Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

TDave — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 01:32:46 GMT

I definitely think that pip should be given some priority as a future feature (say that 5 times fast), but there are more imporant features that MS needs to focus on...cough...softsled!

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

james — Wed, 30 May 2007 22:23:52 GMT

I think PIP should be a function of the display device, not a function of one the sources attached to the display device.

I haven't used PIP very often, but the few times I have, the two video streams I was viewing were from two sources. For example, a couple of times now I have used the PIP feature in my HDTV to compare a DVD to an HD-DVD of the same title. This is possible by setting the PIP format to "dual screen" view, which divides the screen into two equal halves, each showing a seperate video.

Another example where I've had two sources being displayed in PIP has been certain nights during the Stanley Cup playoffs, and there was also a Yankee/Boston game going on. Sometimes the NHL games are only on the Versus-HD network. Since I'm using MCE2005, and it doesn't tune premium cable, I have to use the HDMI in from the cable box for the hockey game, and then enable the small PIP view in the corner to diplay the input from the MCE PC, which is tuning the baseball game.

If the PIP function was a feature of the MCE PC rather than the TV, then these scenarios wouldn't be possible.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

JohnCz — Sun, 27 May 2007 15:37:27 GMT

PIP in WMC? Yes, I would like other sources to potentially be available in a PIP mode. For example, I can imagine a WMC addon that allows a baby monitor or security camera to be displayed in PIP. A tuner based PIP would be a tremendous help for my wife. My wife often likes to see what is going on in another show during commercials. For example, shes focused on watching something but during commercial she switches to E Channel for entertainment news/gossip. When she does that she will switch back-n-forth often so she can continue with her main program after it has returned. So perhaps I could see the value of PIP for her..she wouldn't have to be flipping channels so much.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Dave Zatz — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:44:43 GMT

I'd rather have all the crazy Sunday Ticket channels (which include multiple feeds), rather than PIP.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

chrisl — Fri, 25 May 2007 17:11:55 GMT

It's not always about what the hardware is capable of. Part of the development and design process of any software is to research your market and see what the benefits vs. costs of adding the feature are.

I think we have all established that it can be done. The question is, how does it impact the platform as a whole. You have to think about things like resource management and how the feature is going in interact with the product as it stands today, which in this case is basically a multi-room PVR.

Software can support just about anything you can dream, but you have to balance it. Excel has everything anyone would ever want, but how many of use (a) use Excel at all, or (b) use anything but the most basic features? You don't want to add dozens of features and then realize they are underutilized or are interfering with the product as it stands today.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Jas — Fri, 25 May 2007 16:57:57 GMT

Why are there limits on what can users can do? If a user has 6 tuners in their system they should be allowed to watch 6 screens at once simple as that. Now you guys can get into the resource management ...yada yada yada... but I don't see how this is going to be a giantic leap, I mean the current management system is already pretty good, it just needs a few tweaks (not an overhaul). The bottom line is that today right now the hardware is capable of doing a lot more (quad cores...) and so should the software.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Darryl — Fri, 25 May 2007 16:21:15 GMT

I never used the PIP on my dual-tuner TV, so I wouldn't use it in MCE. I've had that TV for 10 years now and never once used PIP.

I had a roommate in college that used it, and it drove me nuts. Whenever a commercial would come on he would flip through the other channels and use PIP to know when the commercials were over. I never saw the point of watching three minutes of some show you weren't going to finish just to avoid commercials.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Martin — Fri, 25 May 2007 14:12:36 GMT

forget PiP. I want a quad screen split, with 4 feeds running at once. PiP gives you a tiny picture that obscures another picture. Make use of my whole screen and show me 4 clear windows at once.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Jaxim — Thu, 24 May 2007 22:56:01 GMT

I'd use it.

I'd use it for channel searching.

If MC supported more than 2 tuners, then you could have your TV session split up with all of your tuners in a grid. Like how they do it in a sports bar where there's 4 pictures (sports) going on in the same image.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Serdar — Thu, 24 May 2007 21:00:54 GMT

I wouldn't use it really. I get the sports argument, but really, the PiP was a requirement for that in the pre-PVR days. Now it's just a nice-to-have IMO. Personally, I would just record both sporting events and watch them separately. Fast forwarding all the lame commentary is the added bonus with that approach.

Of course, you always run the risk of the dumb comentator spitting out the results of the other game you're recording.

As for the argument for using PiP for multiple people watching the different shows on the same TV: I don't know ANYBODY that has a single TV in their house.

The one place I can think about using PiP is the ability to pop up various security cams around your house in the PiP window. Wouldn't it be great to have a motion activated camera start feeding into to the PiP window while you're watching a movie?

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

captain_caveman2k — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:35:04 GMT

Yes!

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

FirstSalvo — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:17:32 GMT

I’ve never found a consistent use for single PIP up to this point, but I’ve certainly imagined a concept that uses PIP tech...

Imagine turning on your TV and the screen immediately divides into 2, 4, 6, or whatever number of tiles and tunes your favorite (or most watched) channels. With a single glance and click (or voice command for you Jetsons out there) you could switch to the exact thing you wanted to watch. No channel surfing needed.

This is all made possible because MS did away with the ridiculously lame tuner limits in MCE, and I have a MONSTER machine down in the basement (bursting at the seems with tuners) serving HD to my v2 extenders all over my house.

Sorry about that. I must have been dreaming again.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

DWAnderson — Thu, 24 May 2007 19:39:02 GMT

If two people want to watch different things, just use different TVs or timeshift! A little more at:

thunor.spaces.live.com/.../cns!71C238B5E0E3724D!268.entry

Would you use picture-in-picture? You bet I would! « Project HTPC

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re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Matt Ranlett — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:31:34 GMT

The best use I have ever seen of PiP is when one individual was watching a show on the TV, individual #2 was able to play a video game in the PiP window. With some of the giant TVs out today and sitting close to the screen, this isn't difficult to imagine. Works great when the wife doesn't want to give up Dr. Phil but you just have to shoot some aliens

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Tom Allison — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:30:49 GMT

I feel PIP would benefit the MARKETING of MCE. Whenever MSFT gets around to advertising this product some, PIP would be an expected feature for a normal consumer. I agree it's use is limited, but it's a needed feature.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Wayne — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:26:40 GMT

I forgot the other main reason to use it - let your child watch what they want, with audio, while daddy still gets to watch the game.

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Brian Binnerup — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:26:01 GMT

I agree with Chris here - PIP is a fine feature, when they have nothing more to do on the TV part.

I think it is MUCH more important to support DVB-C, DVB-S, DVB-S2, DVB Subtitles, mixing of different tyner types, ect.

Regards,

Brian

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

chrisl — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:22:00 GMT

Mike: I am shocked that you don't want to spend that time watching your girlfriends favorite programs. What is the world coming to? ;)

re: Picture-in-Picture: Would You Use It?

Shahn Hogan — Thu, 24 May 2007 18:09:26 GMT

It would be a "nice" feature to have, but I would prefer the eHome team spend their time with more broadly appealing TV features. Plus, I would guess that most people only have one tuner. Also, the limitation of 2 NTSC + 2 ATSC tuners would definately limit the use of this feature if you have an extender. I would think the first step would be to support additional tuners.