In my new CCF, I want to replace the ReplayTV and Tivo icons with a generic "PVR" icon, thereby making it easier for others to modify my file for their own use. Has anyone seen an icon or any kind of generic visual representation of a personal video recorder/digital video recorder? I plan to create my own icon, but after a week of trying to think up a generic icon that truly represents this functionality, I'm willing to hear all ideas.

Thanks,
Dale

I've played this mind game too... I came up empty. Seemed easier to just use ReplayTV / Tivo / UltimateTV logos...

I've got something in mind, but it feels a little bland. I'm going to go with it for now, unless someone has a good suggestion.

Here's what I'm currently using. The yellow background and dark line at the left are part of the design of the new CCF, so ignore those for now.



I know it's a little ambiguous, but I thought that the binary code on the TV screen covered the "Digital" part, and the Stop, Play, and Pause controls covered the rest. I may also do a version of this that mocks up a Record button instead of Play, because the new CCF keeps recording functions separate from playback functions. It'll make sense when you see it. Trust me.

Comments?

Thanks,
Dale

This message was edited by Darnitol on 05/29/02 13:02.31.

Go Dale!

The most unique thing about PVRs is the disk drive. In fact, I tend to call them HDR for Hard Disk Recorder, rather than PVR.

Accordingly, how about using a generic looking disk drive with the cover off so that the disk stack and the head actuator assembly are visible?

Jandras:

I actually started out with a hard disk icon, because I agree with your assessment of the disk drive being the most important element of a PVR. But...

I've found that the average TV watcher is totally unaware of what's inside a PVR that makes it work. While basically nobody on this forum is in that "average" category, I'm trying to design my CCF to be easy for custom installers to apply to the home theater setups of their clients. Of course, that's why I think my current icon is also somewhat ambiguous--those same clients are also unlikely to know that ones and zeros represent digital data.

To further agree with you: I absolutely hate the acronym "PVR." The only reason I use it is because that term seems to be taking hold in the industry. Personally, I'd choose "DVR" for digital video recorder."

Plus, this whole thing gets complicated by the fact that there are now a few DVD-RAM-based PVRs, which use DVD media to record on, but do not actually create true DVDs that can be played back in other DVD players. So what's THAT acronym? DDVD-RAMVR? :)

To sum up: I may still go back to the hard disk idea if my icon doesn't make sense to people. Most PVRs are still HD based. I just keep thinking, "there's GOT to be a simple, universal, visual representation of digital video recording and timeshifting.

I just haven't thought of it yet.

Thanks,
Dale

Hi Dale,

That's probably very true. If your icon doesn't suggest what's inside, or what's flowing in and out in terms of 1's and 0's, the only thing left is a "black box" that receives, stores, and regurgitates a program.

Another icon possibility I've been thinking about is an old-fashioned hand cranged movie camera - the kind with with the big feed reel and take-up reel on top like Mickey Mouse ears. A retro soft of icon like this seems to suggest "record" so broadly as to cover PVRs, and VCRs, and anything else that might come along.

What do you use for recording in general, or do you?

Joe.

Joe,

If I see a movie camera, I think movies. PVR's are primarily for TV! I think the logo above is pretty good. There's not going to be any universal icon at this point...

Here are my attempts at some generic icons.

For "Watch":

For what to watch:

For "Listen":

For what to listen to:

To turn everything OFF:

I too still seek a generic "Record" icon as I want my "users" to jump to a single panel that offers either a VCR or a Replay.

The 1's and 0's icon above is OK for the Replay (though not ideal), bit it makes no sense for the VCR.

More ideas?

In my CCF, Replay and VHS are accessed from the same panel, but not operated from the same panel. So for me, it's important to have the functionality clearly delineated.

Here's one possible generic HDR icon that I just made for my CCF file (after five months of doing other non-Pronto stuff...):



It's not perfect, but it sort of "iconifies" the digital record/play feature of a generic hard disk recorder (Tivo, Replay, UltimateTV, or whatever).

This message was edited by jandras on 10/13/02 15:50.13.

Nice UI.

I ended up using the graphic icon of a harddrive from the Windows XP icons (large 48x48 256 color one)