[arfarf]

I've had my Replay TV (Showstopper) since July, and I like it a lot. There are a lot of things that are completely annoying about the GUI that could use a little polish. Here are four. Hopefully, some of you Replay guys will read this.


1) When viewing the "Replay Guide" or "Channel Guide", you should be able to easily tell where a recording is scheduled to take place. The color of the timeline could be used to indicate this without taking more screen real estate. This would prevent you from selecting a show to record, spending time changing options, then clicking "done" only to find out there is conflict and you just wasted your time.


2) When viewing your "Replay Guide", you should be able to tell which show is currently being recorded without having to scroll through the list one at a time looking for the currently recording show. Again, this could easily be implemented as a color change on the block of text describing the show.


3) After a show completes, a screen is displayed asking what you want to do next "Channel Guide/Replay Guide/Menu". After you've had the unit a day or two, you know what to do next, and the screen just burns into your TV annoyingly. It would be smarter, if this screen displayed for like 15 seconds, and after that the unit would just dump you back to the current "live" broadcast (or maybe these new programmed ads we are all anticipating).


4) Here's how most people probably use this thing, when I want to watch TV, I know my Replay Guide has something in it I want to see. I sit down, flip to the Replay Guide, select a show, watch it, at then end the screen pops up, I hit "Select", then "Select" again to delete the show, then I go back to the Replay Guide, pick another show, until I run out of stuff I have recorded and want to watch, then I peruse my other options (Channel Guide, Zones, etc). It should be a little intuitive and dump your right back where you are probably going to go anyway... your list of prerecorded shows, the Replay Guide.



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Who really cares?




[This message has been edited by arfarf (edited 10-26-2000).]

 

[karog]

Quote:

Originally posted by arfarf: When viewing the "Replay Guide" or "Channel Guide", you should be able to easily tell where a recording is scheduled to take place. The color of the timeline could be used to indicate this without taking more screen real estate. This would prevent you from selecting a show to record, spending time changing options, then clicking "done" only to find out there is conflict and you just wasted your time.

I'm not sure how this applies to the Replay Guide but I have been thinking about this very feature myself for the Channel Guide. Any period of time in the display that is part of a scheduled recording on any channel whether that channel is showing or not should appear as red in the time bar to match the red circles indicating recording. For guaranteed recording, the whole background of the time bar should be red like the filled in red circles. For non-guaranteed, just a red border background should be used to match the red circles. If there happens to be both (can this happen? I never use guaranteed so I don't know) the solid red should override.


Another idea is to show the current time visually in addition to the text time in the upper right when the current time falls within the visible time bar. There are two ways this could be done. One way would be to draw a 1 or 2 pixel wide vertical line across the time bar that would set in front of other background colors but behind the time characters.


A second idea I like better is to use paler background colors in the time bar for time that is past and brighter background colors for time in the future. The boundary between these two would be the current time. When the current time is visible this way, you get a clear visual inidicator relative to the time slots of the shows below.


I agree that attention to detail like this can provide a wealth of useful information that need not overwhelm the user if designed well and provide a superior experience. And make friends, influence people, and save the world. Oops, I got carried away. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif


karog

 

[FreezeFrame]



Some good ideas! I like the color coding to indicate that a time slot has a scheduled record. Not shure what color to use though, something with a redish hue?


I think the show that is recording is the one that is highlighted when you press ReplayGuide, no? If not then that would be one way. Another thing I would like is an indicator so show which ReplayGuide shows are <new>. i.e. have not been watched.


As for an "Ad show" to replace the "What to Do Next" screen, I agree. Although I think they should throw in some other things like usage tips, ... Perhaps always start with the "What To Do Next" info...


As for how most people use it, I disagree. I suppose ReplayTV knows for sure but I would bet it's the other way arround. Assuming most people are creatures of habit, they probably will watch TV during the viewing schedule they have developed for themselves. For most people that's prime time ... I tend to go to the TV, turn it on, flip up the channel guide and go to the show I know is on and want to see. Then I pull up the channel guide again to see what else is on! I do the second step first, if I don't know what is on a the moment. I think I do this because I don't want to miss anything that's on now!!! I also like to channel surf!!! When nothing good is on I dip into my "Program Reserves" via the ReplayGuide! About once a week, typically on the weekend I browse the Zones to see if there is anything else that I might be interested in. I suppose if your really busy you might only have time for just a few shows, then I might be more inclined to use it the way you suggest.


