Media Player

Traditionally, a TV is a device for watching media. Many Smart TV applications provide videos, images, and music. This chapter will provide examples of basic screen layouts for convenient media players that are suitable for use on the TV.

Playing Video

The screen for playing videos may contain the following components:

  • Playing video
  • Related information (Title, summary, creator, keyword, etc.)
  • Playing status display area (Progress Bar, Play Time, Play Speed, etc.)
  • Control buttons

Figure 6-1 is an example of playing video. A banner including more information about the media, the current playing status, and control buttons will overlap at the top. The banner disappears when the controls are not used for a certain period. It will reappear when there is any further input.

Figure 6-1. Example of a video player

Controlling Video Playback with the Smart Remote

Only one physical button, the PLAY/PAUSE button (), can directly control the playback.
For this reason, any video player application must provide on-screen playback controls so that the users can control the playback as with a traditional remote control. The on-screen playback controls must be accessible with the SELECT and 4 navigation buttons or by using the pointing interactions with the Smart Remote.

Table 6-1 illustrates the basic on-screen playback controls.

Function Button Action
Play Pause
Play | Pause

 Toggle between Play and Pause
Scan or Skip Rewind Skip back 10 seconds
Fast-Forward Skip forward 10 seconds
Move
Normal | Dimmed

 Play the previous video
(Dimmed when no video is available)

Normal | Dimmed

 Play the next video
(Dimmed when no video is available)

Table 6-1. Basic on-screen playback controls

The PLAY/PAUSE button works differently depending on the current playback status.

  • When a video is playing, pressing the PLAY/PAUSE button pauses the video.
  • When a video is paused, pressing the PLAY/PAUSE button resumes the video.
  • When either action is performed, the on-screen playback controls appear and the PLAY/PAUSE button is focused on.

Figure 6-2. PLAY/PAUSE button scenarios

The LEFT, RIGHT, and SELECT button works differently depending on the availability of the on-screen playback controls.
When the playback controls appear on the screen, pressing the LEFT or RIGHT button selects a different item and pressing the SELECT button confirms the selection.

Figure 6-3. LEFT, RIGHT, and SELECT buttons with the on-screen playback controls

When there are no playback controls on the screen, pressing the LEFT or RIGHT button skips back or forward 10 seconds. When either button is pressed, the on-screen playback controls simultaneously appear and the progress bar is focused on.

When there are no playback controls on the screen, pressing the SELECT or UP or DOWN button displays the on-screen playback controls. At this time, the PLAY/PAUSE button is focused on.

Figure 6-4. LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN and SELECT buttons without the on-screen playback controls

The on-screen playback controls disappear 5 seconds after users stop interacting with them.

Controlling Video Playback with standard remote control

The standard remote control provides various physical buttons to control playback.

Table 6-2 illustrates the basic playback controls on a standard remote control.

Function Button Action
Play Play
Pause Pause
Scan or Skip Rewind Skip back 10 seconds
Fast-Forward Skip forward 10 seconds
Move Play the previous video
(No response when no video is available)
Play the next video
(No response when no video is available)

Table 6-2. Basic playback controls on a standard remote control

When any physical button is pressed, the on-screen playback controls appear and the control button that corresponds to the pressed button is focused on.

Figure 6-5. Example of playback controls on a standard remote control

Viewing Pictures

The screen for viewing pictures may contain the following components:

  • Area for displaying pictures (full screen)
  • Related information (Title, date, keyword, etc.)
  • Buttons such as zoom-in/zoom-out, rotate, previous/next picture, slideshow, etc.

Figure 6-6 is an example of viewing pictures.

Figure 6-6. Example of a picture viewer

Playing Music

The screen for playing music may contain the following components:

  • Playing music
  • Related information (Title, creator, keyword, etc.)
  • Playing status display area (Progress Bar, Play Time, Play Speed, etc.)
  • Control buttons
  • Playlist

Figure 6-7 is an example of playing music.

Figure 6-7. Example of a music player