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Game Collector (Windows)

v19.3: Add Hardware by searching CLZ Core

July 19th, 2019

The Game Collector software has allowed you to add your gaming hardware (consoles, controllers, etc…) to your database for quite a while. However, that has always been manual entry. Not surprisingly, one of the top feature requests for our game database solution has been the ability to add hardware automatically by searching an online database.

So… that is exactly what we created for you!

  • First, we set up a separate database in our Core for gaming hardware, with all the right fields.
  • Then, we created a in-house CMS tool for actually filling that hardware database.
  • At that point, the big project started for our content managers: finding console and accessory information online and manually filling the database with as many consoles, controllers, light guns, etc.. they could find. All with descriptions, box images, device images, backdrop images, sometimes even YouTube promo videos.
  • After many months work, our hardware database now lists 1500 console editions and just over 500 controllers.
  • So it is finally time to release our new “Add Hardware from Core” feature!

Active subscription required!

IMPORTANT: To use the “Add Hardware from Core” feature you need to have an active subscription for your Game Collector software (previously called “Update Plan ” or “Service Plan”).

Add Hardware

Find the new Add Hardware screen by clicking the Add Hardware button on the toolbar.

Add Hardware by title

This screen should be familiar to you as it works the same as the Add Games screen. Start typing the title of your hardware item, and pick it from the Search-as-you-type” suggestions.

Or refine your search by setting the type of hardware and picking a platform:

Add Hardware by barcode

You can also find hardware by scanning barcodes via the “Barcode” tab. Scan a bunch of hardware items and add them!

TIP: Use CLZ Barry to quickly scan a bunch of barcodes here!

Add Hardware Manually

If you can’t find your hardware item, you can click the “Not found? Add this hardware anyway” entry at the bottom, and add that to your collection.

Or just use the old menu Edit > Add Hardware Manually to do so.

Find Device and Box Image

Use the “Find Online” buttons in the Edit Hardware screen if you want to find a different device or box image!

Hardware in your collection

Hardware has been a part of our Game cataloging software titles for a while. You can edit a hardware entry the same as you can edit a game entry, and you can now add two images (device and box image) to them as well.

TIP: To quickly group on hardware, click the folder button and select “Games / Hardware”.

New: Sync your own back covers and audience ratings

Back Covers

With this big update for Game Collector we have another surprise for you: Syncing Back Covers!

We introduced a new checkbox “Custom Image” in the Edit screen for back covers of games. This checkbox will be automatically checked when you replace the Core image, e.g. by using Find Cover Online, by dragging and dropping or by using the Browse button to add a local image.

Once this Custom Image box is checked, that cover will automatically sync to and from the CLZ Cloud.

Same as with custom front covers, you can automatically check your database for custom images by clicking menu Tools / Maintenance / Auto Mark Custom Images.

Also, they will always stay marked as custom, so that even if you clear your cloud and sync everything again, they will re-upload automatically.

Audience Ratings

One of the top requested fields to be added to the sync is Audience Ratings… so this field now syncs to and from the CLZ Cloud.

What about the mobile apps?

We’ll be adding the audience rating and back cover fields to the sync of the CLZ Games apps (Android and iOS) within 3 months. Back covers (editing and syncing) will also be added to all Collectorz.com Movie, Book, Comic and Music products.


Recent changes

v23.3: Simplified Sort Name editing for all pick list entries August 31st, 2023 V23.2: Now supports our new CLZ Scanner barcode scanner app March 30th, 2023 v23.1: Game trailers now appear as clickable thumbnails November 25th, 2022 v23.0: New: Updated Values report and more value data from PriceCharting November 17th, 2022 v22: Configurable Pre-fill & Update from Core + WebP support March 11th, 2022 v21.6 Improved Submit to Core system October 8th, 2021 v21.5: Sync web-links with CLZ Cloud September 28th, 2021 v21.4: Bar chart in folder panel background September 14th, 2021 v21.3: New “Transfer Field Data” tool August 9th, 2021 v21.2: New Link Games with Core screen April 29th, 2021 v21.1.2 Various improvements and fixes March 4th, 2021 v21.1: New: Pre-fill fields while adding games January 19th, 2021 v21.0: Improved game value features October 21st, 2020 v20.5 Easier access to the Manage Pick Lists screen August 25th, 2020 v20.4: Changing your folder field is now much easier July 29th, 2020 v20.3: Faster image downloads, faster Update from Core June 25th, 2020 v20.2: Faster Shelves View + 2 new Shelf Styles June 8th, 2020 v20.1 Faster CLZ Cloud syncing! March 25th, 2020 v20.0.2 Better Tag editing / Faster syncing February 5th, 2020 v20: Folder panel improvements + new Statistics screen January 8th, 2020 v19.4 Add Games by Platform August 6th, 2019 v19.3: Add Hardware by searching CLZ Core July 19th, 2019 v19.2.1: New: Duplicate Finder tool April 15th, 2019 v19.1.2: More tweaks to the Add button March 25th, 2019 v19.1: Three cool tweaks requested by our users March 7th, 2019