Thoughts on a change to Quick Tune

[Sirshagg]

The new quicktune feature is neat but it got me thinking... why limit it to just changing channels?

What if we were able to put a quick link to any (ok, almost any since some might not make sense) menu item in each cell?
A sample screen could like this this (Sorry my Photoshop Gimp skills are not that great)

Something like this could be a way to bring easier access to menu options that individual users feel are too deep in the normal menu structure for everyday use.



http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/6162/79185174us2.png

When selcted each of these options would behave exactly like they were selected from the menu itself.


When in a menu there would be some button (lets say green for now) which would bring up the Quick_____ menu where you could decide what cell to assign this function to.

Thoughts?



Note: DirecTV is already using this type of link thing here:
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/3088/015ct7.jpg

[say-what]

I think that would greatly complicate the programming for something that was meant to be a simple way to tune a select group of channels.

[Stuart Sweet]

I could see this as a power user sort of thing, but I think it would confuse the average user.

[davring]

I think the idea has some merit, although I agree with say-what in that it cannot become too complicated for everyday use. It could be a quick link to any feature you assign it to. It could surely save many steps.

[mikeny]

I think the idea has some merit, although I agree with say-what in that it cannot become too complicated for everyday use. It could be a quick link to any feature you assign it to. It could surely save many steps.
I like the idea. Going with it, what if pressing menu twice brought up a "quick tune" chart of menu type of commands. This way you can keep the current quick tunes for channel tuning.

[BattleScott]

I asked for the similar functionality using the colored butons a long way back:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=116032&highlight=Programmable

This is still something I think is very do-able and would be a great feature as it would allow the user to 'customize' the operations to better suit their viewing habits.

[webby_s]

Good concept but I think as Mr. Sweet says it could confuse the average user. Remember we have to have these things dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.

I would like this but know that it wouldn't be used often by some of my friends.

[mikeny]

Good concept but I think as Mr. Sweet says it could confuse the average user. Remember we have to have these things dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.

I would like this but know that it wouldn't be used often by some of my friends.True. Ideally it could be enabled in Miscellaneous Options: "Menu Quick Tune Enable".

[BattleScott]

Good concept but I think as Mr. Sweet says it could confuse the average user. Remember we have to have these things dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.

I would like this but know that it wouldn't be used often by some of my friends.

So by this rationality, all network functionality, manual recording capabilities and many of the 'unspeakable CE things' should all be eliminated as they are much too complex for the simplest of users.
Most any user capable of grasping the "Quick Tune" concept in it's current form would be able to grasp a "Quick Link" concept.

[Sirshagg]

As for the ease of use aspect - I'm sure my mom would never be able to set it up (but then the current QuickTune is probably over her head too) but I know with certainty she would absolutely LOVE it if I set it up for her.

[RunnerFL]

Definitely way too complicated for "QuickTune".

What if however something new was setup? Say for instance you hit the down arrow and a "shortcuts" menu pops up.

[Sirshagg]

What if however something new was setup? Say for instance you hit the down arrow and a "shortcuts" menu pops up.


That would work for me too.

[Steve]

I think it's a great idea, but I don't see this as a replacement for Quicktune.

I see it as a user-configurable menu shortcut panel similar to Quicktune's. /steve

[dennisj00]

I would certainly use it more than I currently use quicktune. While I like the feature, I just rarely use it.

[CorpITGuy]

Good idea. It's not too complicated. DVRs in general are complicated, however. TiVO is the only company that has (so far) managed to make a user-friendly DVR that still has the super-advanced features (IMO).

I use the QuickTune feature constantly. I'd use it more often if your concept were put into play.

[Steve]

We already have the request shown below on the current Wish List (http://wishlistsurvey.com). It's essentially a clone of the same shortcut method that's been available on TiVo's since 1999.

"2-click" access to the following features: "Menu-1"=CC TOGGLE, "Menu-2"=TODO LIST, "Menu-3"=CYCLE FAVORITES, "Menu-4"=PRIORITIZER, "Menu-5"=HISTORY, "Menu-6"=MANUAL RECORD, "Menu-7"=TITLE SEARCH, "Menu-8"=KEYWORD SEARCH, "Menu-9"=SAVED SEARCHES and "Menu-0"=SETUP.

Per Sirshagg's idea, what if 9 of these functions were available on a "QUICKTUNE" type panel? We could probably do away with #1, since we can pretty easily get to CC's with the YELLOW button now.

