Include "Audio" Resolution in Main Player

[goyalyashpal]

Checklist

• I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - which I could contribute my information to.
• I have read the FAQ and my problem isn't listed.
• I'm aware that this is a request for NewPipe itself and that requests for adding a new service need to be made at NewPipeExtractor.
• I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the feature request will be dismissed otherwise.
• This issue contains only one feature request.
• I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.

Feature description

The most concise way to put this would be:

• either: "Allow a video resolution of none in main player mode"
• or: "Allow an audio only option in main player mode"
• or: "Create a new audio mode to essentially overtake background mode"

Why do you want this feature?

Further back story

Currently:

• when the current mode of playing is anything other than main (i.e. not playing, bg, or popup)

• then the "main" player (i.e. in video details UI) functions just as a placeholder for:

  • video track's thumbnail
  • the play button
  • total duration of the track
  • the current playing position: textual time and visual progress bar
  

The above behaviour is fine for not-playing, or popup mode - as they don't need the player UI of the main player, but not for bg mode.

Don't confuse "background mode" with audio mode, "background mode" is two things:

1. the "audio" only stream
2. a separate player mode (similar to how the popup mode is)
   1. consequently, it has its own player UI - the "playing queue UI" which opens on clicking via notification (hereafter called TRIGGER)
   2. supporting observation: "playing queue UI" doesn't open from TRIGGER when playing in main mode

And the requirement of additional TRIGGER to reach the dedicated player UI (the playing queue UI) in bg mode makes things to feel inconsistent and limiting.

Proposal

This suggestion is about rearranging those two things (audio stream, & playing queue UI) for a more consistent UX:

1. bundle the "audio only" stream within main player - it can be done in the resolution drop down
2. make "playing queue UI" to be accessible on TRIGGER even when playing in video - however, automatically switch to audio while TRIGGERED - i.e. change from point 2.ii above

Required complementary/cosmetic changes:

3. the "background" button in the video description UI will be renamed to "audio" and will function as a shortcut to select the audio stream in the main player
4. in "audio", the main player will show the thumbnail of the stream, and the "fit to" options - may either be hidden, or made to act on the shown thumbnail - whichever is easier/efficient to implement
5. the required refactoring for above changes
6. i can't think of any other major changes that would be required anywhere else - rest all things will function exactly same way as they do now
   • ... (cntd) 'cz all other contexts mostly mean "audio only" and have nothing to do with the UI used for it - so, whether it be the current "playing queue UI' or the proposed "main player UI"

Mockups:

1. Audio in the resolution panel

   

2. "Audio" for the background button in video description ui, and the main player for audio stream containing video thumbnail scaled down

   

Additional information

• NewPipe v0.24.0

[SameenAhnaf]

To make things simpler, we might exclusively discuss Include "Audio" Resolution in Main Player on this issue.

This suggestion is about rearranging those two things (audio stream, & playing queue UI) for a more consistent UX:

#7973

"Allow an audio only option in main player mode"

#2610

[goyalyashpal]

HI!

make "playing queue UI" to be accessible on TRIGGER even when playing in video - however, automatically switch to audio while TRIGGERED - i.e. change from point 2.ii above

the rearranging part for the playing queue ui was about this above point

the issue you mentioned is literally about "merging the playing queue and related video feed" - which is totally different thing - can you please recheck if you linked correct issue - or which part of this issue is requisite of that one??

"Allow an audio only option in main player mode" - #2610

yeah, this one is perfect to override the "background" mode 👍

we might exclusively discuss Include "Audio" Resolution in Main Player on this issue.

yeah sure, then

[goyalyashpal]

THIS COMMENT IS RESERVED AS A PLACEHOLDER COMMENT

[goyalyashpal]

THIS COMMENT IS RESERVED AS A PLACEHOLDER COMMENT

[SameenAhnaf]

which part of this issue is requisite of that one??

At first, Audio has to be a resolution in main player for implementing my proposal (details mentioned below).

the rearranging part for the playing queue ui was about this above point

Then, we can merge play queue and related videos into a single video tab. At present, play queue for main player is in a player button and for background/popup, it is accessible through notification. Related videos for main player are in the video tab. For background/popup, it is accessible after long press and selecting info. I want to place all these things into a single tab instead of four different places.

How can video tab be useful for your request? You can scroll comments or description even when main player is active (the video doesn't stay static, I know. #4484 asks to solve that). If play queue is embedded into a video tab, play queue will be accessible for any player even while playing the video.

I wanted to simplify both issues to do things step by step. Sorry as it became too confusing to understand.

[goyalyashpal]

Sorry as it became too confusing to understand.

no worry, it's okay, the discussions regarding the ui/ux/user flow do become complex especially in newpipe as seemingly simple tasks too span multiple areas - just too much intermixing of components.

i'll try to rearrange the comment above so that it becomes easy to point to - for you, as well as for me too.
and as you want this issue to be focussed on "audio resolution in main player" - and i am more satisfied with direction of #2610 - so, i will see if i can move the other parts of this proposal to that issue, and then use that new comment of mine as a reference for myself

[SameenAhnaf]

#2610 actually discusses about a lot of features. That violates "one FR per issue" rule of this repo.

I think, we should solve include audio resolution at first, then solve #7973 and #2610 at last. Wdyt?

[goyalyashpal]

• well, i just want to be able to use the "main player ui' for audio - just that, whichever fits it 😄
• the current implementation of "bg mode" is kinda non-sensical to me (no offence)
• this was in part, the reason i thought to file issue: Fix the player UX #8958 itself - see the "Player queue UI" in that table
• ... of which i have yesterday updated the body to include the problem, but left it closed as i was still thinking about solution

[opusforlife2]

What you're describing is exactly what happens for Soundcloud and Bandcamp if you set "Minimise" to background and play a song in the main player.

[SameenAhnaf]

@opusforlife2 We'd also like to completely abandon current background player and introduce a common queue management as explained in #7973. Bandcamp and SoundCloud still have both background and main player despite being audio-only platform.

[opusforlife2]

If behaviour similar to what I mentioned above is implemented for audio playback in general, that would automatically solve the problem of queue not being accessible from within the app in the popup and background players.

[SameenAhnaf]

That's true. But we want to improve the experience further. As I mentioned earlier, this issue, #7973 and #2610 can be implemented separately.