
6
8
UNO-S2 Keypad
4
6
3
9
9

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Controlling the Media Server
The UNO-S2 and UNO-S1
keypads and the UNO-LRC1
Remote Control are used to
control the SMS3 when it is
part of an RNET-enabled
audio system such as the
CAV6.6 or the CAM6.6.
MSvr3
1
2
3
SOURCE SELECT - Select stream to control
VOLUME - Adjust volume up/down in room
NEXT SONG - Advances to the next song in the theme (press)
NEXT THEME - Advances to the next theme in the Themes list (press and hold)
PREVIOUS SONG - Returns to the previous song in the theme (press)
PREVIOUS THEME - Advances to the previous theme in the Themes list
(press and hold)
DISPLAY - Shows name of song, theme, stream, etc.
3
4
5
4
1
2
3
4
5
UNO-S1 Keypad

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Controlling the Media Server
UNO SOURCE BUTTON - Selects UNO keypad for
control by UNO-LRC1
LAST - Returns to last theme played on the current
stream
CHANNEL UP/DOWN - Scrolls through Themes list
EXIT - Returns to home page, exits out of any name
entry field
RIGHT/FORWARD - Navigate to the right or forward
DOWN - Navigate down a list
MENU - Returns to home page
NEXT SONG - Skip to next song in current theme
PLAY - Shows “Now Playing” on UNO keypad
PAUSE - Pause stream of media server
INPUT - Directly select streams by source number
PREVIOUS SONG - One press restarts the current
song. Two presses returns to the previous song in the
theme.
INFO - Shows “More Details” song information
SELECT - Select highlighted option
LEFT/BACK - Navigate to the left or back
UP - Navigate up a list
GUIDE - Accesses page-appropriate Help files
INPUT - Toggles through 3 streams and other config-
ured sources
VOLUME UP/DOWN - Raises and lowers the volume
for the room you are in
MUTE - Mutes audio output of the room you are in
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2
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UNO-LRC1 Remote Control
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Controlling the Media Server
When you select a stream
from a web browser, you can
control and modify it - but to
HEAR it, the stream must be
selected as the audio source
through the audio system.
Computer Interface
Use the Up, Down, Left (previous) and Right (next) keys on the keyboard of a net-
worked computer or the mouse to navigate through the onscreen pages. Selections will be
highlighted green and choices are made using the Enter or Return key. If there are more
choices in sub-menus under a selection, a green arrow to the right of the choice field will
appear. Selecting the arrow will bring up the additional choices. Remember, to return to a
previous page, use the “Back” button within the media server interface and NOT the web
browser’s Back button.
You can easily choose which stream to control from the web browser interface by
clicking on the “Show Streams” link on the “What’s Playing” page. This selection brings up
the media server’s screen saver, which shows the album, artist, song title and album art
for the song currently playing on each stream. Simply click on the desired stream and web
browser interface will switch to that stream.

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Controlling the Media Server
Control Panel
The control panel or “Home” page of the media server’s onscreen display shows the
main functions used to navigate the SMS3: What’s Playing, What’s Next, Themes, Music,
Images and Options & Status.
The page also displays the current Theme in the upper left corner and the stream
name on the top of the right-hand window. This large window also displays information
when making selections.

