IMPORTANT: PLEASE PARTICIPATE Question for Current and Future Strato Owners

[Rengozu]

With these two options I'm pretty indifferent either way. I still wish there was a way to filter my actual movie wall. ex: Select a category like Action or Drama and that would be all that populated the main wall screen.

 

[andy]

This is a great question that I hadn't thought about before responding.

On the C, I can use a “page down” to get through movies much faster than just going through them individually. I have collections with hundreds of titles. Is there a similar function on the V when going sideways through a list of movies?

I too have large collections after years of collecting and organizing (e.g., Favorites - 234 movies, Watch Soon - 239 titles). Moving through these collections one title at a time can be a SLOW process, and like @JohnJ mentions, I prefer to jump a page at a time.

For those with large collections and a Strato V, is there a way to move left to right any quicker than one title at a time? If not, then my vote definitely goes to the old collections view.

Andy

 

[cinelife]

What does the currently used Collections view look like? I’m traveling and can’t just go look at it directly. And why not simply offer the option to display tittles either way?

See Davids pic above.

Jim

 

[cinelife]

So are you saying that would replace the current Collections View (shown below)? If so, then absolutely not. I love the Collections View and it's pretty much exclusively what I use because I love the huge cover art.

View attachment 6997

Yes, correct, it would be replaced with the version currently used in the Strato-V UI. (see Pic earlier in the thread)

Jim

 

[Edgar]

Okay. I’m neutral on this. Both are adequate. I do echo the earlier poster that if a change is contemplated, the type of UI view should be user-selectable.

 

[Transepoch]

For those with large collections and a Strato V, is there a way to move left to right any quicker than one title at a time? If not, then my vote definitely goes to the old collections view.

I hadn't even thought of paging before but definitely would be a deal breaker. If FF/RW were made to do page right/left on the OSD, then it might not be as bad, as long as there were at least as many mini-posters visible at a time as titles can be listed now.

 

[LoveCinema]

I'm always down for the "I want everything" plan, but if I can revert to my inner software guy for a moment... I will generally vote for a consistent experience across devices. K already has issues with maintaining different user experiences for the web, app, and OSD. Do we really need to have differences between the two current players?

(Honestly, it was slightly different when the C was EOL. But, if it's sticking around, let's make them match until the time comes that the K does something the C can't.)

 

[mpierson]

Is there any technical reason why both views couldn't be supported? This is standard UI stuff designed to support different user preferences, using a toggle button similar to screenshot below. Even a single user may want to view a set of, say, 5 title collections in horizontal cover view but bigger collections vertically. Be good to have the option to switch between the two.

 

[mpierson]

Better example below. Sorry to reference Plex, but having the option to view both ways is useful IMO. Appreciate K probably don't want to overcomplicate the UI but imagine a stripped down version of the below which would offer users at least another view option.

 

[gadgetman]

How bout looking at this from a different angle?

The current UI for the V in stand-alone mode makes sense since the number of downloaded titles is necessarily quite small. And, since the user may very well want (or need) to search for a new movie (given the limited on-device library), the Browse Movie Store makes sense. This provides the appropriate UI for an all-in-one device.

However, when combined with a Terra server, the list view of the Strato C may very well make more sense given the greater number of titles.

So, perhaps, the two different UI's makes sense when one device is standalone and the other is not. And, perhaps the V's UI should change to the C's list mode when it is connected to a Terra server, which would provide consistency.

P.S. I prefer the C list mode since I have a large number of titles, but can easily go to cover view if I wish (which I like for finding similar movies).

 

[mpierson]

How bout looking at this from a different angle?

The current UI for the V in stand-alone mode makes sense since the number of downloaded titles is necessarily quite small. And, since the user may very well want (or need) to search for a new movie (given the limited on-device library), the Browse Movie Store makes sense. This provides the appropriate UI for an all-in-one device.

However, when combined with a Terra server, the list view of the Strato C may very well make more sense given the greater number of titles.

So, perhaps, the two different UI's makes sense when one device is standalone and the other is not. And, perhaps the V's UI should change to the C's list mode when it is connected to a Terra server, which would provide consistency.

P.S. I prefer the C list mode since I have a large number of titles, but can easily go to cover view if I wish (which I like for finding similar movies).

Since we've been asked to contribute to the survey, suggest a "Both" option is added. Why complicate it and assume one size fits all?

 

[Thrang]

Slightly OT, but regarding collections, I don't know why K has not ever offered auto-collections in two different ways (for the 10 ft GUI).