Lastly the Japs haven't taken the US auto industry! It's still alive and kicking. They made a serious dent in it though and the reasons are multi-faceted. The most important of which is that the cars the japanese produced were built for an environment that demanded high fuel efficiency, wise use of scarce resources(materials) and high quality. People who have less money are very concious of quality for money! They can't afford to live in a throw away society. When gas prices rose in the 70's the japanese cars that were produced were better suited to what US customers were looking for. They were smart enough to see that and savvy enough to know how to leverage it. American manufacturers had to redesign and retool for the rapidly changing marketplace. It takes a lot of time and effort to do that, and that's what created the influx of Japanese cars! Once established the Japanese have been very astute in changing with the times, i.e. migrating to bigger luxury cars ... Meanwhile US manufacturers likewise adapted to the new world marketplace(shifting parts production outside US, redesigning cars/factories and modernizing tools). When gas prices fell again 80's/90's, relatively speaking that is, US automakers took full advantage of it and have done very well with SUV's/Trucks ... Should gas prices stay high then I think we will once again see a strong demand for fuel efficient cars. If that's the case, I think the US automakers will still get caught wrong footed once again. Not supprisingly they have not made much of a dent into the economy class market. The costs to become truely competative would be large and the profit margins are low. Not to mention market perception, multinational distribution channel development ...

 

[cwoody222]

#3 - I disagree. I HATE it that my TiVo main menu won't stay on and forces me back to live TV. I like that "no sound" Replay screen...I put it on ALL THE TIME when I just want to kinda pause the show (but not just for a short time - like for 15 min. or so) that I know I'm coming back to.


I know Replay *advertisers* prefer I use the Pause button but I'm sorry; I'm conditioned that certain lengths of time are for STOP and others are for PAUSE.


Shame on TiVo for not giving me a STOP, too.


So...please don't take away that screen! I like it and use it!

 

[Michael Gwynn]

Quote:

Originally posted by arfarf: The Japs took the US auto industry by adding cup holders. Removing trival annoyances will with the Replay/Tivo war.

Well, I had no idea that's what made the difference.


And I'm not Japanese, nor am I easily offended, but I just don't like the word Japs. I believe it's demeaning.


So.... please, not again?

 

[riker]

Quote:

Originally posted by ReplayMike: The show that's highlighted when the Channel Guide pops up is the one that's highlighted.

Hey Mike, is this one of those esoterically brilliant statements that you need drugs or sleep deprivation to fully appreciate? http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


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-=- Glenn -=-

 

[The Robman]

Quote:

Originally posted by riker: Hey Mike, is this one of those esoterically brilliant statements that you need drugs or sleep deprivation to fully appreciate? http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

When I first read Mike's statement, I read it the way he meant it (as I was about to post that same snippet of info myself), but now that you have re-posted it, I can see the brilliance of it!


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Later,

Rob.
http://www.hifi-remote.com/

 

[arfarf]

One other suggestion... the "return to live" button on the remote should ALWAYS return you to the "live" broadcast. I find that it's mostly worthless, and getting back to "live" broadcasts, requires me to pop up the "Channel Guide", then pop it down. How about making the button behave like the labelling?



[This message has been edited by arfarf (edited 10-14-2000).]

 

[Tivo4me]

Replay TV needs to add teh feature that shows how much time is left on each program that is playing (LIKE TIVO DOES) Anyway, I hope they fix this in teh future....

 

[ken.kipnes]

Quote:

Originally posted by Tivo4me: Replay TV needs to add teh feature that shows how much time is left on each program that is playing (LIKE TIVO DOES) Anyway, I hope they fix this in teh future....

huh? The TiVo display is EXACTLY like the Replay DISPLAY button display. It shows how long the recording is (i.e. "1 hour; recorded at mm/dd at hh:mm pm") and the time within the recording (00:10:11, 00:10:12, 00:10:13). The TiVo display is a green bar, with 0:00 at one end, 1:00 at the other, and a white vertical bar to show 'you are here'; the current time is above the bar (0:10). Replay's is actually more exact.


What needs to be fixed?


-ken


[This message has been edited by ken.kipnes (edited 10-14-2000).]

 

[Loren Kruse.]

Personally I would like to see the following changes:


1. Display HUD stays up when changing channels.


2. Shows in the Replay Guide that have already been watch would have a different color.


3. The blue screen that appears when there is no signal source should be a black screen with white characters.


Loren Kruse

 

[Ferguson]

I would like to see user-defined intervals for QUICK SKIP and INSTANT REPLAY. I would like to set these parameters myself, even if they do not exceed the current limits of 30 and 8 seconds respectfully. There are sporting events and other programs that would benefit from a tweak in the current constants. I would kill for a 57 second QUICK SKIP, but I know that will never happen.