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Cataloging CDs
Make sure the CD is clean
and free of scratches. Dirty
or damaged CDs may take
much longer to catalog. In
some cases it may seem like
the CD has stopped. If this
happens, eject the CD, clean
it and try again.
Enough Talk! Let’s Rock!
Now that you know your way around the SMS3, the next step is to load your music
collection.
Press the CD drawer Open button on the front panel. Insert an audio CD into the drive
and press the button to close the drawer. The SMS3 will first “glance over” the CD to
ensure it is sound (pun intended). If the CD has already been cataloged, the SMS3 will
eject the disc. If it is a “new” CD, the SMS3 will then begin to catalog the files.
An amber LED located on the front panel below the drive will blink during this
process. It takes about 12 minutes to catalog a CD. This may take longer if you are creat-
ing Themes, setting Schedules or otherwise using the media server at the same time.
While the CD files are being cataloged, the songs will be queued in the “New Songs”
music Theme. Completed tracks can be heard by selecting the “New Songs” Theme.
When the cataloging process is finished, the amber LED will go dark, the CD will stop
spinning and the drawer will open. If errors occur during the cataloging process the prob-
lems are queued for later retrieval and repair from the Review Music page.
SMS3 SMART MEDIA SERVER
Amber LED
CD Drawer
Open/Close Drawer
How Does the SMS3 Know the Name of What I’ve Cataloged?
Russound has teamed with Gracenote® music recognition service and Muze® enter-
tainment information service to provide CD information and album art for the SMS3 via the
Internet. This information, called metadata, includes song title, artist and album name, and
genre (rock, jazz, etc.). When a CD is being cataloged by the SMS3, the media server con-
sults the Gracenote music recognition service database via the Internet (or from the data-
base loaded onto the media server, when no internet connection is present), then checks
in with Muze for album cover art that is displayed when the album is played. When artist,
album and track name are displayed, this information has been retrieved from the
Gracenote CDDB music recognition service.
For MP3 files, the ID3 tags to identify them will be carried with the files when they are
moved onto the media server hard drive from a networked computer. An ID3 tag is a fixed-
sized tag at the end of an MP3 file that includes the artist, song title, album and year, and
the genre.
Power Switch
On - press and release
Off - press and hold

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Cataloging CDs
Ok, I’ve loaded some CDs, now what?
Let’s go to the home page and explore your options. When you first add music to the
media server, the theme All Songs is already selected. You can see your music here.
What’s Playing
When the What’s Playing screen is active, the media server displays, for the currently
playing song, the album cover art (if available), the artist name, the album name, and the
song title. There are also four function options listed: Skip, Play Again, Rate Song, and
More Detail.
What’s Next
Lists the names of upcoming songs in a theme. From this screen, you can see what
songs are lined up to play in your selected theme. If you want to change the song order,
select the song, and from the pop-up window, choose to Play Next, Skip, or Drop From
Theme. Also, More Details gives you Genre, Track Length, Year and more.
Now let’s put that music into your own themes.

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How Themes Work
How Do Themes Work?
Themes are collections of music created, named and modified by you the listener. An
almost unlimited number of Themes can be created.
Collections of music can include almost any way of characterizing your music. For
example, a theme may contain a few favorite jazz songs from selected artists, all the blues
songs, and all songs by Aerosmith. Theme editing is performed in the Edit Theme window.
Themes
Lists the default Themes (All Songs, New Songs, and Requests Only), plus the option
to Add New Theme. This is also where your created Themes will be listed. To pick an
existing theme to play, scroll through the list, choose a name and click on “Play Theme”
from the pop-up window. The media server will return to the What’s Playing screen and
the Theme name will show in the upper left box on the interface. You can also choose to
“Play Theme Soon” to allow the current song to finish playing before the new theme starts.
Be sure to play only Themes
that have music in them!
Otherwise, you won’t hear
anything!

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How Themes Work
You can always back out of a
name entry field by pressing
“Exit” on the UNO-LRC1
remote control, or by press-
ing the left arrow until you are
out of the window.
Default Themes
These Themes are pre-configured for the media server’s use and are not available
for editing. These are: All Songs, New Songs and Requests Only.
All Songs
Just like the name says, this theme has it ALL – all of the songs you have loaded
onto the SMS3. When the All Songs theme is selected, it plays these songs in the order
of this list.
New Songs
Here’s where your newly cataloged music will sit until it is moved into another theme.
Requests Only
You create a “play only this” theme with Requests Only. Select this theme, then at
Music, pick the songs or albums you want and add to the theme. These songs play
through once, then the Requests Only theme goes quiet. This is useful if you want to
listen to some songs but not add them to an existing theme.
Creating a New Theme
Time to have some fun with your music. Creating themes is the heart of your media
server experience. The main goal of Add New Theme is to decide how you want your new
theme to be built – automatically (PMA) or by hand. This is also where you can view, set
and change a Theme’s “recipe” after it has been created, and decide to add music
automatically or manually.
Add a New Theme