Firstly, a simple filter based on the genres already in use by K (Comedies, Drama, Sci Fi, etc). This is only available in the list view afaik. Often, as we scroll, someone will say, what comedies do you have. Beingable to filters the 10 foot view to comedies quickly provides a focused, visual summary of your library. Every other method of playing content offers this.

Secondly,. to reduce the number of movie tiles in the list view, offer the option to have a new 10 foot guy home screen just with high level summary tiles - ie, ALL, NEW, <each genre> Unwatched, etc, which you can then drill down (included here can be our custom collections). All brings you to the classic K gui, as do all the others, but just pre-filtered to be more relevant and scrollable.

Along with this, offer users the option to auto-group movie series you own into a single tile so, for example, all Star Wars titles would be contained within one tile, Raiders, Transformers, etc. Even two and three movies series will benefit, and will make navigating larger collections SO MUCH EASIER and logical. Clicking on that grouped tile, opens ups to show all the related movies.

Unfortunately, for years, K really doesn't even acknowledge these suggestions, which many have made, and would greatly improve the use of K.

 

[cinelife]

All comments read and understood, thanks for contributing.

Jim

 

[Garemz]

Great thread! Cinelife are you just a dealer or do you work for Kaleidescape? I’m confused what “ All comments read and understood means?”

 

[David23]

How bout looking at this from a different angle?

The current UI for the V in stand-alone mode makes sense since the number of downloaded titles is necessarily quite small. And, since the user may very well want (or need) to search for a new movie (given the limited on-device library), the Browse Movie Store makes sense. This provides the appropriate UI for an all-in-one device.

However, when combined with a Terra server, the list view of the Strato C may very well make more sense given the greater number of titles.

So, perhaps, the two different UI's makes sense when one device is standalone and the other is not. And, perhaps the V's UI should change to the C's list mode when it is connected to a Terra server, which would provide consistency.

P.S. I prefer the C list mode since I have a large number of titles, but can easily go to cover view if I wish (which I like for finding similar movies).

That is exactly how it currently works for the Strato V. If it's in standalone mode is show the limited Collections View. If it's connected to a Terra, then is show the full Collections View.

 

[gadgetman]

That is exactly how it currently works for the Strato V. If it's in standalone mode is show the limited Collections View. If it's connected to a Terra, then is show the full Collections View.

Thanks for letting me know. I have my V in stand-alone mode in a different room than my Terra system, but thought that this would be a natural way to handle the UI when combined with a Terra. Now, I know that's the case, which is my preference.

 

[cinelife]

Great thread! Cinelife are you just a dealer or do you work for Kaleidescape? I’m confused what “ All comments read and understood means?”

My background is as follows: I purchased my first K system shortly after the company started doing business. I was a trial lawyer in Hawaii and the Fed court system at the time, but also owned a few businesses. I liked the system so much that I started another business focused on AV (home theater and 2-Channel, with Kaleidescape being a big part of the home theater business). That company is CineLife LLC, and opened for business in 2006. I turned most of the business over to my 3 full time employees, but I retained the sales related to Kaleidescape because I like helping people get into K, and enjoy the relationships that come out of those sales.

I still own and operate (actually my managers operate) the other businesses as well, but my personal focus has been on CineLife. So yes, I'm a K Dealer. I do not work for Kaleidescape, and have no financial interest in K, although I do admit that I considered buying the company at one point in the past. I decided against making an offer because I already only sleep 4 hours a night as I work to keep up with businesses and some world related issues based on my first job out of college (I retired from that job, but still get requests to help). I also have 3 young kids that need my attention, and they are my priority, followed by my clients and friends related to the businesses I own.

My posts might occasionally make it sound like I work for K, but I don't, I work "with" K, and use my best efforts to promote the brand and its products (this is a contractual requirement expected of ALL Dealers). I also happen to know many of the people that work at K and like them all, it's a great company that does the best it can in a very dynamic industry.

The comment you mentioned was posted because I wanted Members to know that their comments were noted, not just by me but by K as well because we all know they kindly particiapte in this Forum. I occasionally speak with K's CEO and regularly make my opinion known to others in the company as well. In one converstaion the subject matter related to this thread came up and I decided to create this thread to see what some of our more active members thought of the idea. K has not committed one way or the other to this subject, but it never hurts to see what customers are thinking.

I know that's a lot more info than you asked for, or care about, but that's what happens after my 8th cup of coffee and having pulled an all-nighter!

Jim

 

[Garemz]

Wow what a fantastic post!!

I love that you have K’s ears as well as ours on the forum, and make our future software update wishlist have a louder voice.

Keep it up!

Gary

 

[cinelife]

Thank you to all that participated. K is aware of your comments as well.

Thread is now closed.

Jim