Next Up improvements

[jl94x4 14]

I think the Next Up feature is really important to how people watch TV. It helps you keep track of what you have left to watch and what you've already watched before it. However Emby's implementation of Next Up is really poor, but could be improved with a few changes, this would make QOL when using the server a lot better, and a more attractive offering for someone like me who struggles to use the current Next Up feature. I would also like to propose a new section, similar to next up, I've bulleted below what I believe should be added/removed to make it more easier to use.

 

New addition:

 

• A new feature called "recommended" because right now if your Next Up is empty, Emby generates TV Shows to make your Next Up have content, I believe this should be in its own recommended category, which could be removed by the user from the dashboard if required, which would give the Next Up category exclusive access to things users are currently already watching. This would have the same layout on the dashboard as Next Up but under its own section below next up.

Changed to Next Up:

 

• Next Up should have an expiry that can be set by a user in settings or globally by the server admin, after X days of not watching XX show the show automatically is removed from next up, but the watch state in the library doesn't change, so you can go back to that show at any point in the future
• Users should be able to 'add' programs to next up, as a kind of bookmark for what they may want to watch, this means they get easy access to the show from Season 1 Episode 1.
• Users should be able to manually remove TV Shows from next up, and if possible exclude shows permanently if required.
• Already watched shows (for example, if you have a TV Show with 5 seasons and you have watched all 5 but like to binge watch them occasionally, they shouldn't appear in next up. (possibly give an option for this in settings)
• Next Up should automatically go to the next episode once clicked, If you are on Episode 6 and you log off for the day and return tomorrow, clicking the program on the Next Up should automatically go to the play page for Episode 6.

I believe this would be a major improvement to the quality of life and ease of access for Emby, and I believe these changes are required for this feature to be truly appreciated.

 

I am interested in hearing other feedback regarding this, and if devs of Emby need more explanations regarding anything I've wrote above please do not hesitate to ask.

 

Thank you.

Edited July 27, 2019 by jl94x4

[Luke 37094]

 

 

Already watched shows (for example, if you have a TV Show with 5 seasons and you have watched all 5 but like to binge watch them occasionally, they shouldn't appear in next up. (possibly give an option for this in settings)

 

Hi, they should not be. Are you saying that you're seeing this?

 

 

 

Users should be able to manually remove TV Shows from next up, and if possible exclude shows permanently if required.

Yes I agree it's a good idea. There's an open feature request for this already.

[crusher11 854]

Hi, they should not be. Are you saying that you're seeing this?

I think he's saying that if he's already watched the entirety of a show, then he goes back and starts watching it again, it reappears in Next Up. Why he thinks this is a bad thing, however, is beyond me.

[ginjaninja 537]

New addition:

 

• A new feature called "recommended" because right now if your Next Up is empty, Emby generates TV Shows to make your Next Up have content, I believe this should be in its own recommended category, which could be removed by the user from the dashboard if required, which would give the Next Up category exclusive access to things users are currently already watching. This would have the same layout on the dashboard as Next Up but under its own section below next up.

Changed to Next Up:

 

• Next Up should have an expiry that can be set by a user in settings or globally by the server admin, after X days of not watching XX show the show automatically is removed from next up, but the watch state in the library doesn't change, so you can go back to that show at any point in the future
• Users should be able to 'add' programs to next up, as a kind of bookmark for what they may want to watch, this means they get easy access to the show from Season 1 Episode 1.
• Users should be able to manually remove TV Shows from next up, and if possible exclude shows permanently if required.
• Already watched shows (for example, if you have a TV Show with 5 seasons and you have watched all 5 but like to binge watch them occasionally, they shouldn't appear in next up. (possibly give an option for this in settings)
• Next Up should automatically go to the next episode once clicked, If you are on Episode 6 and you log off for the day and return tomorrow, clicking the program on the Next Up should automatically go to the play page for Episode 6.

 

I am sceptical abut recommendations on home page as standard without an option to remove..i do not think recommendations are high enough value to warrant precious home page screen real estate. still options are a good thing imo.

 

***

Adding content to next up....I like the idea of pinning content which i know i will want to get to next. Creating a playlist called "bookmarks" probably fits better imo than 'muddying' next up. Especially if a playlist's content could be added to the home screen. (adding options for choosing what content shows on the home screen seems a broad universal improvement - personally i would love to add "recently watched" to home screen.). smart playlists + home screen content choices is sounding more and more epic.

 

I see the value in next up having an expiry - if an element (episode?) of content (show?) has not been played in x days remove.

 

I too have some cases, when i do not want played content to clutter the home page...eg. replaying a music video, reviewing a movie..both as a 1 off and permanently.

I see value in marking some content  as not eligible for muddying "next up/continue watching" - think they are the same thing in terms of user value/ui.

