[mythtv-users] RANT: MythTV has a *horrible* end user experience.

[David Brodbeck]

On Feb 25, 2008, at 4:55 AM, Peter Schachte wrote:

> Greg Estabrooks wrote:
>>> Any controls that require pushing number keys on the remote for  
>>> operations
>>> should not be allowed.  There's no reason all menus shouldn't be  
>>> operable
>>
>> I'm unaware of any that require you to push a number key, except  
>> for arbitrary FFW or REW. (like 5 FFW to ffw by 5 minutes).
>
> Perhaps the OP was thinking of things like ripping DVDs (press 0 to  
> start the
> rip, 9 to cancel) and MythMusic (press 3 to edit the playlist, etc.).

The problem here is the plugins often don't follow user interface  
conventions established in the main Myth interface.

IMHO MythMusic ought to use the O key to pop up an overlay menu for  
these items, like the internal player does.  It would be OK to keep  
the number keys as shortcuts but there should be a more conventional  
way to do things.  Many of the internal player's array of key bindings  
actually are shortcuts to items that are in the O menu, which is  
useful to know if you have a remote without very many buttons.  Things  
like commercial auto-skip and time stretch can be toggled from the menu.

Another problem with the plugins is inconsistent font sizes.  When  
MythMusic *does* pop up a menu the buttons are usually too small to  
read on my TV.

I know the next response will be "write a patch" but UI programming in  
X windows is a bit of a black art, and one that I don't really know.