Interfaces: IceTV vs YourTV (http://www.yourtv.com.au/)

Started by halon, January 03, 2009, 10:49:04 AM

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halon


In an battle of the user interfaces, YourTV http://www.yourtv.com.au/ wins hands down - this is a much more intuitive and cleaner interface, reminiscent of the regular paper based TV Guide, and not dissimilar to the EPG guide on PVRs.

Sure there are things IceTV need to fix around recordings, but the interactive TV Guide desperately needs to be revamped.

mtb

While I must, reluctantly, agree that the layout isn't great, perhaps now isn't the best time for Ice to mimic something in a way that could be deemed copyright breach; let's get the current court case out of the way before trying that one eh?

Besides, I think functionality is of greater importantance myself - the layout isn't great but it is usable whereas there are some issues of functionality in desperate need of work.  (I could be considered biased though, since I write web applications for a living.)
Beyonwiz DP-P2, Epson EH-TW5500, Pioneer VSXLX52 & BDP-320, Screen Technics 100” screen, WD Live TV x2, 6Tb NAS (Linux)
Beyonwiz DP-S1, VIERA TH-42PA60A
HTC Desire (rooted) Froyo
Topfield 5000MP

Marc

We've opted for a list-style view because it works better with all the interactive features: searching, managing series recordings and favourites, My Upcoming Shows etc. However, we recognise that a grid view for the main TV guide might be something worth doing for the TV guide page only.

We're definitely going to improve some of the other Interactive web page features in early 2009.

I can't say if or when we'd implement a grid view, but thanks for the feedback. We are listening.

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald compared all the various online Australian TV guides: http://www.smh.com.au/news/digital-life/home-entertainment/reviews/compare-digital-tv-guides/2008/12/23/1229998532257.html?page=2
Our Interactive site did quite well.

JPP

Quote from: halon on January 03, 2009, 10:49:04 AM

In an battle of the user interfaces, YourTV http://www.yourtv.com.au/ wins hands down - this is a much more intuitive and cleaner interface, reminiscent of the regular paper based TV Guide, and not dissimilar to the EPG guide on PVRs.

Sure there are things IceTV need to fix around recordings, but the interactive TV Guide desperately needs to be revamped.


I'd like to strongly disagree with a grid like EPG layout. I find this type of layout difficult to read. In looking at an EPG, I like to see what's on first and foremost. The time the programs of interest are sceening is of secondary importance. After all, I have a PVR to record the shows I want to see, so I don't really need to know acurately which overlap.

To my mind, Peter Gillespie's Just EPG is by far the best EPG layout I've come across. It closely mimics a printed TV Guide layout and because of that, it's easy to follow. I don't use a printed guide anymore - Just EPG completely replaces it and it also of course sets the timers, including the resolution/management and warning of timer clashes.

Here's a screen shot of of Just EPG.



More screen shots and info on JE can be found here:

http://www.beyonwiz.com.au/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=2093#2093

I find the current Web and Widget layout pretty satisfactory and certainly would not want a move towards a grid style layout  :).
Phil.
Beyonwiz T2, DVDO Duo Video Processor

Marc

JPP: That's interesting. The aqua text = what's playing now, the yellow outline = what's selected and the blue backgrounded items are...?

trans

Marc- The Dark Blue items are the programs with timers.

I concur with JPP... JustEPG is by far hands down the best EPG out there.  ;)

JPP

Quote from: trans on January 06, 2009, 05:35:48 AM
Marc- The Dark Blue items are the programs with timers.

I concur with JPP... JustEPG is by far hands down the best EPG out there.  ;)
What's more, you can freely copy the design. Just let Peter know and I'm sure he'll be quite happy to help out if needed as well. Just wish the BeyonWiz people would release some API's so that he can port it to the Wiz 8). The source for the JE code can be found by simply downloading the TAP listed in this post:

http://www.topfield-australia.com.au/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=11869&start=0

Naturaly, the timer code is irrelevant, but the rest of it should be pretty universal.

Just coming back to the current Widget and Web EPG formats, I prefer the Widget over the Web format. The Web format is a bit of a cross between the time line and guide line format, whereas the Widget is a linear/vertical format of the JustEPG style - programs listed/sorted by channel in the first instance and time slots being of secondary importance.

