Topic: Cover art comments (Read 4670 times)

Alexis · « **on:** December 08, 2007, 02:06:05 am »

Greetings to everybody -- I hope to join you as another owner of this wonderful piece of software by this Xmas and have a couple of constructive comments on the cover art issue. (Actually, I was so excited I was going to plunge into ordering it yesterday as I went home from work; but having installed this update, I got a little bit upset with the changes to the cover art display [in the Display View] since 12.0.370.)

The new reflection thing is certainly cool, and the stretching feature that appeared in 12.0.377 is a very nice addition, but may I suggest -- and actually ask (well, beg!) -- these really need to be implemented as options available to the user. People have different artwork images in their libraries, some scan at higher resolutions, some at lower, as I figure from reading this forum. I, for one, prefer the way cover art images were displayed in pre-377 versions, i.e. at their original size, not stretched, and also without angle deformations introduced in 12.0.386. My artwork library, for example, consists mainly of ~400x400/~500x500 pics, some of them unique and irreplaceable, and they just do not look good at all (--read, look really unappealing--) when stretched and bent in addition.

When I tried the .370 version, I thought I finally found my perfect player; but now it's back to the state that makes me unhappy again. After all, cover art is an important thing (and one would like to have it right in such sophisticated piece of software as MC). I think it would be reasonable and great if a couple of simple options were added to the Display View Cover Art Preferences:

x Do not stretch the image beyond the original size [or smth. to that effect]
x Turn on/off special effects (reflection/angle deformations)

I don't think this is difficult to implement, and if that's done, I'd finally forget my wondefully customized Foobar2000 and all other players I've ever tried

Thanks!

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** December 08, 2007, 07:33:27 am »

Welcome to the forum, Alexis.

I'm not sure whether we'll do more with the changes. We'll at least wait until things settle down. Sometimes people don't like changes initially.

We try to avoid adding options because it makes the program more complex.

dcwebman · « **Reply #2 on:** December 08, 2007, 08:03:57 am »

Alexis,
One thing to keep in mind there are different things that can be displayed instead of just cover art. For instance, I always use a track info for my display. The one I use allows me to see the cover art plus lyrics and much more. In fact, it's not that difficult to create your own track info if all you want is cover art displayed exactly like you want it. That's the beauty of Media Center, most of the time they do give you the ability to make it your own.

Alex B · « **Reply #3 on:** December 08, 2007, 08:26:59 am »

I too dislike this change. The new distortion and reflection effect would be nice as an option, but not as the only option.

I have a lot of high resolution cover art images and I often display them in a big size. I want to see the artist's vision in its original form - not with added effects.

There are ways to show cover art with display plugins/visualizations and in a slideshow during music playback (and I use these options too), but only the basic cover art mode works perfectly with all file types and fully automatically without user interaction.

I don't think an option would really increase complexity in this case. You could very well add one more choice to the "Set Display" submenus. It doesn't matter if the total count is e.g. 30 or 31. It would not make the user interface more cluttered.

You already have the old code and if something is more complex it must be the new code which adds additional effects.

Alexis · « **Reply #4 on:** December 08, 2007, 10:52:43 am »

Thanks, folks,
I'll try to fiddle around with the track info view (although I haven't grasped the concept yet); but I would support Alex B's opinion in that having the distortion/reflection effect as the only way seems not right and that a couple of extra options in a submenu or elsewhere wouldn't really complicate the program. In this case, it would make it more logical and only improve it. I have no knowledge of nuances of the code, of course, but Foobar2000 weighs about twice as less as MC, for example, and you can set your artwork displayed any way you wish (it has other weaknesses, for sure, but that's beside the point). MC must be made perfect!

MrHaugen · « **Reply #5 on:** December 08, 2007, 11:17:26 am »

Like the new look myself, but the problem is that the actual size of the images is much less now, with the added reflection.
In most cases I want to use the most of the screen as posible to the actual image. Can't say I see much difference in quality on the mage, but it could happen with the right image I guess. A couple of option to remove reflection and remove the stretching and rotation is highly needed (imo)

Alex B · « **Reply #6 on:** December 08, 2007, 11:45:38 am »

In my opinion, JRiver could just put the old and new versions side by side in the "Set Display" right-click menu. (If this wasn't already clear.)

benn600 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 08, 2007, 11:55:56 am »

I agree with the set display option. Just create a Cover Art (Reflective) option to the top of the list. I don't like extra options, either, but this menu is nice and clean already and it would fit nicely I think.

