[RELEASE] Xperience1080 2.1 for XBMC 12.x

Upload here -> http://xbmclogs.com

(2013-06-18 12:22)`Black Wrote:  Upload here -> http://xbmclogs.com

I did it.
Please find it here http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=29694

Just discovered this great skin, and I don't know how I missed it this long. I am loving the home screen (though not the home widget), and it was the main reason I moved to it (after 2 years on a previous skin). I have few questions, notes, and wishes:

1. In advanced launcher, the info button (or i in keyboard) isn't working. You can press up (depending on view?) to show the info screen, but this break the consistency of the skin in my opinion (as in some views, that key might be used for options).
2. It is possible to disable any home screen widget, but weirdly, you cannot disable the "home" one. Is there is a reason for that, or is it just an implementation limitation. To me, the home widget is a redundant one. It can be replaced with any other important widget, like "Pictures", "Games", "Video", or "Streaming". This will provide more space for shortcuts in the home screen. If not, then where can I comment it out to remove it from the list?
3. In all the views you can hardly see the fanart, and this is not due to posters/panels blocking the view, but rather the dark overlay over the fanart. It is a waste to have great fanarts for your media being hidden under darkness. Maybe disable the overlay or reduce it a bit when viewing media list? btw, the same case for home screen, it doesn't matter which background you set, as it will be hardly visible.
4. Will there be any additional views in the future? If, not, or not in near future, can you please explain where are the main locations for modification to add more views. I intend to port views from other skins with adjustment to suit this skin, and I'll make sure to share anything I come up with.
5. Right now you cannot see any information about the media (resolution/audio/video/studio...etc) unless you show the info screen. I understand that this is probably for the sake of the simplicity concept. But, can we have an option in the future where we can toggle these information to be shown while browsing the media (In the view options for example).
6. Isn't it better to have the logos of TV channels in the OSD Channel overlay (the one that appears while you are watching TV and using C)? Right now in latest version I only see the logos when I list the TV Channels, but not in the OSD Channels.
7. I understand that this might be hard, but it would be great if we can add additional screens in the home screen. Maybe allow 2-3 predefined screen and disable them by default, and allow the user to enable and name them if wanted. Then you can use them to assign shortcuts (just like the application screen, but you can name it anything other than that). If not, can you please explain how to duplicate the application screen, and name it differently?

I'll stop right here, as this is probably too much information to process in one post. Thanks Black for this skin.

1. Unfortunately not possible.

2. What you call widgets is in fact not a widget, it's a tab, panel, category or however you will describe it. Inside the home categories are the widgets (ongoing tv shows, new movies etc.). So you can disable categories, not widgets. The reason why it's not possible to disable home is that I didn't want to make the home screen too complex (code-wise). If there is an easier solution in the future, I will make all categories hideable.

3. This is not and will never be a fanart skin. Your content is the one thing which is important, fanart only distracts from it. That's why it hardly shines through.

4. Possibly but I don't have anything planned yet. I will also likely remove views if I add new ones.

5. It's indeed for simplicity and I have no intention to add such an option.

6. I removed it to have more space for the title but yes, I'll maybe re-add the logos.

7. Too hard indeed. If it would be easier to do with a template system and much less code etc., I might add it but currently it would make the home screen too heavy (it's already pretty heavy).

Thanks `Black for the instant reply.

1. Too bad. Though I appreciate your effort for the info screen for this addon, it made it more consistent with other media.
2. Forgive my wordings (this is day 2). Thanks for looking into it.
3. I get your point **really**. But I still think an option (default is off) to show the fanart (like the small/large thumb option you have for some views) wouldn't hurt anyone (except the effort you have to do of course). But I respect your design choices.
4. Don't remove lol, any addition is welcomed though haha.
5. Point 3.
6. Please do, logos are faster to scan with eyes. I hardly read titles when I have logos, beside you can have titles scroll when over if necessary.
7. Knew that beforehand, but any pointers for curious modders like me?

Btw, your skin isn't heavy, the startup time is faster compared to the one I used before. This is another reason I like yours. I'll try to stick to this skin and customize it for sometime to see if it fits all my needs. I appreciate the effort spent on the skin, and over here.

I'm not sure if you already care about problems with the xbmc 13 nightlies but here a small thing that I've noticed while using the skin. You can't change the new "levels" that expose expert settings in the options. I need to switch back to confluence to change it.

Example:

Gotham nightlies not supported (yet). Use 12.2 and nothing else with this skin.