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[ceejames]

Media Center

Quick impressions

Good - Slideshow, really like the auto pan feature
Bad - could not figure out how to get it to shuffle the pictures

Theater mode - really like this, I plan to eventually use a Tablet Ultraportable PC and use possibly this program to interact with all my media, but a number of challenges exist. When viewing media like pictures or video, seems to default back to the regular media interface whenever I exit the screen.

Bad -Exit current view in Theatre view takes me back to the regular interface not the Theatre view. And once back in regular mode only way back to video or slideshow is ctrl-5 (should be user settable hot key as well) and then hitting full screen button (not easy, logical)

When you go back to theatre view the slideshow or video shows in the bottom right hand side, logically we are conditioned by interface conventions that clicking on it will bring it back up, but no you have to hit the full screen button. from that point the windowed view icon/button works as expected, and from the windowed point the full screen button works as expected...very nice, but if in the theatre view and the slideshow or video is playing in the bottom..hitting the full screen option...kicks you back to the regular view not the theatre view.....very confusing interface.

Also on the regular screen, you have no real indication that any media is playing when this happens except for the audio if you have it playing, yet the slideshow is still going on....if you go back to theatre view

Just needs a simple back option and a button to exit the viewscreen without going back to regular media center, really want to take advantage of touch screen and media capabilities.

Need ability to toggle how the media is viewed. Really should be a right click option for disk location, file type, etc. I am sure most people will have a preferential view and would clean up the interface alot.

I look at the primary interface as my setup screen, where I locate every thing and set everything up (would be nice if their was an edit mode - then could move files around easily drag and drop, delete and the like, actually manage the media on the machine, rather than just look at is and play it.) Really like that you have at least included a locate function external to do some basic media management, but would be really nice if it was all part of the program and just a toggleable edit mode.

[Mr ChriZ]

Are you aware that you can add buttons to the main menu of theatre view?
And that these buttons can call command line paramaters for MC which will
I imagine take you to which ever view suites you?
One button a lot of people ask for, for example is the ability to close MC
from the theatre view.
If you need more help on this just post exactly what you want the button
to do, and someone may be able to post the answer =)

[Mr ChriZ]

I look at the primary interface as my setup screen, where I locate every thing and set everything up (would be nice if their was an edit mode - then could move files around easily drag and drop, delete and the like, actually manage the media on the machine, rather than just look at is and play it.) Really like that you have at least included a locate function external to do some basic media management, but would be really nice if it was all part of the program and just a toggleable edit mode.

Reg File Management
Have you come across the "rename files from properties", and "fill properties from filenames" tools?
Using these it should almost non necassery to move files round in the likes of explorer...
If you want to copy to CD's, Portable devices etc there are heaps of ways of doing this within MC.
When you hit the delete key MC offers the ability to delete from not just the library but also the disk (your choice).
I have about 300 albums stored using MC, which is considered very small here.
And I can't remember the last time I used explorer to look at them.  I recently
used MC to move the entire collection from my main hard drive to a removable drive.  Very easy.

If you look under drives and devices you will also find My Computer.
At any time you can drag items on to drives under this and MC will allow you to copy or move files.

Reg Tag Management
You can edit any field within MC usually by double clicking on it or by pressing F2 after single clicking it.

[ceejames]

Thanks for the heads up, missed the ability to add buttons in theater view. Also missed the basic file management abilities. Again these were first impressions messing around with the progam for about 15-20 minutes. I am sure like most programs the more time I spend with it the more I will find it will do.

For the most part was pointing out, as a first time user my perceived experience. For example using Word, their are tons of features built in, but most users will find and use maybe only 10% and it is important to each and everyone that those features are the most easily accessible.

I really think this is a superior product, but I am testing dozens of products with similiar feature sets, the first 10-30 minutes..sometimes the first minute can make or break a program. I hope that Media Center development team is focused on that core use and feature set. It is easy with a high demand user base to focus alot on obscure or secondary features do to a vocal minority and ignore that all important potential customer, the first timers....(that being said I am a long time pc user with tons of experience so I may not be a typical example.

Some other things I came across as I was experimenting.