The reflection just wastes too much space and the image gets smaller overall because of it.

p7389 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 09, 2007, 10:02:30 am »

I too want option to turn especially the angle thing off.

ProblemChild · « **Reply #9 on:** December 09, 2007, 10:30:57 am »

gentle bump that option

bbrip · « **Reply #10 on:** December 09, 2007, 10:33:54 am »

Actually, I quite like this addition, with one exception: On a 16:9 Display, the coverart now looks very "out-of-synch" towards the upper edge of the screen. The bottom shadow is fading quickly into black - and this leaves the impression, that there is a lot of "black" left at the bottom - but not at the top.

What about giving this a somewhat more three-dimensinal look by adding a shadow to the right hand fading out backwards. This should also provide a better balance between bottom and top.

And - yes, would also be good to have this as an option and not as default.

THanks
BBRip

BullishDad · « **Reply #11 on:** December 09, 2007, 11:33:02 am »

I'll add my vote to have this as an option too.

Overall, I like the look. It makes the coverart look like it's standing on a table.

However, I recently began using a "Detached Display" that I place on the right side of the screen where the Vista Sidebar Gadgets go. Because the display is a fairly small box, the angled and reflected versions of the cover art don't look as good to me as the plain version. It seems to work best on large displays.

Alex B · « **Reply #12 on:** December 09, 2007, 12:21:33 pm »

Quote from: BullishDad on December 09, 2007, 11:33:02 am

It makes the coverart look like it's standing on a table.

It could be situated in a fully modelled 3D space. I suggested this in the beta forum. I created some example images and posted them there.

MC has some great moving 3D visualizations. A cover art visualization could as well be a still 3D image with the surrounding space and lighting.

Click to see the gallery.

AoXoMoXoA · « **Reply #13 on:** December 09, 2007, 12:56:09 pm »

Quote from: Alex B on December 08, 2007, 08:26:59 am

The new distortion and reflection effect would be nice as an option, but not as the only option.

I too agree with this.

Quote from: Alex B on December 09, 2007, 12:21:33 pm

It could be situated in a fully modelled 3D space.

Wow Alex, that looks great!

benn600 · « **Reply #14 on:** December 09, 2007, 02:12:35 pm »

Quote

It could be situated in a fully modelled 3D space. I suggested this in the beta forum. I created some example images and posted them there.

OH MY GOODNESS! Then add some "slight" motion and a little slight turning, changing angles, etc. I'm ECSTATIC.

Ideas to extend Alex's amazing idea:
1. Slight motion.
2. Perhaps the side CD case piece (slight border, ridges, etc) with clear plastic border all the way around.
3. Perhaps slightly open with picture of inside of a CD (CD case just open a crack).
4. Clouds above creating brighter and darker spots and the sunlight moves around.
5. Flying in a plane over a 3d environment, looking at the CD case, with 3d environment as an amazing background.

MrHaugen · « **Reply #15 on:** December 09, 2007, 03:51:01 pm »

Oh my, indeed!

bbrip · « **Reply #16 on:** December 10, 2007, 01:08:35 pm »

Quote from: Alex B on December 09, 2007, 12:21:33 pm

It could be situated in a fully modelled 3D space. I suggested this in the beta forum. I created some example images and posted them there.

MC has some great moving 3D visualizations. A cover art visualization could as well be a still 3D image with the surrounding space and lighting.

This looks truly cool!! I'd love this! It also feels much better "centered" across the display than the current layout

BBRip

Link · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2007, 02:49:11 pm »

I agree with many of the sentiments here - While the reflection/distortion is nice, I have spent a lot of time getting all of my large format cover art added or scanned in, and the last thing I want to do is look and wonder why it looks stretched/bent.

MusicHawk · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2007, 05:35:05 pm »

Would most users like it if MC forcibly added echo or other arbitrary processing to all music playback?

Even an effect as useful as replay gain is optional, so why make cover art distortion unavoidable?

