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Given I wasn't the only person confused, I suspect this web page could be improved by just coming out and saying "sometimes I want audio to come from the TV, bu

Given I wasn't the only person confused, I suspect this web page could be improved by just coming out and saying "sometimes I want audio to come from the TV, but want the screen to be blank." The tiny screenshot was too hard for me to read, so I skipped over it, and was a bit confused about the purpose of this project.

Wistar 4y ago
I have wished many times that I could just “mute the picture” but not the audio, especially when I am trying to fall asleep. Wish there was something like this for Roku.
- bayindirh 4y ago
  Our Sony TV has a "Screen off" mode under quick-settings menu. Everything goes off related to screen, incl LEDs. We use it a lot while listening to music via Spotify and other services. The beauty is, volume buttons don't turn the screen back on either, so it truly becomes a connected speaker.
  - Wistar 4y ago
    Sounds like a well-considered implementation. Wish I had it.
  - xp84 4y ago
    My old one had a remote button for “PIC OFF”! What year roughly was yours made? I’m wondering if my new one has that buried somewhere. Mine is running the “Google TV” OS
    - bayindirh 4y ago
      Mine is a Sony X900H[0] (or its equivalent in EU), and runs Android, too. The feature is under the (Sony specific) quick settings menu accessed by the gear icon on the remote control. [0]: https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/sony/x900h https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/sony/x900h
slg 4y ago
But it does directly say that. You just need to read for 30 seconds instead of 5. The 1st paragraph tells you the features of the app and paragraphs 3-6 tell you the motivation behind the app and the primary use case. That is a pretty good structure for this type of web page.
- mbesto 4y ago
  > That is a pretty good structure for this type of web page. Not really. Honestly, it was kind of confusing to me too... All they had to say was "Apple makes it impossible to avoid playing a screen or animated screen saver during a podcast or listening to music. So, this app lets you listen to a podcast or music over a blank screen. That's it. That's all it is. It's a feature that AppleTV should have, but doesn't, so I made this app for it." Literally don't have to write anything more than that.
  - slg 4y ago
    Maybe the context of this appearing on HN is shifting the perception of this page, but this is posted on an individual's blog. If the author had the mindset of "literally don't have to write anything more than that", then they wouldn't have been blogging for seemingly 15 years. This page is very far from the worst offenders when it comes to this sort of thing. The features are outlined in the first paragraph. You truly can't get better than that. Odds are people who will want this app will immediately identify why those features are useful. For the people who don't immediately see the use, you only have to read a few more short paragraphs.
    - mbesto 4y ago
      > Maybe the context of this appearing on HN is shifting the perception of this page, but this is posted on an individual's blog. If the author had the mindset of "literally don't have to write anything more than that", then they wouldn't have been blogging for seemingly 15 years. 100% agree. But the OP is the highest rated comment, so clearly HN thinks this is important.
LeoPanthera 4y ago
Sony TVs have a "screen off" button that leaves the audio on. I'm surprised other brands don't have this.
- cdurth 4y ago
  I have a TCL that does this. Use it every night.
- parentheses 4y ago
  LG also has this capability. It’s hidden in the menus though.
- unfocused 4y ago
  Samsung also has this. It's on my 10 year old Samsung and I confirm the latest Sony TVs have it.
bern4444 4y ago
Agreed - communication is important. This should be the very first sentence. Keep your TV screen off while playing audio through your Apple TV. Then the page can go into why they built this, the problem it solved, the benefits, challenges etc. When I listen to a song I give it 3 - 7 seconds to see if I like it. Similar for books, 30 pages max. People move on quickly.
brycedriesenga 4y ago
Tiny screenshot? You may have some vision issues.
- ignite 4y ago
  or he's on a phone.

Wistar 4y ago

I have wished many times that I could just “mute the picture” but not the audio, especially when I am trying to fall asleep. Wish there was something like this for Roku.

bayindirh 4y ago
Our Sony TV has a "Screen off" mode under quick-settings menu. Everything goes off related to screen, incl LEDs. We use it a lot while listening to music via Spotify and other services. The beauty is, volume buttons don't turn the screen back on either, so it truly becomes a connected speaker.
- Wistar 4y ago
  Sounds like a well-considered implementation. Wish I had it.
- xp84 4y ago
  My old one had a remote button for “PIC OFF”! What year roughly was yours made? I’m wondering if my new one has that buried somewhere. Mine is running the “Google TV” OS
  - bayindirh 4y ago
    Mine is a Sony X900H[0] (or its equivalent in EU), and runs Android, too. The feature is under the (Sony specific) quick settings menu accessed by the gear icon on the remote control. [0]: https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/sony/x900h https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/sony/x900h

slg 4y ago

But it does directly say that. You just need to read for 30 seconds instead of 5. The 1st paragraph tells you the features of the app and paragraphs 3-6 tell you the motivation behind the app and the primary use case. That is a pretty good structure for this type of web page.

mbesto 4y ago
> That is a pretty good structure for this type of web page. Not really. Honestly, it was kind of confusing to me too... All they had to say was "Apple makes it impossible to avoid playing a screen or animated screen saver during a podcast or listening to music. So, this app lets you listen to a podcast or music over a blank screen. That's it. That's all it is. It's a feature that AppleTV should have, but doesn't, so I made this app for it." Literally don't have to write anything more than that.
- slg 4y ago
  Maybe the context of this appearing on HN is shifting the perception of this page, but this is posted on an individual's blog. If the author had the mindset of "literally don't have to write anything more than that", then they wouldn't have been blogging for seemingly 15 years. This page is very far from the worst offenders when it comes to this sort of thing. The features are outlined in the first paragraph. You truly can't get better than that. Odds are people who will want this app will immediately identify why those features are useful. For the people who don't immediately see the use, you only have to read a few more short paragraphs.
  - mbesto 4y ago
    > Maybe the context of this appearing on HN is shifting the perception of this page, but this is posted on an individual's blog. If the author had the mindset of "literally don't have to write anything more than that", then they wouldn't have been blogging for seemingly 15 years. 100% agree. But the OP is the highest rated comment, so clearly HN thinks this is important.

LeoPanthera 4y ago

Sony TVs have a "screen off" button that leaves the audio on. I'm surprised other brands don't have this.

cdurth 4y ago
I have a TCL that does this. Use it every night.
parentheses 4y ago
LG also has this capability. It’s hidden in the menus though.
unfocused 4y ago
Samsung also has this. It's on my 10 year old Samsung and I confirm the latest Sony TVs have it.

bern4444 4y ago

Agreed - communication is important. This should be the very first sentence. Keep your TV screen off while playing audio through your Apple TV. Then the page can go into why they built this, the problem it solved, the benefits, challenges etc. When I listen to a song I give it 3 - 7 seconds to see if I like it. Similar for books, 30 pages max. People move on quickly.

brycedriesenga 4y ago

Tiny screenshot? You may have some vision issues.

ignite 4y ago
or he's on a phone.