[mythtv-users] Programming remote button bindings (WAS: What major features are planned for 0.27?)

[Joey Morris]

Christopher Kerr <mythtv at theseekerr.com> wrote on Wed, Dec 05, 2012 at 11:02:48AM +1100:
> On Wed, Dec 5, 2012 at 10:37 AM, Yeechang Lee <ylee at pobox.com> wrote:
> 
> > Michael T. Dean <mtdean at thirdcontact.com> says:
> > > No, Watch Recordings used the INFO to show info (and *context* menu) on
> > > the selected recording.  It was changed because many people whined that
> > > "Any sane user interface doesn't need 2 menus," so now we have 2 menus
> > > and an impossible to describe user interface ("Hit MENU, and if you
> > > don't see <whatever>, hit MENU, again...").
> >
> > How is this harder to use, or describe, than telling people they have
> > to bind two separate buttons and remember what functions appear in
> > which menu? Besides, you and I both know that the Watch Recordings
> > menu is context-sensitive and will almost always do the right thing.
> >
> > > Again, INFO was always for information/context menu and MENU was for
> > > "main" menu (i.e. like the one you'd have at the top of the
> > > application, versus the right-click/context menu).
> > >
> > > What Mike says is 100% accurate (and not the revisionist history of
> > > those who complained until MENU got changed).
> >
> > Please spare us the patented Michael T. Dean passive aggressiveness.
> >
> > No, it makes no sense, in an environment with relatively limited
> > buttonspace (I have a programmable remote with softkeys, but most
> > don't), to have two menus that are completely separate and require two
> > different buttons. You were wrong when mythtv-users had this debate
> > after 0.22 was released. More importantly, other developers disagreed
> > with you; otherwise the change would never have occurred.
> >
> 
> Well, as a user, with no affiliation with the developers: I liked it better
> before, too. MTD's analogy between application menus and right click menus
> is right on the money - changing the way the interface works does NOT
> belong in the same context as altering the details of a specific
> recording/video.
> 
> If you use a remote with too few buttons, that's your problem - I'd rather
> that you and others didn't ruin my experience to solve your own issues. The
> interface was logical, now it isn't.

I don't understand the problem with the current interface in Watch
Recordings. With a recording selected, INFO gives me the recording's
details. With a recording selected, MENU gives me the context menu for
that recording. With a group selected, MENU gives me a menu of mostly
group-related items. How is this illogical?

Mike's description of the old method (INFO shows info *and* a context
menu) is what sounds illogical to me. I don't think the analogy to
left and right mouse buttons is apt, because the remotes don't say
left-click/right-click, they say Menu/Info.

> (And seriously, how many remotes don't have both a Menu/Options/Settings
> button and an Info/"i"/Details button?)

The fairly popular MCE remotes have an Info button but not Menu. As
another user said, I get around that by remapping the Windows button to
Menu. It's set up to take you to the home screen by default, I believe.