[Feature Request] Option to Always Show Progress Bar

[Swishy16]

Checklist

• I checked, but didn't find any duplicates (open OR closed) of this issue in the repo.
• I have read the contribution guidelines given at https://github.com/TeamNewPipe/NewPipe/blob/HEAD/.github/CONTRIBUTING.md.
• This issue contains only one feature request. I will open one issue for every feature I want to request.

What feature do you want?

I would like the option to "always display" the progress bar so that the progress bar is always visible on the video throughout playback. Currently, the progress bar disappears after 2-3 seconds. This feature would be a ui option that can be turned on or off based on personal preference by each user so that once enabled or disabled it will repeat the same behavior automatically for every video.

Why do you want this feature?

I would like this feature so that the progress bar remains on screen as a visual representation of the time remaining in each video without having to continually tap the screen to see the progress bar and the amount of time remaining in the video.

[TippyLion28]

How about an option to toggle the progress bar on tap rather than have it time out automatically?

[Swishy16]

How about an option to toggle the progress bar on tap rather than have it time out automatically?

@TippyLion28 ,
In my mind I this would be a set it and forget it option, instead of having to tap the screen each video the option can be enabled/disabled in the background so that every video has the same behavior during playback without having to tap the screen to view the progress bar. Personally, I watch videos in a continuous playlist and sometimes have to tap the screen to see how much time is remaining in the current video.

[TippyLion28]

Would tapping the screen once at the start of a playlist be a suitable compromise? Of course the visibility state of the progress bar should be maintained from video-to-video for this to work, but I think it's relatively set-and-forget as you say.

[Swishy16]

Would tapping the screen once at the start of a playlist be a suitable compromise? Of course the visibility state of the progress bar should be maintained from video-to-video for this to work, but I think it's relatively set-and-forget as you say.

@TippyLion28,

Yes, that compromise works. The key point is that the state remain active from video-to-video without having to tap the screen during playback.

[litetex]

I completely disagree with this feature request.
Literally every video player I know (YT brower and app player, native browser/firefox video player, windows media player, etc) hide the status bar after some time.

[TippyLion28]

I completely disagree with this feature request. Literally every video player I know (YT browers and app player, native browser/firefox video player, windows media player, etc) hide the status bar after some time.

VLC

[litetex]

@TippyLion28
Not on Android 😉

[TippyLion28]

Touché

[Swishy16]

@TippyLion28 Not on Android 😉

@TippyLion28 and @litetex the "Not on Android" response is not accurate. The Youtube app on Android indeed permits viewing the progress bar continuously on all videos by tapping the screen to see the player controls. The player controls and progress bar will overlay on the screen and will remain on top of the video throughout the video playback and will remain visible as the app plays consecutive videos on a playlist. I am not sure if NewPipe will permit this request but the idea is to have the progress bar visible without having the player controls visible.

This request was inspired by the Android Youtube app behavior as NewPipe currently does not have this capability.

In the original Youtube web version the player progress bar was visible at all times as well. There are various scripts available that permit users to recreate this behavior even after the recent Youtube web player UI changes.

I am not clear on why you disagree with this feature request as the request specifically states in the first sentence that this be an "option". If you prefer to have the progress bar not visible you can simply not enable it. The way I see it, that's a win for you and a win for me.

Hope this post clarifies my reasons for this request and addresses your disagreement @litetex.

Have a good one.

[TippyLion28]

@SameenAhnaf I assume @Swishy16 is after a solution for fullscreen mode?

[litetex]

This issue says in it's title "Option to Always Show Progress Bar" and in the description:

I would like the option to "always display" the progress bar so that the progress bar is always visible on the video throughout playback.

Keep it inside that scope.

---

Ref to #7206 (comment)

The Youtube app on Android indeed permits viewing the progress bar continuously on all videos by tapping the screen to see the player controls.

NO IT DOES NOT:

YouTubeHidesTheSeekbar.mp4

... throughout the video playback and will remain visible as the as the app plays consecutive videos on a playlist.

That was not written inside the issue. As @SameenAhnaf (props for always finding the correct issues 😄) mentioned this is a different issue.

[Swishy16]

@SameenAhnaf I assume @Swishy16 is after a solution for fullscreen mode?

@TippyLion28 Yes, that's what I'm after.

[Swishy16]

This issue says in it's title "Option to Always Show Progress Bar" and in the description:

I would like the option to "always display" the progress bar so that the progress bar is always visible on the video throughout playback.

Keep it inside that scope.

Ref to #7206 (comment)

The Youtube app on Android indeed permits viewing the progress bar continuously on all videos by tapping the screen to see the player controls.

NO IT DOES NOT:

YouTubeHidesTheSeekbar.mp4

... throughout the video playback and will remain visible as the as the app plays consecutive videos on a playlist.

That was not written inside the issue. As @SameenAhnaf (props for always finding the correct issues 😄) mentioned this is a different issue.

@litetex Oh wow, you've posted a Kurzgesagt video example to prove my previous response incorrect. I do so enjoy Kurzgesagt's content as well. Maybe we have something in common?

Please let me have this modest setting request as an option for NewPipe and leave me in peace. Pretty please with cherries on top. Sincerely

I can appreciate you going through the trouble of posting a video so that you can be right, but I can be petty too.

To recreate the settings on my Android phone please do the following:

Open the Android Youtube App

1. Tap the Youtube profile picture icon in the top right of the Youtube Home Screen.
2. Tap Settings
3. Scroll down to Accessibility.
4. Enable Accessibility Player
5. Tap Hide player controls
6. Tap "Never"
7. Voila the option that you disagree with so much is already in the Youtube App you profess to know so much about. Imagine that.

