Improve Channel Filtering and Scrolling

[CharlieMurphy 92]

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but how do you all use the guide with a streaming remote in this app? I timed it, it took 60 seconds to scroll 350 channels. I have to be missing something simple bc this would be a non-starter for using with a TV.

[Spaceboy 2573]

1 hour ago, CharlieMurphy said:

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but how do you all use the guide with a streaming remote in this app? I timed it, it took 60 seconds to scroll 350 channels. I have to be missing something simple bc this would be a non-starter for using with a TV.

what device? because i can do 415 in 30s on a shield.

i don't use it - because i find it quicker to navigate there by up/ down (and page up/page down when @Luke implements it). but it should be added. i'd prefer better access to the channel tag filtering like WMC used to do...

[sydlexius 297]

Just now, Spaceboy said:

what device? because i can do 415 in 30s on a shield.

i don't use it - because i find it quicker to navigate there by up/ down (and page up/page down when @Luke implements it). but it should be added. i'd prefer better access to the channel tag filtering like WMC used to do...

Similarly, when I used the MediaBrowser WMC app, The channel up/down buttons functioned as page up/down buttons, which was useful for EPGs that were still large even after filtering.  I realize most set-top box remotes are far simpler and typically lack said buttons, so it wouldn't be realistic to ask for that old approach to be resurrected.

[Spaceboy 2573]

2 minutes ago, sydlexius said:

The channel up/down buttons functioned as page up/down buttons, which was useful for EPGs that were still large even after filtering.  I realize most set-top box remotes are far simpler and typically lack said buttons, so it wouldn't be realistic to ask for that old approach to be resurrected.

its already implemented in the ATV app

[sydlexius 297]

Just now, Spaceboy said:

its already implemented in the ATV app

That's good to know...unfortunately, all of my Harmony hubs have crapped the bed...I'll need to keep an eye out for a replacement, as I hate seeing my Elite sit unused.

[CharlieMurphy 92]

1 hour ago, Spaceboy said:

what device? because i can do 415 in 30s on a shield.

CCwGTV 4k - There's no page-down button that I know of on this device.

Coupled with not having a "previous channel" button, even 30 seconds of scrolling to cover 400 channels makes the guide unusable. I remember using an old giant satellite dish 30 years ago and 30 seconds is like switching sats and looking out the window to see it physically moving. 30 seconds is an eternity to find a channel in the guide and people already complain (here) about the 3-4 seconds it takes to tune a channel.

I noticed Tivimate users don't seem to use the guide much, it seems to be a trend and I can get on board with better methods like groups of channels. I can train my family to use that if such a method exists down the road. But in it's current state this guide would not be usable on an Android TV, with the exception of the Shield that has a page down button.

I don't want to detract from UI transparency and colors though...

EDIT: also worth mentioning, the brand new CCwGTV (HD) has 1.5GB of ram instead of 2GB, as my model has. I think less RAM will make scrolling the guide brutally slow and choppy on these devices.

Edited October 10, 2022 by CharlieMurphy

[CBers 7450]

14 hours ago, CharlieMurphy said:

Sorry to beat a dead horse, but how do you all use the guide with a streaming remote in this app? I timed it, it took 60 seconds to scroll 350 channels. I have to be missing something simple bc this would be a non-starter for using with a TV.

Do you have the Emby for Android TV app installed as well?

Just wondered how that compared?
 

[Spaceboy 2573]

16 hours ago, Spaceboy said:

i'd prefer better access to the channel tag filtering like WMC used to do...

just to clarify what i meant here because i think its the best solution tbh.

in the guide view in WMC you used to be able to press left from what would be the channel name column and a new menu popped out moving the guide over to the right. here you could access the channel tags and by selecting one the guide would be immediately filtered by that tag. select the tag again and the filter is removed. select another tag and that filter is applied. Actually as i recall WMC filtered on program type (sport/news/kids/etc) which is a parameter within the epg but channel tags would work well in this scenario.

i find the current tag menus in both ATV and Android standard to be cumbersome and slow to use. I also find the # function in ATV to be very cumbersome and havent bothered learning my popular channel numbers to take advantage of it. its almost always far quicker for me just to scroll to where i want to be which is somewhat guided by the colour of programs in the EPG - green sport, purple movies etc

[unisoft 352]

18 hours ago, Spaceboy said:

its already implemented in the ATV app

this is definitely one thing from ATV app that needs to go in standard Android app to quickly page up and down using channel up/down and also when viewing a channel to go up or down a channel.

[CharlieMurphy 92]

7 hours ago, CBers said:

Do you have the Emby for Android TV app installed as well?

Just wondered how that compared?
 

ATV version scrolls slower at a set pace, and doesn't accelerate like the Android app. The slower pace of the ATV version is sustainable for the CCwGTV, while the Android version zips through about 25-35 channels and then takes a breather. I'm assuming it's RAM limited and if the device were quick enough I could probably zoom through the guide quickly enough to not need to enter channel numbers. With my phone I can swipe through the guide super fast.

Another feature we need is that the ATV returns to the top of the guide when 'back' button is pressed. ETA makes you scroll.

Edited October 11, 2022 by CharlieMurphy