On Sun, Feb 08, 2015 at 03:00:29PM +0000, Chris Green wrote:
On Sun, Feb 08, 2015 at 01:02:07PM +0000, Chris Walker wrote:
On Sun, 8 Feb 2015 10:55:57 +0000
I could dedicate a system to the TV but this entails either leaving it on permanently or waiting for it to boot every time one uses it. A Raspberry Pi is a possibility, leaving it on is then not an issue but there are downsides like will it be fast enough and it needs a keyboard and mouse. Another fundamental problem is that whoever is managing showing the pictures needs to be close enough to the TV screen to read text and that's likely to be too close for comfortable viewing and/or sociability.
Why do you need a keyboard and mouse on a Pi? Use OpenElec or one of other XBMC clones and use a remote control with it. The remote I use with my tv will also control the Pi so I consign the extra remote to a cupboard. It's more like 'media' viewing that way than using a PC.
Er, but I suspect that XBMC etc. will just be like the WD TV Live media player and have a (for me) unusable interface. How easy is it to navigate a hierarchy of directories with one of these 'media centre' apps?
Well I just tried it (XBMC) and while it does some tick some boxes it rather exemplifies what's wrong with 'media players' from my point of view:-
There's no way to navigate a hierarchy of directories, once in the slideshow it just goes round and round. If you exit it just takes you back to the current folder and no easy way to go 'up'.
Why does it completely take over the user interface? I like and know the existing well designed user interface on my computer, it's easy to navigate, I know how to do things.
It seems to want to take over the whole computer and stop me doing anything else, even trying (and failing) to shut it down when I exit.