Feature Request: Easy OSD access

[Starkadius 219]

In the MBT roadmap this is listed "Mapping the Info button on MCE remotes. For now, use * to pull up the OSD", had I not read this I would never have known how to access the OSD which is needed in order to change audio/subtitles. It has been mentioned that MBT is being geared towards being easy to use, I suggest having a button somewhere while the item is playing when the 'Now Playing' screen is triggered to quickly access the OSD in case we don't have a remote or having to press the * key.

 

 

Edited November 22, 2013 by Starkadius

[steelman1991 19]

Not knocking the idea. but where would this 'button' exist and how would it be accessed if not via a keyboard or remote?

[Starkadius 219]

Not knocking the idea. but where would this 'button' exist and how would it be accessed if not via a keyboard or remote?

 

This would not replace the option of using the remote but it would be an addition to that. Also in the first image I highlighted in red an example of where it could appear, in this case it would appear along with the now playing options.

[steelman1991 19]

Appreciate where you might want to place the 'button'. but my question still stands 'how will you access that 'button'.

 

Unlikely users will want immediate access from the 'now playing' screen on initial playback, but possibly at some point during the movie/tv show. Without having a means to access the button, the user can't get to it to activate the OSD, in other words they would have to get to an OSD of some kind to get to the OSD.

 

Maybe I'm missing something, or perhaps over complicating the issue and my thoughts are based purely on Luke's comments that the interface is likely to be 'remote' driven, with little attention being given to mouse control.

[Starkadius 219]

If you hover the mouse or move the directional keys on a remote, the Now Playing menu appears as the movie/tv show is playing revealing the pause/stop/forward/back buttons. This behavior is universal in every media player (media center, plex, xbmc, windows media player etc) out there and it does not matter what input device you have. It can be activated by simply moving the mouse cursor, touching the screen or pressing some random key while the player is in focus. This "Now playing" screen DOES appear immediately in MBT when playing an item actually so a simple button somewhere in there should suffice for those users using a wireless keyboard with trackpad combo while sitting on the couch and have no idea that pressing the * key activates the OSD. Right now the OSD is completely hidden unless you have the Info button mapped to a remote or a keyboard AND know that the * key brings it up.

[Starkadius 219]

Plex Media Center and XMBC which is what Media Browser Theater is directly competing against have button(s) for the subtitle and audio options that are directly accessible from the 'Now playing' screen. We can either have multiple buttons like Plex and XBMC already do (subtitle, audio and scenes) or have one button 'OSD' that gives access to all of those options and having a more minimalist approach.

 

Plex Media Center - Now Playing Screen

 

XBMC - Now Playing Screen

 

Media Browser Theater - Now Playing Screen

Edited November 22, 2013 by Starkadius

[Starkadius 219]

MediaBrowser Server Web Client

 

MediaBrowser Theater - Now playing Mockup#1 (3 buttons: Audio, Subtitle, Scenes)

 

 

MediaBrowser Theater - Now playing Mockup#2 (1 button: OSD)

[Beardyname 197]

Have not seen this thread before but i do agree with having a "settings" button somewhere when the ui is triggered for changing audio-track subtitles etc!

 

But i think this should be lower down the prio-list, and we all know that MBT is very very early in it's life cycle.

[Starkadius 219]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83ZeC-p4LxM&feature=player_detailpage#t=150

 

At around 2min 30 sec the Audio/Subtitle OSD access can be seen running on Plex Home Theater. This feature would really make MB Theater more accessible.

[jluce50 122]

At around 2min 30 sec the Audio/Subtitle OSD access can be seen running on Plex Home Theater. This feature would really make MB Theater more accessible.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. The ability to quickly toggle/change subtitles and audio tracks is the one big gaping hole in MBT right now, IMO.

[mhariush 11]

+1, this is needed!

[foghat 65]

I agree wholeheartedly. The ability to quickly toggle/change subtitles and audio tracks is the one big gaping hole in MBT right now, IMO.

you can quickly do it, but it does require you map the * key to your remote.

Edited January 8, 2015 by foghat

[Starkadius 219]

you can quickly do it, but it does require you map the * key to your remote.

 

Yeah I mentioned that in the first post but thats precisely the point, we want a visual button for that option. This would open up MB Theater for mouse usage or even tablets.

[foghat 65]

Yeah I mentioned that in the first post but thats precisely the point, we want a visual button for that option. This would open up MB Theater for mouse usage or even tablets.

I know you did. But I couldn't tell from jluce50's comment if he picked up on that.

 

The issue I see right now with the visual option, is currently there would not be a way to select it using a remote. With plex and xbmc you can use the remote arrow keys to move around in the navigation menu, so no problem arrowing over to the visual button. As far as I can tell, there is no way to do this with the MBT navigation menu.

