Jump to content

Consistent design and feature parity across all platforms


MBSki

Recommended Posts

Not just sizes. There have been attempts to have themes for Theater, for example, but they died a death. In the web, you can use css to change stuff, so I get rid of a lot of posters and make backdrops brighter, cos backdrops is what I like to see. I'd like to get rid of posters in Theater to see more backdrop but thats not possible (even though ironically that would have the effect of making things look the same again).

 

I like horizontal pretty much everywhere, even if it might be not all that logical (grid view used to scroll horizontally),  but its been pretty much killed in Theater and recently killed in Android TV.

 

TV mode still has the horizontal home screen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

groenator

Can the My Media be changed to a drop-down menu with a list of all the libraries? I like most of Emby's features and design, but one thing I dislike about it is the big My Media buttons that you have to scroll from left to right. I know that My Media comes in a small list too, it would be best if the small list will not be in the middle of the screen.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

Can the My Media be changed to a drop-down menu with a list of all the libraries? I like most of Emby's features and design, but one thing I dislike about it is the big My Media buttons that you have to scroll from left to right. I know that My Media comes in a small list too, it would be best if the small list will not be in the middle of the screen.

Agreed. That's one of my main gripes about navigation. On several platforms your only option is to put the libraries on the home page, and they're in different orders depending on which platform is used. I prefer a left hand fly out menu that I can customize (like the Emby competitor). If I had the fly out I wouldn't show it on the home screen. I do like how Android TV does the small libraries, but that approach can't be replicated on every platform. The fly out can be used everywhere and it could still use libraries on the home page for those who prefer them on the home page.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

groenator

Agreed. That's one of my main gripes about navigation. On several platforms your only option is to put the libraries on the home page, and they're in different orders depending on which platform is used. I prefer a left hand fly out menu that I can customize (like the Emby competitor). If I had the fly out I wouldn't show it on the home screen. I do like how Android TV does the small libraries, but that approach can't be replicated on every platform. The fly out can be used everywhere and it could still use libraries on the home page for those who prefer them on the home page.

Totally agree with you! Having a left-side menu with all the libraries will look different and make the navigation much easier. It is understandable that Emby doesn't want to copy any design ideas from its competitor(s) but I am guessing there is always a solution on how to do it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

and they're in different orders depending on which platform is used.

What makes you think this? They all go by your user ordering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

What makes you think this? They all go by your user ordering.

 

Yea, but the number of rows, orientation, and how the scrolling works messes up the order. Here are pics of all the platforms I use, and they're all different. Web and Xbox One are close, but changes based on window size. Android TV (my preferred) and Xbox One are completely different because Xbox One doesn't scroll horizontally. Plus, I really don't need to see all my libraries all the time. Take a look at how Plex does it. This is exactly the same on every platform.

post-290994-0-59615300-1584468783_thumb.jpg

post-290994-0-54064100-1584468787_thumb.jpg

post-290994-0-78901400-1584468792_thumb.jpg

post-290994-0-92453400-1584468796_thumb.jpg

post-290994-0-86540700-1584469014_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

crusher11

I have 17 libraries which takes up almost my entire TV screen to list, so an alternative would be great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have 17 libraries which takes up almost my entire TV screen to list, so an alternative would be great.

 

But they scroll  horizontally, right? What app are you using?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

But they scroll  horizontally, right? What app are you using?

 

They only scroll horizontally on Android TV. None of the others do. 

 

A configurable solution would be best for the libraries. What's your opinion of the Plex screen shot that I sent? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They only scroll horizontally on Android TV. None of the others do. 

 

A configurable solution would be best for the libraries. What's your opinion of the Plex screen shot that I sent? 

 

With the default card layouts they all scroll horizontally, except with a mouse in desktop layouts of the web app.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

With the default card layouts they all scroll horizontally, except with a mouse in desktop layouts of the web app.

 

Not sure what you mean Luke, but Xbox One doesn't scroll horizontally for me. Not the small icons at least.

 

Regardless, there is a better way to do the navigation. Plex's option works really well. Not saying you should adopt that exactly, but something better than what we have now would be good. Are you against left side nav fly outs?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

I was referring to the default cards, not the small buttons.

