Windows XP Media Center Edition SDK About Media Center Hosted HTML Applications
.jpg) |
| Previous | Next |
About Media Center Hosted HTML Applications
In the past, interaction with applications on personal computers was accomplished primarily by using the keyboard and the mouse. Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition provides another option: interaction with a computer that works like interaction with a television, by using a remote control. The user can now be ten feet away from the monitor instead of two feet.
Creating a user interface that works well at a distance of about ten feet requires a complete rethinking of how to present computer-based information. Compared to a keyboard and mouse, the remote control is smaller and easier to use; however, it provides a more limited form of user input. And while a greater viewing distance provides a more comfortable experience, it necessitates a new visual design style to ensure clarity, coherence, and readability.
In adapting the principles of information design for this new medium, it is important to consider the user's expectations. In some ways, the Media Center experience is more like watching television than using a computer. As a result, users expect a dynamic, animated experience. They expect that the input device will make their experience simpler, not more complicated. They may also expect applications to be more convenient, simpler to learn, and easier to use than applications controlled by the keyboard or mouse.
Media Center takes advantage of MSHTML to host HTML applications. This means that an application that you develop for Media Center can use most of the same technologies that you use when developing applications for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0, and it can be displayed within the Media Center environment. Your HTML application has access to almost all of the Internet Explorer Document Object Model (DOM), plus a subset of Media Center functionality.
This section discusses the following topics.
| Topic | Description |
| User Interface Guidelines for HTML Applications | Discusses guidelines for designing user interface elements that are easy to use from a distance with a remote control. |
| Programming Guidelines for HTML Applications | Describes programming guidelines for using Web technologies effectively in an HTML application. |
| Scripting for Media Center | Describes how to access Media Center functionality and remote control events by using script. |
| Using the Sample HTML Template Pages | Describes the sample HTML pages that are included with this document. |
| Using the Triple-tap/Soft-keyboard Control | Describes the Triple-tap/Soft-keyboard ActiveX control and explains how to use it in a Media Center hosted HTML application. |
| Adding Applications to the More Programs Page | Describes how to add shortcuts for all applications to the More Programs page in Media Center, whether the applications are running under the Windows shell or in the Media Center HTML host. |
| Testing HTML Applications | Describes special testing requirements for HTML applications hosted by Media Center. |
| Evaluating the Usability of HTML Applications | Describes the process of evaluating your application for ease of use. |
| Additional Information | Describes other sources of information on designing applications for Media Center. |
See Also
| Previous | Next |