Switching from Media Browser Unwatched Overlay

I would like to understand why someone should use unwatched if you have a watched flag? No flag = unwatched. There are a lot of skins showing watched and nonwatched, just not as a flag but as label.

butchabay Wrote:I would like to understand why someone should use unwatched if you have a watched flag? No flag = unwatched. There are a lot of skins showing watched and nonwatched, just not as a flag but as label.

I will try to explain.

First off this is the way I have been using my media for a long time with unwatched heads up display. So I am very used to it. I also get a recently added so I don't have to hunt around for what just got put in the library. This is very handy since I have 130 seasons of TV with just under 10,000 episodes and 550 movies. Now with that being said that I am used to this way I am not opposed to switching but I don't understand why XBMC seems to be the only one to neglect recently added and unwatched for some reason.

Now for an example.

I don't care about what I have already watched and I want to know how many I have to go (ie unwatched). So as the picture on my first post shows it shows me in numbers how many in the series are left to go. When I get a new daily show for example it has one and I go yes I can watch the daily show. It is a great way to see the entire collection while being able to see what is left unwatched especially if you like me watch multiple series while working out and switch around depending on the day.

Now for a metaphoric example:

Since I don't care about what I have already watched and only care about unwatched it is very similar to driving in the car and using GPS. I don't care how many miles I have driven I only care how many are left and I want to have that in a heads up display that is not ambiguous to get to.

end metaphoric example.

I find that XBMC seems to have to many button presses. If I click on TV shows I want to jump right into the list of all the shows with counts of unwatched in the HUD so I can choose and watch (media browser does this). Instead I need to click on TV shows then click on files then click left or up or whatever then click on don't show watched then choose. It is way too much for me, or I am just using XBMC incorrectly which is entirely possible as I only try it on my laptop and get frustrated with the amount of clicking around to do simple tasks.

Also there does not seem to be any skins that show recently added or recently watched and so on. Media Browser has this on the main screen and it is such a timesaver.

It seems like the XBMC database has all the necessary information to make the type of display that I am looking for but I am not sure. I have not looked into the current code issues with skinning. However I see that the trend of the XBMC skinners is not to go this route. There seems to be a culture here not to display this type of information and I do not know why.

I hope that helps to explain my thoughts coming from using my media in a different way. If all else fails remember only care about the miles or shows left to go (unwatched) not the ones in the past (watched).

In no way am I an XBMC expert and I do not hope to offend anyone in any of my opinions.

bing281

I think recently added is displayed on the main screen for movies/music/tv shows in Nox and MQ3 at least. I think there is a limit of around 10 recently added items for each. XBMC may not do everything you want but with a little research I think you'll find it comes pretty close. It's just a new tool to master, it takes a little time.

I switched to XBMC over a year ago. Several reasons... Media Browser would not let me "hide" watched TV. I have over a hundred current TV shows in my collection. I didn't want to scroll through all of them to find something new to watch! I like to display only the shows with unwatched episodes!
Also, the ability to turn on/off sub-titles while watching a movie is great. Plus, XBMC streams my Video Podcasts (Tekzilla, TWiT... etc)

Thought I'd chime in.

Thanks for the information. I only really have a few problems. I need to figure out how to do OTA television and cablecard television, then I need to import my watched list if possible.

I have found the Skin Focus (or reFocus) to have almost everything I want. It really is a great skin. I hope it will get more notice as it does things that make my life easier.

Glad you found a skin to suit you Just goes to show there's one for everyone.

that´s what you want?

For me yes! What skin is that?

Pre-Version of Aeon Nox 3.0. you can try it here, but it´s not completely ready yet. you´ll have some weeks for that.