[axbmcuser]

A Confluence ZEITGEIST

Impressions








DOWNLOAD:
>> repository.axbmcuser.zip <<

===========================
Repo-Install as always:
===========================

System -> Settings -> Add-ons -> Install from zip file -> Browse and choose the downloaded .zip-file
Then:
-> Install from repository -> axbmcuser REPO -> Skin -> "A Confluence ZEITGEIST" -> Install

===========================
Remarks:
===========================

- The skin works on KODI 17.x (Krypton) & KODI 18.x (Leia) & KODI 19.x (Matrix) (seperate versions, the repo automatically offers you the correct version for your KODI system)
- Make sure you always use the latest versions of the skin. Having the addon-manager set to "auto updates: on" saves you from pushing buttons yourself and you're always up to date.


==================================================
= Important Info for Users who did use "Confluence" before: =
==================================================

- This skin is meant as a modern reenvisioned 1:1 replacement of the Original Confluence Skin.
- Therefore, it has ALL views types and functionality of the Original Confluence skin. Nothing has been removed.

- If you think you are missing some of the old view types you are used to, please just look on the first page of "Skin settings":

There is a by default disabled Skin Setting:

-> "Enable Confluence Legacy View Types (Looks bad + unsupported!)"

Just enable it and all VIEW TYPES are there.



=====================================================
= KODI 17+ versions of this skin offer an OPTIONAL special option =
=====================================================

3.0.43 (2016-08-14) (or higher)
- Added experimental, TOTALLY OPTIONAL, BY DEFAULT DISABLED, automatic VolumeAmplification-DRC options
See: System - Skin Settings - General Settings - scroll all the way down to: EXPERIMENTAL section
WARNING: Please only enable this options if you are really really knowing what you are doing!


Again, this is totally optional! Only enable it if you are an expert. If you don't enable it, the Skin acts as before. There is no harm for normal/casual users. Just leave the experimental, optional settings alone/disabled.

Description:


There are 2 new options:

- Enable VolumeAmplification-DRC automatically (ONLY for movies in library)
If ENABLED

If playback of a MOVIE from the library is started, this automatically happens:
- volume amplification is set to +10 dB
- main volume is set to about -7,8 dB to have roughly the same global volume results as before
(In combination, this settings solve the insane differences in volume without losing a good dynamic range between silent and loud sounds within movies)

If playback of every other type of media gets started (internet streams, other video files, tv shows, live-tv, live-tv-radio, music, etc.), this automatically happens:
- volume amplifcation is reset to 0dB (=disabled)
- main volume is reset to 0dB=100% (default)
(everything back to normal for every other media since these other files don't have insane volume differences. tv shows for example are mixed very moderate and almost never have dialogue problems. therefore, using DRC on tv shows would not be very reasonable. Movies with modern audio tracks are _the_ main problem, so we don't do anything when playing other media files.)

- Show VolumeAmplification-DRC toggle-button in VideoOSD (except LiveTV)
- Adds a small additional toggle-button to VideoOSD (if you wan't to switch the preset VolumeAmplification-DRC capabilities ON/OFF by hand)
For example: If you are playing a high quality movie through an legal streaming service like Amazon VOD, VA-DRC is not enabled automatically (as described above). In such a case you can decide if you want to enable it by manually by pressing the toggle button. A short notification tells you if toggle on/off


Feedback and a "thumbs up" welcome :-)

[amikkwe]

I would like to try it out if you upload it, looks nice

[axbmcuser]

Just creating a github repo, as soon as i'm done with that, i'll post here.

[axbmcuser]

Download is now available!
Have fun.

[chestionabil]

this is the best theme for me.
works so smooth on rpi2.
thank you for building and sharing it!
will update you with any bugs if I find any!

[axbmcuser]

Great to hear. Thanks for the feedback!

[axbmcuser]

EDIT:

Helix version is online now...

The repo should automatically offer you the right version for your system (Helix or Isengard).

Please report if it works out! Thanks.


EDIT 2:
Some small repo updates...
Setting Add-on manager to "Automatic updates: on" helps.

Please use the latest versions of the skin.

[axbmcuser]

Changelog:

2.8.61 (2016-01-17)
- First release for KODI 16 / Jarvis
- New version based on clean KODI 16 / Jarvis Confluence 2.8.6 (GIT 2015-01-15 - no Isengard leftovers)


2.7.88 (2016-01-02)
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.87 (2016-01-02)
- Added visual stars-rating (0-5 stars) in "Video Information Dialog"

2.7.86 (2016-01-01)
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.85 (2016-01-01)
- New Option under SKIN SETTINGS -> BACKGROUND OPTIONS -> "Use Original Confluence Default Background "Blue Bubbles" instead of Black"
(Disabled by default)
If you really like the Original Confluence Default Background "Blue Bubbles" better than plain black, you may enable this option.

