'PanTastic' UI

PhreaK

So I can almost handle the cheesy name, but a dedicated, single user, goal orientated UI that is being pushed as having multi-tasking as the primary feature is very, very bad from a usability point of view. They're toting it as a way to perform activities "in the same way as you use a computer". I'm guessing that they've missed the recent push towards full screen apps, single tasking devices and the massively improved user experience this provides. Humans are only capable on focusing on one task at a given time. This absolutely reeks of feature creep and sounds like a very efficient way to destroy what otherwise looks like an awesome product.

Anyone at InfoComm who's lucky enough to get the hands over one of these care to shed some light? Does the UI toolkit force this interaction pattern or is a set of templates that come with TP5 (or whatever it will be called)?

Jorde_V

PhreaK wrote: »

So I can almost handle the cheesy name, but a dedicated, single user, goal orientated UI that is being pushed as having multi-tasking as the primary feature is very, very bad from a usability point of view. They're toting it as a way to perform activities "in the same way as you use a computer". I'm guessing that they've missed the recent push towards full screen apps, single tasking devices and the massively improved user experience this provides. Humans are only capable on focusing on one task at a given time. This absolutely reeks of feature creep and sounds like a very efficient way to destroy what otherwise looks like an awesome product.

Anyone at InfoComm who's lucky enough to get the hands over one of these care to shed some light? Does the UI toolkit force this interaction pattern or is a set of templates that come with TP5 (or whatever it will be called)?

It's not downloadable yet I see, I can only judge based on the screenshot that's visible, but is that the taskbar from windows 7 I see or what?

vining

PhreaK wrote: »

SoHumans are only capable on focusing on one task at a given time.

So now you tell me, maybe that's been my problem all along, too much crap going on in a single thread brain. Personally I have 3 x 22" screens with sometimes a dozen of pages open an any given time. Sure at any specific moment in time I may only be focussing on one particular task but as soon as that moments done my eyes and brain shift to another screen, another page or another section of the current display.

Obviously I don't know the specs on these panels but I would guess they want you to be able to use or import existing UI files and they could appear on screen at their native resolution or scaled to fit in a designated area. I would also think they would allow you the ability to create new UI files to fit the entire screen if you choose but not to allow the use of exisitng files would probably put nails in it's coffin before it even ships.

vining

Here's a YouTube on the X series:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j49L9JaAVes

PhreaK

vining wrote: »

Personally I have 3 x 22" screens with sometimes a dozen of pages open an any given time. Sure at any specific moment in time I may only be focussing on one particular task but as soon as that moments done my eyes and brain shift to another screen, another page or another section of the current display.

Ditto here, plus a laptop and an iPad. However that situation is extremely different from a control interface. When working to produce content users generally draw from multiple sources, switching focus in order to perform a task. In this situation loads of screen real estate and separated focus areas work well. When using a control surface this experience changes - it is no longer an exploratory process but one where the user has a solid goal in mind before approaching an interface. The interface should then be designed to allow this goal to be completed as efficiently as possible and ensure the interactions required to make this happen are easily identifiable. When you load up an interface with every control imaginable it looses the ability to direct the users focus to assist them in performing the original task (as shown in Hick's law).

PhreaK

Here's a video of the UI in action:
http://youtu.be/Ar4pgS9E3vg

vining

There's also a new learn track "Getting Started with the Modero X Series. Very basic info.

rfletcher

PhreaK wrote: »

So I can almost handle the cheesy name, but a dedicated, single user, goal orientated UI that is being pushed as having multi-tasking as the primary feature is very, very bad from a usability point of view. They're toting it as a way to perform activities "in the same way as you use a computer". I'm guessing that they've missed the recent push towards full screen apps, single tasking devices and the massively improved user experience this provides. Humans are only capable on focusing on one task at a given time. This absolutely reeks of feature creep and sounds like a very efficient way to destroy what otherwise looks like an awesome product.

Anyone at InfoComm who's lucky enough to get the hands over one of these care to shed some light? Does the UI toolkit force this interaction pattern or is a set of templates that come with TP5 (or whatever it will be called)?

