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Author Topic: Theater View  (Read 2873 times)

Uwe

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Theater View
« on: June 11, 2004, 03:47:01 am »
yes, i know, there are some change-requests for the theater view on the table and it is moving on - slowly, but it is moving on.
But there is just one thing why the Theater View is unusable for me. Only for me?
I want to use the Theater View only with a Touch Screen, but when the List on the right side of the screen is longer than one screen, it's very hard to scroll the list because i have to use the Arrow-Buttons on the left-down corner. But theese Buttons only scroll the list entry by entry and very slowly.... I think, no one without a Touch-Screen ever uses theese buttons, because with a mouse or a remote you can klick the entry directly, and with the keyboard you use the keys...
So, is it possible to "mount" the function of theese buttons from "up" and "down" to "page-up" and "page-down"?

Uwe

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nadroj81

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #1 on: June 11, 2004, 07:59:49 am »
I know waht you mean. I am using an ELO 15'' LCD touchscreen, it is a pain to scroll. I am not sure what to do about it. Also, i would like it if the bars in the list feature were slightly bigger. I don't have a problem using the list feature(selecting the songect) but i know the other people using it will
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jleerigby

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #2 on: June 11, 2004, 05:23:41 pm »
Maybe you should take a look at NetRemote (www.netremote.org).  This talks directly to MC and will allow you to configure your own customised touch screen interface where you can easily browse your library, check the contents of playing now, add ratings, get info and cover art for the currently playing track and much much more that you cannot do quickly from within MC.  

For example, I have a single button that will display all other tracks by the artist that's currently playing (with subsequent buttons to play all or some of the tracks shown).  I have similar buttons to:
- show all tracks on the currently playing album
- show all albums by the currently playing artist
- show all tracks rated 3 or more by the currently playing artist
- show my favourite playlists

I run NetRemote on a handheld wireless PDA but you can also run it on a Simpad, laptop or normal PC in exactly the same way.  You probably know that I spent a lot of time suggesting Theatre View enhancements and created a long thread specifically for it.  Since I doscovered NetRemote, however, it's no longer an issue for me as I can do virtually anything I want with MC.  NR has totally transformed my enjoyment of MC and I know longer find myself flooding the forum with change requests.  In fact, i don't find myself flooding the NR forum with change requests either as it can already accomplish everything I need.

Here's some screen pics of my NetRemote interface. (I use it to control other equipment too) and there are plenty of other examples in the Gallery on the NR site.

There are plenty of other MC users who will echo what I say (Sapnho, Mastiff, Cocophone, and a recent convert - nick_harambee to name just a few).

If you want to control MC how you want in the coolest possible way then you should give it a try.   And if you don't have the know-how or the time to create your own interface there are plenty of examples that other people have created that you can download and try.  Getting started i.e. installing components and plug ins and setting parameters so it all hangs together is a bit of a learning curve but it's no worse than getting started with MC itself and there's people available to help.

In my opinion, if you are trying to remotely control MC and you have not looked at NetRemote you are missing out big time.
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Mastiff

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #3 on: June 11, 2004, 06:46:25 pm »
My whole house audio system, home theater and carputer literally couldn't function without NetRemote, so it would be very wise to have a look at it, yes!
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Tor with the Cinema Inferno & Multi-Zone Audio system

Uwe

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #4 on: June 14, 2004, 03:39:12 am »
@JLee, Mastiff:
When i placed my post, i should have known that you will push me to netremote  ;)
I must confess that i am using Netremote for a few months to control MC with my Pocket PC and WLan. But according to your solutions - in a very simple way...
Maybe i am too simple minded, but i just want to switch on my amplifier, my jukebox, select an album and want to hear music. To creat an interface for my Touch-Screen in Netremote is too time-consuming for me(Not too complicated yet ;)). Theater View does this job for 99% - except for the Page Down Button.
Another aspect is, that my wife still uses our CD-Player. She says, that the User-Interface from MC is not very useful because she wants to scroll the CD-Covers in a "hardware-way". I think the use of Theater View, combined with a Touch-Screen is the nearest way to "hardware-scrolling"

Uwe
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jleerigby

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #5 on: June 14, 2004, 04:50:31 am »
Quote
I think the use of Theater View, combined with a Touch-Screen is the nearest way to "hardware-scrolling"
I actually think that scrolling the library using the tree in NetRemote (providing you've set up sensible view scheme groups / view schemes) via a touch screen PDA or Simpad is about as easy as it gets.  This set up achieves a very good WAF in my experience.  

I do take your point about Theatre View though because, for those that use it, it really does need an easier way to scroll down.  Ideally the solution will be for them to open Theatre View up to the skinners whereby you can (like Netremote) create your own theatre view skin (or doctor an existing one) and simply add a button of your choice with an action on it.  You can sort of do this now by editing the main.xml for the skin and adding the down arrow navigation button somewhere nice and prominent.  Page down would be better of course.
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Mastiff

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #6 on: June 14, 2004, 05:23:09 am »
I agree with the WAF - my wife found out how to use it on her own while I was out of the house...
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Tor with the Cinema Inferno & Multi-Zone Audio system

jleerigby

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2004, 07:31:18 am »
Quote
I must confess that i am using Netremote for a few months to control MC with my Pocket PC and WLan. But according to your solutions - in a very simple way...

Have you tried my ccf and gml?  Get it here.  To use all of the functions I mentioned above just requires you to set up some specific view schemes in MC.  Details are in the ReadMe file.
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Uwe

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #8 on: June 14, 2004, 08:14:45 am »
Quote from: JLee on June 14, 2004, 07:31:18 am
Quote
I must confess that i am using Netremote for a few months to control MC with my Pocket PC and WLan. But according to your solutions - in a very simple way...

Have you tried my ccf and gml?  Get it here.  To use all of the functions I mentioned above just requires you to set up some specific view schemes in MC.  Details are in the ReadMe file.

No i haven't tried it. I was happy with my ccf, but now i will try it next weekend. Thanks a lot for that.

Maybe there is a little misunderstanding: I use the Touch-Screen directly on my Jukebox-PC, so i have to use netremote directly on the MC-PC instead of the Theater View !?
Beside that, i use a PPC with netremote when i am not in the same room.
I'm afraid, that everything becomes a little bit complicated now. I think, the easiest way is still the "page-down button" in theater view.

@mastiff:
I am out of the house for 2 days, maybe my wife takes the chance too

BTW, can you please explain "WAF". This word is not included in my Dictonary and my school english is far away...

Thanks for your patience!
Uwe
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jleerigby

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #9 on: June 14, 2004, 08:47:39 am »
Sorry, WAF is a very important aspect of Media PC Building: Wife Acceptance Factor.
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Uwe

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #10 on: June 14, 2004, 08:50:28 am »
 ;D

WAF/PPC=0 that's my problem...
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Mastiff

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Re:Theater View
« Reply #11 on: June 14, 2004, 11:49:36 am »
Mine too. Which is why I put a full size regular computer in the living room that's on around 30 minutes every month, in one minute increments. It's only used for NetRemote control, and with a wireless keyboard it's even acceptable to the missus.
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Tor with the Cinema Inferno & Multi-Zone Audio system
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