My cheap Maya 4:3 knock-off ... help! (1 Viewer)

[2BitSculptor]

Maya Team, Thanks for a great looking skin...

But since you do not have a 4:3 version (probably not going to), I am modifying the Default (4:3) as a look-a-like using the Maya media files and fonts. It won't have the basichome editor, so I will have to hard code the sub-menus. I will also make a few additional graphics (hopefully) to compliment yours for the narrower screen. I'm going to call it "Maya Faux 3".

Anyway, I have an issue with my version of Photoshop (v 5.0) changing the colors if I try to edit any of the Maya media files, rendering them darker when they display in MediaPortal. I was wondering what graphics program you are using to create the files. I need to find something that will not alter the colors. (they look fine in my Photoshop, but render differently in Media Portal) I don't know if there is a feature in Photoshop that needs to be set.

Thanks for any assistance.

- Chuck

 

[sPiel]

I noticed something similar back when I was using a 4:3 tv with Maya. It turns out that since I was using an analogue connection (s-video) my colours where all over the place on my screen. So when I edited on my PC everything looked great, but when I uploaded to the mediabox it looked completely different.

Windows has a really good tool for monitor calibration which helped me a lot, win7 has it built in, if you don't have win7 your display driver should have something built in.

 

[sPiel]

Here's a basic home screen that works well on 4:3 and is compatible with the basic home config for Maya too.

It's heavily customised but might be useful to you.

 

[2BitSculptor]

Thanks for the assist, I'll check out the xml. Although it might be easier to use the already 4:3 basichome xml compatible to the basichome editor... but the scrolling menu is distracting (and has a little response lag). I prefer a static menu with the sub-menu that aligns with the menu text.

My problem is not monitor calibration.. I understand the difference between my TV and my monitor displays . The problem presents itself on the same monitor that I edit the graphics on. I run MP in a window, so I can check the display as I work. ... I edit the file, close MP, clear the cache and start MP up to see the changes. The difference in color is noticeable immediately when displaying my edited image as a backslide over the original background

Editing the xml's is easier to see nearly instant changes, just by going to another screen and back again, after I save the changes from my xml editor (I miss the MyRefresh plugin)

- Chuck

 

[sPiel]

That's really weird.

I used Paint.net which is free.

And yes myrefresh is/was very useful.

Overall I found Maya quite easy to hack into shape for 4:3. It's reasonably well designed and only needed a few tweaks. Let me know if you have any screens that are giving you grief. I might be able to dig up a backup of my old files from when I had a 4:3 screen.

 

[2BitSculptor]

I'm now looking at Paint.NET ... This might just solve the issue, Thanks. If I can adapt to it ... I'm old and set in my ways

If you wouldn't mind looking up those xml's, that would be great! It should go pretty quickly with that as a cross reference, especially for the overlays and dialogs. I will still probably add my own spin for personal preference. All that info has to go somewhere.... Right now, font size is an area of concern for 4:3, with the complication of using NTSC here in the States, with only 480 pixels vertical resolution. I down-scan an 800x600 display on the HTPC to my TV, and readability is always an issue.

Thanks again.

- Chuck

 

[Hawkeye]

AW: My cheap Maya 4:3 knock-off ... help!

Hi Chuck,

did you see that MrCrabs (and a little bit me too) already started to do a 4:3-version of Maya?

Thread: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/maya-520/maya-4-3-screen-93348/
GoogleCode project: https://code.google.com/p/mamp4x3/

You could ask him for svn-access and contribute there instead of doing it all alone from scratch...

 

[2BitSculptor]

I have been following that thread... I didn't know that it was continuing after the release of 1.2 beta. Wouldn't much of what was done already have to be redone?

- Chuck

 

[Hawkeye]

AW: My cheap Maya 4:3 knock-off ... help!

I don't know how much has to be redone (didn't know you were doing a version vor 1.2 beta either...). At least you could join forces (maybe I could also help out again).

 

[2BitSculptor]

My image color issue is resolved .... I will muddle along with the conversion in the other 4x3 thread.

- Chuck