What UI would you like to see and how would it behave?

mvallevand · 2009-11-28, 03:36 AM

If you want features I would like to see the option of recording directly to S##E## format using tvrage.com

Martin

***sub*** · 2009-11-28, 04:00 AM

mvallevand Wrote:If you want features I would like to see the option of recording directly to S##E## format using tvrage.com

Plugins for dynamic file naming is probably a decent idea. ie, maybe with a default plugin which allows some user specified template format. That way developers could knock up plugins to dynamically lookup filenames if they want. I probably wouldnt do the tvrage.com lookup myself, but a simple way for users to hook into this would be a good idea.

At record time, or post record? Post record might be better, since a potentially slow internet look when the recording is due to start might cause problems.

Deusxmachina · 2009-11-28, 04:13 AM

re-Barr Wrote:Also I would like to see a squeezed video while looking at the fullscreen guide. Sort of like what DirecTV does. (I will get a pic for you when I get back in town in a couple days.) Clicking on the channel name changes the channel in the squeeze.

I was going to say, "Can't it already do that?" but I guess it can do it on most screens Except the Guide screen. And a lot of people don't know it can even do that.

Time and date on-screen would be nice. Could even make a giant version of it a screensaver for those who leave their PCs and monitors on 24/7 and wouldn't mind a big, bright clock in the room. I think the screensaver can already put a time/date up, but I'm talkin' a BIG one. (Obviously, it's not a big deal; just tossing it out there.)

It'd be nice if a file's specs were on the screen when accessing the UI. For instance, watching a TV show and pausing it or fast-forwarding or just bringing up the OSD, and the UI shows a little text or symbol for if it's h.264 or 5.1 or mp3, etc. GBPVR can already show you these things with a button press, but if it can be on the bottom of the screen or wherever automatically when the OSD comes up, then great. I can post a pic if you need.

Don't know if it's a back-end thing, but a real fast-forward and rewind would be nice. It's interesting how a couple other programs similar to this have true ff and rewind but aren't able to click on the timeline to instantly go to it, while GBPVR you can instantly click on the timeline to go to a spot, but it doesn't have true ff and rewind. I think the clicking on the timeline is more important, but if you can add it in, then great.

As someone mentioned, reverse scrolling in menus.

I don't know why people can't watch Live TV without setting the EPG. I've watched plenty of TV with no guide. This subject has come up in the past, and I'm pretty sure I wrote a post telling exactly how I did it on a day I did a fresh install. I think I just set the EPG source to none, then hit scan in channel mapping, and that's it. Worked with ATSC, anyway.

psycik · 2009-11-28, 04:23 AM

Does client/server come under this area?? Since I'd like to move to a client server environment at some point to have a small client at the tv, and big honking noisy server in a cupboard.

***sub*** · 2009-11-28, 04:57 AM

psycik Wrote:Does client/server come under this area?? Since I'd like to move to a client server environment at some point to have a small client at the tv, and big honking noisy server in a cupboard.

Unfortunately thats about the one area I'd already decided was going to be outside the scope of the next release. I do want revisit it, but its going to need a large amount of work, but its hard to justify that when I'm short on time and not actually using a client PC myself.

psycik · 2009-11-28, 04:58 AM

Oh some more UI stuff, Some more options for showing/storing how many time things have been played, and how far through they've been played (recording screen I'm mostly thinking of) - but movies or video library as well would be cool

McBainUK · 2009-11-28, 10:25 AM

Not strictly UI I guess but... DB driven versions of the Music, Videos and Photos librarys. One area that when I look at other HTPC software (XBMC, WMC for example) always seems to be much better than GB-PVR's offerings.

And +1 for video popups.

LewE · 2009-11-28, 10:58 AM

I think I may have seen this request in the past but I'll bring it up again anyways.

It would be nice within TV Guide (and TV Listings) to be able to click to see the list (many hours worth) of upcoming shows for just a particular channel as a popup. Even better would be to be able to select one of them for recording, etc.

systemshark · 2009-11-28, 12:23 PM

JavaWiz Wrote:On the channel mapper, I'd like
To have drag-drop capability from the "Channels found during scan" list to the channel map list. This would make it easier to grab the right freq string when mapping to a physical channel. If not drag-drop, maybe a right-click popup with ability to add the currently selected frequency to the selected channel.

As I map a channel, it should be removed from the found list, so it is clear that one has already been mapped.

Provide the ability to easily un-map a channel if I got it wrong (and make channel available again in the other list).

Can I request the list of channels is sorted into alphabetic during the mapping progress.

I second Unmap
I second remove from found list too

Hairy · 2009-11-28, 12:25 PM

I'd like to echo the comment on how well you have done with the UI as it is (as a one man band), it's really quite impressive. Although I do have a couple of suggestion on the UI front Smile

From a user and consistency point of view, I'd like to see the other default plugins (video/music/pictures) operate a little more like the recordings plugin. Basically move the action buttons to a pop-up. That would free up a significant amount of screen real estate for much more useful information. A prime example is the "slick" view, I think this is a much better use of screen area, while adding a pop-up would alow the user to keep performing all the necessary actions (play/resume/delete etc.). I know this has been raised before and I think sub, you mentioned that there are thecnical reasons for this, but I think it would be a really useful alteration.

I'll also throw in that I think the way alibert darkens the screen around the pop-up in his plugins is a really good idea, and helps focus the eye on the information in the pop-up.