FAQ



Purchasing the EZ Play DJ

I am a new customer.  How do I buy the EZ Play DJ?


  • Click on the BUY menu item at the top of the screen, then select PRICING.
  • Click on Add to Cart near the top of the screen.
  • Click on the BUY menu item at the top of the screen, then select LOG IN.
  • Enter your email address on the right side of the screen and click on Continue.
  • Fill in the Customer Information screen and click on Submit.
  • Follow the instructions on the screen to check out.  You will receive a license ID and activation password by email when you check out.

I am an existing customer.  How do I buy the EZ Play DJ?


  • Click on the BUY menu item at the top of the screen, then select PRICING.
  • Click on Add to Cart near the top of the screen.
  • Click on the BUY menu item at the top of the screen, then select LOG IN.
  • Enter your login ID and password on the left side of the screen and click on Log In.  If you don't know your login ID and password contact us and we will look them up for you.  If you don't do this you will end up creating a second account for yourself.  Don't do that.
  • Follow the instructions on the screen to check out.  You will receive a license ID and activation password by email when you check out.

I am an existing customer.  How do I upgrade the EZ Play DJ?


  • Click on the BUY menu item at the top of the screen, then select PRICING.
  • Click on Add to Cart near the top of the screen.
  • Click on the BUY menu item at the top of the screen, then select LOG IN.
  • Enter your login ID and password on the left side of the screen and click on Log In.  If you don't know your login ID and password contact us and we will look them up for you.  You will not be able to buy an upgrade without your login ID and password.
  • Click on Renewals and Upgrades and select the upgrade that you want.
  • Follow the instructions on the screen to check out.  You will receive a license ID and activation password by email when you check out.

Why should I upgrade to the latest version of the EZ Play DJ?


  • You will have the latest features and the latest bug fixes.
  • You may notice with an old version of the EZ Play DJ that whenever Windows updates itself you have to activate the EZ Play DJ again.  You won't have to do this with the latest version.

I need a backup system.  How many computers can I install the EZ Play DJ on?


  • You can install the EZ Play DJ on just one computer.If you need to install it on another computer, for backup or for any reason, you will need another license.
  • You can take advantage of the Quantity Discount if you want to buy more than one license.

How much do I save with the Quantity Discount?


  • With the Quantity Discount you save 25% off the total if you buy more than one EZ Play DJ license in the same order.
  • The discount will appear on the screen when you check out.

How does Conversion of music and settings from the Music Machine™ to the EZ Play DJ work?


  • You send us a flash drive (or a SMALL external disk drive, USB powered) containing the entire contents of the D drive on the Music Machine.
  • We perform the conversion and return the external drive to you.
  • You won't lose any of your settings for buttons, instructors, and play lists.
  • Songs on a Music Machine™ are encoded as wav files, which typically take 30MB of disk space per song.
  • Optionally as part of the conversion process we convert the song files to mp3 files, which typically take 5MB of disk space per song.  You can fit 200 mp3 files into a gigabyte of disk space.
  • The process is partially automated, but much of it must be done manually, and the amount of time it takes, and the amount we charge, depends upon the number of songs.
  • You also pay for return shipping of the external hard drive.

How do I pay if I receive a Money Request or Invoice for a Conversion?


  • Check your email inbox for a message from EZ Play DJ that includes a money request or invoice.
  • Click the Pay Now button in the email message. If you don't see it click the link in the email or copy it and paste it into your browser's address bar.
  • If you have a Paypal™ account log into it. Review the money request or invoice then click Pay Now to complete your transaction.
  • To pay without using a Paypal™ account select debit or credit card and follow the instructions.

Installing the EZ Play DJ

I have purchased the EZ Play DJ.  How do I get it onto my computer?


  • Click on the EZ PLAY DJ menu item at the top of the screen, then select DOWNLOAD.
  • Click on the link at the top of the page.
  • Save the downloaded file somewhere convenient, like on your Desktop.
  • If your browser offers you the choice to Run or Save the file, save it.

