I agree. I like the idea of PIP but it’s not intuitive and more confusing than it is useful for the average user.
I agree, Windows Media Center still sets the bar for DVR/Live TV. Nothing has come close to how user friendly and problem free it was.
I've found that once the Siri remote's "Home" button (or whatever is the equivalent is on your remote) is demonstrated in this context, PIP control makes a lot more sense. No stress, it puts the user back in control of that little window.
And for what it's worth, this user interface is dictated by Apple, not Channels. It's the same in every tvOS app that supports PIP.
I have attempted to use it a few times and every time I do, I conclude that there is no way that the family would not get frustrated, so turn it back off.
We record nearly everything we watch, and when navigating from the Guide when there is an existing recording of a show, it just doesn't work well. The double click to get full screen doesn't work when you are faced with some of the dialogs in that scenario. With just live TV from Guide with no recordings existing, it seems to work pretty well. But that is not how you use a DVR.
Hmm, thankfully I haven’t experienced any PIP problems with recordings. Another option that’s available though, is setting up Automatic PIP to only work with Live TV, as opposed to “Recordings” or “Everything”
How do you get to full screen when you navigate to something from the Guide, that is already recorded, and you get the interim prompt for live or DVR, and then continue or restart? That is where I get hung up and can't get to full screen. You can't double click in there an get past one of them, don't remember which one.
I don't recall as that doesn't happen often here, I'll have to check next time I see that prompt. But I did assign the "Toggle Picture in Picture" command to the blue button under Remote Shortcuts and that has gotten me out of any awkward PIP situation to date. I also added it to the "E" button on my Harmony Companion and 650.
I also have the new AppleTV Siri remote now, and with its redesigned ergonomics, and dedicated mute button, I've been using it a lot more than my Logitech Harmonies, even though I added a functional "Home/TV" button to both. And of course the Siri Remote works fine with any PIP state, in any context. Thankfully all of my devices support CEC so everything's working well with the minimum of fuss.
I tried both options and both worked, I couldn’t recreate whatever problem you were having. I am not able to create any situation where PIP is hung up or stuck. Maybe it’s been fixed? I am on the latest beta of everything, including tvOS.
I too have set up a PIP toggle on one of my harmony remote buttons using my home receivers HDMI CEC. I occasionally have been been seeing another PIP anomaly, where when I use the PIP toggle if in PIP mode and looking at the guide, when it goes to full screen I only see the guide and I hear the audio from whatever was playing. If I toggle again, it goes back to small PIP mode.
Sometimes if I change the channel I can get out of this mode, but usually I need to use the app switcher and close the app to clear this up.
This happens not only when using HDMI-CEC. if I manually toggle using the Apple home button it still toggles to full screen audio only.
Anyone else ever see this?
Thanks, I will give it another try when I get a chance.
I just found the PIP feature switch on Channels running on FireTV stick so if these comments are old news or specific to my device please ignore.
Having PIP really great but the video overlay looks like an incomplete afterthought as video window blocks half of the clock and the description text from the EPG.
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Would it be possible to reposition the PIP window 40 pixels to the left so that it doesn't extend over the clock or alternatively reposition it in the space below the clock and EPG table?
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When PIP is selected, could the program description text box be reduced in width so that is wraps on the next line (yes there is plenty of space) instead of being blocked by the PIP video window?
I can post pictures of the above if helpful. Thank you Channels Dev team
This is the wrong thread, as this is for the Apple TV client, not Android/Fire TV.
However to answer your question:
Channels does not handle the PiP window. That is handled by your device's OS. This is not something Channels can change.
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Apologies for posting in the wrong forum. I will continue this discussion elsewhere.
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No worries. Categories can be overlooked when you're searching.
Unfortunately there really isn't anything more than can be achieved. In your case, the Fire OS is responsible for drawing and placing the window; Channels has no idea where that window will be placed, so it cannot change its layout to adapt to where the PiP window is placed. (I believe most systems will allow you to move the window to different corners; this may be an option for you to shuffle the window out of the way so you can better see the content on the screen.)
Since this is the Apple TV section, it might interest you to know that the PiP window on that device will move out of the if the focused item will be covered by the window. For instance, if the window is in the lower right, and you are scrolling to the right on the last row of the guide, the window will move slightly up allowing the entire cell of the guide to be read.
If the PIP window position is a limitation of the FireOS and fixed in position as you state, why can't the text positioning be moved so there is no overlap? I can't believe the clock position is dictated by the OS and limiting the width of the program description text box so that the program description word wraps doesn't seem revolutionary.
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Because the app has no idea where the PiP window is. The app cannot respond to changes it does not know about.
I (not you) am confused.
Are you saying that Channels DVR does not specify the location of the clock and does not have the ability to reduce the width of the text box used for the program description?
I suppose Channels could do that, but you want that action to occur when the PiP window is in the upper right corner. However, Channels has no idea where the PiP window is, nor can it control that. If Channels doesn't know about the window, then there is no reason for it to change its layout.
As I understand you, you want Channels to react to the PiP window. What I am saying is that Channels has no control over that window, including its location, so how can Channels adapt its layout to something it doesn't know about?
I may have an overly simplistic viewpoint but hopefully you understand what I am describing.
I am not expecting any OSD EPG text to "react" or auto reposition based upon the PIP overlay being turned on.
What I am trying to convey is that that Channels DVR app does specify the location of the clock and has the ability to limit the width of the program text box regardless of whether the PIP window is on or off.
As such, if the PIP is turned on, this would also change the default location of the clock and change (narrow) the default program text box width. There is more than ample space above the EPG grid away from the PIP overlay.
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I fully understand what you are describing.
Channels doesn't know about the PiP window; that's handled by the OS.
We seem to be speaking cross-wise and not making any headway. I'm going to let someone else take up this thread.
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Thank you for listening. Perhaps if I put it another way it will make sense...
Allow the end user to choose 2 locations for the clock,
- Default position - Clock right aligned
- Clock centered - no longer blocked by PIP overlay window.
Obviously this is simplistic description but changing the position of the clock display will move it away from the PIP overlay. The exact clock position would be determined by the developer and position 2 would be chosen if PIP was turned on. The same would be true for the program description text box width.
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