 

Well we're not using those, we're using the small icons. The big default cards are even worse. 

 

Like I said, we need a solution that's better than the current navigation. Do you have an issue with the fly out nav?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

Added #16 - Parental Rating, Audio/Video Codecs, and Subtitles Icons: Android TV - Shows the icons in enhanced home page for continue watching and next up, on details page, and in series lists (in beta); Web App, Android Mobile, & Xbox One - No icons.

 

This has been implemented in the beta for Android TV.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I removed the poll from this topic because that is not how we track any other feature requests and I believe it was adding confusion.

 

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gilgamesh_48

I know I am late to the party on this BUT trying to produce a consistent interface means dumbing down all the interfaces on all the clients to the sum of the lowest of the lot so you end up with an interface that is a combination of all the weakest parts of all the interfaces. The latest Roku beta points out just how much of a mistake trying to make all the interfaces the same is.

 

I think it would be better to start out with some very general guidelines and then design the best interface possible on each device. There is a large choice in client devices and it would be best to allow each to shine as best it can. Making all the interfaces the same is removing choices for the end user.

 

It was/is bad design when Plex tried to do it and it appears that Emby is trying to drop their quality down to approach Plex.

 

The attempt is a good move if Emby wants to become Plex instead of being better than Plex.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

There is a large choice in client devices and it would be best to allow each to shine as best it can.

We do, we always strive to take advantage of platform specific features such as what we're doing with android auto, siri, etc. But in terms of simple things such as the way things look, it's to everyone's benefit to design the apps as consistently as possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Gilgamesh_48

We do, we always strive to take advantage of platform specific features such as what we're doing with android auto, siri, etc. But in terms of simple things such as the way things look, it's to everyone's benefit to design the apps as consistently as possible.

I agree but the latest Roku beta does not follow this idea. Features have been removed or limited so the Roku will conform with the lesser devices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

I removed the poll from this topic because that is not how we track any other feature requests and I believe it was adding confusion.

 

Thanks.

How the heck was it adding confusion? We gathered some valuable feedback and it gave you actual numbers about how many users preferred one option or the other. I can't believe you removed the poll! That was really inappropriate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In all honesty this doesn't need to be a feature request, other than perhaps features that are outright missing. But for other types of inconsistencies where things are done differently, it would be easier for everyone involved if you would just create one separate topic for each issue.  This way it will keep all relevant discussion in one place without being mixed in with other discussions. Sometimes we need to ask questions or get clarification what you're saying. Those details will be harder to see now in a mashup thread such as this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Happy2Play

If it were just a poll then all comment would need to be disabled as the majority of the cross talk is irrelevant to a poll.  Personally I can not and would not want to see 100% consistency across all platforms.  There are usually reason why one app/client can do something the other can not.  But that is just my 2 cents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How the heck was it adding confusion? We gathered some valuable feedback and it gave you actual numbers about how many users preferred one option or the other. I can't believe you removed the poll! That was really inappropriate.

 

I'm sorry but we don't track any other feature requests with polls so having that there was confusion on how someone was supposed to support feature requests in general and I explained in another topic why using polls wasn't a very efficient way for us to do that.  Notice that only one person has "liked" the first post.  That is primarily how we track interest in feature requests but there were two ways to voice your opinion on this one so users didn't know that's what they should do.

 

But, as Luke pointed out, this isn't really a feature request.  It is a very general question that doesn't have an easy yes or no answer.  There is lots of interesting feedback in the topic itself though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MBSki

@@ebr There were 30-40 people that responded to the poll, so who cares how many people liked the first post. Removing the poll that I put up seems a lot like censoring to me. The vast majority of folks favor a consistent design with some exceptions. You wouldn't have known that without the poll.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

TeamB

Notice that only one person has "liked" the first post.  That is primarily how we track interest in feature requests

I did not know that...

 

but there were two ways to voice your opinion on this one so users didn't know that's what they should do.

Are you sure users know what to do?

Edited by TeamB
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...