I have downloaded the EZ Play DJ from the website.  How do I install it?


  • Run the file that you downloaded from the website.  Double click on it or right click on it and select Open.
  • If you already have the EZ Play DJ installed the new installation you will keep your existing settings, including your buttons and column headings.
  • If it is a first-time installation you will have to select a button set, e.g. Ballroom, Country, or Irish.

How do I update my EZ Play DJ to the latest version?


  • Download and install it as if it were a new installation.
  • You don't have to uninstall the old version.  Just install the new version on top of it.
  • If you don't already have a license for the new version it will be in trial mode.
  • To put it into registered mode enter the license ID and password that you received when you purchased it.

What are Button Sets?


  • When you start the EZ Play DJ you see column headings and button labels on the Main screen.  These column headings and button labels comprise the button set
  • There are three button sets available with the EZ Play DJ -- Ballroom, Country, and Irish.
  • Each button set uses either 1 or 2 button screens.
  • You can choose to install 0, 1, 2, or all 3 of the button sets.
  • Button labels and column headings can be edited by you, so you can modify the button set or even create a new one from scratch

I have installed the EZ Play DJ.  What settings should I check before I load music into it?


  • Only settings affecting importing and recording songs need to be considered before loading music into the EZ Play DJ.  All other settings can wait.
  • Navigate to the Global Options screen.  Look for the button with the globe on it at the right side of the Main Screen.
  • Make sure that the Local/Network button does not have the caption Local Read Only.
  • Make sure that the Import button has the caption Copy to Folder.
  • The File Format setting affects recording from CDs or importing of WAV files.  Set it to the format you want these tracks to be converted to (typically MP3).

I want to move the EZ Play DJ to a new computer.  How do I do that?


  • Download and install the EZ Play DJ onto the new computer.  See the instruction above.
  • Contact us for assistance in activating the EZ Play DJ.
  • Using an external disk drive or a network copy the contents of these two folders from he old computer to the new computer.

    C:/ProgramData/EZ Play DJ/Music/MP3s/
    C:/ProgramData/EZ Play DJ/Music/Database/

  • If you don't see the folder C:/ProgramData then open the Control Panel in Windows, go to File Explorer Options, click on the View tab, and select the button to Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives.  While you are there uncheck the box for Hide Extensions for Known File Types.  Then click OK to close the window.

I need my License ID so that I can move the EZ Play DJ to a new computer.  How do I retrieve it?


  • The License ID can be retrieved from EZ Play DJ version 3.0AO or later.
  • If you have an earlier version you should upgrade to the latest version.
  • The Licence ID is retrieved and stored each time the EZ Play DJ is closed using the 'X' button at the upper right.
  • So the license ID won't be available untl the second time the EZ Play DJ is started.
  • Go to the Options screen, and press the button labeled 'About'.
  • The License ID will be displayed on the screen that pops up.

How can I have all of my EZ Play DJs use the same settings and song files located on a server?


  • The Music folder that contains the Database and MP3s folders on the server needs to have sharing enabled.
  • On each EZ Play DJ PC a drive letter has to be mapped in Windows to the shared Music folder on the server.
  • One EZ Play DJ has to be selected as the master system, the one from which music will be loaded to the server.  It can be on the server or another computer.
  • On the Options screen (the button with the globe) there is a button labeled Local/Network.  Set it to read Network Drives on the master system and to Network Read Only on all of the other systems.
  • On the System Config screen (get to it from the Options screen) set the Music Folder for each system to the mapped drive (using the drive letter).
  • The master system should have USB ports and a CD reader (at least) for loading in music.
  • Remember, if your network goes down or the server crashes you will not be able to use any of your EZ Play DJs.

Using the EZ Play DJ

How do I load song files, such as MP3s, into the EZ Play DJ?


