Help make new default skin

[sub]

I prefer left aligned text, otherwise it looks higgledy piggledy - hopefully non-english readers will understand this term. I like it to line up and look neat and tidy.

[reboot]

Maybe something like this?

[nkh]

For optimal circles the skin aspect ratio needs to match the display aspect ratio.

Wasn't that what I suggested? a skin for NTSC and one for PAL.

If I draw a circle and save it as an image file (let's say a png file of 400 x 400 pixels), then, if I use that picture in a skin with the resolution of 720x480 and view it on my pal tv I get an oval, if I use it in a skin with a resolution of 720x576 and view it on my pal tv I get a circle.

I'm only saying that when making the skin you should think about these issues (imo). Especialy when the GBpvr logo incorporates cirlcles and isn't restricted to one tv format.

[Kevl]

nkh

I'm not disagreeing with you. I think you are right about the need for circular circles.

PAL and NTSC have the same aspect ratio if 4:3 source is displayed on a 4:3 TV. Its not the PAL or NTSC thing thats the issue. Its the display aspect ratio.

There should be a skin for 4:3 and one for 16:9. If the skin is made much higher vertical res than 480lines then fonts will look smoother and the display clearer. If 720 vertical pixels is used then a 4:3 TV would like 960 pixels and a 16:9 TV would like 1280 pixels. Some of the new HD projectors and Plasma screens support these resolutions and work best with 1:1 pixel ratios. (As far as I know)

Kev

[ShiningDragon]

@reboot

No, i didn't meant this. I used the quick reply and forget how to use the center-function..., sorry ;-)

I'll try this way:

******TV******
******Recordings
******Radio****
******Media****

I don't like the above arrangement, i'd prefer something like this:
******TV******
***Recordings***
*****Radio*****
*****Media*****

This is my preferred Setup. I like centered text. The buttons arranged i in the left quarter in the middle. The text on the buttons is centered I like this view.

[nkh]

nkh

I'm not disagreeing with you. I think you are right about the need for circular circles.

PAL and NTSC have the same aspect ratio if 4:3 source is displayed on a 4:3 TV. Its not the PAL or NTSC thing thats the issue. Its the display aspect ratio.

I just don't follow how you'll avoid getting streached/sqashed pictures with just one 4:3 skin?

[tieke]

nkh - NTSC and PAL do have the same aspect ratio, so the image shouldn't be squashed - the error in your test was that you used a PAL resolution of 720x576 rather than 768x576 (unless you live in South America of course, where PAL-D is used, which gets a bit confusing).

ShiningDragon - whereas I agree with you: I always center my button text in the flat blue high vis skin. Just a matter of personal prefs I suppose.

[Kevl]

Windows will scale the image to fullscreen. The reason you are getting distortion on your example is that a 480line picture needs 640pixels horizontal to give the correct aspect ratio (4:3) for square pixels. for 576 lines you need 768pixels. 720 is quite close to this so you get pretty good circles. 640 is not very close to 720 so you get distortion.

All you need for a 4:3 display is a horizontal to vertical ratio of 4:3. If you draw a circle on a picture with this aspect ratio it will be a circle. 800x600 will work. etc.

Kev

[johnburton]

For those of you "skin heads" engaging in an enthusiastic debate of this subject don't forget the group of GBPVR users (like me) who aren't interested in skin development etc and are just looking for a quality product to introduce into our living rooms.

For me the focus for GBPVR needs to be on providing reliability, functionality, ease of use, efficient and appearance in that order.
I use the standard blue skin and for me that is perfectly adequate as
I have tried the others and found them lacking using the above criteria,

The standard skin doesn't need to be complex or customisable (or slow to load). There is not too much wrong with the current skin, I would prefer that SUB's energies go into other areas of the product.

[johnburton]

Just to clarify - I am in favour of making improvements to the standard skin if it is going to improve the product. There are such a woide range of different environments being used that mau be the challenge.