[mythtv-users] TiVo-like program guide

Jay Mallar surfing at jaymallar.com
Wed Jul 11 14:39:20 UTC 2007


> On 07/10/2007 02:48 PM, Mike LaPlante wrote:
>   
>> Jay Mallar wrote:
>>   
>>     
>>> One of the outright *best* things about my TiVo is the program guide. 
>>>
>>> The TiVo guide is more vertical and has two panes.  On the left pane 
>>> you get a list of about 10 channels and what is currently playing on 
>>> each channel.  When a channel is selected in this pane the right hand 
>>> pane displays the schedule  over the next several hours on that 
>>> channel.  When you are in the right hand pane up/down move 
>>> forward/backward in time on that channel.  When you are in the left 
>>> hand pane, up/down move between channels.  As you move between 
>>> channels, the right pane updates to reflect upcoming programming on 
>>> that channel.
>>>
>>> Here's an example: http://www.pvrcompare.com/SATivo2TivoChannelGuide.jpg   
>>>       
> Looks to me like that assumes that the user is more interested in
> watching a particular channel than in watching a particular show.  It
> puts the emphasis on channel--not on content.  Probably perfect for
> selling the idea to networks, but, IMHO, not at all user-friendly.  (My
> opinion does presume that a user wants to watch /shows/ and doesn't
> really care on what channel they appear.)
>   
That's entirely true.  I have several channels that I just scan through 
when I'm looking for something to watch.   Discovery Channel, HBO...  
sometimes I'm not looking for something in particular, but I know I 
watch a lot of what those channels put out, and often like to see what's 
coming up that I might be interested in recording. 

I disagree it's not user-friendly, it's just different from what you're 
used to.  Usually when I want to watch a particular show, I know when 
and where it is, and don't need to look it up in a guide to find it. 

I can  jump the guide very quickly just by typing in a channel number 
and the guide automatically scrolls to that channel.  It also obeys 
favorite channel settings, so it only shows those channels that I 
watch.  Thus, I can scan the entire network programming guide for all 
four local networks for the next seven to ten hours in just four 
clicks.  Horizontally, you'd have to select a channel, hit right to get 
the next few hours (I'm assuming your fonts aren't ant sized and you 
can't see seven to ten hours on a single line), and then repeat for each 
of the four channels.

After using my TiVo for the last several years, I've refused several new 
upgraded machines because they use the horizontal guide.  
>>> It's *by far* the most efficient program guide I've ever seen.
>>>       
> Is there any way to duplicate TiVo's guide style in MythTV?Nope.  You'd have to code it yourself.
>   
I just might try that.  I know a little bit of QT programming...  And 
from what I can tell, most of the guide stuff is isolated into a single 
source file.

-- 
-Jay

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