With ICETV being available on a number of platforms, there are more constraints of course than just having to consider PC/TV display devices. Personally, I would prefer a dual presentation format. A choice of JE or Widget style for PCs and Widget style for mobiles - not that I have seen a mobile format so maybe that's already adequately covered.
Phil.
Beyonwiz T2, DVDO Duo Video Processor

download

Quote from: Marc-IceTV on January 06, 2009, 12:48:33 AMJPP: That's interesting. The aqua text = what's playing now, the yellow outline = what's selected and the blue backgrounded items are...?
One aspect of JustEPG that's hard to convey visually is scrolling around. The Scroll mode is switched by pressing the OK button in the middle of the arrow buttons. One mode leaves the screen as is and just moves around it. The other scrolls the displayed text to the next time slot (or if you hit left/right) to the next day.

I find it works very intuitively.

Peter Gillespie

Marc

Sounds very similar to the IceTV Widget, except there's 3 columns (which is better for TV) rather than 1.

Widget tip: you can use some keyboard shortcuts on the Mac widget...

Up arrow = minus 1 hour
Down arrow = plus 1 hour
n = Go to today and now

Kid_A

Marc,
I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for the tip.
Would it be possible to have the hours incrementing from the current time?

At the moment if I press the up arrow, 2am is displayed.
If I press the down arrow, 4am is displayed.
Elgato eyetv DTT deluxe
Sony PlayTV

Netweb

Quote from: Marc-IceTV on January 06, 2009, 03:08:57 PMWidget tip: you can use some keyboard shortcuts on the Mac widget...

Marc,

You want a Widget Tip?

Write a gadget for Vista & Update the API Documentation

As I stated in the thread here that your December 6th 2007 Newsletter delivered by email said 'Windows Vista Gadget Coming Soon'.

You all know that I have contacted numerous people who have in turn contacted you back in August/September 2008 and they are still waiting.

And to expand on the same subject even further, the reason I raise this now is that I have been asked if I know of anyone who can develop a 'Windows Sideshow' application and 'bing' IceTV would be a great 'Sideshow' application running on a Windows Mobile Platform via Bluetooth. Similar to your iPhone app except that it would support the Windows Mobile platform.

The ball is in your court and you can decide to play or not play! You have our details.

Stephen

Trial_Master

JustEPG looks great!!!!

I hope BW users can get that soon

prl

Quote from: Trial_Master on January 22, 2009, 04:55:22 PM
JustEPG looks great!!!!

I hope BW users can get that soon

The Beyonwiz firmware simply isn't structured in a way that allows the easy addition of addons in the same way as the Topfield SD PVRS are designed for TAPs.
Peter
Beyonwiz T4 in-use
Beyonwiz T2, T3, T4, U4 & V2 for testing

Trial_Master

Quote from: prl on January 22, 2009, 05:00:52 PM
The Beyonwiz firmware simply isn't structured in a way that allows the easy addition of addons in the same way as the Topfield SD PVRS are designed for TAPs.

:(  Let's hope they redesign the existing guide to have a format similar then, gee it's easy to read. I'm jealous Topfield users.

prl

Quote from: Trial_Master on January 22, 2009, 05:03:56 PM
Quote from: prl on January 22, 2009, 05:00:52 PM
The Beyonwiz firmware simply isn't structured in a way that allows the easy addition of addons in the same way as the Topfield SD PVRS are designed for TAPs.

:(  Let's hope they redesign the existing guide to have a format similar then, gee it's easy to read. I'm jealous Topfield users.

As far as I know, the Topfield HD PVRs (7000 & 7100) are the same as the Beyonwiz PVRs in this respect. TAPs (or similar) are only a feature of the Topfield SD models.

A recent email from one of the Topfield forum regulars indicates that even so, hacking is more advanced on Beyonwizes than it is on the Topfield HD recorders.

Most of the known information about Beyonwiz internals (hardware & firmware) is on the OpenWiz Web site, and user-contributed software for the Beyonwiz (both firmware hacks and PC/Mac tools) is on the BeyonwizSoftware site. Just because it's hard doesn't mean people aren't trying to do it :) but most of the successes so far are fairly minor, and there are no hacks to the GUI (apart from replacing the menu screen background).
Peter
Beyonwiz T4 in-use
Beyonwiz T2, T3, T4, U4 & V2 for testing