2.7.84 (2016-01-01)
- Reworked US MPAA Icons (now colored)
- Added MPAA FSK-certification support for Germany in "Video Information Dialog" (including textures)
- "Video Information Dialog": Header label is now scrolling if title name is too long

2.7.83 (2016-01-01)
- Reworked "DialogVideoInfo.xml" (Video Information Dialog) !
- Moved movie release-year on homescreen within the "now playing" info. BEFORE: MovieName (YYYY) NOW: StudioName (YYYY)
- Reworked textures: icon-rss.png, DefaultAddonNone.png
- Removed option for windowed trailer in "Video Information Dialog"

2.7.82 (2015-12-29)
- Increased maximum no. of home screen addons (from 5 to 7)
- Added movie release-year in VideoOSD > BEFORE: StudioName NOW: StudioName (YYYY)

2.7.81 (2015-12-28)
- Visually optimized home screen addons

2.7.80 (2015-12-27)
- Visually optimized home screen addons
- Added home screen addons option for "TV/Radio"
- Visually optimized home screen RSS Feed
- Reworked textures: PVR-EpgProgressIndicator.png

2.7.79 (2015-12-26)
- Reworked textures:
arrow-big-left.png,
arrow-big-right.png,
PVR-IsRecording.png,
PVR-HasTimer.png,
icon-mute.png

2.7.78
- Reworked up/down left/right control graphics/arrows (type 1 + 2)

2.7.77
- New MINI Weather Information for home screen:
Reworked home screen option "Show weather information" (it does NOT replace the KODI logo with that large weather information anymore - mini info is added right to the KODI logo)
- Fixed Video OSD Subtitle tooltip position (X-position slightly off because of the reworked OSD buttons)
Textures:
- Reworked "radio buttons" (AKA on/off button)
- OSD Keyboard focus key optimized
- OSD Keyboard radio buttons optimized to match radio button change

2.7.76
- Home screen PVR recording/timer info position fix (very minor)

2.7.75
- Reworked all OSD-Button graphics again (no focus + focus state changed)
- More reworked gradients with near to no banding
- Many smaller textures updates and icon size optimization

2.7.74
- Small home main menu focus-item fix
- Reworked backgrounds for main menu and bottom floor image (Containing new, much better, almost banding free gradients)

2.7.73
- Reworked Home main menu (items now have text labels)
- Some home main menu icons now smaller (have been too bulky before)
- Don't hide "recently added [...]" on home screen if favorites sidebar is open
- Small textures update (includes: removed strange 0.0 audio indicator like in Jarvis)

2.7.72
- Added global home screen PVR recording/timer indicator
- Fixed Recording OSD Button togglebutton states
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
VideoOSD, MusicOSD: Dim disabled items more,
Home screen "Recently added ..." font size corrections,
Small optimization in OSD Buttons: AudioSettings, VideoSettings, Record, EPG, TXT

2.7.71
- Reworked home screen icons for Shutdown Menu and Favorites
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.70
- New optional setting "Move Favorites Button to main menu (ONLY works if main menu isn't full!)"

2.7.69
- Reworked Home Widgets/Addons
- Added 5% home main menu, home sub menu and floor transparency
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.68
- Optimized animation/transition timings
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.67
- Some viewtypes a now hidden by default for more simplicity. (All stock-views can be simply re-activated in Skin Settings.)
- Home: Switched Shutdown and Favorites Button
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.66
- Wall Views now use a semi-transparent background like the other ViewsTypes to match Confluence typical background-video-style (Can be disabled in Skin Settings!)

2.7.65
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
Reworked TV/Radio-Channel-Section, Wall Views

2.7.64
- Reworked TV/Radio-Channel-Section (Larger Plot, removed minimized window, enable background video for TV/Radio-Channel-Section)

2.7.63
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
Removed "MediaItemDetailBG.png" code+image,
Reworked "DefaultAddon.png",
Cosmetic px fixes within "Settings.xml", "SettingsCategory.xml"

2.7.62
- Minor viewtypes fix ("script.module.xbmcswift2" MOD to version 2.4.01)

2.7.61
- Added Settings Option to make the "Wall View" with more items default ("Wall View" with fewer items is default - enable option for change/switch)
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.60
- Settings sub menu item "OpenELEC" now conditional
- Fixed "logfile-cosmetic" error regarding missing "settings.jpg"
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
DefaultAlbumCover.png, DefaultAudio.png, DefaultAudio.png,
further optimized main menu icons

2.7.59
- Some small but important viewtype fixes
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
"DefaultArtist.png"

2.7.58
- Reworked Favorites-Sidebar
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
Subtitle Download Dialog

2.7.57
- Added option to hide main menu item "TV-Radio"
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
Subtitle Download Dialog

2.7.56
- Reworked OSD Subtitle Download Dialog

2.7.55
- Reworked and optimized OSD-Keyboard(s)
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
"PVR-EpgProgressIndicator.png",
"DefaultActor.png",
Added header label above "Clean Library..."-Button in Sidebar

2.7.54
- Optimized "DialogVideoInfo.xml"
- Minor improvements and optimizations (including):
Removed additional font-faces in "Font.xml" ,
removed "GlassOverlay.png" code+image,
removed "HasSub.png" code+image,
"DefaultAddSource.png",
"DialogVideoInfo.xml" Plot height fix

2.7.53
- Fixed "Dialog Header Image" widths and left-positions for all files
- Integrate support for optional custom movie duration script
- Minor improvements