[This message has been edited by Ferguson (edited 10-15-2000).]

 

[ken.kipnes]

Quote:

Originally posted by arfarf: Politically correct nonsense is an inhibitor of free thought. Consider the substitution of the word "Asian" for "Oriental" in the US. Worldwide, the word "Asian" implies someone from "Asia" (India), and "Oriental" implies someone from the "Orient" or "Far East". Only in the US have we decided that "Oriental" is some kind of slur. So we changed it, shame on us. If you don't like the wording, use your mind to filter it. So, I won't use the word "Japs" any more, I'll use "Gwynns" and you can let your mind do the substitution. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif I've already fixed the original posting, to accomodate you.

Lovely argument. However, if use of a word or phrase is considered insulting or offensive to the people you are referring to, then it's insulting and offensive. No amount of eloquence is going to change that. In addition, if Michael Gwynn is insulted by your new choice of speech, then it, too, is insulting.


-ken

 

[riker]

Quote:

Originally posted by Loren Kruse: Personally I would like to see the following changes: 1. Display HUD stays up when changing channels. 2. Shows in the Replay Guide that have already been watch would have a different color. 3. The blue screen that appears when there is no signal source should be a black screen with white characters. Loren Kruse

I don't agree with these at all. 1) Would suck for me, if I'm changing channels I want to SEE what I changed to. 2) Would be useless, and hard to implement. How do you define 'watched'? If it's the complete show from start til it shuts itself off, it would be useless because how often do you let it actually hit the end? Most often I'll hit Stop after the show ends, during the credits or whatever, I dont let it hit the end and stop on it's own, so my shows wouldn't be marked as watched even though I watched them? And if it's marked as watched even if you watch just a little of it, that too would be misleading and useless because often I'll be watching a show as it's recording, but then leave the room or shut off the tv, so I saw part of the show but replay wouldnt know that and would either mark it as watched or not, either one would be wrong. And if shows are marked if they are watched a little, how would that help because I still wouldnt know what shows I watched all of or which ones still have some to watch or whatever. This would be useless and confusing. As for 3), well I really dont care, but I prefer the blue for showing that some kind of signal is really there, black could be the tv is off or something :O)


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-=- Glenn -=-

 

[MikeNY718]

Quote:

Originally posted by ken.kipnes: Lovely argument. However, if use of a word or phrase is considered insulting or offensive to the people you are referring to, then it's insulting and offensive. No amount of eloquence is going to change that. In addition, if Michael Gwynn is insulted by your new choice of speech, then it, too, is insulting. -ken

Perhaps that might be the bigger issue at hand. People seem to think if THEY are personally offended by something, that means others don't have a right to say it. It's because of this same type of thinking that our TV shows still have bleeped-out words and pixelated bodies in the year 2000.


I must have missed the part of the Constitution that says that free speech is okay as long as everyone else approves of what you say...

 

[karog]

Quote:

Originally posted by MikeNY718: I must have missed the part of the Constitution that says that free speech is okay as long as everyone else approves of what you say...

So you are defending ken.kipnes right to express his views about those who write things they know offend others. Have I got that right?


Sure, people have the right to say things that offend others. Others have the right to complain about that. And we all have the right to ignore messages authored by anyone we find offensive or otherwise not worth listening to.


karog



[This message has been edited by karog (edited 10-15-2000).]

 

[karog]

Quote:

Originally posted by riker: 2) Would be useless, and hard to implement. How do you define 'watched'

Not hard to implement and useful would be to color a show in 2 shades of the same color where any part of the show that has been played (even if you weren't watching it http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif ) is in one shade and the unplayed part is the other.


karog

 

[FreezeFrame]



Regarding the watched/not watched question:


There are several ways to do this,


1. Use BOLD for new/unwatched(like email/news).


2. Use a stippling(grey out) of areas viewed.


3. Put a cursor mark at the "current location", perhaps a little triangle like clip on the top of the show. Similar to the "more channels this-a-way" marker.


4. Use a darker hue of color for areas watched


I like 3 best because it allows for future GUI features, i.e. "bookmarking" a show with a number/label. This would be great for jumping around in home movies, or for editing ...

 

[Chris Myers]

I can pretty much keep track of what I've watched without help from the ReplayTV. The idea of marking watched shows doesn't work very well for households with more than one TV viewer. It would just make things more confusing. I'd also be wary of creating a rainbow of colors in the guides. Then we'd need to have more screen space wasted to show a color legend http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif .


I do like the ideas about color-coding in the guides to show what is currently happening or what is scheduled to happen. Color-coding of actions taken by the user in the past, though, just wouldn't have any value for me at all.