1.3.x I have played a little with Titan and default skin ... (1 Viewer)

[megahorst]

I don´t want to talk about what is better
But I have to tell that default has some advantages in usability
Basic home and epg for example are "clearer" and focus is not distracted by so much optical information.
I like this very much.
Where I'm missing this clearness is the actual music playing screen. There are so many items everywhere on the screen. Perhaps you should think about making some infos optional and group them on the button of the screen. This would lead the focus to the fanart background.

And of course: Thx for your work and spending your time for the community.

 

[Owlsroost]

I actually agree - I find Titan a little too 'colourful', and the 'thin' fonts can be hard to read sometimes, and I prefer simple, clean skins with subdued colours anyway .

A couple of usability issues I've noticed with Default Wide:

1. There is no info bar shown when using skip-steps (left/right arrows) - this is really important, because without this you have no way of knowing where you are (in time) in a video. There is an info bar shown when using fast-forward/rewind, so it's also inconsistent. Also, if you use big skip steps (up/down arrow keys), it just shows the grey box overlay without the skip step size....

2. When hitting 'enter' in the TV guide to set up a recording, the next screen has the recording options popup menu shown, but this covers part of the program list - so if there are several possible times/channels in the list you can't check if you have selected the correct one (basically the program list needs to move to the right so it's fully visible in this situation, I think).

Otherwise I think the new Default Wide looks pretty good (although the backdrop to the classic home screen - the 'DVD boxes' - seems out of character with the style of the other backdrops). Good work @catavolt

Tony

 

[catavolt]

1. There is no info bar shown when using skip-steps (left/right arrows) - this is really important, because without this you have no way of knowing where you are (in time) in a video. There is an info bar shown when using fast-forward/rewind, so it's also inconsistent.

During test phase some team members wanted to not show the progress bar...

Also, if you use big skip steps (up/down arrow keys), it just shows the grey box overlay without the skip step size....

Issue in skin engine - that value simply isn´t available.

2. When hitting 'enter' in the TV guide to set up a recording, the next screen has the recording options popup menu shown, but this covers part of the program list - so if there are several possible times/channels in the list you can't check if you have selected the correct one (basically the program list needs to move to the right so it's fully visible in this situation, I think).

.
This would lead to extensive skin or even skin engine changes, because that menu is used in different cases and is therefore displayed in the middle of the screen.

Otherwise I think the new Default Wide looks pretty good (although the backdrop to the classic home screen - the 'DVD boxes' - seems out of character with the style of the other backdrops).

Awaiting your proposals, Tony (best with uploading the backdrop file here)

 

[Owlsroost]

1. There is no info bar shown when using skip-steps (left/right arrows) - this is really important, because without this you have no way of knowing where you are (in time) in a video. There is an info bar shown when using fast-forward/rewind, so it's also inconsistent.

During test phase some team members wanted to not show the progress bar...

I hadn't noticed that - otherwise I would have commented before . I'm not the only one to have commented on this - https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/threads/1-3-0beta-ready-for-testing.114353/page-11#post-940489 . Is there an easy way to modify an xml file to get this back - at the moment I'm having to use Titan just to get the progress bar for skip steps (and I'd prefer to use Default Wide because I think the usability is better).

Also, if you use big skip steps (up/down arrow keys), it just shows the grey box overlay without the skip step size....

Issue in skin engine - that value simply isn´t available.

I suspected that was the case, but what it's doing at the moment looks a bit silly - I think it should either show the progress bar or nothing at all in the 'big skip step' situation.

2. When hitting 'enter' in the TV guide to set up a recording, the next screen has the recording options popup menu shown, but this covers part of the program list - so if there are several possible times/channels in the list you can't check if you have selected the correct one (basically the program list needs to move to the right so it's fully visible in this situation, I think).

.
This would lead to extensive skin or even skin engine changes, because that menu is used in different cases and is therefore displayed in the middle of the screen.

But it worked OK in the old MP 1.3.0 alpha version (and earlier), so what's changed ?

Can I edit an xml to move the popup menu over to the right side of the screen instead (so it doesn't cover the date/time/channel information part of the listing) ?

Otherwise I think the new Default Wide looks pretty good (although the backdrop to the classic home screen - the 'DVD boxes' - seems out of character with the style of the other backdrops).

Awaiting your proposals, Tony (best with uploading the backdrop file here)

Actually, I prefer subdued, non-pictorial backdrops anyway (I quite like the gearwheels backdrop) - but I know this is very much a personal preference issue....

Tony

 

[SciDoctor]

The new default skins are very,very good apart from the 'no progresss info bar when skip/jump'; whomever asked for this to be dropped needs their medication increased.

The Default wide EPG 11 lines is a masterpiece and makes the 7 line Titan EPG look c--p.

If we could have the best from Titan and Default in one skin that would be a mighty fine skin.

 

[catavolt]

I´ll add the progress bar back soon

 

[catavolt]

Something to play with
Pls note that the TV implementation is not good atm - needs some more adjustment, but as a hotfix sufficient enough

 

[catavolt]

Default wide buglet: Overwritten text in the description portion of the search results window. The end-time is overwitten with the title.

Screenshot? Which search results?

 

[kiwijunglist]

I suggest that many new MediaPortal users will be mouse people and will not understand why they can't use MediaPortal's latest default skin. It really should be fixed somehow .... as long as the mouse problem remains, it should be mentioned in the write-up and should perhaps not be part of the install package.

Please be aware that this is Beta Software - so expect it to have some problems and quirks. Make sure that you read the instructions at the end of this news regarding installation, upgrade and extension compatibility.

1.3 is a beta release, and is not for daily use, expect to have bugs and problems, it is for testing purposes and also gives people a chance to try out new features that are not available in the official stable release.

 

[SciDoctor]

Thanks for the quick response, Progress Bar works great.

For those using the excellent 'Xmas theme' in default wide and miss the 11 line EPG just copy over the 'mytvguide.xml' from the 11 line theme into the xmas theme and restart MP.

Let it Snow !