certified xlobby installer sample in NEWS

[cmhardwick]

Ok, is it just me or do the words ... KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID come to mind here? While clean, it's so full and has so many options, that just doesn't seem like it would have ANY WAF as they say. Just my 2 cents. I'm glad they are doing great installs, but there comes a time for submenus (do you really need EVERY BUTTON in the world on the first screen? Especially if it's a 10" touchscreen

[wesblack]

Custom Castles skin is still a constant work in progress by Samson and I just wanted to show what types of menus are possible from his skin design, I only showed a small portion of all all his menus. This skin is one of many he has created to use with xLobby, other skins he has used are more in-line with ease of use and a much lower button count. You also have to realize this skin is used for a system running a 15,000 sq. ft home with lots of mult-zone audio and home automation with Racks and Racks full of gear. Most likely the customer will be the influence on what the finished product looks like.




Wes Black \ Calrad

[Marbles_00]

Yeah, it just gives me a headache glancing at it. I was beginning to think that my Mirage skin was a little much with all the icon images...but gees, that installer really needs to do more homework. Especially if people are paying him *EDIT* but as you say Wes, the customer has a large influence on the final product.

Gotta love the Multizoning Audio zones this customer wanted...they must have a pretty huge master bathroom, I mean a zone for the Master bath, and a zone for the Master shower? That's awesome. Not to mention, I guess his wife has a lot of shoes and spends alot of time in the Master closet as a zone is done for that area as well.

The only appealling screens are the Movie and Music Library menu screens, and the Pictures Menu screen.

Good first attempt though *EDIT didn't see your post right away Wes...didn't know that this wasn't his first skin attempt*, and if the customer is happy with trying to locate the button they want...all the power to him.

[S Pittaway]

yep, as i have played with the whole htpc thing, i have started to hate buttons/menus more and more... its one of the reasons why i disliked MCE et-al.

on the skin i use i dont have anything visible on the screen apart frm the data thats important.

if i am looking at movies i want to see the movies and not have 1/3 the screen taken up with butons i dont normaly use. dito for photos, cds, playlist etc.

when you press enter on an item you are given a simple overlay containing 2 or 3 buttons (on a movie - play, view details, cancel). its a bit simplistic but its very easy to use.

i have a popup menu on each screen wich can be accessed via the menu buttn on the remote or simple cursor to the side of the screen and thit appears, this has all of the more unusual functions on it. i would put money on the fact that my wife/parrents dont even know it exists

but to be fair, as wes siad he is trying to control a lot so i guess at some point you will end up with a tun of buttons.

i would still bet the the user dosent normally use most of them

Sean.

[cmhardwick]

Sean, the flyout menu option sounds like one of Badabings skins. Had overlays that simulated fly-out menus for stuff, to keep it clean.

Didn't mean the "stupid" part literally of course, but granted, there's a ton to control, but would you really want all that for every location? I'm assuming there will be some customized, slimmed down screens in various areas. that would be my thought anyway.

Ok, so .... when do we get to tour this house?

[samgreco]

Wow. That is intense. That would never fly in my house.

But it does beg the question, what IS a good user interface? I'm of the opinion that it should be as simple as possible. My mom should be able to walk up to a touchscreen and start something playing without asking. That's sucessful in my mind.

That would probably mean task based UI. You know, buttons like PLAY MUSIC, PLAY DVD, LISTEN TO RADIO, etc. I've been chewing on this for quite some time while waiting for V3. Seems that having an interface per room would help. So when I go to the screen in the kitchen, it assumes that I want to do whatever from that room first.

Anyway, seems like a great opportunity to talk interface design

[Jay]

Agreed. This is a good topic.

[lar282]

taste is different. If Samson likes it and the customer likes it, then it IS a good interface!


//Lasse

[Grooby]

Agree with lar282, but then again its not something i would want

[S Pittaway]

i am with sam, i always use my mum as a test for any interface i do, if she can use it its ok

and its ineresting to see what differeant people like, everyone as a differant opinion on whats a good interface, if it one thats simple? or one that lets you control everything?

if you are lucky enuff to have multi touchscreens then i am sure that sam is right, specialised screens per area is probably the way to go.

for me i "only" use xlobby as a media front end so hence the simple movie, music, photo type screens i was talking about.

if i every get chance i will knock up some screen shots of the skin i use. its all my work appart from a few images nicked from the a media portal skin. i think is very "clean" and little space is wasted (without looking cramped).

i would have released it but

a) it keeps getting to 90% finished when i change it and its back to half done
b) its pretty deeply inter-wound with a plugin so chaning it might not be very easy...
c) because if (b) it would be a right royal pain in the bum to support

[scottw]

taste is different. If Samson likes it and the customer likes it, then it IS a good interface!


//Lasse

Well put!!! I also agree that is not something I would use but then again people would probably say the same about my skin. My wife and 6 year old are able to use it...so that's perfect for me.

Sean,
I have the same problem as you...I think my skin will never be done...I feel like I change it weekly if not daily, but I like doing it

[Marbles_00]

So it should no longer be WAF, but more MAF - "Mother Acceptance Factor"...and to think, all this time, I was trying to cater to the wrong person ...DAMN!

[cmhardwick]

I wish I had the money and time to expand my system into multiple rooms, etc. Currently, it's just for HTPC use in the bonus room. My plans were to eventually have multiple touch screens and or ppcs. Each would be customized to the area you were in, such as Bedroom would control bedroom, hall, stairs, outside lights, music in the bedroom, video there (if I get that far .. come on lottery!), have a weather screen, etc. Kitchen would have different screens and no video there, but more lights downstairs since I have a more open floor plan downstairs, etc

[samgreco]

So it should no longer be WAF, but more MAF - "Mother Acceptance Factor"...and to think, all this time, I was trying to cater to the wrong person ...DAMN!

Well, there are 2 levels of approval in my house. The MAF is to test how easy it is for my 68 year old mom to use when she visits, but WAF is the ultimate deal breaker. She gets final approval. Period.

Kitchen would have different screens and no video there, but more lights downstairs since I have a more open floor plan downstairs, etc

Video in the kitchen is critical in this house I mean, I have SageTV with tons of Good Eats episodes available at the touch of the screen...

[fsamuelsson]

I acctually made a sets of screens for the wife to use, so from the menu she can select "WAF" and then it´s question based like what do you want to do? play music, play movies etc, so as long thet her screen stays the same i can play all that i want with the rest