I was there and went through the tour of the tp area of the booth twice. As far as I know there was no information on the UI toolkit there, just the non-functioning demo panels playing a loop through the demo UI. If there was than I'm seriously disappointing that neither of the people who showed me around noticed the word 'Programmer' on my badge and said something. I, however, sincerely doubt that whatever it is will prevent you from building the panel in any way you choose to.

DHawthorne

Personally, I can see it on a computer monitor, but not a control UI. I think it's a step in the wrong direction ... but you never know, there might be a market for it if you can break the screen into sections, and pull up pages independently per section. Then you can have a whole-house automation UI that will let you treat it like a command center. But I couldn't see having more then one per project. I also couldn't see using it as a theater or room control I want something I can easily hold or sit in my lap. Though I suppose they could double for room lighting.

Jimweir192

Surely it is about pushing boundaries and exploring what could be possible from a UI hardware piece. If they'd shown the 7 & 10" all glass tp's everyone would say so what - just a new tp style copying tablets. Instead everyone is talking about what this could be used for, how it might work and what users could or might want to do with this rather than an iPad clone!

Think concept car rather than new production model.

vining

I thought the release of panoramic TPs were a bold move and finally AMX was coming up with unique and creative ideas. Instead following the trends they were attempting to create one. Then I saw some commercials and noticed Samsung and others are releasing panoramic tablets too so it's not all that bold but I still applaud the idea. I don't believe the tablets are as wide but since tablet are expected to be held and carried around I wouldn't expect them to be as big as something intended to be wall mounted or in a desktop cradle.

Let's just hope the TPs will have the balls (power) to do what we'll expect from them. I'm optimistic and hope these and the other new products will be a turning point for AMX.

PhreaK

vining wrote: »

Let's just hope the TPs will have the balls (power) to do what we'll expect from them. I'm optimistic and hope these and the other new products will be a turning point for AMX.

+1 on that. My fear is not around the hardware - having that much interaction space is going to be awesome to play with and allow for some incredible UI's - but more a fear that the panels GUI toolkit will only function around the 'Pantastic UI' concept without allowing the flexibility to create solutions which are matched to their purpose. Going to be really interesting seeing how these are used.

DHawthorne

A definite must to my thinking will be that you have to be able to device the UI into individually scrollable segments ... or, another way to put it, to be able to have regions in which you flip pages and popups independent of other regions. The existing popup paradigm just won't cut it with this kind of UI.

Auser

And some more video waffle on the X Series:

http://www.inavateonthenet.net/video/43026/AMX-aims-to-change-the-face-of-control.aspx

At least the presenter doesn't seem like he's about to explode like the guy on the YouTube clip posted above.

There are a couple of interesting comments. Apparently AMX see a market for it on boardroom tables - not sure that most of our corporate clients would want it in their boardrooms given the amount of real estate that it takes up.

Also, G4 engine? Really? Hmmm...

PhreaK

Auser wrote: »

Also, G4 engine? Really? Hmmm...

When I heard that my heart sank a little. I really, really do honestly hope that they've developed a new UI toolkit. Without that it's just a glorified shiny Modero.

mush

Another important question.
Does anybody have any idea of pricing?

John Nagy

Pricing is and has been on the product pages for weeks.
http://www.amx.com/products/MXT-2000XL-PAN.asp
About $11K msrp

http://www.amx.com/products/MXT-1900L-PAN.asp
About 8K msrp

Your dealer discount will vary by class.

mush

John Nagy wrote: »

Pricing is and has been on the product pages for weeks.
http://www.amx.com/products/MXT-2000XL-PAN.asp
About $11K msrp

http://www.amx.com/products/MXT-1900L-PAN.asp
About 8K msrp

Your dealer discount will vary by class.

Thanks for that John.
With my login, I have never had pricing on any page.
Probably to do with being in Australia?

PhreaK

mush wrote: »

With my login, I have never had pricing on any page.
Probably to do with being in Australia?

Ditto here.

CustomCodeCrafters

I like the look of those, from an interface perspective you could potentially have a floor plan in the centre showing system information and then the relevant context-sensitive controls (climate, lighting, av etc) appearing at the sides without covering the plan.