Now the progress bar and player controls are visible throughout the video playback. If you'd be so kind to record the steps above and post back here to confirm that you're right and I'm wrong. After all it is an option. And you disagree with people having options.

If you still disagree, that's fine. But at least I'll know for sure you're just unnecessarily trolling this thread about something you, ultimately, can just turn off at the end of the day. As I said in the heading and the first sentence of my request, it is, an "option".

Do you realize that this whole time you've posted nothing constructive, or for that matter factually accurate. And for some reason you browsed this topic and felt the need to comment and project your unnecessary opinion into this thread. Now we've both succumbed to our pettiness and wasted each other's time to read and rebut, "an option".

"NO IT DOES NOT", in capital letters no less, to highlight your ignorance. Well, I guess it really does after all.

Looking forward to your future video post.

Have a good one.

[TippyLion28]

Always showing the full Interface is kinda niche

You know, I think there is something significant about this being an option under "Accessibility" in the official YouTube app as @Swishy16 mentions

Yes it's niche, but for some people I can see this being incredibly important. Accessibility options don't always make sense for everyone, which is why they are options

Anywho, thanks @SameenAhnaf for bringing up the other issue, however I think @Swishy16 has demonstrated that this is a separate issue and #5235 does not satisfy their requirements.

[TippyLion28]

@SameenAhnaf I fail to see how that screenshot addresses the core issue in any way. See issue title:

Option to Always Show Progress Bar

[TippyLion28]

No, it is not already mentioned at the top. The feature you mentioned hasn't even been added to NewPipe. If that issue goes stale and is never implemented, I imagine @Swishy16 would still like the functionality they asked for to be implemented.

If this functionality was already achieved in NewPipe I would understand your point, and I would consider an issue like this to be redundant. As the functionality does not yet exist, this issue is valid and independent of the other issues you mentioned.

[TippyLion28]

I was talking about the screenshot. 😑

I know. A screenshot of functionality that does not yet exist, at least in the main NewPipe APK. @Swishy16 isn't commenting on somebody else's imagination. They are commenting on functionality that exists today.

Showing only progress bar would make the Interface look like broken.

No? Enabling an accessibilty option to keep the progress bar shown (or at least togglable via a tap, without timing out after 2s) doesn't then mean that the interface is "broken". Where do you get that idea from? Is the official YouTube app therefore "broken" too?

Always showing the full Interface is kinda niche as it obstructs the video playback with a dark overlay.

I've already addressed this. Accessibility options are options for a reason. The 'problem' you describe here doesn't make the proposed functionality less useful for users who need it, and certainly wouldn't concern users who elect not to enable it.

[TippyLion28]

Why is the progress bar always required to be shown? Why doesn't showing only progress time get the job done? 🤔

@SameenAhnaf This I can't very well comment on. @Swishy16 is the only one who can elaborate further whether this would satisfy their requirements.

However from an accessibilty point of view, I can see this being useful for users with reduced fine motor control who may find the 2-3 second timeout to be insufficient, and the constant auto-hiding of player controls to be unhelpful. I imagine this is why YouTube classes such an feature as an accessibilty option.

I also think that the progress bar provides a better visual 'at-a-glance' view of how much of the content has already been consumed.

[Swishy16]

Why is the progress bar always required to be shown? Why doesn't showing only progress time get the job done? 🤔

@SameenAhnaf This I can't very well comment on. @Swishy16 is the only one who can elaborate further whether this would satisfy their requirements.

However from an accessibilty point of view, I can see this being useful for users with reduced fine motor control who may find the 2-3 second timeout to be insufficient, and the constant auto-hiding of player controls to be unhelpful. I imagine this is why YouTube classes such an feature as an accessibilty option.

I also think that the progress bar provides a better visual 'at-a-glance' view of how much of the content has already been consumed.

@TippyLion28 Agreed. The progress bar can more easily be viewed at a glance than the elapsed time text. Also, the elapsed time displayed as text requires interpretation of the current time elapsed in relation to the total length of the video. Whereas the red progress bar can be seen and interpreted visually based on the length of the bar and the speed of progression across the screen

@SameenAhnaf I appreciate you providing your honest feedback and a possible solution to this post but the general idea is to have the progress bar as the visual representation of the elapsed and remaining time of the video vs seeing the actual text of the elapsed and remaining time which may not be as easily visible if the phone is not within arms length distance for viewing for those whose vision is limited, such as myself.

I just want to point out that NewPipe has many features that are not present in other apps and is marketed as an alternative to the YouTube application. I appreciate that it's open source and that everyone has their own vision and expectations of what they would like included in the application. I respect that everyone may not want the same features as myself and that is why I made it as clear as possible that this request be an option so that it does not force anyone to use it if their preference differs from my own.

It could be a simple setting to determine how long the progress bar remains on the screen i.e. 2 seconds, 5 seconds, never. I don't want to mess up what I feel is a good thing for everybody.

It's just my personal preference that may or not be shared by others. I have no idea if this request will ever be implemented or not and I didn't anticipate that making this request would get this much attention. Just thought I would ask and hope for the best.

Have a good one.

[Swishy16]

Following progress bar could be optionally shown when the Interface is hidden. No need of dark overlay!

@SameenAhnaf I like that visualization as well. What platform is the screenshot from?

[Swishy16]

@Swishy16 I took a screenshot from a video of Kurzgesagt channel and edited myself.

Is the shadow good enough to identify the texts properly? Should we consider outline or black background instead?

@SameenAhnaf in the screenshot the white text is difficult to see against a white background. I black text outline would stand out more for videos where the video background behind the text is all white.

The red progress bar at the very bottom of the screen instead of 3/4 down the screen gives more room for the video itself. The concept looks great.

Thank You