[mythtv-users] New to the whole DirecTV thang.

[Jeremy Oddo]

tarek Lubani said:
> Try to do some reading on this. Somewhere in the archives, I mentioned a
>  webpage that has instructions for how to make serial control cables. In
>  short, your "low speed data port" is just an interface for a serial
> control cable.
>
Serious?  Hmm, things are getting interesting :)

> As for the UI, I'll be the first to throw a chair at you, so I'm glad
> you ducked..
>
That's a nice chair, by the way.  Mind if I keep it?

> The other point to be made here is that it's not really copping out to
> tell you to put a little work into it.. Right now, *you* own this
> wonderful magical receiver.. I don't. So, I can't really learn anything
> from it, but you can.. So, if there are features that you like, or
> design issues that you feel have been addressed in a better way in your
> receiver, then by all means make the suggestion or take a "screen shot"
> or
> something!
>
I was thinking of that VERY thing.  Making screen shots, etc.  Maybe we
should start a design/UI website, etc.?  And let's get serious here, the
look and feel of a product can make or break it.  Taking two examples:  a
PVR with a so-so feature list but a kick butt UI and a PVR with a kick
butt feature list and only a so-so UI.  Most people would end up getting
the one with less feature.  Yeah, we may be different as we're linux users
here, but you understand my point.

> But, I think it's not hard to understand how it's unfair for
> the programmers and designers to have to match some abstract fuzzy
> feeling you get, as opposed to concrete design issues.
>
Careful buddy!  I've made two themes (both highly rated I might add) and I
rebuild the MythTV website.  I *am* trying to put what little time I have
into the project *AND* I'm trying to push the UI a little.  I have had
_NO_ time to play with the new CVS features (and I'm being serous--I've
got a lot on my plate right now) but I'd really like to get in there and
build a nice UI.

There's a lot of new features in the CVS version (tho I haven't had a
chance to get into them).  Are they documented?  I mean, can I download
the cvs and start cranking out a cool theme, or will I have to spend five
hours tracing thru the code to figure out all the cool new features?

And like I said, I have tried to contribute to the UI in my own little
way.  And if those new features are documented, then I'll probably be more
willing to adopt them into my themes.

Does anyone know if there's info on the new stuff?


Jeremy

>
>> Sadly, I believe that the dish receiver came sans serial connector.  I
>> have a "low speed data port" which looks like an RJ-11.  Don't think I
>> can use that for anything :(
>>
>> > However, as the myth EPG and interface continues to
>> > improve, I  think you'll find it an excellent replacement to your
>> current setup..
>> >
>> Yeah...the thing is, is that the dish's EPG and OSD is REALLY nice.
>> Of course, I haven't had time to really use it but it seems really
>> nice and clean...and well thought out.  From what I've seen, even
>> though the CVS version has made significant ground, it's still VERY
>> primitive compared to the dish's EPG and OSD (please, don't think that
>> I'm slamming Myth, because I'm not!!  I love Myth!).
>>
>> I think I would like to see more design/UI tweaks be done to Myth now.
>>  I mean, there's SO many features in Myth and they are great, but the
>> UI is a little weak.  Again, I'm not trying to piss anyone off because
>> there HAS BEEN a lot of hard work going into the interface.  Someone
>> can easily say "well than fix it", but I don't have the programming
>> chops nor the time right now to do that...and I think that's a bit of
>> a cop out.  I'm guessing that most people would like to see Myth move
>> from "computer room tinkering" to "full living room integration".
>> Like someone said before; "yeah, but can my grandma operate it?".  A
>> bit tongue-in-cheek perhaps, but the point is, if it's in the living
>> room then people from 6yrs old to 60yrs old should be able to operate
>> it.
>>
>> I think the UI is definitely moving in a good direction, but (and I'm
>> now ducking behind a huge barrier to protect myself from the angry
>> mob) maybe we should really start putting some spit-n-polish into the
>> design.  Again, I'm not bitching, just offering up my two cents.
>
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