 

I guess it would be fine if you are more concerned with mouse navigation, though that isn't really what MBT is designed for. Agreed it would be handy for tablets.

Edited January 8, 2015 by foghat

[Starkadius 219]

The issue I see right now with the visual option, is currently there would not be a way to select it using a remote. With plex and xbmc you can use the remote arrow keys to move around in the navigation menu, so no problem arrowing over to the visual button. As far as I can tell, there is no way to do this with the MBT navigation menu.

 

I guess it would be fine if you are more concerned with mouse navigation, though that isn't really what MBT is designed for. Agreed it would be handy for tablets.

 

If there is currently no way of selecting it with a remote or via arrow keys why are there other(skip, rewind, pause, stop, forward etc) visual buttons in place?

 

The only reason Media Browser Classic (Media Browser 2) did not have a button was because of the limitation that Media Center imposed. This has been talked about here and here. Users have been wanting a way of doing this on MBC and now on MBT. The difference is that MBT is being built from scratch and it CAN be implemented at some point.

 

Since Plex Home Theater and XMBC/Kodi both have the OSD button, why can't MBT? It doesn't make any sense to me that this one button was overlooked.

 

 

Edit: Found more posts with users asking about this in MBC

 

http://mediabrowser.tv/community/index.php?/topic/14931-turn-subs-on-off/

http://mediabrowser.tv/community/index.php?/topic/9768-feature-wish-in-mediabrowser-classic/

Edited January 8, 2015 by Starkadius

[ginjaninja 569]

Anyone know if mbt has a keyboard shortcut to change subtitles and other functions..thanks.

[foghat 65]

If there is currently no way of selecting it with a remote or via arrow keys why are there other(skip, rewind, pause, stop, forward etc) visual buttons in place?

So you could could select them with a mouse or touch? Try it with a remote, you cannot navigate them. At least not that I can see, if you figure it out, please post back. Again, I am not saying this is a bad idea, just that it may not be (due to no remote nav) a simple as it seems or, in the nav's current implementation, even solve the problem for remote users (which I assume are the majority).

 

Heck, I can't even see a way to bring the nav up using a remote (without actually pausing, skipping, etc) to just view how much time is left in the movie.

Edited January 8, 2015 by foghat

[foghat 65]

Anyone know if mbt has a keyboard shortcut to change subtitles and other functions..thanks.

You can hit the * to bring up the osd. From there you can view movie info, actors, change audio and select sub title track.

[ginjaninja 569]

You can hit the * to bring up the osd. From there you can view movie info, actors, change audio and select sub title track.

 

thanks what i should have asked is .does mbt have a set of keyboard inputs to change subtitles...eg ctrl-S or some such...that i can use an android remote ..to pipe the commands to mbt..

[mhariush 11]

I haven't used MBT with a remote yet, waiting for all my parts before I can build my HTPC, so just testing out the different media centers on my desktop. Question:

 

Are you guys saying that the skip/stop/play buttons cannot be used with the navigation buttons and select button that pretty much every remote has? You can only skip/play/pause with the actual buttons on the remote? Why is that?

 

If you could press the 'select' or equivalent button to bring up OSD then be able to navigate the skip/stop/play buttons with the navigation buttons on the remote ​and the new audio and subtitle button that would be ideal.

[foghat 65]

Are you guys saying that the skip/stop/play buttons cannot be used with the navigation buttons and select button that pretty much every remote has? You can only skip/play/pause with the actual buttons on the remote? Why is that?

 

If you could press the 'select' or equivalent button to bring up OSD then be able to navigate the skip/stop/play buttons with the navigation buttons on the remote ​and the new audio and subtitle button that would be ideal.

Yes (at least, again, as far as I can tell) and I don't know why that is. I agree with your second point. Would definitely make setting up a remote easier.

 

Maybe an updated player osd/nav is coming with the updated version of MBT. Though I don't think there is any timeframe around it (at least not made public).

[foghat 65]

thanks what i should have asked is .does mbt have a set of keyboard inputs to change subtitles...eg ctrl-S or some such...that i can use an android remote ..to pipe the commands to mbt..

Not 100% certain, but I haven't seen anything.

[Aphid 212]

thanks what i should have asked is .does mbt have a set of keyboard inputs to change subtitles...eg ctrl-S or some such...that i can use an android remote ..to pipe the commands to mbt..

 

You can cycle through subtitle streams with control+F3, although I've just gone and checked this in the source code, and have not tested to see if it is working myself. I'll check when I get a chance this evening. I do not believe we yet have a shortcut for toggling subtitles on or off.

[Aphid 212]

How about this?

 

 

 

These aren't mockups, this is what the current internal version of MBT looks like at the moment.

[Luke 38498]

Yes well done!!!!!