 

 

***

BY default, if an already watched show is re-watched then it should be eligible for "next up". But how would emby decide which episode to show?

It perhaps needs to be based on last watched date/times for each episode and ongoing playback positions. In order of priority

• If there is are episode(s) in mid play, show the latest episode in the show, and on playback ask the user if previous mid playback positions should be removed.
• If there are unwatched episodes in the show, show the next unwatched episode (regardless of any other last watched values)
• If all episodes are watched in the show, show the next episode after the most recently watched

[specials which do not form part of the standard broadcast sequence [play before/play after tags], should not muddy next up...unless they are mid play]

 

i think if there is a manual tag against content to make it ineligible for 'next up'?. if such content were played...

For tv content emby could ask, "is it time to remove the tag from this episode or all episodes in show" on playback on such tagged content.

Whilst  other content, the user would have initiate tag removal manually (because it would get annoying to keep being asked).

 

 

***

 

if so much logic is being injected into the home screen and next up calculations,, then it may require precooked views/values which are refreshed and stored in the background, so clients can display the most recent view quickly without a long winded database search, as responsiveness is king.

[ebr 14921]

• Next Up should automatically go to the next episode once clicked, If you are on Episode 6 and you log off for the day and return tomorrow, clicking the program on the Next Up should automatically go to the play page for Episode 6.

 

Can you please explain this further because that's exactly what happens now...

 

I think most of your other requests are covered by: Forget a series in Next Up

[Luke 37094]

Specials in continue watching/next up will be supported in Emby Server 4.6.

[ginjaninja 537]

On 27/07/2019 at 12:21, ginjaninja said:

 

I am sceptical abut recommendations on home page as standard without an option to remove..i do not think recommendations are high enough value to warrant precious home page screen real estate. still options are a good thing imo.

 

***

Adding content to next up....I like the idea of pinning content which i know i will want to get to next. Creating a playlist called "bookmarks" probably fits better imo than 'muddying' next up. Especially if a playlist's content could be added to the home screen. (adding options for choosing what content shows on the home screen seems a broad universal improvement - personally i would love to add "recently watched" to home screen.). smart playlists + home screen content choices is sounding more and more epic.

 

I see the value in next up having an expiry - if an element (episode?) of content (show?) has not been played in x days remove.

 

I too have some cases, when i do not want played content to clutter the home page...eg. replaying a music video, reviewing a movie..both as a 1 off and permanently.

I see value in marking some content  as not eligible for muddying "next up/continue watching" - think they are the same thing in terms of user value/ui.

 

 

***

BY default, if an already watched show is re-watched then it should be eligible for "next up". But how would emby decide which episode to show?

It perhaps needs to be based on last watched date/times for each episode and ongoing playback positions. In order of priority

• If there is are episode(s) in mid play, show the latest episode in the show, and on playback ask the user if previous mid playback positions should be removed.
• If there are unwatched episodes in the show, show the next unwatched episode (regardless of any other last watched values)
• If all episodes are watched in the show, show the next episode after the most recently watched

[specials which do not form part of the standard broadcast sequence [play before/play after tags], should not muddy next up...unless they are mid play]

 

i think if there is a manual tag against content to make it ineligible for 'next up'?. if such content were played...

For tv content emby could ask, "is it time to remove the tag from this episode or all episodes in show" on playback on such tagged content.

Whilst  other content, the user would have initiate tag removal manually (because it would get annoying to keep being asked).

 

 

***

 

if so much logic is being injected into the home screen and next up calculations,, then it may require precooked views/values which are refreshed and stored in the background, so clients can display the most recent view quickly without a long winded database search, as responsiveness is king.

its embarrassing to look at old posts, there is a minefield of considerations. 

i particularly chortled at,

On 27/07/2019 at 12:21, ginjaninja said:

"next up/continue watching" - think they are the same thing in terms of user value/ui

given the present heated discussion in beta.

[joetoml1n 4]

• Next Up should have an expiry that can be set by a user in settings or globally by the server admin, after X days of not watching XX show the show automatically is removed from next up, but the watch state in the library doesn't change, so you can go back to that show at any point in the future

This would be a great Quality of Life improvement for me (and I'm sure many others). Are there any plans or possibility to implement such a thing?

[Luke 37094]

On 8/30/2021 at 11:55 AM, joetoml1n said:

• Next Up should have an expiry that can be set by a user in settings or globally by the server admin, after X days of not watching XX show the show automatically is removed from next up, but the watch state in the library doesn't change, so you can go back to that show at any point in the future

This would be a great Quality of Life improvement for me (and I'm sure many others). Are there any plans or possibility to implement such a thing?

Hi, yes this idea has come up before and is possible for the future. thanks.