Desturbing description on channel change

[Matt]

I'm using XMLTV as EPG provider and a lot of the program descriptions are quite long, covering most of the screen (or more ;-) when displayed.

I'd prefer if the full description were not automatically displayed when changing channels or when switching to a recording. Instead, only the title and the airing info plus the stuff that fits into the top and buttom bars should be displayed.

I think it would be ok to only show the full program description when the OSD Info page is activated explicitly.

Further, I'd like to see different timeouts for the implicitly appearing OSD Info page (on channel change etc.) and for the explicit Info page (ctrl-I, right-click etc.). The first will typically be way shorter than the second.

WDYT?

-Matt

[salsbst]

Well as someone who doesn't suffer from lengthy descriptions, I like having them on the screen.

That said, I'd prefer them at the bottom of the screen, scrollable (limited to 4 lines or so at a time), and extending the width of the screen so as to squeeze more info in.

Good point on the timeouts.

[kny3twalker]

I agree with seeing the title only
then you could just put the description that covers the whole screen if needed
But I do not like it centered
you should use the all of the upper area of the screen
I like the DIRECTV format very clean
and much better than DISH or any digital cable I have seen

[falchulk]

Apparently you can modify the description display to your hearts content when studio is released. There is another thread where MLBdude has modified it so that he has arrows that scroll the description up and down.

[Matt]

Originally posted by falchulk
Apparently you can modify the description display to your hearts content when studio is released. There is another thread where MLBdude has modified it so that he has arrows that scroll the description up and down.

While I think it's great there will be studio and all the flexibility in SageTV, the out-of-box UI should be as functional (and sexy) as possible.

Few users really want to work at the studio-level (whatever that will be) - at least I don't, and I'm a software developer

The biggest problem with such customizations is to keep up with new releases. I'm not too keen to redo my customizations for every other release, just because I want the new featues of the updates.

I think Frey should invest a little bit more money into the UI if they want to sell SageTV into the consumer market and not just to tech freaks (like me).

-Matt

[falchulk]

My point is that IT IS possible and does not require any code. That means one way or another it will be there. Mlbdude said that it is part of a UI that Jeff has to approve. It will then likely carry over to one of the future betas. Even if it does not, someone can do it and distibute the UI among the rest of us. Dont sweat the small stuff. It will all come together.

FYI, I have a feeling you are going to want to use studio to customze. Read about it a little more.

[gplasky]

Plus I would think most of the work is going into the stability and fuctions of the product. I would think a lot of the UI stuff or dressing would come more towards the tail end of the beta.

Gerry

[falchulk]

gplasky thats exactly my feeling. The small stuff that just enhances features will come be there in the end. If the desc. did not exist at all, I think it would be a more pressing issue.