  • Navigate to the Select Song Screen and select the 'Import' action button.  Push a Song button.
  • Navigate to the folder that contains the song files.  If the song files have been burned to a CD you can read them from there.
  • You can select or deselect a song by pressing the Song button, or select all songs by pressing the Select All button.
  • To hear a song before loading it press the button labeled 'Play' on the Import screen.  This button is enabled only if exactly one song is selected.
  • Press the button labeled 'Import'.  The songs will be loaded and assigned to buttons.
  • A button on the Options screen controls whether or not a song file is copied to the Music Folder or played from its current location.  We recommend that the button be set to have the label 'Copy to Folder'.
  • if a song file is a WAV file it can be converted to another song file type as specified on the Options screen.

How do I load CD tracks into the EZ Play DJ?


  • Navigate to the Select Song Screen and select the 'Record' action button.  Push a Song button.
  • Insert a commercial CD into the drive.  If the computer is connected to the Internet the song titles will probably appear on the screen.  If the titles can't be retrieved the tracks will be labeled 'Track 1', 'Track 2', etc.
  • You can select or deselect a song by pressing the Song button, or select all songs by pressing the Select All button.
  • To hear a song before loading it press the button labeled 'Play' on the Record screen.  This button is enabled only if exactly one song is selected.
  • Press the button labeled 'Record'.  The songs will be loaded and assigned to buttons.
  • The song files will be saved to the Music Folder.  The song file type can be specified on the Options screen.

What is the fastest way to create a Custom Playlist and load songs into it?


  • Load your playlist songs into the song list on the Main Screen, with the first song paused.
  • Press the button at the lower left hand corner of the song list.
  • Go to the Playlists Screen, click on an empty button, then enter a playlist name.
  • Click on the Paste button, then click on button number 1. This will paste the songs into the custom playlist starting at button 1.
  • You can then repeat the process to add more songs starting at the first blank button.

How do I set Beats per Measure and Beats or Measures per Minute?


  • When you first play a song the EJ Play DJ attempts to set the Beats per Minute and Beats per Measure.  You can manually set Beats per Measure and calculate the Beats per Minute if the EZ Play DJ is unable to set them automatically.
  • Once the Beats per Measure is set and the Beats per Minute is calibrated all that remains for you to do is to set the tempo that you want.  The tempo can be displayed in Beats per Measure or Beats per Minute.
  • One way to set the tempo using the Tempo screen is to select a tempo set (e.g., NDCA) then select the dance.  Then press one of three buttons.  One sets the speed to the bottom of the range for the dance, one sets the speed to the middle of the range, and one sets the speed to the top of the range. Or you can manually set the tempo using the speed control.
  • There are many tempo sets to choose from: ballroom (DVIDA, NDCA, WDC, WSDF), country (UCWDC), and Irish (CLRG).

I want to back up my music and settings. How do I do that?


  • Open two File Explorer (aka Windows Explorer) windows.  In one of them show the contents of the folder C:/ProgramData/EZ Play DJ/Music/ .
  • If you don't see the folder C:/ProgramData then open the Control Panel in Windows, go to File Explorer Options, click on the View tab, and select the button to Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives.  TWhile you are there uncheck the box for Hide Extensions for Known File Types. Then click OK and close the Control Panel.
  • In the other File Explorer window show an external disk drive (i.e. a disk drive or big flash drive plugged into a USB port) or to another computer through your network.
  • Then copy the folder 'C:/ProgramData/EZ Play DJ/Music/' onto the external drive (or other computer).
  • You have now backed up your EZ Play DJ!.  Put your backup in a safe place.

Troubleshooting

My cursor has disappeared.  How do I make it visible again?


  • Right click on the main screen.  Then click on the Yes button to show the cursor.
  • If this doesn't work you probably have an old version of the EZ Play DJ.  Consider an upgrade.
  • On an old version of the EZ Play DJ hold the right mouse button down.
  • The cursor will slowly go on and off.  Release the mouse button when the cursor is visible.
  • When the cursor is set go to the Options screen (the button with the globe), find the setting for the Cursor, and set it so the button label says 'Locked'.