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Creating New Themes
How to add a theme
From the Themes window, Choose Add New Theme. A name entry field appears.
Enter the name you’ve picked for your theme (Easy Sunday Morning, Party Hearty, etc.)
using the name entry field (backspace over to the beginning). Type in the name by toggling
through the characters (upper/lower case alphabet plus numbers) using the up/down
arrows of the keyboard, keypad or remote control. Once the name is spelled, hit enter or
select to access the Edit Theme window.
In the Edit Theme window, scroll to “Configure.” Choices appear here that guide your
Theme Recipe - Is a Playlist, PMA Prefers, PMA Effect, What to Play, and Add Music.
Sample Theme Recipes
The choices made in the Configure Theme screen affect the way music is added to
your Theme. For a better understanding, here’s a mythical family of media server users to
show how their music preferences dictate how the theme is built. Let’s meet the Millers –
Dad, Mom, and Sis.
Dad
Dad is busy. He wants to be entertained and spend as little time as possible fussing
with the media server. He likes to hear a variety of music in the evening, and is keen on
listening to news, sports and weather. Here’s how he’ll set up his after-work theme:
Name: Relax After Work
Is a Playlist: No (plays songs in varying order)
PMA Prefers: Longest Since Heard (rotates songs based on when last played)
PMA Effect: Mostly random (mixes songs to play different artists, genres, etc.)
What to Play: Single songs (plays individual songs)
Add Music: Automatic (all user music choices are added to the theme)
Themes are self-expanding if
left in the “automatic” mode.
Once you select a theme (or
it is selected by schedule),
any music you select to hear
is automatically added to the
theme. So as I add songs,
albums, artists, and genres
your theme expands.

20
Creating New Themes
Dad also likes to listen to internet radio stations. He listens to three or four different
ones but usually in the same order: the first for weather, the second for news, the third
for in-depth stories and the fourth for music. Here’s how he will set up his theme:
Name: Radio News
Is a Playlist: Yes (plays stations in order of the list, then returns to the first station)
Add Music: Manual (protects theme from any additions or deletions)
But he listens to more than news over the internet. There are really no good blues
stations available on local FM, but he has found a few great ones on the internet. Here’s
how he will set up his theme:
Name: Blues Stations
Is a Playlist: Yes
Add Music: Manual
Mom
Mom loves to listen to music, especially songs from the carefree days of the past.
She wants variety but she wants to hear all the music she has cataloged. When she
hears an artist, she wants to hear two or three songs by him before listening to someone
else. But she wants to control what gets added to her theme. Here’s how she will set up
her theme:
Name: Golden Days
Is a Playlist: No (plays songs in varying order)
PMA Prefers: Longest Since Heard (rotates songs based on when last played)
PMA Effect: Mostly PMA (allows PMA to control song order)
What to Play: 3 in a Row (plays 3 in a row of same artist)
Add Music: Manual (user decides what music is added to theme)
Mom also has a high-energy theme for cleaning and chores. When she has house-
work to do, she needs to be energized and entertained. She wants to hear different
artists, and hear her favorite songs more than once. Here’s how she will set up her
theme:
Name: Tunes for Chores
Is a Playlist: No (plays songs in varying order)
PMA Prefers: Highest Rated (plays more-requested songs more often)
PMA Effect: Mostly PMA (Majority of songs are chosen by PMA)
What to Play: Single songs (plays individual songs)
Add Music: Automatic (PMA adds all user choices to theme)
How Does the PMA (Dean of
Media) Work?
The Dean of Media is your
music concierge. I pay
attention to your music likes
and dislikes.
If I pick a song for a Theme
based on your “recipe” and
you skip over it when it
plays, as PMA I will play it
less often. If you repeat the
song, I will see that and play
it more often.
I notice any manual changes
you make to Themes or
playlists and adjust the
automatic playback
accordingly.