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<blockquote data-quote="CyberSimian" data-source="post: 1127559" data-attributes="member: 141969"><p>I had not tried that setting before, so I have been using it for the past few days. The result is (like the Curate's egg) "good in parts". <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big Grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" /> (Aside: for those who are not native English speakers, see here: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate's_egg" target="_blank">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate's_egg</a>.) Some points:</p><p></p><p>(1) The colours used for this setting seem to be specifiable by the skin. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> DefaultWide and Titan use colours that are different from Amped, and different from each other.</p><p></p><p>(2) The colours used by Amped are excellent! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> The three categories of EPG cell ("focused", "on now", and "not on now") are all displayed in a colour from the turquoise area of the spectrum, but are sufficiently different to make them easily distinguished. (Aside: turquoise is my most favourite colour! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big Grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />) However... the theme colour <em>does</em> affect legibility (see below).</p><p></p><p>(3) Programmes scheduled to record <em>are</em> flagged in the EPG, but by means of a "red dot" at the end of the EPG cell. Now I recognise that this actually conveys more information, since a one-off recording has a single red dot, while a series recording has a sequence of three overlapping dots. Nevertheless, on balance I prefer the entire EPG cell to be coloured red, as it makes it easier to see where recordings start and end.</p><p></p><p>(4) When a programme scheduled to record is "on now", a fourth colour is introduced into the EPG -- the cell is displayed with a black background. This differs from the normal EPG (with "uncoloured" EPG buttons), where the EPG cell for the programme is displayed in red, whether it is on now, or on later (and this is my preference).</p><p></p><p>(5) Channel names (leftmost column in the grid) are <em>not</em> shown in a different colour, and this <em>does</em> worsen intelligibility (depends on the horizontal scroll position relative to the on-now programmes).</p><p></p><p>(6) The radio EPG is not controlled by this setting, but is adversely affected by it (the channel names are no longer coloured according to the theme). DefaultWide and Titan are similar, so it is not obvious whether this is an oversight on the part of skin authors, or a limitation in the support offered by MP.</p><p></p><p>(7) The theme colour <em>does</em> affect the legibility of the EPG. For me, one of the most important characteristics of a skin is the legibility of the text. Legibility is controlled by two factors:</p><p></p><p>(a) Size of text.</p><p>(b) Contrast between text colour and background colour.</p><p></p><p>Amped is excellent for (a) <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />, and <em>some</em> Amped themes are excellent for (b) <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" />, but other Amped themes are not. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite3" alt=":(" title="Frown :(" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":(" /> I have tried all of the themes again, and it is noticeable that the legible themes all have backgrounds that are very dark (e.g. Midnight, Wine Glass). The themes with poorer legibility have light backgrounds (e.g. Arctic Ice). I guess that this is caused by the EPG grid cells having a degree of transparency that allows the background to blend with the foreground.</p><p></p><p>(8) The turquoise EPG with the Wine Glass theme is a strange combination, so I am currently trialling Midnight (which is at least a shade of blue, even if it is not turquoise! <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite8" alt=":D" title="Big Grin :D" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":D" />).</p><p></p><p>Overall, I think that the lack of support for the radio EPG means that I will not use the "coloured EPG buttons" setting as currently implemented. I have not yet looked at your other suggestion, so that might provide a solution that is a better match for my preferences. I will post again when I have tried that.</p><p></p><p>-- from CyberSimian in the UK</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CyberSimian, post: 1127559, member: 141969"] I had not tried that setting before, so I have been using it for the past few days. The result is (like the Curate's egg) "good in parts". :D (Aside: for those who are not native English speakers, see here: [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curate's_egg[/url].) Some points: (1) The colours used for this setting seem to be specifiable by the skin. :) DefaultWide and Titan use colours that are different from Amped, and different from each other. (2) The colours used by Amped are excellent! :) The three categories of EPG cell ("focused", "on now", and "not on now") are all displayed in a colour from the turquoise area of the spectrum, but are sufficiently different to make them easily distinguished. (Aside: turquoise is my most favourite colour! :D) However... the theme colour [i]does[/i] affect legibility (see below). (3) Programmes scheduled to record [i]are[/i] flagged in the EPG, but by means of a "red dot" at the end of the EPG cell. Now I recognise that this actually conveys more information, since a one-off recording has a single red dot, while a series recording has a sequence of three overlapping dots. Nevertheless, on balance I prefer the entire EPG cell to be coloured red, as it makes it easier to see where recordings start and end. (4) When a programme scheduled to record is "on now", a fourth colour is introduced into the EPG -- the cell is displayed with a black background. This differs from the normal EPG (with "uncoloured" EPG buttons), where the EPG cell for the programme is displayed in red, whether it is on now, or on later (and this is my preference). (5) Channel names (leftmost column in the grid) are [i]not[/i] shown in a different colour, and this [i]does[/i] worsen intelligibility (depends on the horizontal scroll position relative to the on-now programmes). (6) The radio EPG is not controlled by this setting, but is adversely affected by it (the channel names are no longer coloured according to the theme). DefaultWide and Titan are similar, so it is not obvious whether this is an oversight on the part of skin authors, or a limitation in the support offered by MP. (7) The theme colour [i]does[/i] affect the legibility of the EPG. For me, one of the most important characteristics of a skin is the legibility of the text. Legibility is controlled by two factors: (a) Size of text. (b) Contrast between text colour and background colour. Amped is excellent for (a) :), and [i]some[/i] Amped themes are excellent for (b) :), but other Amped themes are not. :( I have tried all of the themes again, and it is noticeable that the legible themes all have backgrounds that are very dark (e.g. Midnight, Wine Glass). The themes with poorer legibility have light backgrounds (e.g. Arctic Ice). I guess that this is caused by the EPG grid cells having a degree of transparency that allows the background to blend with the foreground. (8) The turquoise EPG with the Wine Glass theme is a strange combination, so I am currently trialling Midnight (which is at least a shade of blue, even if it is not turquoise! :D). Overall, I think that the lack of support for the radio EPG means that I will not use the "coloured EPG buttons" setting as currently implemented. I have not yet looked at your other suggestion, so that might provide a solution that is a better match for my preferences. I will post again when I have tried that. -- from CyberSimian in the UK [/QUOTE]
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