2.7.52
- Minor improvements

2.7.51
- Reworked all OSD-Buttons (now 1080p optimized)
- Reworked main menu icons TV and Radio
- Reworked Header Icons for different Sections (Movies, TV-Shows, Files ...) (now they are matching the main menu icons)
- Minor fixes and improvements

2.7.50
- Added another Wall View with more items (Now: Wall View 1 & Wall View 2)
- Added "Clean library" button in sidebar (below "Update Library")
- Minor improvements and optimizations

2.7.49
2.7.48
- Minor improvements

2.7.47
- Reworked top left global KODI-Logo (now 1080p optimized)
- Reworked DefaultFolderBack Icon (now 1080p optimized)
- Reworked DefaultVideo and DefaultVideoCover Icon (now 1080p optimized)
- Minor improvements

2.7.46
- Reworked main menu icon for "Movies"

2.7.45
- Reworked all main menu icons since they were a little blurry before. Now they are very sharp and 1080p optimized.
- Wall view (Thumbnail view) optimizations

2.7.44
- Minor fix

2.7.43
- Minor improvements

2.7.42
- While in the wall view (Thumbnail view), the KODI sidebar can now be opened again by going all left.
I had this disabled because i want to be able to jump to the most right object by going all left. Some ppl may have a dedicated key for the KODI sidebar on a remote. -> SetFocus(9000) (remote.xml)

2.7.41
- Initial Release based on Confluence 2.7.4

[axbmcuser]

1111+ views?

Any feedback on how it works out for you? All happy? All sad?

[Robotica]

This is a minimal version of Confluence for those who need speed! With just 3.5 Mb textures, this is one of the fastest (if not the fastest) skin available. Also I really like your non-scrolling home.xml (reminds me of pm3.hd back when XBMC Gui was mainly vertical), all-tough menu items lack written text.

All in all, it's a great upgrade to stock Confluence and hopefully you keep working on this so in future this skin can compete on features with AEON Nox, Rapier and the like... Your clean and refreshing approach and i.e. skin settings dialogs redesign are a great step in that direction. Do you have plans to add a Script page (a tab in skin settings)?

ps. I don't need the Openelec settings. I also would like to suggest to look at e.g. Rapier shutdown menu. It's much more descriptive than current. A bug is that favorites dialog doesn't get a scrollbar. And sounds are missing.

I'll keep an eye on your next version; hopefully you''ll finetune even further, i.e. OSD's could have an update similar to the clean OSD's in Rapier and Xonfluence. Or have a theme packed with a lot of artwork (backgrounds for settings, studio flags, music genre, etc).

[axbmcuser]

Thanks for your feedback!

As far as i can look ahead i don't want to compete with Rapier (etc.) feature-wise. I like staying close to Original Confluence, with some additions. (Modern look, fast, Wall views, new main menu, etc.)
I'll check regarding the removal of the OpenELEC submenu item for non OpenELEC-users.
Good point regarding OSD-graphics. Although i made them look more modern, i didn't rework them completely for FullHD resolution. I started making new vector based OSD-graphics, but paused on that for the moment since a don't have enough spare time to finish all of the icons (there are _many_).


That being said:

- Just released an update with a 2nd Wall View (more items) and some minor improvements

[meccs]

Really well done! Hope you will continue to update it

[Robotica]

Thanks for your feedback!

As far as i can look ahead i don't want to compete with Rapier (etc.) feature-wise. I like staying close to Original Confluence, with some additions. (Modern look, fast, Wall views, new main menu, etc.)
I'll check regarding the removal of the OpenELEC submenu item for non OpenELEC-users.
Good point regarding OSD-graphics. Although i made them look more modern, i didn't rework them completely for FullHD resolution. I started making new vector based OSD-graphics, but paused on that for the moment since a don't have enough spare time to finish all of the icons (there are _many_).


That being said:

- Just released an update with a 2nd Wall View (more items) and some minor improvements

Ok, thnx.
I assume you are aware of universal's work of updating all icons in Confluence. He even shares his .PSD's. Maybe that's some help for your work on HD icons.

ps. Could you highlight which elements are HD (based on dimensions) and which aren't?

And I have an error in log:

Code:

18:06:46 T:5264   ERROR: CImageLoader::DoWork - Direct texture file loading failed for special://skin/backgrounds/_home_icon_programs_.png

[Thomas_AR]

Very well done love it. Keep on the good work.

[axbmcuser]

@Robotica

Just looked into it. The error regarding the programs main menu icon is just "logfile-cosmetic" and causes no visible problems whatsoever - it's fixed for the next version. Thanks for pointing out!

1080p optimized graphics - .xml dimensions x factor 1.5
(had to make sure .xml graphics dimensions are always even numbers for width and height, so you can multiply clean x 1.5 (720p x 1.5 = 1080p))

- Main menu icons
- DefaultVideoCover.png
- DefaultVideo.png
- DefaultFolderBack.png
- kodi-logo.png

The 3 DefaultXXX.png graphics are used in multiple sizes, so they i made one large one which is kind of about 1080p optimized. You can see that when having these graphics in large view.