i-loop's design - work in progress - 2007-08-10

[infinityloop]

infinityloop's concept design for MyTV Client Plugin

last time updated: 2007-08-10

Areas allready covered in conept design:

1. TV Homescreen
2. Channel Properties
3. Channel / TV-Stream Tuning / Subchannels tuning
4. Tuning an unavaiable channel (updated)

Areas which are not yet included in concept design:

1. TV guide
2. Schedules
3. search
4. TV-Server Info (will be completely re-designed to show more info, like current schedules, streams ect. + more interaction)

-------------------- introduction --------------------

generaly speaking i like the current userinterface of my tv.
there are just a few things i do not like that much. and i will try to propose a new concept design to solve these "issues".

Some user think that using the colored buttons on the remote would be the solution.

I dont think so for one simple reason.

Look where these buttons are located on a remote. nearly always on the end of it.

usualy i have my thumb located on the other end of the remote, the "cursor" area.

In that area i have the "left, right, up, down, okay, info" and the "back" button located.

So this must be the buttons i focus my concept on.
because i realy have no interest in bending my fingerns/hand all the time to reach these colord buttons on that silly place on the remote.

-------------------- MyTV - Homescreen --------------------

1. Introduction:

   The first issues i thought about is the navigation in MyTV homescreen.
   What i do not like about it is, that we have a "long" list of buttons there. which means that i always have to go all the way up, or down to reach the setting i need.
   
   Instead of re-creating the "classic" left hand menu, i thought about a quicker, circular central placed menu.
   
   it will allow you to always access your setting with 2 clicks at maximum.
   
   the navigation is described in the next step.

2. first time entering MyTV and "automatically tune channel" is set to "off":

   If the user decides that he does not want that the channel he was watching the last time is tuned again, then this will be what he sees after the first tune.
   
   
   
   As you can see, the central button is focused by default.

   • if you would press "left", then you would get to "timer"
   • if you would press "right", then you would get to "record now"
   • if you would press "up", then you would get to "tv-guide"

   
   Lets say you want to get to "TV-Server Info", then you can do that either by:

   • pressing "up" to go to "TVGuide" and then press "right" to reach "TV-Server Info"
   • or by
   • pressing "right" to go to "record now" and then press "up" to reach "TV-Server Info"
     
     as you can see. with a maximum of 2 button-presses you end up at the button you want.
     reaching the other buttons on the left side works the same way.
     
     Central Button:
     The central button says "watch TV", which means if you want to watch TV you should press it.
     after that you would get the mini-epg where you can switch between the TVGroups and select the channel you want to tune.

3. first time entering MyTV and "automatically tune channel" is set to "on":

   In this case, the last channel you have been watching would be tuned instandly.
   
   by default the "watch tv button" is focused again so if you want to watch the currently tuned channel, just hit "okay" on your remote.
   
   as you can see there are 2 new buttons now available when a channel is tuned. "channels" and "properties"
   
   so if you do not want to watch the currently tuned channel, then go "down" to "channel" and hit "okay".
   the miniepg will come up then where you can select an other channel to tune.

4. How to recover MyTV Homescreen:

   Once you are watching TV, you just have to press the "back" button on your remote to bring the MyTV Homescreen back.

5. How to recover mini-epg once started watching TV:

   Once you are watching TV, you just have to press the "okay" button on your remote to bring the mini-epg back and to switch between Channels and TV-Streams.

-------------------- Channel Properties --------------------

1. Introduction:

   the current way how you can change audio tracks, subtitles zoom-modes, ect. is not very uset friendly. so i came up with the following.
   
   

2. Enter Channel Properties Section from homescreen:

   To enter the Channel Properties section you have to go back to the "MyTV Homescreen"
   
   Then press 2 times "down" to reach the "properties" button.

3. Enter Channel Properties Section from LiveTV:

   when you are allready watching TV then:

   • press the "i" button on your remote once
   • and you see the timeline with the EPG info window
   • press "i" again and you get to the "Channel Properties" section

4. Channel Properties Section:

   • The Channel Properties Section is designed as horizontaly scrollable menu. The menu in the center of the screen is the one which has focus.
   • with the "left" and "right" buttons you are able to switch between the menue items.
   • with "up" and "down" you can select the various settings.
   • the togglebuttons will show what what is currently active.
   • these values will be stored seperately fo every channel, which means that the next time you tune it, it will use these settings you used the last time.

   

-------------------- MyTV - Channel tuning / TV-Stream Tuning --------------------

1. Introduction:

   Generaly speaking the current tuning mechanism is allready working quite well. However i have spotted some areas which could be improved.
   
   So basicaly you have the following options to issue a channelswitch:

   • CH+ CH- buttons
   • go to MyTV Homescreen by pressing "back" on your remote and select the Channel button, which opens "mini-epg"
   • when you allready watch TV, press the "okay" button on your remote (or enter on keyboard) to go directly to the "mini-epg"

2. Tuning a channel:

   as soon as you opened the "mini-epg" you will see the current TV-Group on the top left, a list of TV-Channels from this group and the current Status of the channel.
   