Just a thought. /steve

[spartanstew]

Note: DirecTV is already using this type of link thing here:
http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/3088/015ct7.jpg

I never knew that was a link.

[Sirshagg]

I never knew that was a link.

Learn something new every day...

On a side note - wouldn't it be cool if all the actors / director were links to a search for that actor / director?

[dgobe]

I think if this had any chance of being implemented it would be as a separate "down arrow" menu instead of modifying the QuickTune feature. It is an excellent idea. It's probably better that way anyway...the people that use Quicktune wouldn't have some of their 9 grid slots usurped by other functions. The people that think it's too hard to use don't have to!! Haha

I'll just mention here, since this thread is an offshoot to the wishlist thread where SirShagg came up with his idea....

When you hit the List button on the remote it should bring up four tabs. My Playlist, To Do List, Prioritizer, and Top Movies. You can switch tabs by hitting the green button. It's currently implemented like this with the To Do List and Prioritizer tabs missing. I think that's a great and intuitive way to get to these lists and should be relatively easy to implement programmatically. It also doesn't break any existing functionality. It's currently SIX button presses to get to the To Do List!

The 2-click menus that have been suggested are hard to remember and changes existing functionality because, currently, hitting a number while in the menu initiates a channel change.

[jdspencer]

Try this on for size.
I like the thought of having a Quick Tune type screen where you can put your favorite menu shortcuts. Since the UP arrow brings up Quick Tune, why not have the Down arrow bring up a Quick Menu?

[Steve]

Try this on for size.
I like the thought of having a Quick Tune type screen where you can put your favorite menu shortcuts. Since the UP arrow brings up Quick Tune, why not have the Down arrow bring up a Quick Menu?Works for me, unless they're reserving DOWN for some "unannounced" feature that is still on the drawing board??? :) /steve

[rudeney]

We already have the request shown below on the current Wish List (http://wishlistsurvey.com). It's essentially a clone of the same shortcut method that's been available on TiVo's since 1999.

"2-click" access to the following features: "Menu-1"=CC TOGGLE, "Menu-2"=TODO LIST, "Menu-3"=CYCLE FAVORITES, "Menu-4"=PRIORITIZER, "Menu-5"=HISTORY, "Menu-6"=MANUAL RECORD, "Menu-7"=TITLE SEARCH, "Menu-8"=KEYWORD SEARCH, "Menu-9"=SAVED SEARCHES and "Menu-0"=SETUP.

Per Sirshagg's idea, what if 9 of these functions were available on a "QUICKTUNE" type panel? We could probably do away with #1, since we can pretty easily get to CC's with the YELLOW button now.

Just a thought. /steve

I'd like to have static numbers assigned to the menu options so, for example, pressing Menu-8-3-3 would get me into "Network Setup". This way, I could program a macro on my remote to get to specific functions. If the programmers wanted to get fancy, they could then allow a programmable "Quick Link" screen using these access numbers to get to various menu options.

[bakers12]

I think that this gets tricky when you need to decide how to get items into the mini-menu. There would need to be code added to several menus/options to allow them to be added to the mini-menu.

The method should also be standardized across the GUI. Maybe a Yellow button option?

[armophob]

Did somebody say TO-DO list? I thought I just heard TO-DO mentioned.

[paulman182]

I think that this gets tricky when you need to decide how to get items into the mini-menu. There would need to be code added to several menus/options to allow them to be added to the mini-menu.



I like the idea a lot but agree with the above...it would require much thought as to how to add non-channel items.

[David MacLeod]

its simple, it presently works, don't break it.
to be honest I don't use it much since my remote has it also, but wife uses it and likes it. so it passes the average user test here.

[jfm]

Did somebody say TO-DO list? I thought I just heard TO-DO mentioned.

Yeah, I think so. And I think most users would put TO-DO in the center square...

And thank-you, thank-you, thank-you Sirshagg and SpartanStew for pointing out the link to the Prioritizer. This will save me many keystrokes when setting a new SL. The obvious is sometimes so hard for me.

[rudeney]

I think that this gets tricky when you need to decide how to get items into the mini-menu. There would need to be code added to several menus/options to allow them to be added to the mini-menu.

See my post above yours - if they would number the menu options, then that could be used as the ID for the entry into the mini-menu.

[bakers12]

My point is not about how to access the menu, but rather how to populate it.

