moving pictures skins / layout complaints (1 Viewer)

[citizenkeys]

has anyone made any skins for moving pictures?

i like 'moving pictures' but i don't like the layout.
i just don't think the default layout makes practical use of space.

if i didn't think that 'moving pictures' had great potential, i wouldn't bother to complain.

that said, here's what i don't like:
* in list view, there's nothing but wasted space on the right side of the screen.
* all the movie details are crammed at the bottom, so that the movie description has to scroll.
* in thumbnail view, the bottom center movie poster covers the thumbnails above it.
* when playing a video or mp3 visualization, the movie description on the bottom left is covered by the overlay.

 

[fforde]

There are many different skins available although they usually are skins for all of MediaPortal rather than individual plugins. StreamedMP is a popular one right now but spend a few minutes browsing the skins subforum.

 

[citizenkeys]

i can't find a streamedmp for 4:3, but blue3retro also seems like a good start for an alternative to the default.

 

[fforde]

Ah, yeah the skin selections for a 4x3 display is unfortunately much more limited, but there are a few nice ones available. Good luck finding something you are happy with. ^^

 

[citizenkeys]

if i can't find it, i'll just make it.

 

[2BitSculptor]

has anyone made any skins for moving pictures?

i like 'moving pictures' but i don't like the layout.
i just don't think the default layout makes practical use of space.

if i didn't think that 'moving pictures' had great potential, i wouldn't bother to complain.

that said, here's what i don't like:
* in list view, there's nothing but wasted space on the right side of the screen.
* all the movie details are crammed at the bottom, so that the movie description has to scroll.
* in thumbnail view, the bottom center movie poster covers the thumbnails above it.
* when playing a video or mp3 visualization, the movie description on the bottom left is covered by the overlay.

Just because one (freely given) default layout example seems to be copied in almost every skin for MovingPictures doesn't mean it is the defacto standard for it's design. Stuff can be moved around. The MediaPortal community is varied, and only a few are designing skins, many times just to suit their personal design requirements. I myself have started my own skin design in an 800x600 4x3 format, for my own use, learning xml as I go, gleaning design ideas from the many skins already available.

the top 2 items are designed to give optimum viewing to the fan art backdrops.... Something that Moving Pictures is strong in. If you want to cover the backdrop, then just move stuff around till you are happy. Look for posX, posY, height and width values in the facade and main xmls.

item 3, adjust the height and width values of the various facade elements until the poster clears the display space. small icon and large icon views are tied to each others space allocation.

item 4, ... yup an issue in many skins... either you leave a visible block of reserved space for the overlay (leaving an unused space most of the time) or just deal with the inconvenience. Like I said, stuff can be moved around.

Do as many ppl have done. create a mod of the xml and attach it to a post in the specific skin forum and let others see there are other options.

best regards... and have fun.

Chuck