SageCollegeProject Alpha beta available to those who dare

[CollegeProject]

This is a Beta release it's early and still has some known issues but it works pretty well all in all. Plugin can be found in the plugin section under UI mod.

I keep this page updates as I can. Some post may not be valid as the UI went through a transition phase at the beginning. Screenshots on this post represent the current UI.

















Source and feedback can be left here
GitHubSageCollegeProject

This is very minimalist but the views are built off Stuckless great VFS. So its somewhat universal the UI works with some views but not all. There are some options to change guide data or delete menu items.

Additional views and menu items can be added but only manually through editing properties files right now. Take a look at the menu.java source code and some can figure it out will explain more later.

Any questions please post directly here. My grade is due soon so I decided just to open it up to all that want to try it. I do plan on at the moment to stick around after as long as I use it around my house.

Original thread and discussion can be found here

daily / or more updated builds (if available
Download the latest dev xml HERE.

I keep the xml updated as I build.

Read Me for editing menu items.
ReadMe

Good luck!

[CollegeProject]

New build
Just pushed a new build update when it arrives. There was a important looping fix I made to the stvi. You can always grab the build quicker from Github. I will put daily/quicker builds on there. If it isn't a critical update like this one I don't plan on pushing up to sage until allot is fixed to save constant updating needed. But feel free to grab the dev.xml
anytime.

1.26

• Added guide/home button listeners
• Added system alert icon to header
• Added support for 24 hour clock
• Fixed inital loading of VFS to refresh views on first load to avoid blanks
• Added redirection of guide menu to SCP Guide menu

1.25

• Added ability to watch/unwatch with remote button
• Fixed scheduled focus issue
• Fixed focus issue coming back to menu
• Fixed letter jump needs property set for view (reset SCP to take effect)
• Support full date in header based of default sage property
• Added recorded and favorites added icons (guide,episode list, onnow)
• added channel logos to onnow when no image is available

* 1.23 UI
1.33 api

• Fixed issue with extra scroll on main menu
• Added letter jumper if property viewnameLetterJump=true
• Fixed large letters on options menu not showing fully
• Upgraded vfs file for new favorites view
  
• API
• adders in metadata/menu needed for letter jum

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* 1.19a

• Lots of menu class changes to handle precaching of views
• Precaching of views done in STV to facilitate large collections.
• First test build of the precaching

* STVI 1.20

• Fixed reset default in settings
• Main menu scroll fixed git issue #6
• Play not plays insant git issue
• Favorites now displays all favorites even those not currently on schedule\guide

API.1.31

• Added favorites grouper for showing of all favorites
  
• Git issue #4

* STVi 1.21

1. Fixed settings menu missing

STVi V 1.19
API V 1.30

• Added scrolling up and down arrows to main menu and episode list
• Precache views now for speed (this issue effected users with large collections causing slow scrolling on main menu). Not all views are built on menu load and cached for quick retrieval. Unexpected consequences could be not always updated but hopefully caught all the hooks needed.
• Fixed other focus issues
• Fixed plugin on Client as of now it won't work on client but should stop hanging it. The only part that won't work fully is the on now section won't get full pictures on a client (not android or hd300 but pc client)
• Other misc fixes and speed improvements

STVi V 1.14
API V 1.27

• Fixed next episode screen from looping
• Fixed next episode screen, play next episode to work
• Fixed focus coming back from other menus to not be on submenu
• Fixed focus wouldn't set on show if you had watched last episode

CURRENT KNOWN ISSUES

• Focus not always set when returning from stopping or watching a show.
• Guide still in progress and not the prettiest.
• Fresh install requires restart of sagetv service to update views.

[CollegeProject]

Got this almost fully working always like the option from Netflix and the sort.

There is an option to automatically start the next episode after a delay or not show this screen at all if you don't want it.

[CollegeProject]

So after getting an actual androidTV device I didn't like how the interface flowed with native android (although my wife did she lost ...for now)

So I started building a more native "flow" android UI.

If you want some though full screencaps can be found at the above sourcepage.

Thoughts / feedback are welcome! I haven't killed the other is is just another option in the viewstyle. Still works of VFS views and builds dynamically like how a single season is shown.

Speed and single screen are still around. I prefer both when using the android client. Without going into separate menus it helps the flow and speed in my opinion.

[CollegeProject]

[panteragstk]

Nice. I like that approach.

What are your thoughts on the guide layout?

[CollegeProject]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Nice. I like that approach.

What are your thoughts on the guide layout?

You know I wrestled with that for a couple of hours last night and finally threw in the towel on it last night to sleep on in. Originally I had the series squares images in a double row...but the more I used it the less I liked it to me I like to know the channel number because we usually know where we want to go. That being said I am still thinking on it because I haven't found a balance between looks and function just yet.

[jm9843]

Originally Posted by CollegeProject

Thoughts / feedback are welcome!

I like this approach as well, particularly since I've switched full-time to the minclient on Android TV. A few thoughts based on the screenshots alone that assume the Android use case:

• Exit button I don't think is needed. The convention is to use the Home button to exit apps. And the miniclient does provide an exit button in the long-press OSD for curmudgeons .
• Green TV logo is on the big side
• Consider using Material icons instead (e.g. dvr, fiber dvr, search, settings, etc.)
• Consider moving Settings to the last item on the right

I'm also curious what the 'ToDo' item is? It's not obvious based on an otherwise 'tv-centric' interface.

