Next Gen: EPG and MyTV transparency effect is pointless

Keith

In the next gen software there is no mini TV whilst viewing the EPG. The EPG does have a transparency effect, however, it is so subtle/limited as to be pointless as one cannot see or follow the underlying programme picture.

Likewise the MyTV section has a transparency effect but one can see so little as to be pointless.

Either the transparency needs to be more see through (without detracting from the EPG/MyTV material) or it may as well be dropped.

jimb

Good luck with this one.
This is clearly a YouView design decision, where the art has taken priority over function.
("For me though the box is at the end of the day more a tool than art ")

This was one of the first very vocal complaints from some of the TalkTalk triallists - "bring back the mini TV".

Dave Howes2

Hmmmm..... Looking at your various comments, I think I can safely say that if the 'next gen' interface is still in that state when it reaches my box then I'm going to be one very angry customer indeed! With the possible exception of the rewind speed, any of the things you've mentioned will have me hurling the remote across the room within minutes.
The whole thing sounds like it's been designed by some script kiddie who's been overwhelmed by the amount of special effects he can include without thinking about how it's actually used. The result is, we loose a lot of functionality in return for a bucket-load of particularly irritating eye candy.
Can I suggest a large button in the setup menu labelled "Leave everything alone so it still works please".

Joe

It should be noted that the transparency can be turned off in settings.


I'd argue that the transparency isn't pointless, it just serves a different function from posted expectations. It seems to me that the design ethos is intended to keep menus light, so the user feels that they are never too removed from playing content. In this respect the transparency does serve its purpose.


If the design was to enable a true transparency, with the current program being a lot more visable, I think we would have a lot more complaints about difficulty in reading the guide etc


Whether you like it or not, it seems clear that the slight transparency is designed with a different purpose in mind.

Roy

Joe2 said:

It should be noted that the transparency can be turned off in settings.


I'd argue that the transparency isn't pointless, it just serves a different function from posted expectations. It seems to me that the design ethos is intended to keep menus light, so the user feels that they are never too removed from playing content. In this respect the transparency does serve its purpose.


If the design was to enable a true transparency, with the current program being a lot more visable, I think we would have a lot more complaints about difficulty in reading the guide etc


Whether you like it or not, it seems clear that the slight transparency is designed with a different purpose in mind.

Yes; not just to fall, but actually to plummet, between two stools :-(

Dave Howes2

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

Joe

Dave Howes2 said:

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

Yes, I think the removal of the mini tv will be an issue for those that relied on it. The transparency isn't a replacement for it.
Having said that I don't in the slightest find the transparency distracting. In general the guide has been made easier to read as a result of the space saving. I've not felt that these changes have been too superficial or without function. Though those missing the mini tv will disagree. 
I guess its a trade off, making the most of the whole of the Tv screen to better display the guide and make it easier to read.

jim1

Dave Howes2 said:

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

The mini TV was hardly taking up much space. Form over funtion on the new interface.

Joe

Dave Howes2 said:

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

I guess that depends on which function you value? But yes if the mini tv is important to you, then you will see it that way. The biggest beneficiary of the change is the date/day stripe along the top, which has become larger, and easier to view from a distance.

Visionman

Dave Howes2 said:

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

See here -
https://community.youview.com/youview/topics/next-gen-bring-back-the-ability-to-wrap-around-the-epg-...

Dave Howes2

Dave Howes2 said:

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

It was never exactly hard to see anyway :~)
When it comes to wasting space, the new EPG wastes 10% of the screen on a pointless logo and telling you what time it is (not even the date!)
I know I've got a Youview box - it says so on the front.......
We currently have the option to use the mini tv or not. Why take that away?

Visionman

Dave Howes2 said:

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

Do you have it?

Dave Howes2

Dave Howes2 said:

So rather than the mini tv in the corner, where you could actually SEE what was going on, we're lumbered with a choice between a distracting flickery background, or nothing at all...... brilliant.
Like, I suspect, most people, the various menus are simply there to give me clear, concise information and access to where I want to go. They're not a major televisual experience - I want to get away from them as soon as possible!

My neighbour down the road has, he was a tester too, so I've had a good play with it.
I've got an old BT box. My dream is that they change their minds about supporting older boxes and leave us in peace to enjoy watching the telly..... :~)

jimb

At the end of a programme it's very common to have credits, either rolling or stationary, often with white text and a black background.
I think it's also a frequent point when people will hit the Guide button to choose what programme they want to watch next.
So then, thanks to the wonderful transparency feature, you've got one lot of text on top of another.
Nightmare :-(

Daniel

Don't bother me I always turned mini TV off anyway and I have equally turned transparency off. When I load up the EPG I certainly don't have a desire to watch TV at the same time. I have found multitasking difficult since my ms diagnosis anyway. So for me both where pointless but of course others could and do think different.

Roy

Daniel4 said:

Don't bother me I always turned mini TV off anyway and I have equally turned transparency off. When I load up the EPG I certainly don't have a desire to watch TV at the same time. I have found multitasking difficult since my ms diagnosis anyway. So for me both where pointless but of course others could and do think different.

I liked the mini TV, and had no issues with it; indeed I found it advantageous.

But for me, the shadow TV display under the EPG, etc, has no value to me; it's not clear enough to watch, and it's too flickery not to be a distraction from the EPG I am trying to look at.

I guess my brain is fine with compartmentalisation, but not at separating overlays. But then, whose is?

jim1

Joe2 said:

It should be noted that the transparency can be turned off in settings.


I'd argue that the transparency isn't pointless, it just serves a different function from posted expectations. It seems to me that the design ethos is intended to keep menus light, so the user feels that they are never too removed from playing content. In this respect the transparency does serve its purpose.


If the design was to enable a true transparency, with the current program being a lot more visable, I think we would have a lot more complaints about difficulty in reading the guide etc


Whether you like it or not, it seems clear that the slight transparency is designed with a different purpose in mind.

The transparency was incredibly irritating until I found how to turn it off.