I vote that cover art be treated just like all the other media files -- music, photos, video. Output everything unmodified in its original format unless the user chooses otherwise.

MC and plug-ins offer OPTIONAL special effects/modes for those who desire them.

benn600 · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2007, 06:46:32 pm »

Good point musichawk. I agree that we should be given the option but I would definitely like the above 3d cover art available!

MusicHawk · « **Reply #20 on:** December 10, 2007, 07:16:34 pm »

>> I would definitely like the above 3d cover art available!

Sure -- the more interesting OPTIONS, the better.

I like undistorted covers, but slightly

distorted audio -- my wish list is for DSP to have an adjustible audio compressor to give playback the same hot sound as a radio station.

benn600 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 10, 2007, 07:33:38 pm »

I would also like more DSP options.

Dang it's easy to ask for MORE features.

I love pure, perfect sound. But there are always those times when you get really sick of your music collection as a whole--when you're in a [insert mood here] mood. The current effects are great but I would always welcome more additions. Something that just mutilates the audio--specifically I'd like a long delay and echo. Even better would be a filter that randomly applies effects. New effects are great fun! Honestly, they would sell MC to people. I look at the Mac photo Booth app and how many people take photos and on their Facebook put that they were taken with their Mac.

Not guaranteeing an increase in sales but hey!

bbrip · « **Reply #22 on:** December 11, 2007, 02:29:54 am »

Alex,

is there a way to try out your 3D Designs "live"? I dont have access to the beta-board so can't download what you have posted there.

Thanks
BBRip

Alex B · « **Reply #23 on:** December 11, 2007, 03:09:18 am »

Quote from: bbrip on December 11, 2007, 02:29:54 am

is there a way to try out your 3D Designs "live"? I dont have access to the beta-board so can't download what you have posted there.

Unfortunately no. The images are created with completely separate software.

When I create a new image I can manually change the cover art image and apply the effects. I can alter several parameters and save the result as a new still image file, but that's all. The system has no connection with MC. If I had a working demo it would be available in the plug-ins board.

You can demonstrate the effect by downloading an image from the linked gallery and playing it with an audio file from an MC playlist. It will start a one-image slideshow.

I am hoping that JRiver could create a display plug-in with similar effects. They already have the altered perspective and reflection effects in the standard Cover Art display. The existing moving 3D plugins have some wonderful effects. Maybe that engine could be used in a still mode.

benn600 · « **Reply #24 on:** December 11, 2007, 02:29:55 pm »

The more customization the better in something like that. It would be really neat if users could have their cover art intensely 3d-ified and doing all kinds of things--flying over the Atlantic Ocean or swirling around in a tornado...etc.

benn600 · « **Reply #25 on:** December 11, 2007, 09:30:18 pm »

Good idea: if the display area is a 3D environment, then you can easily and smoothly change cover art from song to song. Have them slide in and out when songs are changed. Just like iPhone.

tls62dk · « **Reply #26 on:** December 12, 2007, 04:50:38 pm »

I agree with Alexis. The new cover art display should be a choice under options. I find the new look odd looking and a step back from the previous way of diplaying cover art. Please give us the "old" look back!

TLS

leezer3 · « **Reply #27 on:** December 12, 2007, 07:18:46 pm »

I'll echo the option please already added in this thread.
Don't object to it as such in normal view, but in theatre view things start to look downright odd in some cases.

Would much rather turn it off altogether

-Leezer-

prod · « **Reply #28 on:** December 13, 2007, 02:36:36 am »

I like it very much, in fact I wish it would appear in G-Force the same way. I know that's not possible though.

Still, I agree that having it as an extra option beside "Cover Art" as, say, "Cover Art 3D", would most likely end this thread forever.

thurston · « **Reply #29 on:** December 13, 2007, 10:48:27 am »

I don't like the way this looks either and would rather it be an option. But I also hope its just the beginning of 3D options for displaying cover art. I'm not interested in fly-bys and crazy balls bouncing around on fantasy land backgrounds, etc. but would love to play with reflections, background colors & fades (much like Alex B's idea above, that looks great!).
Just my two cents, thanks for continuing to add to the appeal of my media collection!

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Author Topic: Cover art comments (Read 4670 times)