Your idea is very different than the OP's if I understand you correctly.

[Sirshagg]

My point is not about how to access the menu, but rather how to populate it.

Your idea is very different than the OP's if I understand you correctly.

My original thought was to just combine it with Quick Tune but most people seem to think it would be better separated completely which is fine by me too.

Either way there would need to be a method of adding a menu option to the Quick Menu. I would think the easiest way to do this would be to navigate to the menu option and with it highlighted press a special button such as green (for obvious reasons pressing the up arrow like when watching live tv would not work) From there it could work just like adding a channel to quick tune.

[rudeney]

My point is not about how to access the menu, but rather how to populate it.

Your idea is very different than the OP's if I understand you correctly.

My idea solves two problems. First of all, giving each menu option a unique number sequence lets me program macros buttons into y remote for specific, discrete functions (like quick access to the To-Do list, for example). Also, having a unique number to "direct dial" to each menu option then makes it easy to assign it to a "quick menu" option.

[bakers12]

My original thought was to just combine it with Quick Tune but most people seem to think it would be better separated completely which is fine by me too.

Either way there would need to be a method of adding a menu option to the Quick Menu. I would think the easiest way to do this would be to navigate to the menu option and with it highlighted press a special button such as green (for obvious reasons pressing the up arrow like when watching live tv would not work) From there it could work just like adding a channel to quick tune.
I understand what you're thinking. Where you suggested using the green button, I said yellow. The thing is that every menu option that could have a "Quick Link" pointing to it now has to be coded to recognize the green/yellow button.

[bakers12]

My idea solves two problems. First of all, giving each menu option a unique number sequence lets me program macros buttons into y remote for specific, discrete functions (like quick access to the To-Do list, for example). Also, having a unique number to "direct dial" to each menu option then makes it easy to assign it to a "quick menu" option.
True, your method does not require populating a menu, either. You're offering an alternative to the OP's.

[dgobe]

Did somebody say TO-DO list? I thought I just heard TO-DO mentioned.

Yes someone did!

Why they continue to torture their customers is beyond me ;)

Make the List button cycle through My Playlist, To Do and Prioritzer already. How hard could it be?

[Syzygy]

I've been away from dbstalk for a while... I've been researching HDMI receivers, Kuro TVs and online dealers at (you know where).

This "Quick Menu" is a great idea. Accessing it through the down arrow seems good, too. Assigning a digit sequence to every possible menu target might be doable, as long as no one expects individual searches to be accessible that way; I like that idea as well.

Given the existence of Boolean keyword searches, it seems nothing is too complicated for this DVR. I'd set it up; others would use it.

[TomCat]

Really, "Quick Tune" is just another menu, except laid out a little differently. Any of the colored button menus could also be laid out in that manner it they wanted to do it that way. The advantage of QT over conventional drop-down menus is that any choice is one button press away, instead of 1-10 button presses away.

I'll go you one better: Instead of a DVR that's as dumb as a parking meter, how about a DVR with a menu system that learns? For instance, when you bring up the contextual menu that the yellow button brings up, have the DVR listen to the user input over a short learning period and eventually guess and therefore match his personal style. If the user selects the same menu item 3 times in a row (once for each time he invokes the menu, that is), then the odds are very highly in favor of that being where he wants to go the next time he invokes that menu. From that point on that menu choice should be highlighted automatically when the menu is invoked, and if the user turns out to want something else instead, it is no harder to navigate there than it normally would be. Now that's a smart DVR. Obedient. Verging on AI-type assistance, even.

That's the killin' thing about multiple features, which is that the more you add, the more complicated it gets to navigate. There is a point of diminishing returns in ergonomics where too much is too much, and as Miles Davis used to say, "less is more".

Folks develop their own personal style for navigation. There are numerous features I never use, and a few I use all the time, while for someone else, they may have some pet features of their own that don't make sense to me. If a DVR could learn how you use it, then it could also have the best of both worlds, beaucoup features and options that also don't get in the way just because there are so damned many of them.

I know I go to the TDL much more often than anything else in the main menu, but it always takes four (count 'em, four) extra presses of a down arrow to get there. I have to go past 3 choices I never hardly use to get there every time, which eventually becomes ponderously annoying. If the DVR were smart enough to listen to the user and learn my personal style, it would soon begin highlighting TDL automatically for me, and that would make this DVR more ergonomically sound than Tivo ever dreamed of being.

How about it, new feature team?