When I try to load music into the EZ Play DJ from a CD the tracks are labeled 'Track 1', 'Track 2', etc., instead of song titles. How do I fix that?


  • The EZ Play DJ goes out to the Internet to retrieves song titles and artists for CDs from the Internet.
  • If the computer is not connected to the Internet the tracks will be labeled 'Track 1', 'Track 2', etc. instead of being labeled with song titles.
  • Connect the computer to the Internet and try again.

A message popped up saying that my license needs to be validated (EZ Play DJ Version 3 or higher). What should I do?


  • Every time you start the EZ Play DJ it tries to connect through the Internet to the license server to confirm that the license is valid.
  • If it has not confirmed this for a few months the program will stop working.
  • A couple of weeks before the few months is up the program will pop up a warning that it will quit working soon unless the license is validated.
  • At that point you will need to connect to the Internet and restart the program.  Then it will be good for another few months.
  • The easy way to do this if you don't have the Internet in your studio is to make your smartphone a wifi hotspot, connect the computer to the Internet through that, then start the program.

A message popped up saying that my license needs to be activated (EZ Play DJ Version 2). What should I do?


  • Version 2 of the EZ Play DJ is not as forgiving as version 3 is about Windows updates.  Frequently when a Windows update is installed Version 2 of the EZ Play DJ needs to be reactivated.
  • You must send us the Registration Number from the screen that pops up to request reactivation.
  • We will send to you an Activation Code which you must enter onto the screen.  Then click 'Activate Now'.
  • There is no cure for this problem other than upgrading to the latest version of the EZ Play DJ.

The songs have disappeared from my dance buttons. How do I get them back?


  • This is usually caused by incorrect settings for buttons on the Options screen.
  • If you don't set ratings for your songs but filter songs by rating, then none will show up on the dance buttons.
  • Go to the Options screen.
  • Find the box labeled 'Pick'.  Press the button on the right until its label reads 'All Songs'.
  • Find the box labeled 'Dance Lists'.  Press the button on the right until its label reads 'All Ratings'.
  • Find the box labeled 'Select Songs'.  Press the button until its label reads 'All Ratings'.

The Import button is greyed out and I can't import songs. How do I fix that?


  • This is usually caused by an incorrect setting on one of the buttons on the Options screen.
  • If your EZ Play DJ is standalone -- the program and music are on the same computer -- do the following.
  • Go to the Options screen.
  • Find the box labeled 'Local/Network'.  Press the button until its label reads 'Local Drives'.

I need to contact you for help. What information do I need to send you?


  • There is a button on the System Configuration screen that will export a set of information into a folder on your desktop.
  • Go to the Options screen, and from there go to the System Configuration screen.
  • Press the button labeled 'Export Diagnostics'.
  • You will find a folder on your desktop labeled 'EZ Play DJ Diagnostics'.
  • It contains files 'EZPlayDJ.mdb', 'EZHistory.mdb', and several others.
  • Send me those files.

I just installed a new version of the EZ Play DJ and now I can't start it. I get a message saying that there is a problem with the shortcut. What happened?


  • Occasionally Malwarebytes™ flags the EZ Play DJ as malware.  If you have Malwarebytes™, this is probably what happened.
  • First, let me know!  I'll send a couple of files to Malwarebytes™, and in a few hours Malwarebytes™ will fix the problem.
  • The EZ Play DJ won't be flagged as malware after the next malware database file update is installed on your computer.
  • In the meantime, follow the instructions from Malwarebytes™ to restore the EzPlayDJ.exe file from quarantine to its correct location on your disk.

I can start the EZ Play DJ, but it's not working. I think my settings are all messed up. How can I restore them to what they were when the program was installed?


  • There is a button on the System Configuration screen that will reset most of your configuration settings.
  • Go to the Options screen, and from there go to the System Configuration screen.
  • Press the button labeled 'Reset Config'.
  • See if your EZ Play DJ now works correctly.