This is my first install of OSMC (on a Rpi3). Unfortunately the first user experience of OSMC was not so great. So I thought I walk you through my experience. Maybe you can help. Maybe you can spot a few ideas for improvements…
The install was quite straight forward. Just the question of OSMC or Kodi was awkward. How would I know? I picked OSMC.
First I added some audio files. Settings > Media > Library > Music… Now I see
29.72 GB Drive
Auto-mounted drives
Add music
OK, so that’s the drive! I can drill down - but I don’t see a way to add that folder!? Confused.
I go back up and try “Add music”. Next “Browse”. But it does not list the drive. Maybe I need to use the mount folder on “Root filesystem”? But why is there “Home folder” then - that’s also on the rootfs. Confused.
Anyway - let’s try. Browsing the rootfs I go for /mnt - but that’s empty. Nothing mounted. But the drive showed up on that other screen. Some searching.
Ah - it’s /media and some weird number. I select the music folder on the drive. But the action just says “OK”.
“OK” what? “OK” to “Browse for new share”? Oh, you have to go inside the folder and then press “OK”. My UX heart bleeds a little. Anyway, I give it a name and now have some music.
Switching to “Music” I don’t see a grid of beautiful album art - no, I see just a menu with “Files” selected as the default. (Why?) I scroll up. “Albums” Hurray - but again just a list. Boy, that’s what I call “lightweight”. At least selecting the album shows the cover art.
Now how do I play the album?
Maybe ? Nope :-/
Now the album art is gone and I get plain list of tracks. (Seriously?)
Ah, I need to select a track then cover art is back. And plays the song! Success!
Awkward that the little progress display constantly switches back and forth between artist and track. As if there was not enough space on that screen. But at least - some music.
Back to the navigation top. I bet there must be some kind of big player screen. And yes - turns out gets me there. Pretty straightford.
Shows the album art and the track information. Nice.
But wait!? Suddenly it’s gone and all I see is some picture of - water???
back to the main screen. OK, let’s try again. Yay!
But then around 10s later again - water. (WTF?)
Is that meant to be some kind of screensaver? Let’s check the settings.
Settings > System > Display? Nope.
Settings > Player > Music > Visualization? Is “none”. Hm.
Settings > Interface > Screensaver! But it’s supposed to “dim” after 3min. No darn water.
I give up. Maybe a new skin can fix this. Let’s try.
Settings > Interface > Skin Hm. Only 2 other available. “Estouchy” and “Estuary”.
Ah - there is: “Get more…”
Better! A list of skins - but no preview???
Well, let’s select “adonic”.
Hah - starts to install for quick moment and… “Installation failed”. OK?
Trying a few more. Same story.
WTF?!
Meanwhile I realized that the music player is only shown for a few seconds on every new track. (Why?) Then it shows the background - the water.
I am not here to complain but… it seems like I need to some help here.
And maybe (just maybe) this also gives some ideas to improve the new user experience?
Thanks!