Secarian
commented
1 year ago You should also take a look at this, it could be a nicer GUI layout for an HTPC: Here's a link where you can see more of it.
Open Secarian opened 1 year ago
Secarian
commented
1 year ago You should also take a look at this, it could be a nicer GUI layout for an HTPC: Here's a link where you can see more of it.
complexlogic
commented
1 year ago Most of these features are outside of the scope of this project. This program is meant to provide a TV-friendly UI to launch external applications. It's not intended to be an all-inclusive media center like Windows Media Center used to be.
First of all, I want to congratulate you on the great work you've done so far on the Big Launcher project.
However, I think there are still some features missing that would make the Big Launcher even more useful. Here are some suggestions:
[ ] Media playback: The application should allow users to organize and play their music and video library. It should support a variety of audio and video formats, including MP3, WMA, AAC, AVI, MP4, MKV and Disc (CD/DVD/BlueRay).
[ ] Live TV: The application should allow users to watch and record live TV. It should also support digital TV tuners, so users can receive digital cable, satellite, and terrestrial TV channels.
[ ] EPG: The application should allow users to view information about current and future TV shows. Users should be able to filter and search for shows by time, genre, or other criteria.
[ ] Digital video recorder (DVR): The application should allow users to record and play TV shows as if they were using a traditional video recorder. It should also offer features such as automatic recording and programmable recording to ensure that users never miss an episode of their favorite show.
[ ] Photo slideshow: The application should allow users to view their photo collection and present it as a slideshow.
[ ] HDMI input signals with live preview: The application should allow users to view and select various HDMI input signals to display on the HTPC screen. The application should also be able to record and play back these HDMI signals.
[ ] Automatic startup: The application should be configurable to start automatically when the computer boots up. There should also be an option to start the application in kiosk mode, which opens the application in full screen mode and automatically returns to the launcher when the application is closed.
[ ] Full screen mode: The application should be configurable to only respond to applications in full screen mode. This will prevent users from accidentally navigating out of the application and performing unwanted actions.
[ ] Error handling: The application should be able to detect errors when running applications and respond accordingly. If an application fails to start correctly, the application should notify the user and offer the option to restart or close the application.
I believe that implementing these features will greatly enhance the usability and functionality of the Big Launcher.
You should definitely watch some videos about the features of the original Windows Media Center, I mean the operating system and not the software. It had some nice tricks, such as recording from S-Video sources and radio and TV broadcasts. These are all features that could be relatively easily replicated nowadays, but back then, they were limited by huge drivers and hardware limitations that simply no longer exist today due to much better hardware, with capture cards being a key example.
Thank you for considering these suggestions.