Needs option to force screen to top if desired, duration of cycling visulizations, make the window version stay on top, can enjoy movie or slideshow while surfing the net.

In windowed mode should have file info on title bar

In DJ2 mode when I put mouse in the window, the slide out options hide the main, lyrics and notes buttons

The option for volume control needs some kind of visual difference from the one that denotes playback. Also in window mode the volume bar is big enough at smaller window sizes to be unusable unless you drag it out or go full screen, should be proportional to window size to at lease 8th of screen size.

Tree design overall seems weakest part of inteface ...tabs maybe..

Great product so far

[hit_ny]

I really think this is a superior product, but I am testing dozens of products with similiar feature sets, the first 10-30 minutes..sometimes the first minute can make or break a program. I hope that Media Center development team is focused on that core use and feature set. It is easy with a high demand user base to focus alot on obscure or secondary features do to a vocal minority and ignore that all important potential customer, the first timers....(that being said I am a long time pc user with tons of experience so I may not be a typical example.

You sound like some one that is ready to move on to MC

The problem with first time users is that MC is maybe a bit overhelming, more exeprienced users here, find there is still quite a lot that MC can do than what they need. But they have found their groove with the app.

I'm thinking your typical MC user is PC savvy, has grown out of winamp/iTunes and is looking for more power/control etc, and is tired of the existing but ultimately limiting free solutions out there.

I think this is the niche MC is targetting.

[Mr ChriZ]

I'm sure your comments are welcome 

Needs option to force screen to top if desired, duration of cycling visulizations, make the window version stay on top, can enjoy movie or slideshow while surfing the net.

It is there but true hard to find.  Under Options, Playback, Display Settings>
'Windowed Mode always on Top'
Alternatively if you've got an NVidia card they provide something called NView with
their drivers which means you can make anywindow on top not on top at the click of a button.
Not so sure with ATI/Intel

[ceejames]

Yep I am thinking of becoming a registered user as the more I use the program the more I like it. Many frustrations still but getting better all the time.

Thanks for the heads up on the location of windowed mode always on top, have an Nvidia card but would rather do it natively in the program.

Tried many other programs including the open source MediaPortal which I really like how it looked visually in their version of Theater View but not nearly as stable and its memory footprint was four to five times that of Media Center.

Newest impressions below....still have that problem of it dropping out of Theatre view when exiting full screen media...reason that is a problem is I plan on using this on a tablet mounted in my car and the touch screen is a one click interface, so right clicking will be hard, a simple menu button on the drop down bars could fix this (maybe by double tapping for right will have to research)

Adding buttons to Theater view, finally figured out how to do it, gave it a name, chose type (only two listed?) and not sure what to do with parameter, figured it would at least have a browse function, but no it forces you to do it the slow and tedious way...then I had to search the help file to find the part about enclosing paths for programs in " " marks....not realy easy....would also like more customization of theatre view....could be a real great part of the program....

Note: by the way really need a quick main screen button to easily switch to Theater view by a simple click...maybe with the media mode buttons---finally found this under customize toolbars...didn't see any toolbars to customize, icon is not very good but much easer than key combo or menu option

When exiting full screen still seems to default back to the Media main screen instead of Theater view, am I missing it somewhere to have it default back to the Theater view. Found the menu option when viewing media, gives you the option to toggle theater view...this should be a default option and an Exit button should be on main Theater Home screen. At the very least a back button or alternative exit button that takes you back to the theater view.

[wadek]

I too am evaluating this software and for the most part really like it, especially the Theatre View. Here are a few suggestions for some minor changes:

- I would agree that I would also like the ability to exit the full screen back to the theatre view as I will be using this view with touchscreens.

- Also, I can't figure out how to keep the same 3D visualization. They seem to change after I go to full screen, then back to Theatre View when playing a different track.

- There are also no visualizations when starting a new track until you move into full screen then back. Is there a way to set the 3d visualizations to stay?

- How about a double click to open?

- And just one more idea; how about instead of the controls button, you could add the little JR Media logo below the menus for simple playback control.

Overall, I really like the program. It is professional looking that will look good in custom installs.

[hit_ny]

Theatre View is one area that needs to be worked on, maybe in v12.

MC is strongest using the standard view.