[CollegeProject]

Originally Posted by jm9843

I like this approach as well, particularly since I've switched full-time to the minclient on Android TV. A few thoughts based on the screenshots alone that assume the Android use case:

• Exit button I don't think is needed. The convention is to use the Home button to exit apps. And the miniclient does provide an exit button in the long-press OSD for curmudgeons .
• Green TV logo is on the big side
• Consider using Material icons instead (e.g. dvr, fiber dvr, search, settings, etc.)
• Consider moving Settings to the last item on the right

I'm also curious what the 'ToDo' item is? It's not obvious based on an otherwise 'tv-centric' interface.

1. That is a good point exit isn't needed but some prefer it for clarity you can always delete it
2. Agreed on the logo could be a bit smaller
3. Those icons aren't bad is there a reason you say use them? Like does Android use them.
4. Settings can be moved to wherever you want as can all the menu items. Of course that part isn't done but I imagine it like you move items on Android how I will implement.

Thanks for the feedback. Nothing is set in stone I literally whipped this view up last night because I didn't feel like the other blended enough with Android. After using on my tv today I prefer this view heavily.All the menu items will be customizable you can build your own add and delete and rename to your liking.

As for "ToDo" it's the manage favorites and schedule recordings coming up.

[jm9843]

Thanks for the explanation. Truth be told, I've mostly been a stock stv user and never bothered editing the menus. Now that SageTV is 'just another app' I'm interested in a more Android TV-like UI that focuses on the core DVR functionality.

Originally Posted by CollegeProject

3. Those icons aren't bad is there a reason you say use them? Like does Android use them.

Yes, they are the icons used in most Google products (including Android TV). Many 3rd party apps also use them; including on the web where they are available as a icon font and pair well with the Material Design Lite library.

You might also consider the Roboto font if you're going for a 'native' look.

[CollegeProject]

Originally Posted by jm9843

Thanks for the explanation. Truth be told, I've mostly been a stock stv user and never bothered editing the menus. Now that SageTV is 'just another app' I'm interested in a more Android TV-like UI that focuses on the core DVR functionality.



Yes, they are the icons used in most Google products (including Android TV). Many 3rd party apps also use them; including on the web where they are available as a icon font and pair well with the Material Design Lite library.

You might also consider the Roboto font if you're going for a 'native' look.

Thanks for the links I'll definitely look at them. Im trying to get as native as I can and still keep DVR/guide function in tack. It's a tough balance because I had to break away from the normal sage way but I don't want to lose what makes sage a good DVR. Hope you give it a shot once I push this version feedback always helps I want the customization there but in a way you don't have to use it if you don't want to.

[CollegeProject]

So on the subject of "Guide"

I am torn on this because I don;t care for the traditional scrolling guide. In our household usually when we go to guide we just care about whats on now and maybe sometimes what's coming up next. If we are going days in the future to record something we just search for it and add the recording.

That being said my initial thought right now is to have a "livetv" and "upcoming" guide of sorts. I suppose many do it this way as there are default VFS views already built. My initial thought was have thumbs sorted by "favorites" watch history etc, then add in was to go by category with thumb type selections.

Something kind of Similar to this (but more androidTV style thumbs)

Feedback is welcome now as I plan on trying to iron this out this weekend.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by CollegeProject

I've got the current build installed and I don't see the views above.

How do I get that set up?

[CollegeProject]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

I've got the current build installed and I don't see the views above.

How do I get that set up?

Hack into my system and get the latest build

I've got the tv locked down but the guide is not functioning yet. I'll push the build soon but it may only have tv for now.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by CollegeProject

Hack into my system and get the latest build

I've got the tv locked down but the guide is not functioning yet. I'll push the build soon but it may only have tv for now.

Dumb suggestion. Why not have a button for the guide that takes you to the regular guide?

[CollegeProject]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Dumb suggestion. Why not have a button for the guide that takes you to the regular guide?

I don't like the "Grid" style it doesn't match our watching habits. We only watch livetv rarely and when we do we only care about what is on then or maybe next beyond that we usually will search if we need it...we may be the odd ones out there I realize that.

[CollegeProject]

Ok all I have been busy doing allot of back end stuff (do not download current build it won't work). But I need some opinions do you prefer the posters for shows like I showed early or a standard two row type grid below (which is what native androidtv is). I am getting the images from a different source than BMT (it's for the guide interface mainly) the good news is I was able to get much more images than the default guide data sage uses provides.

Again feedback highly wanted as I don't really have a preference. Posters are bigger but grid you can see more titles.

Also I changed the font to match android and am working on the images to also match.



Here it the original posters

[mlcarson]

Put me down as one preferring the old grid style for a guide. This is a UI nightmare for me based on the pictures presented. It reminds me of the Plex UI that I'm trying to get away from. Maybe this actually has to be tried to be appreciated but in general I want to see lists in text form and a program guide grid to get information across and not huge icons. This isn't a touch interface like Windows 8.x was trying to be.

[CollegeProject]

Originally Posted by mlcarson

Put me down as one preferring the old grid style for a guide. This is a UI nightmare for me based on the pictures presented. It reminds me of the Plex UI that I'm trying to get away from. Maybe this actually has to be tried to be appreciated but in general I want to see lists in text form and a program guide grid to get information across and not huge icons. This isn't a touch interface like Windows 8.x was trying to be.

I should clarify this isn't the guide I have yet to show that interface in the new interface that's archived/recorded/imported tv. So I think you are confused on what those images are.

Also FWIW I tried many ideas for the guide and I concur a grid style is best.

[panteragstk]

I like the original as well.