NTSC 4:3 Skin Resolution? ( a plea to designers) (1 Viewer)

[2BitSculptor]

With the propagation of large, high resolution, wide screen displays among the younger, high energy members, it is becoming more difficult to advance the needs of older, more sedentary... often visually impaired ... members regarding the availability of readable skins. There is a kind of information overload implemented in the popular skins, at least for my needs.

Can you tell I'm feeling outmoded?

Even the available 4:3 skins (most of which have fallen into a kind of non-support abyss) are difficult to read on my TV ... the reason is the resolution disparity between PAL and NTSC. I'm sure the display is quite crisp on even the worst PAL TVs ... but for NTSC there is no native resolution skin available. I'm talking a nominal 640 X 480 display.

I'm so glad that the US standards for broadcast are changing, but I must, for a time yet, endure the old.

My display is over-processed to say the least. Going from a 4:3 skin 720 X 576, up-sampled to 800 X 600 for my VGA output, then down-sampled to 640 X 480 and stretched to overscan by an external PC to S-Video converter. All the excellent design and implementation of Media Portal skins are almost lost in the unreadability of regurgitated text.

I think a viable portion of the market potential of MP will be lost in the US specifically, and other NTSC based countries. I am not a designer, nor a coder, but that shouldn't lessen my Media Portal experience, nor for others that fall into my situation.

I realize that there is an enormous volume of files that have to be altered (I will admit that it is beyond my own ambition and aptitude) but I wish to encourage anyone who is designing and/or modifying the the current contribution of excellent, creative and attractive skins, to please think of me and my kindred spirits.

Things to consider.....

Display resolution: 640 X 480 (4:3, square pixel aspect)
Display size: 32" (~83 cm) ... or less
Viewing distance: 11' (~3.35 m) ... or less
Age: 50+ ... or more

for putting up with my rant :sorry:

Chuck

 

[nanogod]

I know waht you mean (i hope ;-) )
I feel, that a lot of skins are overfilled with too much information, too small too much...
And that all new skins are developed for 16:9/10. I use an old 4:3 CRT TV and so i cant use any of the cool looking new skins.

I have began making my own skin for 4:3 (But for PAL Resolution since im in Europe)
You can have a look here: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/skins-50/skin-concepts-39415/

I design this skin with funktionality and organisation in mind. I hope i accomplish this task...
But the sin is not finished already. I have a 10 hour job, a girlfriend, and a few days ago istarted playing "oblivion"... so it may tak a few week,months to finish this skin...

Greetings

nanogod

 

[2BitSculptor]

I'm using S-Video input on the TV, imagine what it would look like on a composite input... or yet... RF. Make the smallest text large enough to read on that, and the larger text for design aesthetics. You will be surprised how many people still in the 4:3 analog world will jump into that skin.

a 10 hour job

... that leaves 14 hours in the day.

girlfriend

... get her involved more in the design of the skin (can she type?) instead of all that other stuff that you do when she is with you.

oblivion

... my thoughts on that - - BACK TO WORK!

I'd like to see this skin before I loose my eyesight altogether to old age



Chuck

 

[Spragleknas]

MP2 will be based on vector graphics, so at least those problem will be gone

There is a B2 mod (by I-loop I think) that increases readability.

 

[2BitSculptor]

I have not looked at MP2. I'm afraid if I installed the preview I'd screw up my MP1 install.

Will you be able to set your end resolution and the engine take the starting resolution of the skin you are using and position everything relative to the new size? without squashing and distorting the text and icons (keeping correct aspect ratio of the graphics)? Can you set the minimum text size for your display for the vision impaired (other text would be scaled relative to the base size)? Would the button/text field graphics then resize for the text to fit?

It's a tall order... and MP2 still with quite a wait ahead.


Is that B2 mod updated for MP1? I prefer a more straightforward and less 'cutesy' look to the design.

thnx



Chuck