   
   
   The Status can be:

   • available --- you can watch the channel
   • timeshifting --- you can watch the channel
   • recording --- you can watch the channel
   • unavailable --- you have no free card availabe to tune that channel

   
   You can tune a channel simply by selecting it and pressing "okay" on the remote.
   
   there is only a small difference to the current mini-epg, in this mockup i used different colors for the unavailable channels, to make that more obvious.
   the staus display is also slightly different.

3. Tuning a unavailable channel:

   If you select and tune a channel (or reach such a channel when zapping with CH+ / Ch- buttons) which is marked as "unavailable", you will get a new dialog window.
   
   

   1. free a TV-Card
      If you want to tune that channel you have the possibility to take contol over one TV-Card and kick out another user.
      
      
   2. look for upcoming episodes (screen not re-designed yet!!!)
      This option is used if you want to look for a recuring of this movie/show or upcoming episodes
      
      
   3. tune next available channel
      If you select this option, then the Tv-Server will tune the next available Channel in your selected TV Group
      
   4. open channel selector
      If you select this option, then you get to the Channel Selector (miniepg).
      

   
   

4. Tuning a TV-Stream:

   At the time i came up with the "TV-Streams" Button idea, it was not possible/no time available to integrate it differently.
   
   Now i think i have a better solution then adding a new button which forces the user to go back to the MyTV Homescreen and select it.
   
   Lets say you are allready watching TV, and now you want to change the channel:

   1. then you press "okay" on your remote to bring up the miniepg
      
   2. now by pressing the "left" or "right" cursor you change the group until your reach "TV-Streams" which shows you all currently active streams.
      
      
   3. here you can select a stream if you like, and tune to it

   
   

5. Tuning a sub-channel:

   
   Some PayTV providers use a "portal channel" from where you are able to select a sub-channel you want to view.
   the tv-server is supporting that with the "Linkage scanner"
   
   currently you select the subchannel from the channel properties dialog box, i think that could be improved.
   
   Option1:

   1. In miniepg select the "Portal Channel" and tune it
   2. as soon as the channel was tuned you see a window which displayes the available sub-channel
   3. you can select a subchannel or close the window and watch the portal channel
   4. to restore the subchannels list, press"okay" 2 times. which opens the channel selection window and "tunes" the channel again

   
   Option2:
   Make all subchannels visible (with an indent) in the miniepg, which allows way easier and faster tuning.
   
   

The other sections will follow as soon as i had time to think about them

[Harley]

..thats realy nice, i like it much !

Harley

[Shaftstick]

i like the concept it will be easy foranybody to use the tv part of MediaPortal with a remote and more clear i approuve...

[gemx]

Absolutely amazing.
Very nice idea.

[THDBASED]

I like it because it is easy to use and great for first time users. Unfortunatly in my eyes simple somethimes also means less attractive for the eye to watch. I am not saying that your design is ugly but less attractive and less detail.

I think you will probably have to choose between speed and easy to use and a nice with a lot of detail interface. For a PVR the first option is probably the best, but I am a "details" kinda guy so I would like to have something in between...

I will work some more on my design and make it more simple and better for use with remote maybe include some of your ideas...

[lkuech]

I absolutely love this concept. It is easy to understand for anybody. And keeps all necessary options accessible.

I also interested in your "TV-Server Info" concept. I think to enhance the streams section is a pretty good approach. What I miss in the current MyTV is a dialog that gives me informations what the TV server is doing right now. (which card is idle. which card is recoding or epg grabbing etc.)

Bye
Lars

[infinityloop]

Originally Posted by lkuech

I also interested in your "TV-Server Info" concept. I think to enhance the streams section is a pretty good approach. What I miss in the current MyTV is a dialog that gives me informations what the TV server is doing right now. (which card is idle. which card is recoding or epg grabbing etc.)

that concept is not ready yet. just thrown another sketch into the wastebasket

but you are right about the displayed informations, thats what i have in mind too. and a bit more.

[joystick]

I vote for it.

Another thing that came to my mind, for I am a "migrating" user of TV Central:
- For timeshifting (skip, ffwd, etc) use the ">>, >, <<" Buttons on the remote instead of left, right, up, down.
- Get PVR Info of your actual recorded and planned recordings by a menu that pops up inside MyTV

I know that you did not cover all of the nav aspects, but maybe those hints will get you somewhere....
cheers

joystick

[jaeger]

Looks very nice. Simple and easy to use.

High usability means high WAF and that is the key to keeping the HTPC in the living room

Originally Posted by joystick

I vote for it.
- For timeshifting (skip, ffwd, etc) use the ">>, >, <<" Buttons on the remote instead of left, right, up, down.

I fully agree with joystick's idea. Timishifting controls should work exactly the same way as video players. I guess that the information bar would show something different for timeshifted stuff than for complete recording.

My 5 cents, try to group the buttons around the middle 'live tv' one so that the most often used ones are the ones you reach with least key presses. For example I'm using more 'recorded TV' button than 'Timer' button. --> I'd put the 'recorded TV' button so that it's reached with one key press.

infinityloop, have you though about how the circular menu works when you have selected one of the buttons that aren't on the main axis (for example tv/on off)? Where does the selection move when you press left when ' tv/on off' is selected? It could go to middle or it could jump to bottom left. I think middle would make more sense.

[bfrye26]

WOW. That looks like a PVR setup but has a much more sleek aproach that fits right into MP. I give it my vote!!