TV scheduler is not idiot-proof (1 Viewer)

[skulls]

Hi there,

I submitted my beloved Mediaportal to the ultimate 'elder' test and the tv scheduler portion failed :-/

The reasons: it doesn't work in an intuitive way, and is impractical when used with a remote. Perhaps the interface could be reworked, I don't know if this is plugin or skin related.

May I suggest a whole new screen for this and not just a window?

Also, I scheduled a program once but it didn't record any file although the show appears now as 'done' :-?

 

[jdiffend]

I submitted my beloved Mediaportal to the ultimate 'elder' test and the tv scheduler portion failed :-/

My biggest complaint with MP is that it's too techy oriented to pass the elder test.
So many options, settings and things that need to be hidden so they don't intimidate less tech savy people.
And changing the font to make the screen easy to read is impossible for all but the most techie. I am a software engineer and I can do it but do I want to? NO!

All these options on screens need to be moved to an overlay or popup that is accessed with a menu button to avoid confusion. As a bonus you can fit more on the screen for the program guide, movies or whatever.

Less tech savy people just want to watch tv, check the weather forcast, watch a movie or listen to music. They want it to work... not know how it works and all those settings (big icons, icons, list, etc...) are intimidating.
They want the settings to be set once and forgotten. Hell, *I* want to set them once and forget them. I won't ever use most of those options but once anyway.

 

[Rybber]

...and I still don't understand why an ENTER press in EPG brings up the context menu INSTEAD of the desired RECORD menu - it takes WAY to many keypresses to program a single recording??

 

[jdiffend]

I think at some point a redesign needs to take place to make the interface simpler, more intuitive, consistant across all plugins and less intimidating.
With the permission of a few codec writers the codec installs could also be launche from the main install. Basicly, make it more appealing to people that want to install and go and the less tech savvy.

The power features and configs can still be there... but keep them out of sight unless someone presses a buttion to access them.

I think a look at how the PVRs for Dish Network and DirecTV would be in order. They aren't perfect but they are much easier for most people.

 

[HenriM]

Perhaps there should be a general 'Novice User' and 'Advanced User' setting in the configuration.

Dependable of this setting you get less or more options on your screen.

 

[Frodo]

So many options, settings and things that need to be hidden so they don't intimidate less tech savy people.

So many settings ?
Excuse me but MP does not contain any settings except calibration
all settings are in configuration.exe and not in MP

So many options ?
What options do you think are 2 much?
Most screens of mp got +/- 6 buttons and i dont see how
these can be called 'techy'
They got clear functions like sort, view. When you move those to a seperate window i think MP will be less usable. You then gotta open the window somehow and then choose what you want. Sounds to me like
1. newbies have to search more for common things
2. experts have todo 1 extra action for common things

And changing the font to make the screen easy to read is impossible

And that sounds like a new option you want? but there where 2 many options already? and why would you like to change the font? its not readable you say? well i watch MP on my television from 2m-3m and even my 98 year old grandmother can read the text without any glasses on.

TV is unusable with a remote control

He!, i'm controlling MP with a remote control. Not a mouse or keyboard
and not me alone, my (non-tecchy wife) uses the remote control to use MP

Dont get me wrong. I'm all for making MP more userfriendly, but dont
expect that MP just contains 1 single button labeled 'Do what i want now'

In fact, why dont you come up with examples
- what options you find techy?
- what things should be hidden ?
etc

frodo

 

[Rybber]

@ frodo:

How 'bout the ENTER key bringing up the context menu in EPg instead of record menu, is that something that's here to stay (I hope not as F3 also brings up context menu) ?

 

[Frodo]

so what do you suggest then?
enter = record menu?
and f9 = context menu?
frodo

 

[jdiffend]

So many settings ?
Excuse me but MP does not contain any settings except calibration
all settings are in configuration.exe and not in MP

So many options ?

And somebody is being way too protective of their project.
Look, it's not personal.
If you can't take criticism you are in the wrong business!

This isn't about you being a bad programmer or MP being a terrible design. MP is great... but it's designed to appeal to the people that built it. I can't turn my 78 year old mother loose on it because she WILL click on the wrong thing because it's there and she won't even know she's selected the wrong thing and certainly won't know how to undo what she did. I had to lock the PPV channels so she didn't accidently order one.

A few examples of what I was talking about...
The ability to look at the program guide in modifyable time increments is OVERKILL. It's nice to have when you want it but you could see more of the guide anyway if those buttons weren't there. My mom isn't even going to understand the feature let alone use it! So why is the button always visible? I like the feature but honestly... I won't use it very often.

If I only use large icons to launch movies, why do those buttons need to be there to change the view, to scan IMDB, etc... I set the system up and only touch that stuff to do maintenance. And my mom is sure to click on the wrong thing and not know what she did or how to undo it. Her first instinct will be that she broke it and she won't want to use it again for fear of breaking it again! I'm not kidding... that's how older people react to this stuff.

The same thing for the left menus on almost every screen! TOO MUCH.
Being able to enable/disable them once things are set the way you want or moving them to a popup that appears when someone hits a menu button would be much easier for someone like my mom to deal with.

And it's not just old people either. I know people that just don't mix with computers and the less they can screw up the better.

Something else I'd like to see to simplify changing the appearance of a skin...
The XML files need to follow the lead of cascading style sheets or Word documents. The menu doesn't contain the actual font, it uses a Menufont1 and a TitleFont, Header1, etc...which are specified elsewhere. Change the size of the Menufont1 in one place and everything that uses Menufont1 or TitleFont or whatever changes throughout the program without modifying a bunch of files. It's more of an object and it makes it easier to build a more consistant GUI as well. It also makes it possible to change the point size of these items within the configuration program.

Why is that last thing an issue? Some people have difficulty reading the standard size fonts in the skins and modifying them is too difficult for most people.

 

[vbgeezer]

I'm with Frodo on this one

Maybe I am a genius or something but to me MP is intuitive and simple to use. My wife and 6 year old child both use it without any problems (other than stability but that's being dealt to). Sorry jdiffend but in my experience old/less techie people struglle no matter what you do - software and life are all about balance and I am very happy with where it is at. I too never change the defaults so yes there are buttons I don't really need or use daily but hey I just ignore them.