Gripe about playing a TV show 'Latest TV Shows'

[vaise 304]

It may be a silly small thing, but when you are eager to watch something this design issue is a right pain - I would do this maybe 3 times a day by mistake.

 

So issue is :

 

You go to latest TV shows line, click on any episode, and just for between 1 and 2 seconds, the default button is 'Play All', then it changes to 'Play Next Up'.

If in those 1-2 seconds, you click OK, you start playing the very first show from season 1.

 

I believe this should be changed to default to 'play next up' - as if you have never played them before, then the next up will be S01E01 anyway.

 

The kids and wife always complain to me about this, and it is 9:30 am and I have done it twice so far.

 

Gripe over!

[speechles 1917]

I think that occurs because the logic to place the buttons, calls a task as it places the buttons. That task checks on if nextup should exist or not. And if it should, it gets place 1, otherwise place 1 is still where it was before the task.

 

You instead want an always present "play next up" button, and if the episode has no next up, assume s01e01 as the next up episode. That seems reasonable to me, but it must fit the design of all other clients. This is where I can't make the decision. I can only vote my support for it.

[jfgilliam 26]

i've experienced this also.

[ebr 14905]

We can adjust this but it isn't valid to assume the first episode is Next Up if Next Up returns nothing.  In that case, there is no Next Up (perhaps you've watched them all).

[vaise 304]

a hardcoded 'play next up' button as the first default, with a play all next to it would cover this. 

[Happy2Play 8252]

I would have to disagree.  What will be the function of the button if you have no next up? If no next up and users then complain the button doesn't work.

 

This play next up button must be a response issue for some systems as there is no delay in it appearing on my system.

[vaise 304]

@happytoplay - on your roku, you dont see a delay ?

Click on a any new TV show, then how long before the button changes form 'Play All' to 'Play Next Up'.

Do you see it change ?

[Happy2Play 8252]

Okay maybe a second for the next up to actually populate on the screen.  

 

I can't produce the scenario described above, as I get a pop up message saying unable to determine item to play.  I assume because of the transition to the play next up button appearing. 

 

Or maybe I just can't hit the button fast enough.   

[vaise 304]

that delay (even a second), causes the very first show to play - as the button defaults to 'Play All' - so starts at S01E01 of the TV Series.

 

As I said - it is a gripe only, all in my family have complained they accidentally do that often, as they click on the 'latest Show', then immediately click ok to start it - but that that point, it is not the latest show, but the very first.

 

Its only when I did it twice in an hour myself that caused me to post on it.  Just too eager to wait those 2 seconds........

 

The way we watch TV, the 'play all' button should not be a focus when you are in the 'Latest TV Shows' strip on the Roku. 

If I wanted to 'play all' of a TV series, I would be browsing the TV series themselves.

[speechles 1917]

It's because of how the button appears once you can select it. The alternative is have the button start dimmed. The Next Up is always there. Just dimmed and unfocusable when not available, and lighted up and focusable if it is. The caveat is now, your focus indicator will start at play all, since Next Up starts initially dimmed. Now you will need to train yourself to push left once, then play once the Next Up becomes focusable. The way it does it now, is the exact same thing, except it negates the having to press left once. You would still have the problem you are having where if Next Up isnt populated yet. The button presses should be discarded all except back, allow the user to go back if they need to, but not anything else until the next up button is decided to be there or not. Thats the best way to solve it. Then when the next up task finishes it produces the button or doesn't and then can accept button presses other than back afterwards. It would work by keeping people from just pounding buttons before it is ready for them to.

Edited October 16, 2018 by speechles

[vaise 304]

Thanks Speechless.

Last thing I want it to have to press another button instead of an OK.

 

I see it as a design fault as it is i.e :

 

I am on the line that says 'Latest TV Shows', If I click on one, I should be able to play the 'latest TV Show', as thaty I why I am on that line to start with.

 

Lets ignore it for now as it seems too hard, or its only me and one other person seemingly affected.

 

I will just clean up all my next up's so I can fit more of them on there instead - next up works as it should.

[speechles 1917]

Nah, it doesn't get ignored. I can add it to the issue tracker and point back at this thread. If it affects you, for every voice that shouts an issue, there is an exponential number of similar voices that don't visit this forum and suffer silently. They just consider the short coming as something they can live with, and don't want to trouble us to address it just for them. Some people don't want to cause trouble and are happy with the status quo. You must assume if you have the issue and are vocal, others must be having the same issue on the same exact roku model you use.

 

It is the underpowered units that produce more lag on the device. This lag causes the threads to run slower as they struggle just to keep up the with renderer now that is used. It has to render backgrounds, rotating through them, dimming backgrounds, all these fancy fonts. It's pretty demanding just to render. Now add in the fact, the logic has to make http queries to your emby server, in its own task threads, for several things at once. The roku struggles a bit. This struggling is where we can tailor the app to work better on these devices. By having the logic discard button presses other than back, when visiting screens that make use of the next up button. People with fast devices will never know we did a thing. It is the people, like you, with slower devices that will enjoy the change.

 

So don't think of it like you have to live with it. I will put it on the tracker and give it eyes. We are slowly but surely chewing through issues. Right now there are over 2 dozen issues plus. This is where I spend most of my time is trying to make that list smaller every day. So bear with us and know we do "get it". Know at least that I do. Completely. It is just a big plate before me, and right now I am starting to get up to speed where I feel comfortable.

 

@@ebr another one for the bone pile. I mean issue tracker.

Edited October 16, 2018 by speechles

[vaise 304]

Cheers Speechles

[jfgilliam 26]

+1. The default should always be what the majority of the users will want to do on any screen. "Play All" is good for music or pictures, but not for shows. I would say the majority are going in there to play the next up.

[ebr 14905]

What happens if you hit the "Play" button on your remote when on that latest series item on the home screen instead of entering the series?

[vaise 304]

What happens if you hit the "Play" button on your remote when on that latest series item on the home screen instead of entering the series?

 

Well...... That's a bonus.  It does exactly what I want, and with one less button click.

It is very hard to train my thumb to use that button however - I don't think it has ever been pushed on my roku's.

I will keep trying to train it.